The sun cast a warm, mellow glow over the academy grounds, but the breeze carried a chilly bite. France walked slowly toward the classroom, shoulders hunched, her long coat billowing faintly behind her. Despite the grandeur of the academy's towering buildings and trimmed hedges, she felt unusually small today, the exhaustion of yesterday clinging to her limbs like a second skin.
Inside the classroom, the drone of the teacher's voice greeted her, but he didn't even look up as she entered late. She slid into her seat, crossed her legs, and leaned back lazily, her disinterest practically oozing from her expression as her sharp eyes scanned the board once before darting to her phone.
Minutes dragged by, the lecture finally came to an end, and the usual buzz of student chatter took over like a swarm of bees released from their hive.
Evie's phone buzzed, and his face lit up with boyish excitement. "I'm stepping out for a while Frances!" he said, practically skipping as he left the room, barely able to contain himself.
Frances didn't even flinch. Typical Evie…everything makes him act like a fizzy soda.
Feeling parched, she reached for her Stanley cup, an everyday ritual by now. But her hand grasped air.
"Huh?" Her brows furrowed. She bent to check under the table, then to the side. Nothing.
"The milk was not sent today? What happened?" she muttered.
It was the first time in three whole years that she hadn't seen that familiar cup waiting like a loyal companion. Her lips curled into a confused smile.
"Did they kill my anonymous admirer or something? That would be bad!" she chuckled to herself, though unease stirred beneath the humor.
Suddenly, a girl walked into class holding a microphone, her voice crackling through the static.
"The head of class is to report to the staff room!"
Heads turned toward Rain's usual spot, empty.
"Rain is not yet in school. I don't think he is coming today," a classmate said, and the girl with the mic nodded before walking away.
"It's strange not seeing Rain in class. He never misses," someone mumbled, and a murmur of agreement followed like a wave.
"He can't be present in school every day. He's human after all."
"True! You can't expect him to always be perfect."
"But he always behaves like a perfect human being. Pfft!" a boy scoffed.
"I can smell jealousy in the air," someone teased.
"Whatever!"
Their voices blended with the hum of the classroom, shifting seamlessly from one conversation to the next.
It was a sports day. Some students were already wearing their sport uniforms, ditching the standard ones. A few had already left for events, laughter echoing down the hall.
"Frances, it's time to go to the basketball court. Game will start soon," Coco chirped while slinging her bag over her shoulder.
"I'm tired, boo! I'm still exhausted from yesterday," Frances groaned, pressing a hand to her temple dramatically.
"Oh my! I'm so sorry! Thank you for yesterday, baby, I must have worn you out," Coco said, genuine concern in her eyes.
"Stop saying thanks every minute, it's annoying! You killed my phone with messages yesterday, I'm sick of it," Frances grumbled.
"Okay, okay! We are leaving now. Look after yourself, okay?"
"Okay baby! Cheer for your boyfriend very well!" Frances teased with a sly grin.
Heat rushed up Coco's face and she gave Frances's shoulder a playful smack before dashing off, flustered.
"Such a cute baby…" Frances muttered with a fond smile before going back to scrolling on her phone.
But the aching in her lower abdomen grew stronger, pulsing in slow waves. She grimaced. Ugh… what is this? She shifted, trying to push through it, but the pain only sharpened.
Finally, she stood up sluggishly, grabbing her bag. She was halfway up when..
"Frances, what is going on with you?" someone called out, their tone disgusted.
"What are you…." She stopped mid-sentence as she caught the horrified expressions around her. Her heart dropped.
A warm hand gently landed on her shoulders, and someone tied a jacket swiftly around her waist from behind, guiding her back into her seat with firm but careful hands.
"Rain? What are you doing?" she snapped, glaring at him, confusion dancing behind her annoyance.
He didn't look at her. "Your clothes were ruined."
"Ruined?" Her voice trailed off, and her stomach turned as her eyes widened.
"It's not blood, is it?"
"It is. A lot of blood."
"Oh my God! This is so shameful…" Her voice cracked as she slapped her forehead, unable to look at anyone. Eyes were on her, piercing, curious, judging. And her sport uniform… it was light blue and white. Why today? Why this color?
"Just stay here. I will be back," Rain said calmly, cutting through her thoughts before she could spiral any further.
She kept her head down, hugging herself as the room filled with whispers. It was like every breath in the room was taunting her. Vulnerable. She hated this feeling more than anything.
Rain came back minutes later, panting slightly. In his hands was a nylon bag brimming with supplies. He crouched next to her and tapped her gently. She looked up, still stunned. Before she could ask anything, he scooped her into his arms.
"Rain, have you gone crazy?! Why did you carry me? Fucking put me down!" She smacked his chest in frustration, voice rising with each word.
"People will be looking at you if you keep yelling that way," he said through clenched teeth, trying to keep her calm as eyes turned toward them.
Embarrassed, she buried her face in his chest, gripping the folds of his shirt to hide herself. This is the worst!
They reached the restroom, and he carefully set her down like she was made of glass. He held out the bag, his expression serious but flustered.
"I… I don't know the one you use… so I bought everything," he mumbled, avoiding her gaze.
"You!"
"I brought you another sportswear to change into," he interrupted quickly, handing her neatly folded clothes. "It's mine. Spare one. Barely used."
She stared at him, stunned. For a whole minute, not a word left her lips. He couldn't meet her eyes, his ears had turned red.
She entered the restroom. Rain stood outside, his heart was pounding like a drumline. His fists were clenched, and he was sure his pulse was visible from the moon.
Frances came out minutes later, changed, holding the stained clothes in a bag.
"I have disposed mine. I will wash your own and bring it back tomorrow."
"No!" Rain shouted, startling her, then snatched the jacket from her hand. "I will wash it myself. Don't worry."
"Ain't you a neat freak? I thought you will even dispose of it." She eyed him skeptically.
"I will dispose it when I get back. Just leave it to me," he said with a forced smile.
"Okay, if you say so. I'm not gonna say thanks for helping me out today."
"You don't have to. It's nothing."
"You helped me out the last time I got allergy reactions, right?"
"Yes."
"You are not really expecting me to say thanks, right?"
"I didn't do it because of the thanks."
"Then why?"
"It was because I like you like crazy!" he screamed inwardly, but only said: "It's nothing. We can help out when it's needed."
"I have never seen you help out any damn body before," she said sharply, eyeing him like he had grown two heads.
He quickly held out the last bag. "This is the food that I asked my bodyguard to bring. You can eat it, it will ease your stomach. I'm going to the staff room. You can go now."
He gently nudged her forward. She smirked.
"Well thanks," she said with a casual smile and walked off.
Rain stood frozen for a second, watching her figure disappear down the hall, a goofy smile tugging at his lips. She wore my sportswear. She's holding my food. I'm holding her stained clothes. This is practically marriage…
He wrapped the jacket in a bag carefully, almost reverently.
"Fallon!" he called, and his bodyguard emerged swiftly.
"Boss!"
"Take this to the van. Keep it safe."
"Yes, boss." Fallon took the bag without question and disappeared.
Rain exhaled sharply and turned to head toward the staff room, his steps light, he felt like he could float.
Frances got back to class and sat heavily on her chair, the weight of her cramps making her groan softly. She opened the meal Rain had given her and paused for a second, creamy pasta and grilled salmon. Her eyes lit up.
"Salmon?" she mumbled, surprised. "Big chop." A small smile tugged at her lips.
She dug in almost immediately, the rich aroma of the creamy sauce and the smoky, buttery salmon tempting her beyond restraint. Each bite felt like a warm hug. She devoured the meal quickly, her hunger not allowing her to savor it as she would've liked.
Once done, she dropped the plate with a satisfied sigh and reached for her water bottle. She took several deep gulps, then belched lightly and placed a hand over her bloated stomach.
"Oh my! I'm so full!" she chuckled and smiled to herself.
Frances had always been treated kindly by those close to her, but something about Rain's gesture today hit differently. Rain, of all people. The boy known for keeping his distance, avoiding unnecessary attention. He had helped her twice. Her brows drew together in thought.
"I owe him one," she murmured. Frances never liked feeling indebted.
She picked up her phone to distract herself with a game, but something felt off. She noticed Evie hadn't come back to class. Her fingers hovered, then dialed his number, no response. She frowned, dialing his driver next.
"Miss," the driver answered promptly.
"Why is Evie not back yet?"
"I already dropped him off at school," he replied calmly.
"He didn't come to class," she said, her voice sharp with concern.
"I don't know what's wrong with the boss. He seemed mad. When he got down from the car earlier, he was so angry."
"Okay!" Frances ended the call quickly, worry rising in her chest like a wave.
She bolted out of the classroom, her cramps screaming with every step. Still, she powered through, dialing Lawrence.
"Evie seems to be in some trouble. I'm going to look for him. Please use the tracker and follow up too, in case you find him first."
"I got it!" Lawrence said, and she hung up right away.
She opened the group tracker app they all had installed and scanned the map, biting her lower lip. He was on school grounds, but not moving. Her heart pounded as she moved through the corridors, calling his phone again and again, cursing under her breath.
"This bastard! Where the hell did you go to, Evie?!" she yelled, voice cracking with a mix of pain and panic.
Her cramps were worsening. She clenched her teeth, but tears stung her eyes. "I'm going to break down," she whispered through shallow breaths, still searching.
After nearly thirty exhausting minutes, the tracker finally narrowed down his location. Her eyes widened. The old, abandoned art department.
She sprinted there, heart in her throat. The building was as eerie as always, cobwebs dancing in corners, dust layering the windowpanes. Then she saw him, Evie slouched on a bench, head down, body tense.
She stomped forward, her voice sharp.
"Evie, have you gone crazy? Why were you hiding out here?!"
He looked up, startled. His eyes were red, cheeks streaked with tears. He gasped at the sight of her and quickly wiped his face.
"Frances!" he said too loudly, forcing a fake grin.
"Your smile looks too fake. Don't give me that!"
"It's not!"
"What's wrong with you, Evie? Why are you crying here? Do you know how long I have been looking for you? Huh?!"
"Frances!" He grabbed her hand suddenly, dragging her close, burying his face into her shoulder as fresh sobs racked his body.
Her expression softened instantly.
"What's wrong, baby? Why are you crying?" she whispered, running her hand gently through his hair, patting his back soothingly.
"Frances, I'm so mad! I should've listened to you. I've failed you!"
"What crime did you commit this time around?" she asked gently.
"I did something terrible. I know you'll hate me for this."
Frances scoffed. A small, incredulous laugh escaped her lips.
"That's funny. How can I hate you? Just tell me what's going on, please, and stop crying."
"It's Channing." At the mention of the name, Frances's face darkened.
"Is he dead?" she asked flatly.
"No! He's not!"
"Then what happened?"
"I met Channing last weekend. We were together through the night."
Her face twisted. "What the hell?! Did you sleep with him?"
"I did."
That was all Frances needed to hear. She lunged forward and pinched his ear so hard he let out a scream.
"Frances, stop!" Abby's voice echoed as they arrived in a group.
"I won't stop! I'm gonna kill him today!"
"Frances, please stop! Leave him alone!" Morgan pulled her off Evie, who clutched his throbbing ear, his face contorted in pain.
"What did Evie do wrong?"
"He fucked Channing! He slept with that bastard!"
"WHAT??!!" they all shouted in unison, staring at Evie, stunned.
"You slept with him?" Abby whispered in disbelief.
"It was a mistake! I didn't mean to. I had a lot to drink, so we did it."
"A planned mistake! A perfectly planned mistake, Evie!" Frances barked.
"How was your first time? Was it sweet?" Cora chimed in, her voice playful, too playful.
They all turned and gave her a death glare.
She slapped her own mouth shut. "Sorry."
"Now the sex was a mistake. Now tell me, which one wasn't a mistake, Evie?" Frances asked coldly.
Everyone turned to Evie, eyes expectant.
"There's something else aside from the sex?" Morgan voiced the question on their minds.
"Obviously, dude!" Frances barked. "He had sex last weekend. Why would he be crying over it today? Of course there's something else. He either got scammed, got cheated on or got a heartbreak."
Evie cried harder, trembling as he wrapped himself around Frances again.
"My big sis! Only you understand me the most. How could you be so accurate with what he did to me?"
"Frances listed three things. Which one of them?" Cora asked, eyes wide. Everyone leaned in.
"He did it all, Cora! He did everything! Last weekend he told me he needed money for a business setup. Just a loan, he said. I gave him $200k."
"$200k?! Have you gone crazy, Evie?! Did you just give out that much money casually?!"
"He said it was just a loan. He'd return it soon. I went to visit him today and saw him with someone else. He was cheating on me! The boy was an Instagram model. He used my money to buy him a Birkin. When I confronted him, he said it was all a play. He can't be serious with a kid."
"Oh wow. What a tragic love story," Cora said mockingly, crossing her legs like she was watching a drama unfold. Evie broke into a fresh wave of tears, burying his face deeper into Frances.
"Frances was warning you about him some weeks ago, you wouldn't even listen. You were blinded by love," Coco muttered under her breath.
Frances clenched her fists tightly, eyes dark with rage. She gently released Evie from her arms and pushed him toward Abby.
"I'm stepping out for a while," she said softly. Her tone was calm, too calm. She turned and walked out without waiting.
"Where is Frances going? She looked so mad," Coco asked nervously, hugging her bag.
"She is going to shake the earth today," Morgan replied, tone slow and grim. "Today will be long."
They stayed with Evie, holding him and murmuring quiet reassurances. Eventually, his sobs slowed. The school bell rang, signaling the end of the day.
"Frances is not back yet. She's been gone for so long," Coco said with a frown, handing her bag to Lawrence.
"She won't come to school today again. Let's go look for her, it's late. Let's go!" he ordered.
They all left and walked down to the school's parking lot, where their drivers were already waiting.
"Are we just gonna go home without Frances? I'm so worried," Evie said, his voice rising.
Lawrence spread his arms. "We won't go home without her. We should have gotten a call by now."
"What call?" Evie's phone rang at that exact moment. He looked down at it and locked eyes with Lawrence, who nodded as if to say, told you so.
Evie answered, and his eyes widened. "We'll be there right away," he said and hung up.
"What happened?" Abby asked, his voice urgent.
"That was my mum! She said Frances is at the police station."
"Where else would she be? I knew she was going out there to fight a bloody fight!" Abby exclaimed, shaking his head.
"Let's go now!" Lawrence shouted, and they all scrambled into their respective cars as their drivers pulled away quickly into the night.