Facing the retake

Kamsi tossed her phone onto a pile of notebooks on her bed and grinned at Zendaya, who was sprawled beside her, leaning back against a stack of pastel-colored pillows. Her room was a warm mess—clothes draped over her desk chair, a string of fairy lights blinking lazily around her window, and half-finished sketches pinned to a corkboard above her dresser.

"So, how's that project with Damon going?" Kamsi asked, a knowing glint in her eye as she nudged Zendaya's shoulder.

Zendaya sighed, running a hand through her hair as if shaking off invisible frustration. "We're still in research mode, mostly because Damon insists on doing this big fusion of modern and ancient art," she said, rolling her eyes. "I told him he could handle the modern stuff, and I'd dive into the ancient side of things. But if he suggests adding a laptop or headphones as part of the 'history,' I swear…"

Kamsi let out a laugh, the sound light and full in the cozy room. "Worse than I thought," she said, raising her eyebrows. "He's such a narcissist; everything's about him, isn't it?"

Zendaya's lips twisted into a tight smile as she exhaled sharply. "Exactly. Ugh, it's like he can't even see past his own ideas."

"Calm down, girl," Kamsi teased, swirling her hand in a calming circle in the air. "Something tells me there's more to this than just a project…"

"It's nothing, really. I just want to be done with him already," Zendaya muttered, fiddling with a loose thread on Kamsi's bedspread. She glanced up suddenly. "Anyway, how's your own prep going?"

Kamsi's fingers instinctively traced a faded doodle on her notebook, a tiny blush spreading across her cheeks. "Oh, you know… pretty good. Gilbert thinks everything's on track, so… yeah."

Zendaya leaned forward, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "Oh-ho! Something you're not telling me?"

"No!" Kamsi's eyes widened, her face going pinker as she shook her head a little too quickly.

"Come on, spill!" Zendaya grinned, nudging her knee against Kamsi's in playful insistence.

"There's nothing to spill!" Kamsi laughed, throwing her hands up in surrender, though her cheeks still held a warm flush.

"You're no fun," Zendaya pouted, folding her arms dramatically.

Kamsi chuckled and shot her a playful eye roll. "Na so!"

The T3 hangout was their sanctuary, a corner of the dimly lit café where they huddled around a battered table, laptops casting a soft glow on their faces. The scent of coffee mingled with the low hum of conversation, but their minds were elsewhere, focused on the ominous trail they'd uncovered.

Gilbert's fingers danced across his keyboard, his expression tight with concentration. "Alright, I think I've traced the phrase 'Crazy Key' to a group calling themselves purple lotus" He turned the laptop to show a sleek image of a purple lotus symbol against a black screen. "They're behind a string of high-profile corporate breaches, and they're incredibly careful. No one's pinned down a clear motive—it's like they're testing limits, seeing how far they can go without getting caught."

Damon, arms crossed, leaned forward with a spark of intrigue in his eyes. "Purple Lotus, huh? They're big in the underground scene. One of my contacts said they're sometimes spotted at a place called lotus bay—a bar out on the edge of town. It's the kind of place where people… keep secrets." He gave a sly grin, as if relishing the challenge. "If they're in town, that's where we might catch wind of their plans."

Xavier's gaze moved between them, brow furrowed. "You're talking about going into a bar full of hackers and criminals. This isn't some anonymous forum. One slip-up and we're in serious trouble."

Damon gave a casual shrug, his smile unwavering. "That's why we don't make a slip-up. We go in low-key, listen in, don't draw attention. I know how to blend in—trust me."

Gilbert adjusted his glasses, eyeing Damon with skepticism. "And how exactly are we supposed to 'blend in' with tech-savvy criminals? We don't exactly look the part."

Damon chuckled, giving him a reassuring nudge. "You let me handle that. Just… tone down the nervous tech genius vibe, and maybe leave the glasses behind."

Xavier crossed his arms, lips pressed into a skeptical line. "And what if things go sideways? If we end up on the radar of people like Purple Lotus… I don't think they'd appreciate a group of teens poking around their business."

The three of them shared a moment of silence, the weight of the risk settling over them. Gilbert looked down, fingers nervously tracing a crack in the table, before he finally nodded. "If this is our only shot at understanding what they're after, I say we go for it."

Xavier exhaled slowly but nodded, his expression resolute. "Fine. But if anything seems off, we bail. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Damon said with a grin, already buzzing with excitement.

They exchanged a last look of shared resolve and anticipation before packing up their gear. Outside their cozy hideout, the city waited, and somewhere in its shadows lay the answers they sought—and the dangers they'd willingly walk into to find them.

As the days swiftly passed, Monday finally arrived, bringing with it an uneasy tension for Kamsi. The prospect of her retake test loomed over her like a dark cloud.

"Don't worry, you'll do just fine," Zendaya encouraged, flashing a warm smile that barely managed to reach Kamsi's anxious heart.

"Thanks," Kamsi replied, forcing a nervous smile in return. Just then, she heard a familiar voice calling out to her.

"Hey, Kam!" It was Gilbert, her tutor. She turned to greet him, her lips curving into a genuine smile. "Hi, Gilbert! What are you doing here?"

"I came to offer my student some moral support," he said, his charming smile brightening the moment. Kamsi felt her heartbeat quicken, a flutter of excitement stirring within her.

Suddenly, her gaze shifted to Xavier, who stood a few feet away, his piercing eyes locked onto her. Her heart skipped a beat, caught off guard by the intensity of his stare. Then he moved closer, placing his hands gently on her shoulders, his touch sending a jolt through her.

"Break a leg," he said, his smile both teasing and somehow reassuring. Zendaya watched, her cheeks flushing as if she were the one in Kamsi's position, caught in Xavier's magnetic pull.

Xavier ruffled Kamsi's hair playfully, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Remember, you promised to treat me to a nice meal, so you better ace your test and keep your promise," he added, glancing over at Gilbert with a smirk that hinted at something deeper beneath the surface.

Kamsi felt a mix of irritation and embarrassment. "Right, thanks," she drawled, quickly gathering her things. "I'll go in now."

Gilbert waved her off with a friendly gesture. "Go on, you got this!" His encouraging tone contrasted sharply with the smoldering tension still hanging in the air. As Kamsi stepped inside, she felt Xavier's gaze still on her, a weight she couldn't shake.

Once she was out of sight, Gilbert turned to Xavier, who stood with his arms crossed, a shadow of irritation crossing his features. Gilbert noted the change in Xavier's demeanor, his amusement growing. So, that's how it is, he thought, a sly smirk forming on his lips. It was confirmed—Xavier had feelings for Kamsi, and Gilbert found it both entertaining and intriguing.

"Looks like someone's got a bit of a soft spot," Gilbert teased in more of a whisper as Zendaya stood across them, raising an eyebrow at Xavier, who shot him a glare, annoyance simmering just beneath the surface.

"Shut it," Xavier muttered, his voice low but edged with tension.

Gilbert chuckled softly, enjoying the moment. "Just saying, you might want to keep that jealousy in check."

Xavier's expression hardened for a moment before he leaned back against the wall, his facade of indifference firmly in place. But inside, he wrestled with the unexpected feelings that Kamsi stirred in him.