Like every other high school, the students of Ravenwood Academy know nothing more beyond the world of their own teenage lives -- a world of classes to pass, social reputations to live up to, and dirty little secrets to keep.
But when strange dangero...
The digital 4 blinked to a 5. Five minutes more, that was what it now said on Jack's watch. Five minutes more to keep watch.
The assembly would start at five, everyone knew that. It was part of the Ravenwood Academy tradition, an assembly on the first day, an orientation and welcoming of some sort. And attendance was mandatory. All students and faculty must be in the auditorium no later than half past four. But, if truth be told, students would rather skip it—there was nothing interesting about announcements and welcoming remarks.
Jack turned his attention to Sander, who sat with the other sixth formers, some rows back to his right in the auditorium. It was a relief to know that the jerks of the football team were seated behind everyone else, a good distance away from his new bespectacled friend. Sander, on the other hand, sat among the first row of sixth formers, and seemed to be rather enjoying himself. He and Talya were talking, exchanging words across the border, smiles on their faces.
They actually look good together, Jack thought to himself, watching them in conversation.
And seated beside Talya was the weird girl—what was her name again? Adelina? Lyn, as Damien often called her? The raven-haired girl, quiet and apathetic, did nothing but fix her eyes on the book in hand, flipping a page every few minutes.
"Dude," said a voice to his left, a smooth tenor. Jack whipped his head around, his brown eyes meeting blue ones. "Dude, you see Damien yet?" asked Max.
Jack looked back again at the rows of fifth formers. "No, bruh. Don't see him," he said.
It's been a while now, no less than twenty minutes, since Damien disappeared and told Jack to keep an eye on Sander and the jerks, texting him that there was something he had to do.
"Bruh didn't you pay them $1000?" replied Jack, upon reading the text. "Besides Sander's sitting in the first row.. And the jerks are all at the back, rows away from him.." Send. Then he typed, "You were there with us"
"I don't trust them tho," answered Damien, a minute after.
"But bro I'm gonna have to transfer seats," complained Jack, through text. "With ma bro's right now, the basketball team.. And Max. Can't see a thing from where I'm at"
"Then go transfer," replied Damien.
"But bruh.."
"Just in case I don't trust them"
"Fine.. Alright.. Alright..I'm going. Max said he's gonna transfer with me"
"( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)"
"You suck bro.."
"( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)"
By now, someone was walking up the stage, a balding, stern-looking man in a gray blazer—Mr. Grisham, the deputy head teacher. And Damien was still nowhere in sight.
Jack pulled his phone out, typed a quick message, tapped on SEND.
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