Whisper of Crisis

Alice knew that most of the students that went to the academy were over-privileged individuals, and they didn't need to work hard at all to act like one. Not that it applied to everyone but definitely did to most.

She had her practiced smile on, the one that she knew was a die-hard expression that many loved, but Claudia was one of the few who were able to see through her. Claudia squeezed Alice's side in a quiet way telling them that should abort the mission as soon as possible.

Alice couldn't see where Noah and Rowan were from her point of view, and she didn't want to start a commotion by yelling for them to come over. She didn't let her smile falter as she met the guy's eyes who had his arms crossed and leaned leisurely on the doorpost.

There was always going to be that certain crowd of entitlement which came along more often in a private institution rather than not, and she did her best to navigate through those people as she had learned to stand out well but not too much.

However, it was starting to get hard to hide her distaste for the guy who was blatantly checking her out while Claudia was right next to her side. Alice shook her expression to a calm one since he hadn't made a move yet.

She was used to having eyes on her while being an object of interest considering that she had portrayed her way to be likable and attractive to most people in both her day-to-day life and on social media.

The rich students on campus likely got everything they wanted without even batting an eye, and there was suddenly a light in the guy's eyes that made her uncomfortable. Alice swiftly twisted her body away before he was able to grasp her hand.

At this point, Claudia couldn't stay still and jumped in between them while Alice hugged her hand to her chest. Claudia was trying her best to keep a pleasant expression on her face while the anger was threatening to spill over inside.

"I've been quite rude haven't I?" the guy said smoothly. "Let me introduce myself."

Alice wanted to yell at him that he had been so rude all this time, but instead, she leveled a chilly glare over at him. "Ah, there is no need. It seems as though we have disturbed you all long enough. Please excuse us."

Alice reached for Claudia and pulled her away, walking away determinedly only for Mateo to yank her back by her cardigan making her stumble back in turn making Claudia lose her footing, but she grabbed Claudia before Claudia could fall

"It's Mateo," he pressed forth. "Why don't you ladies come join us for a little bit?"

Alice pulled the fabric out of her grip and shook her head. "We're going."

The people in the back of the study room started calling for her and Claudia to join them, and Mateo leaned forward and cocked his head to the side. "What is the problem, Alice? Don't want to get any recordings in private? It shouldn't be a problem if you have your phones on you."

Alice gritted her teeth. "We already have a set up in the light rather than the darkness."

"Hmm, quite poetic," Mateo satirized.

She hated the tone that people would take as if they were laughing at the person the most. It was one of her biggest pet peeves, and she lifted her glare with no regard for kindness left as she came to her last straw.

Claudia fluffed up her hair, running her fingers through the sunshine strands making the guys sitting on the sofa carefully follow the line of her movement. "We have nothing else to say to you. We're leaving."

She and Claudia didn't need to say a word or look at each other to convey their next move. Instead, they just took off running. Pivoting on her foot, Alice made a sharp turn to her left, praying that she would be able to get out.

Mateo reached out for her wrist, and his fingers wrapped around her hand, launching her backward. Alice tumbled but immediately got back to her feet as she ripped off his hand with no mercy. 

"Alice!" Claudia yelled.

The sting of pain as his harsh grip gave way was only a whisper in her mind, and she brought her hand behind her back and blew out a fast breath to calm herself down, once again trying her best to stay polite in the midst of the trouble. "We'll take our leave."

Her breaths were coming in quick, her body shaking with the adrenaline kicking in overdrive, and she didn't even get the chance to whip around to try and escape again when her eyes widened in shock when a fast figure came flying past her.