Lara woke up as she usually did, washing her face before it hit her. 'Was it a dream?' she asked herself before she saw the bags neatly arranged in a corner. 'I guess it wasn't.' Memories surfaced of the experience, and at the center of it all was Andrew.
"I guess for someone his age, for him to pull off something like that was impressive." Checking her new phone, a smile perched on her lips before making her way to the dining table. "Looks like someone overslept." Clara playfully teased as she saw Lara set the tea. "I didn't think Andrew's plans would take so long, but I guess it was to breathe of fresh air." She said absentmindedly before the person of her focus walked in, this time changed and ready to leave.
"We'll be leaving for Andrew's entrance test. And make sure that Kevin washes the dishes; he hasn't left his room." And with that, Clara and Andrew took their leave.
. . .
"Wake up, you scrub! It's already noon and I've been forced to do-" Lara's words stopped in her throat as she looked at Kevin who was sprawled in his bed with a pained expression on his face. Inching closer, she saw the wounds coated all over him. "What the fuck happened to you?! Did your dealer set you up or what?"
Her words followed with a laugh. "I guess you could say that now, fuck off! I don't have the time to entertain your antics!" Waving his hand to gesture Lara to leave, Kevin moved his upper body, revealing scars and cuts, wiping Lara's smug from earlier. "Are you okay? We should have your injuries checked."
Kevin's groans filled the air, his tone turning bitter. "Why are you still here and care about me suddenly? Just leave; they're flesh wounds. By the time school starts, they'll be healed." Kevin, who had thought Lara had left for good, gritted his teeth as he saw the dripping cloths she carried and placed them over his injuries.
"As much as I enjoy picking on you, I'm your older sister and I have to watch you. Seriously, why would you engage with such people if this is what they're capable of? What would you do if Mom found you like this?" Her words met with painful groans from Kevin, which further drove her to inspect his state. "Where were you yesterday? Jasper came asking for you." Lara didn't give an immediate answer, pressing a wet cloth on Kevin's forehead to combat his spiraling temperature.
"I…was out with Andrew for a small walk." Kevin narrowed his eyes. "Don't tell me you two are dating because you came way late at night. Luckily Andrew carried you to your bed instead of me." A question that burned at the back of her mind was answered. "Well, hurry and get better so that you can get back to washing the dishes. I'll be back."
Hastily preparing herself, Lara made her way to the nearest clinic and bought some painkillers. 'Huh, I guess Andrew handled this.' The amount deposited in her phone made her freeze before completing the transaction. After making her way back home and nursing Kevin, Lara was met with a call.
'Jasper, huh?' Picking it up, her tone shifted from playful to tender. "Hello dear." The voice on the other end, however, didn't seem to share the sentiment. "Hello Lara, where the fuck have you been?! I've been trying to call you for the past ten hours!" Lara's face shifted into that of annoyance. "I was busy; what is it you wanted that you came all the way here?"
A grotesque snort could be heard on the other side of the phone. "I didn't want to come over, but I had to drop your little brother off after the state I found him in. Any way I was calling to tell you I've saved up for the two of us to live on our own. Pack your bags. I'll be picking you up in ten." The news stunned Lara.
"Wait! This sudden? You could have told me about this!" Her frustration was clear with her brows furrowing. "Wouldn't you go on and on about how you hate living with your brother and mother, so I thought I would surprise you. Surprise!" Clutching her face, Lara let out a defeated sigh as she tried to compose herself.
"I get that, but this is a bit too sudden. Just give me some time to think about this, then I'll call you." Her response, however, wasn't what the recipient wished to hear. "I've been working my ass off for this, for us, and now you want to backpedal? Do you take me for a toy, Lara?! Are you with me on this one or not?" Each word exploding with rage from Jasper, Lara could hear him pacing around on his end.
"Ugh, fine, but I have a lot of stuff to pack up, so could you come up an hour later?"
. . .
"So this must be Andrew Grayson." A man in his late forties chuckled as he shared a handshake with Andrew, who had his usual deadpan expression. The room was filled with books that served more like decoration, high-end wooden decor that seemed high end and the man Andrew and Clara faced was the owner of the establishment.
"Yes. He's been through a difficult experience, so he may be odd at first, but he's quite sharp when you get to know him." Clara mused as the two sat opposite to Desmond Keane, the principal of Stillwater College. "I'm well aware." Desmond said as he turned to face Andrew. A glance was more than enough to prove Clara's words. "Andrew, I understand your tragedy, but I hope you can overcome it and become something great. I always say that one should use their past as a springboard to advance in life rather than a crutch."
Himself and Clara shared his laugh, which followed, while Andrew adorned his neutral line as if the joke wasn't made for him. Realizing this, Desmond brought an end to his laugh, his expression turning serious. "Andrew Grayson, you should know that Stillwater College is a place where you can become whomever you wish to be, with a large variety of opportunities for your growth, but getting admitted here isn't easy. But I guess I could make an exception for you."
Andrew faced Desmond with his apathetic expression, his eyes barely flinching, which unnerved the principal. "Miss Clara, Andrew will have to take a test to help gauge his literacy. From there, we could see what he would choose." Reaching for his telephone, Desmond cooed into it, and his secretary appeared, her demeanor nothing short of professional.
"Please lead Andrew to his test." Andrew rose and left, leaving Clara with Desmond. The scenery shifted from the compact and claustrophobic office to stretched-out halls, at the end plaques and trophies were presented behind a glass shelf. The school had yet to reopen, with a few days left, thus the halls were pretty empty. The people seen were the cleaning staff and the security officers.
Andrew was led into a class, empty, and on the desk laid out for him. "I'll be watching you, Andrew. Don't stress yourself too much and try your best." The teacher mused with a smile as she reached for her phone and began a timer. On the whiteboard, the duration of the examination and above it a clock that ticked away.
. . .
"Are you sure that he hasn't been studying, because these results are perfect? A perfect score." The teacher inquired with a smile as she handed over the papers to Clara and another copy to Desmond. "A sharp student, keep this up, Andrew, and you should have a great future ahead of you." Clara, as much as she was pleased with the results, she too was surprised with what she saw.
"He'll be given a few more tests, and the date for his admittance will be sent to you, Miss Clara. He could do it right now or come back later." Andrew, who had remained mostly silent except for small chats like pleasantries, spoke up. "I'll finish the test right now."
Desmond had a jolly smile on his face, admiring Andrew's fire. "That's the spirit; however, this time it won't be as easy as what you just did." Andrew didn't show a change in his expression, which Desmond took for confidence. "Well, then, I'll leave you to it."
. . .
"Sir, Detective Connor Hale is here. Should I let him in?" Desmond, who was busy with his work, paused for a minute before relaying his answer. "Let him in." Shortly after the door to his office opened, Connor Hale was standing next to Desmond's secretary, who shortly took her leave after excusing herself.
"Detective Connor Hale, what is the pleasure I owe for having you here?" Desmond, familiar with Connor from past interactions with cases within the school. "I'm here just to check on a student who should register, Andrew Grayson. I'm here to check on whether he's doing fine in your care."
A sigh of relief left Desmond's lips, as he had initially thought that Connor was there about another case. "Yes, I have such a student; however, school hasn't started yet, so I know little about him." Connor gave an understanding nod, his tone remaining flat, the same that he had when he was busy with a case.
"I was wondering whether I could look into his records. With some tests he underwent at the precinct, I just wanted to make sure that he isn't facing any problems." Desmond, who took Connor as a person concerned with Andrew's well being handed over his test. "A perfect score?" His brow arching as he failed to believe what he saw.
"He was monitored, so don't worry about him cheating. Your reaction was similar to mine when I saw it Detective. Hahaha!!!" Connor didn't share the lightheartedness Desmond had with his laugh. 'How would a person like him achieve a score like this? Maybe something happened during his capture. Or maybe he had been studying, but if he did, there is no way he would pick up books so quickly with no hindrances.'
Connor's suspicion of Andrew kept on snowballing as he chatted with Desmond more about Andrew before taking his leave. Now alone in his car, ready to drive back to the precinct, he was met with a report through his walkie-talkie. "Detective Connor Hale, we have a case on Mayberry Street and your presence is required." The voice dripping with urgency snapped Connor out of his thoughts. "On my way!"
. . .
"Just disappeared? No traces, no prints, nothing?!" an officer asked Connor, the two walking to their cars parked on the curb. "It's rather odd; there's no way five kids would disappear like that. Unless it's happening once more." The officer, a man in his late thirties with a thick black mustache and a well-rounded figure that his uniform seemed to struggle to contain, gave his thoughts. His name was Pike, a person known in the station for focusing on delicacies more than his cases.
Short and with a grumpy voice, he leaned on Connor's car, making the car dip to his side. "Do you think it's like Andrew Case?" Pike inquired as Connor looked at the yard. The mother had said that his son was playing with his friends on the lawn and coming out to give them drinks to cool off, they were gone.
"Well, I hope not because if so then-" Connor was cut off once more, his walkie-talkie urging him to go to another place which had a similar altercation; this time a five men, twelve women, and four children vanished. What Connor didn't know was that many more cases like this would emerge, the disappearing happening at random across the city.