“So, what’s your deal?” Malic asks me a few days later as we all sit for lunch. It was quickly becoming our tradition, being seated at the same table we used the first day if we could, or using another in case our table is occupied, and partaking in the meal together. We had not transgressed to the stage in our friendship where we would meet one another after or before school hours, it’s still lunch and classes. But as I could tell, everyone was warming up to each other, laughing and joking, and talking about things that would be considered personal.I am excited for our relationship to grow, of course, so much so that at times I feel like a giddy child who had been led into a candy store. I do hope that no one can actually see it on my face, because that would be really embarrassing.“What do you mean what my deal is?” I question him back. Louise and Annabelle are discussing something philosophical on the other side of the desk, and today, Malic has decided to sit next to me.He tilt

Everything is swell, except for one fact.I had forgotten my wallet.Of all the stupid things in the world, forgetting my wallet on this specific day was not on my agenda. Everything monetary is in my wallet, including the cards for the subway passes. I had no other money on my person because I had not even bought lunch today.Instead, I cooked in the morning, attempting to master the talent.That’s when it dawns on me, that I’ve probably left my wallet on the kitchen counter.I can’t help but slap a hand on my face with a groan. I don’t know what to do now. My friends were all gone, so I could not borrow some money from them.What am I supposed to do now? It’s quite a dilemma.I won’t really risk trying to sneak in a bus, and there’s no way any driver would let me ride free. I had the worse luck on the best days, so there’s no way I’m going to risk being humiliated by a bus driver on top of it all.So, that leaves one logical course of action to follow.I sigh and give Laurent a call

The man starts at me, his fist raised in a punch.If it had been before his expulsion, I would’ve thought that whatever Stone was about to do to me would knock me out flat on my ass. But thanks to Adrenaline Rush, I could now see how bad his form was. Before, what he lacked in technique, he made for with strength. He was unfairly tall and had the muscle mass to suit his height. When confronted with that, anyone my size would cower.But now I am different. Now, I know how to fight.So I use his lack of balance to my advantage and target the opposite of side he was leaning towards. Instead of a punch, I swerved to the side and kicked him, right above his hips with speed behind my move. With a surprised yell, he had been shoved away from his intended path, barely regaining his balance.He whips towards me with surprise evident on his features, and I shrug.“I learned a thing or two since we last met,” I told him, “you still got time to turn and leave me alone, and I won’t kick your ass i

“Coraline!”“Lemon!”The said individuals collide in an exuberant hug, laughing their hearts out. At one point, Lemon raises Coraline off the ground and spins her.“Oh, my god!” Coraline cackles as she is set on the ground, “I really missed you, which is strange-““Considering how we only hung out for like three days forever ago, I know!” Lemon added, finishing the sentiment, “what can I say? I was bored of New York and thought I’d try to find more luck on the west coast.”“Oh, wow, you really just left New York like that, huh,” Coraline chuckles shaking her head, “How’d you run into Jace anyway?”“Oh, I was just gallivanting around Empire city when I saw him fleeing this huge ass dude,” Lemon confides, “and so I decided that I should give an old friend a hand.”Upon hearing that, Coraline whips her head at me, concern clear on her features, “Jace?!”“Um, yeah, so apparently, Stone and his lackeys still hadn’t forgiven me for ‘getting them expelled,” I cannot help but use my fingers t

“This is insane,” I mutter, “what the…do you have any idea why this persona has been stalking us?! Across the frickin country no less?”I question, feeling my voice shiver. Not even when I was being pursued by the bullies did, I feel like this! Because with the bullies I knew who was after me. I knew what they wanted to do, and I was ready to counter it because I knew them. I knew what it was like to deal with them.But this…except for Talon’s little ambush plan, I’ve never been stalked before. I’ve never had anyone follow me like this in order to take pictures of me and pin them to a wall in an apartment where a dead body is found.“Detective,” Coraline’s shaky voice joins, “can you tell what this might mean for us?”Oh, God, Coraline. It wasn't me who had become a target. She was in this with me as well. Judging by the pictures in front of us, the number of photos the stalker has of Coraline surpasses my own. She’s literally everywhere, and anyone could see who the stalker had been