—
I rushed toward Amelie, still locked in a struggle with her pursuer—a girl. I threw myself forward, tackling her off Amelie. The impact knocked her to the ground, and I wasted no time pinning her down, grabbing her flailing arms and twisting them into a lock.
“Let me go!” she snapped, but I held firm.
Amelie grumbled and pulled herself to her feet, brushing dirt off her clothes; her breath came in ragged gasps. “Mariah Macy,” she said, eyeing the girl. “Year 11, Class 2. And a member of the purity group, no doubt.”
Class 2. That’s interesting. Tomiko’s reaction to this would be even more so.
Mariah shot a glare at Amelie. “Goddamn it, Amelie! What is your problem?”
I sighed and got to my feet, dragging Mariah with me, gripping her arms tightly to keep her from escaping. “Come on,” I said, giving her a light push forward.
We returned to the bridge, where Cohen sat slumped against the railing. Hazel was now sitting upright but still looked shaken.
“Damn, Marcus,” Cohen wheezed, not looking up. “Didn’t know you could fight like that.”
“Marcus, what’s going on?” Hazel asked.
“This was all a setup by the purity group,” Amelie explained, pulling out Mariah’s phone and scrolling through it. “The plan was to get Marcus into trouble…or better yet, expelled. But we stopped it.”
“How did you even figure it out?” Mariah snapped.
“Because we’ve been watching,” I said. “We knew you were going to make a move soon. When I got that text from Cohen, I assumed it was the signal.”
Amelie added, “This bridge is a blind spot. No cameras, few patrols—perfect for something like this. Anything could happen here without the school finding out. It wasn’t hard to guess what you were planning.”
“So how did you know I’d be here? You shouldn’t have known,” Mariah muttered.
“The purity group’s goal is to expel me. Luring me to a place without cameras is not a wise move, but it makes sense if you’re using your own to stage it. Cohen was supposed to provoke me so you could edit the footage and make me look like the aggressor,” I said.
Amelie smirked and held up Mariah’s phone. “And since this bridge is so open, there are only a few places someone could hide and record without being seen. I just had to check those spots. That’s how I found you.”
Cohen gave a weak laugh, wincing as he shifted. “That’s... pretty damn clever,” he admitted. “I just went along with this because they asked, and I didn’t have anything to lose. Hazel... I hope you don’t take it the wrong way.”
Hazel didn’t respond as her gaze dropped to the ground.
I let go of Mariah, and she quickly backed away, eyes flicking between Amelie and me.
“You think this is over?” she hissed. “There are more of us. We’ll get you out of this school, Marcus.”
I stared at her, disgust rising. What kind of backwards thinking is this?
I pulled out my phone and held it up. “Unlike you, I have proof of everything that happened.”
Her expression shifted from anger to shock as the implication sank in.
“Start talking,” I said. “Tell me everything about your little group before I decide what to do with this.”
I sighed and slipped my phone back into my pocket.
“This has been... interesting,” Cohen muttered, pushing himself up and brushing off his pants.
“Cohen,” Amelie said softly. “Is this really how you want to leave the school?”
He shrugged, hands in his pockets. “Why not? Like I said, I’ve got nothing to lose. Plus, I’m at fault here, so don’t feel bad or guilty for me.”
Amelie smirked. “Oh, I don’t. Just stay out of trouble till you go, alright?”
Cohen chuckled and gave a lazy two-fingered salute before strolling off.
With him gone, I turned to Hazel, still on the ground. I crouched beside her, trying to catch her eye. “Hey. You okay?”
“I... I’m fine,” she whispered.
“That’s not true.” I frowned, studying her closely. “You’ve sprained your ankle, haven’t you?”
Her eyes widened before she looked away, lips pressed tight. I sighed and stood, glancing at Amelie. “Can I leave the rest to you?”
She nodded calmly. “Of course. Take care of her.”
Once she was gone, I turned back to Hazel, offering my hand. “Alright, come on. I’ll carry you to the infirmary.”
She shook her head abruptly, flailing her hands in protest. “No, no, there’s no need for that. I can walk, okay?”
“Now, stop being stubborn. If you could walk, you’d already be up.”
She was hesitant before letting out a frustrated groan. “Alright, fine.”
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She finally accepted, and I crouched down, turning my back to her. Hazel slipped off her shoes with a quiet grumble, then wrapped her arms loosely around my neck as I stood, careful not to jostle her leg. My hands supported her securely under her thighs.
“You comfortable?” I asked.
“I guess... but are you sure I’m not too heavy?” she asked timidly.
I chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’m stronger than I look.”
As I walked toward the hostel, she stayed quiet for a while.
“You were impressive back there,” she said eventually, her face not visible, so I was unable to see her expression.
“Thanks. That’s what years of practice get you. I went to a pretty intense school growing up. If it were still around, you’d probably think it was a military academy with how strict they were.”
“I was surprised you could fight like that,” she admitted. Then, more quietly, “I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”
I glanced over my shoulder to meet her eyes. “Don't say that.”
“But I didn’t do anything. In fact, I walked right into their trap and became bait to lure you here.”
Honestly, I couldn’t blame her for feeling this way. The entire situation had been resolved without her knowledge or involvement, and I hadn’t mentioned a word about the purity group or my alliance with Amelie. It made sense that she felt left out.
“Hazel,” I said softly, but she didn’t reply. I sighed, shifting her weight slightly to keep my grip steady as I kept walking.
“I know I didn’t tell you about any of this,” I began, “but that’s because I didn’t want you to worry. And... I need you to focus on Robin. Everyone has a role to play in this game we call life. I won’t sugarcoat it; there are some things I won’t need your help with, things that someone else might be better suited to handle. But when I need you, I’ll call for you. That’s a promise.”
Silence stretched between us. Then she spoke, barely above a whisper.
“But... what if you never need me for anything?”
“Hazel,” I said firmly, “I may be smart, but that doesn’t make me unstoppable. There will always be things I miss, things I overlook. That’s where you, my vice president, come in. Do you get it now? While I’m handling the big stuff, I rely on you to watch my blind spots. That means more than you know.”
At this time, I understood she needed honesty.
They say two heads are better than one. I used to think I could take on anything life threw at me, but there was always one insurmountable obstacle—time. Time is finite and relentless, waiting for no one. No matter how capable I am, I can’t be everywhere at once.
That's why dividing and conquering was more than simply a strategy; it was a necessity. And when it came to that, Hazel was always the first person I thought of, not just as support, but as someone I trusted to share the burden.
Following that, the two of us fell silent; the ambient symphony of buzzing insects filled the air. Above us, the moon hung like a silver lantern in the sky. I remembered a microsupermoon had been visible a few nights ago; unlucky that we didn’t catch a glimpse of it.
As we neared her hostel, I felt her arms tighten. She shifted slightly, resting her cheek against my shoulder, her face now just in my peripheral vision.
“I say this a lot,” she murmured, barely above the night breeze, “but thank you for this.”
The warmth of her breath brushed against my neck, sending a shiver down my spine.
“Ah... sorry,” she added quickly, likely having noticed.
“It’s fine,” I said, steadying my breath. “I just didn’t expect it; that’s all.”
Hazel didn’t loosen her hold or pull away, and I didn’t mind carrying her like this.
“Can you take me to my room instead of the infirmary?” she asked suddenly. “I’ve got a first aid kit there.”
“Sure.”
—
—
I carefully placed her on the bed. Bending down, I examined her leg; there was some swelling around the ankle, and it didn’t look too bad, but it still needed attention.
“Where’s the first aid kit?” I asked, looking up at her.
“In my wardrobe. I’ll get it,” she said, starting to rise.
“Whoa, where are you going?” I placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. “I’ll get it.”
“It’s just... I have my privacy to protect,” she said hesitantly. I understood immediately that there were likely personal items in there that a guy like me probably shouldn’t see. It made sense.
“I get it,” I said with a nod. “But I’ll still help you.”
I helped her to her feet. Her left arm looped around my neck, and I steadied her, keeping her weight balanced on her good leg as she leaned against me. She winced slightly but managed to hop with me to the wardrobe.
With one hand, she rummaged through it and pulled out a metallic box marked with a green cross. I guided her back and gently lowered her onto the bed, then took the box and opened it. The supplies inside were neatly arranged, and most of them were unused.
I grabbed a cold pack, cracked it to activate the cooling agent, and pressed it to her ankle. She flinched at first but relaxed quickly.
“I was planning on going to a party tomorrow with Diya,” she said suddenly.
That caught me off guard. I chuckled, still focused on her injury. “Really? Didn’t take you for the party type, especially with exams around the corner.”
I barely saw it coming—a sharp flick to my forehead. Startled, I looked up at her, feigning hurt.
“Hey! Come on, I’m in pain here,” I said, rubbing the spot.
Her eyes widened. “Oh no! I didn’t mean to—”
“I’m kidding,” I laughed, and she sighed in relief, though she still looked guilty.
“But still…” she said softly. Her hand reached out and touched my face as she examined the spot, her touch gentle. “Does it hurt?”
“N-No, not at all,” I said quickly, feeling my heart skip. “I’m fine, really.”
She withdrew her hand, and I turned my attention back to her ankle. The cold pack had lost its chill after about five minutes, so I set it aside.
“Alright, you’ll need some painkillers,” I said, standing.
“They’re on my desk, by the laptop.”
I retrieved them and handed her the pack with a glass of water.
“Thanks,” she said, quickly taking a pill. “Are you sure you don’t want one? You’ve been running around all night.”
I sighed, a small smile tugging at my lips. “Alright, it won’t hurt.” I took one and swallowed it dry. Then I placed a pillow under her leg to elevate it. “That better?”
She smiled. “Yeah, thanks.”
I settled on the floor beside her bed, leaning back against the frame. Hazel shifted slightly, careful of her ankle. “I got a call from Harley just before Cohen’s. Do you think she might’ve been involved in this, too?”
I thought about it. “Hmmm… I’m not sure. But a part of me thinks she’s in the clear this time. She knows the risks too well to pull something like that.”
Hazel nodded slowly. “Thing is… Cohen said he got my number from her.”
“That could mean something,” I admitted, “or nothing at all. There are plenty of ways Cohen could’ve found your number.”
“True. He might’ve asked Harley for it without telling her what it was for.”
“I’ll ask Amelie to look into it. She’ll figure out if Harley knew anything or not,” I reassured her. Hazel gave a small nod.
We sat in silence for a moment before I brought up something she’d said earlier. “You mentioned a party with Diya?”
“Yep. We’re going to Hoshi-senpai’s birthday party.” She said it like I should’ve known who that was. The name sounded vaguely familiar.
“Who’s that?” I asked.
“Oh, she’s in Year 12, Class 1. Extremely popular, especially among the sports crowd. She’s a track star,” Hazel explained. “I was hoping to get close to her, maybe learn something useful to use against Robin. Or better yet, convince her and some seniors to help us out.”
“Solid plan,” I said, nodding, impressed with her idea. “I’ll try getting Ozawa on board too, but…” I glanced at her leg. “I doubt it’ll fully recover by tomorrow.”
“Don’t remind me,” she groaned.
I smirked. “Wow, I didn’t know you were that eager to show off your dance skills.”
She gave me a tired look, but her lips twitched as if she were holding back a smile. “That’s not why I—” She trailed off, letting out a disappointing sigh. Then, under her breath, “And for your information, I am an excellent dancer.”
“That’s true; you mentioned that during the inaugural dinner.” The memory flashed vividly in my mind. I could feel my face heat up slightly at the thought. I wasn’t the only one blushing, as Hazel’s cheeks turned a faint pink as well. Before I could dwell on the moment, she suddenly leaned over and ruffled my hair.
“Hey, stop that!” I ducked away, but I couldn’t help laughing.
“That’s what you get!” she said, laughing with me.