The final bell of the day rang like it personally hated everyone, echoing down the empty hallways of our school.
My bag sagged on my shoulder, as if it, too, was tired of this week, which had been a chaotic rollercoaster with no safety bars.
Keifer was in London, doing whatever mysterious CEO/mafia hybrid thing he always did, and I was stuck here, grappling with thoughts that were both frustrating and exhausting.
Outside the school, three black cars were parked like some mini convoy, all tinted windows and sharp edges.
The second I saw them, I knew Section E had turned this into some kind of official mission. Rory leaned out of the first car window, sunglasses perched like he was auditioning for a spy movie.
"Jay! Get in. We're heading to see Elara," he called, his voice loud enough to make nearby students glare.
Felix popped up behind him, stretching his arms. "Yeah, if she's normal, fine. If not—well, that's why we're armed with charm and sarcasm," he said, smirking at Eren in the back seat.
Yuri didn't comment. He never did. He just adjusted his seatbelt, eyes sharp, surveying everyone silently like a hawk on a very chaotic perch. Eman muttered, "Normal is our middle name," which prompted Josh to laugh and say, "No it isn't, it's Kyle. Your middle name is Kyle. Don't steal ours." I rolled my eyes and just got into the first car, hoping today wouldn't be a total disaster.
The drive started off normally enough, but the city slowly changed as we moved further away from the school. Crowded streets gave way to quieter, cleaner roads.
Sidewalks were wider, people smiled instead of frowning, and small gardens peeked over fences. Women selling flowers waved, and stray dogs roamed lazily without a care in the world. I noticed CN staring out the window with a soft smile; the usually hyperactive little genius seemed calm, almost reflective.
David whistled softly. "This area is… surprisingly nice. Peaceful."
Kit smirked, adjusting his seat, "If she lives here, she isn't just normal rich. She's… stable rich."
Mayo pointed at a flower stall. "Still not flashy. But enough to make everyone jealous if they tried."
I could feel a little warmth in my chest. It felt… homey.
Comfortable. Like the city itself was breathing calmly for once. Even the boys' usual chatter quieted down as we drove.
When we finally pulled up to Elara's house, it was modest but undeniably well-kept. The walls were white, soft vines curling up the fence, and a small wind chime swayed gently in the afternoon breeze. "Here goes nothing," I muttered under my breath.
Rory knocked on the door with exaggerated force. There was a pause… then the door opened halfway. Elara appeared, looking simultaneously shocked, cautious, and delighted. "What… what are you all doing here?" she asked, blinking rapidly.
Before anyone could answer, CN practically launched himself at her. "Ate!!!" He wrapped her in a bear hug, and she froze, then laughed and hugged him back. I had to suppress a smile. Section E's methods were aggressive, but at least effective.
Her grandmother suddenly called from inside, her voice loud enough to make everyone jump. "Elara! Who's that with you? Boyfriends? Girlfriends? Aliens?"
Elara rolled her eyes. "Grandma, they're my friends."
Grandma stepped into view, her tiny frame almost comically at odds with her sharp, commanding eyes. "Friends?
Phew. Good. Last time, someone brought a girl over and she cried over a broken nail. I thought the world had ended."
She pivoted toward me, squinting and sizing me up. "You're cute. Do you eat a lot?"
"Uh… yes?" I replied cautiously.
"Good. Girls who eat with confidence will survive the apocalypse," she said, smirking. Denzel choked audibly, and I couldn't stop myself from laughing.
Grandma's gaze swept Section E. "You boys look dangerous. Handsome. Double dangerous."
Rory, ever the dramatic one, bowed. "Thank you, madam. It's the lighting."
Grandma's smirk widened. "The lighting or your fake bravado? Time will tell."
We were led inside. The smell of soup and fresh herbs hugged us as the door closed behind. The house was simple, tidy, and smelled of home—warm, earthy, comforting. Elara guided us to a large wooden table, and we all sat down to eat.
The food was sim
ple but incredible: soup, noodles mostly vegetarian. Nothing extravagant, yet every bite felt like it had been crafted to calm the soul. Yuri, sitting silently as usual, gave a small hum of approval. Eren, as ever, rolled his eyes. "its much better than our cafeteria 's food," he muttered, earning a nod from Felix.
While we ate, Section E subtly began Operation: Borrow Elara's Phone.
Felix and Eman engaged her in a conversation about her embroidery and plants. "I didn't know bamboo could grow indoors," Felix said casually.
Elara smiled, "It likes the sun, but not too much. It's fussy."
Meanwhile, Edrix gently lifted her phone "so it wouldn't get wet" when Felix "accidentally" spilled water on the table. Kit slid it down his sleeve like a magician, and David passed napkins as cover. I stood near the doorway, pretending to watch the wall but actually making sure Elara didn't notice anything strange.
Edrix whispered, "Jay, block her view." I subtly moved, creating a human shield, while he plugged a tiny black device into her phone. Five seconds later, a soft flash, and he whispered, "Got it." Kit returned the phone to the table seamlessly, and Elara never looked up.
Just as the lunch wound down, a horn honked outside. Her grandmother came rushing to grab her bag. "If you had been five minutes late, you wouldn't have caught me. I'm going back with my brother. He's… well, let's say he owes me pudding," she explained with a wink.
Elara sighed. "Grandma fought with him over pudding again."
Her grandmother shot him a pointed look. "Yes, he did. And he didn't even apologize properly!"
Before leaving, she grabbed my hand. "Take care of her. She's stronger than she seems, but even the sky needs support sometimes." Her voice softened just enough to make my chest tighten. "I will," I said, swallowing the lump in my throat.
After her grandmother left, we offered Elara a ride to the mall. She agreed, and we piled into the cars, laughing and teasing each other like normal friends—though I couldn't ignore the subtle tension of the mission hanging over us. At the mall, we bought ice cream, strolled past shops, and laughed at every ridiculous thing Section E did—Felix almost dropping his ice cream, CN tripping over absolutely nothing, Mayo debating whether to buy a ridiculously expensive phone case.
It felt like a normal day, until it ended, and we dropped Elara back home. I leaned out of the window. "See you at school tomorrow?"
She smiled. "Yes. And thank you… for today. All of you."
As she walked inside, CN shouted dramatically, "Ate!!! BYEEEE!!!"
And she laughed, genuine, unrestrained. I felt a strange warmth in my chest. For once, everything had gone smoothly.
On the drive back, the mood in the cars was quieter than usual. Yuri finally said, "She seems… fine."
Eman added, "Yeah. Maybe we were just paranoid."
Maybe