Foul play

Zoan had arrived at school earlier than usual. It was mostly because Jovi had asked her to swing by the clubroom to help with some last-minute studying before the test started. The test would last at least an hour and thirty minutes—Zoan wasn't entirely sure, though.

What she did know was that she wouldn't need that much time to answer all of it.

Yesterday, they had a study session with Ms. Atiro, but somehow Zoan had forgotten to hand in her phone to their homeroom teacher. She had no idea how even Ving, of all people, forgot to remind her. Then again, Zoan couldn't blame her. Both of their minds had been completely preoccupied with the test.

"Hey—I thought you'd have given this to Ms. Atiro by now?" Jovi said when she noticed Zoan placing her phone on the desk, just as Zoan slid into the seat beside her.

"Don't remind me," Zoan muttered, massaging her forehead in frustration. A faint blush dusted her cheeks, betraying her embarrassment, which only made Jovi grin.

"We can give it to her after the test," Jovi offered cheerfully, clapping her hands together. "Then we can all hang out here until school's over!"

Zoan chuckled softly under her breath. "Sounds like a plan. But first, let's get you ready for the test, hmm? Which part are you struggling with?" she asked, leaning toward Jovi, who had already pulled out her notebook.

—

"Lorelai, this drug is extremely dangerous, and I don't like the fact that you're using it on an innocent student," said the raven-haired girl, Kim Jae Wok.

Kim was the most sought-after person at Golden High University—the go-to supplier for ecstasy, marijuana, and plenty of other substances Lorelai couldn't even list off the top of her head. Not that she cared much. Drugs weren't her thing, unlike Aliani and Saige, who couldn't seem to get enough of them.

There was just something about drugs that made Lorelai uneasy. They sent shivers crawling up her spine, a feeling she couldn't shake.

Still, she quietly stuffed a thick envelope into Jae Wok's hand, grabbed the box, and shoved it into her pink varsity jacket. She popped her bubblegum with a loud snap. "Don't be so dramatic. This is for Zoan Porifera. She's not as innocent as you think, ya know." Her voice was nonchalant, but Jae Wok's expression remained unimpressed as she pocketed the white envelope.

"I've heard things," Jae Wok replied. "From Aliani. Zoan's not exactly the quiet type. Why do you think she hasn't handed over the video to Ms. Atiro yet? For all you know, she could've already done it by now." She sighed, shaking her head in disapproval.

"She didn't," Lorelai said, rolling her eyes. "Aliani sicced some Paradise boys on Atiro yesterday. They even got her apartment passcode."

She let out a laugh, low and sharp, but Jae Wok's concerned gaze didn't waver.

"Jesus, Lore. That's too much—even for you. That's breaking and entering," Jae Wok muttered, crossing her arms.

Lorelai only flicked her forehead in response, earning a small grunt of annoyance. Jae Wok rubbed the spot, glaring at her.

"Don't be such a killjoy. It wasn't us who entered her apartment, so we're all good," Lorelai said, waving a dismissive hand.

Jae Wok sighed again, her disappointment palpable. "Whatever. Just don't drag me or Mari into this. I'm out. Thanks for the payment… dear customer." She gave a mock salute before turning to leave.

"Whatever. Tell Sienna I said hi," Lorelai called after her with a smirk.

"She wouldn't care anyway," Jae Wok shot back, rolling her eyes as she walked out of the supply closet.

Lorelai's gaze fell to the box resting against her thigh. Slowly, she picked it up, turning it over in her hands. She didn't know much about its effects—Aliani had been vague—but she'd heard it would make someone sluggish. Hopefully, it wasn't the same drug that had killed that student from Paradise University.

Blowing air through her nose, Lorelai shook off the thought. Aliani wasn't reckless enough to kill someone. Even the people above them wouldn't be able to shield her from the fallout if something like that happened.

"Jeez, that girl," Lorelai muttered, slumping against the wall. She popped her gum again with a loud smack, the sound filling the silence.

The quiet didn't last long. Aliani and Saige soon entered the supply closet. Aliani's grin widened the moment she spotted the box by Lorelai's side.

"Perfect!" Aliani laughed, practically bouncing over. She grabbed the box, ripping it open and tipping its contents into her hand. Ten small, white tablets spilled out.

"Fentanyl?" Saige asked, her eyes narrowing.

Aliani grinned, holding up one of the circular pills.

"What's that, anyway?" Lorelai asked, leaning closer to peer over Aliani's shoulder, a pout forming on her lips.

"A single tablet of this can give you a hell of a high, but ten?" Aliani chuckled darkly. "Well, let's just hope she doesn't foam at the mouth in the process."

Lorelai frowned, crossing her arms. "That's… a bit dangerous, isn't it? How would Zoan not notice that many pills? Where are you even planning to put them?"

"A carbonated drink, like soda," Saige answered. "It can dissolve the pills and mask the taste. But it has to be really cold, so it's less noticeable."

Lorelai raised a skeptical brow. "You know a lot about this."

Saige rolled her eyes. "Just use Google, you idiot." She flicked Lorelai's forehead, earning a gasp of mock indignation.

"That's a good idea," Aliani interjected, her eyes lighting up. "The student council hands out sodas to students after their tests. We could slip this in, and no one would even think to point fingers at us."

"I've got it handled," Saige said confidently. "One of the students in Class 2-1 is willing to put the soda on Zoan's desk for us."

"Oooh," Lorelai cooed, clapping her hands together. "Smart." She nodded approvingly.

Aliani grinned as she held all ten pills in her palm.

Zoan had no idea what was coming. 

—

"You're doing good. I think you'll at least get half of the test right," Zoan said, patting Jovi on the back. Jovi grinned happily in response.

"Thanks," Jovi murmured, a wide smile on her face. Just then, the door slid open, and Jiho, Ving, and even Vin walked in.

"Good morning, guys!" Jiho greeted, waving her hand enthusiastically. Zoan waved back, watching as Jiho took the seat beside her while Ving and Vin sat across from them.

"There are only a few minutes left until the test starts, guys. Good luck! Fighting!" Vin said, raising her fist in the air with infectious energy.

Jiho and Jovi followed suit, shouting "Fighting!" at the top of their lungs, while Zoan and Ving exchanged a flat look. "You too, guys!" Vin said, shaking Ving by the shoulder. Ving let out a hesitant fist pump, weak but sincere.

Zoan forced an awkward smile and mimicked the gesture. "Good luck and fighting, guys," she said, earning cheers from everyone.

They reviewed a little more before leaving the club room, making sure it was locked before heading to their respective classrooms. Jovi was the only one from 2-4, so she split off, while Vin, who had no first class, said she'd hang out with a friend. Zoan, Jiho, and Ving walked to their room together.

"Good luck, guys," Jiho said, stopping in front of the classroom door with a bright smile. Ving shot her a grateful look while Zoan grinned.

"Don't take this too seriously; this test is way too easy," Zoan joked, earning unamused looks from both Jiho and Ving.

Zoan stifled a chuckle behind her fist as they entered the room. The desks were spaced apart to prevent cheating. Zoan's seat was at the back, Jiho's in front of hers, and Ving's in the middle of the front row, where she could survey everyone if she finished early.

"Here, a good luck candy for you," Jiho whispered, turning to Zoan, who was slumped over her desk. Zoan perked up at the sight of a lollipop in Jiho's hand and grabbed it.

"I noticed you like having lollipops when you work. It's grape—I'm not sure if that's your favorite, but I've seen you eat it more than the other flavors," Jiho explained with a shy smile. Zoan gave her a grateful look.

For a moment, Zoan was struck by how observant Jiho was. She noticed so many small details about her that no one else bothered to. It was touching, almost overwhelming. "Thanks, you didn't have to," Zoan murmured, slipping the lollipop into her blazer pocket. She'd save it for later.

"Just wanted to," Jiho replied, rubbing the back of her neck. Before either could say more, a student came by and handed them sodas.

"What's this?" Zoan asked as the student placed a can on her desk.

"The student council gives out free sodas during tests so students don't feel sleepy. Sometimes they give out bread instead. I wish it was bread today," Jiho pouted, opening her soda and taking a sip.

"Oh, that makes sense," Zoan said, nodding. She straightened up as Ving arrived to hand out the test sheets. "Good luck, you two," Ving said with a small nod before quietly walking away.

At the front of the room, Atiro, their teacher, strode in with her usual cheerful demeanor. "Good morning, everyone. The test will start in a few minutes. Please place your bags at the front, keep your pens on your desks, and make sure your workspace is clear."

The students obediently stood and lined their bags up neatly on the small stage at the front of the room. Atiro adjusted the teacher's desk to make room for all the bags. "Alright, everyone, back to your seats. Ving has passed out the test sheets, so we'll start now. The sooner you finish, the sooner you can go home," she said with a smile.

Jiho turned to Zoan again. "Do your best," she urged.

"Don't daydream too much," Zoan teased, though she couldn't help feeling a little flustered. She knew Jiho had a crush on her, and while it was a strange feeling to process, it wasn't unwelcome. Blushing slightly, Zoan ducked her head when Jiho shot her a weak glare, her cheeks also tinged red.

Like the practice test, the actual test wasn't that difficult. Zoan, however, spent most of her time dozing off at her desk instead of answering the questions. She already knew the answers—it was just that she was too tired and too lazy to write them down. With an hour and thirty minutes allotted for the test, only twenty minutes had passed, leaving her plenty of time.

Her eyes were on the verge of closing, her body strangely magnetic to the surface of her desk. She wanted to sleep desperately. This wasn't anything new—Zoan always felt like this, thanks to her habit of staying up too late.

Her schedule was a disaster, a complete "screw you" to her health. Mornings and afternoons were consumed by schoolwork, and her evenings were spent training her body. At most, she'd get four to five hours of sleep a night, supplemented with abrupt naps during school or wherever she could find a comfortable spot for her upper half.

"Psst, don't sleep. Drink the soda to wake yourself up," Jiho whispered, noticing Zoan slumped over her desk, snoozing away. The soda beside her remained unopened—a fact Zoan had completely forgotten.

With a sigh, Zoan sat up and popped the soda open. She noticed, with slight confusion, that it didn't make the telltale snap of a freshly opened drink. Shrugging it off—some sodas just don't fizz—she drank until the liquid reached halfway, stifling the urge to burp. She capped the soda and turned back to her test sheet, cracking her fingers before picking up her pen.

Time to lock in. Wake up, Zoan. She thought, determined to finish. The test really wasn't that hard.

But as she reached the last page, something felt off—strangely, unsettlingly off. Her stomach churned as though she'd eaten something bad. The acidic burn at the back of her throat made her want to vomit it all back up. Her body felt cold, yet when she touched her neck, her skin was damp with sweat. Her hands were so clammy that her pen slipped from her grasp three times.

Jiho kept glancing at her, concerned by the noise of the pen hitting the desk. Each time, Zoan gave her an awkward smile and quietly went back to circling answers.

"Alright, everyone, 30 minutes left. Some students from other classes are already leaving. If you're finished, you can pass your tests up here and head out," Atiro announced, startling Zoan with the sudden loudness of her voice.

Zoan's head spun as she lifted it. What's going on? she thought, swallowing hard. Her eyes drifted back to her work, but the words and letters on the page seemed to dance in front of her. She could barely focus.

Her vision continued to spin, even when she kept her head still. Her tongue was so dry it felt like sandpaper. Reaching for her soda, she took a large swig, finishing it in one go. It helped, at least with her dry mouth. 

But as she placed the empty bottle down, something caught her eye—something white at the bottom. Slowly, she tipped the bottle over her desk, careful to avoid her test paper, and watched as a flaky white substance spilled out.

"…What?" she mumbled. Her vision spun again as she set the empty soda bottle aside and hurried to fill in the last few answers.

Around her, students were standing up, passing their completed tests to the front and leaving with quiet goodbyes. Even Ving, who had already finished, sat at the teacher's desk, helping to check other students' papers while Atiro helped others retrieve their bags.

Jiho stood up, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. Zoan winced at the noise, watching Jiho skip up to Ving. She waved her test paper excitedly, leaning against the desk to chat with the other girl.

Zoan hissed through her teeth, placing a hand on her head as she stood up. She needed to go to the restroom. Everything was spinning, her heartbeat thundered in her ears, and her stomach churned violently. 

Worse, she could feel something rising in her throat—a warning that she might embarrass herself by throwing up in the middle of the classroom.

She stumbled, nearly knocking over her desk as she walked toward Ving, clutching her paper tightly.

"Oh, you're done too? I thought you'd be the first to finish," Jiho said as Zoan quietly placed her paper on the desk. Ving glanced up and immediately frowned when she saw Zoan's face.

Zoan looked ghastly pale, sweat dripping down her neck. Her breathing was shallow and rapid, as if she'd just run a marathon. Her eyes were glazed and unfocused.

"Are you okay?" Ving asked, taking the paper from Zoan's trembling hand.

"Huh?" Zoan mumbled, confused, blinking sluggishly. Jiho frowned, her concern growing as Zoan rubbed her face and stumbled again. Ving stood quickly, grabbing Zoan's arm to steady her as she swayed.

"I think you should sit down," Ving said seriously. Zoan doubled over, holding a hand over her mouth. She pulled away from Ving's hold, muttering, "I need to go to the bathroom," before bolting out of the room.

"Wait!" Jiho called after her, turning to Ving with worried eyes. "What's wrong with her? Did she have a hard time with the test?"

Ving didn't answer immediately. She sat down, grabbing Zoan's test sheet to inspect it. The first and second pages were fine—answers neatly circled and correct. But when she reached the third page, her stomach dropped. Zoan's answers were a mess—random circles and incomprehensible scribbles.

Ving narrowed her eyes, clutching the red pen tightly in her hand.

—

Puking was never Zoan's favorite experience—especially when her whole world felt like it was spinning on a sugar high. She wasn't entirely sure how she managed to stumble out of the stall and only hoped she had at least flushed the vomit.

She slammed against the wall, her legs trembling like those of a newborn foal as she staggered toward the sink, her breath hitching in confusion. On her way, she was pretty sure she had collided with the trash can; the sight of it now tipped over at the side confirmed her suspicion. Her knees ached all over from the impact.

What worried her more, though, was how her vision kept fading in and out, her body growing weaker by the second. She felt feverish—intensely so. Whatever had been in her soda was clearly to blame for her current state.

"Who the fuck would…" Zoan slurred, fumbling to turn on the tap. She attempted to splash water on her face but succeeded only in drenching the front of her blazer.

Her breath came in shaky gulps as her vision blurred into a dizzy haze, making it almost impossible to command her body to stay upright. The wet blazer clung uncomfortably to her skin. With trembling fingers, she unbuttoned it and shrugged it off, letting it fall to the side. She nearly went down with it, saved only by her desperate grip on the edge of the sink.

If my soda did this… what about the others? The thought hit her like a punch to the gut. Her classmates—Jiho! Zoan recalled that a few of them had drunk theirs, and some had even taken their bottles home. She hadn't seen Ving drink hers, but Jiho definitely had.

Then why am I the only one like this? Zoan's hazy thoughts tried to piece things together, but her pounding head made it impossible. Her logic unraveled like loose threads, leaving only fragments of worry and fear.

"I need… need to go back... to Ms. Atiro," she slurred, shakily grabbing her blazer. She turned to leave, but the world spun violently, and her body gave out. She collapsed onto the cold, hard floor with a dull thud.

"Fuckin'... hell," Zoan groaned, struggling to push herself up. Her arms trembled uselessly beneath her. What the hell was in that drink? she thought bitterly as she made another feeble attempt to rise, only to fail again.

"Looks like it worked… maybe a little too well," a voice suddenly said from above her.

Zoan flinched, her sluggish mind barely registering the presence of two looming figures. She raised her head weakly and saw them—two girls standing over her, arms crossed, their expressions a strange mix of pity and calculation.

"We should bring her to Aliani now," one of them said.

The other girl—Chelsea Montenegro—hesitated, her brow furrowing. "Alexa, Aliani clearly said we needed to rough her up first."

Alexa Dutch sighed, exasperated. "Chel, we don't have time for that. Just grab her phone, and let's get this over with."

Chelsea only shot her a look that clearly said 'No, we have to bring her in first or Aliani would have both of our heads in a silver platter'

Alexa crouched beside Zoan, placing a hand on her cold, clammy forehead. "We really shouldn't… She's burning up. What if she dies? We should just take her to the hospital," she said, her voice tinged with worry.

Chelsea rolled her eyes but crouched down as well, studying Zoan's unconscious form. "There are plenty of people who'd love to get their hands on Zoan Porifera. We can't just hand her over like that," she said. With an irritated sigh, she hoisted Zoan's limp body over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Zoan's glasses slipped from her face and clattered to the floor as Chelsea began walking away.

Alexa trailed after her, muttering under her breath, "I hope Saige knows what she's doing, working for someone like Aliani."

She glanced back at the glasses on the floor but didn't stop to pick them up. The hallway echoed with their footsteps as they disappeared into the distance, carrying Zoan away.