Ninja Squad: Assault on the City [Book 1]

Chapter 9: How to Skip Class

Carlos’s POV
9:00am

The bell rang, signaling the end of class. I never felt more relieved. I grabbed my backpack and waited near the door for Lia and Cat to walk with me.

“What class do we have next?” Lia asked as she walked up to me, along with Cat.

“Snack, the third best part of the day,” Cat explained, opening the door to exit the classroom.

“I thought Snack was the second best part of the day?” I asked, walking into the busy hallway towards our lockers.

What’s better than food and talking with friends?

“Nope. Lunch and Recess is second.” Cat answered, slamming the door shut after Lia scurried through it.

“Dismissal is the best part of the day, so I can leave this prison.”

“Just because there is a giant metal gate that looks like cell bars around the campus, doesn’t make middle school a prison, Cat,” Lia remarked, pushing up her glasses.

Lia does make a point, unfortunately. There’s so much better things you can do with your time than school. For example, video games, drawing, anything really.

“Point made, unfortunately,” I muttered, plugging in the code to my locker.

“Agreed,” Cat acknowledged, grabbing her lunch box from her locker and slinging it over her shoulder.

~•~

9:06am

“Where do we sit for snack?” I asked Lia as I pushed open the glass door, which led to the courtyard.

“Over there where everyone else is,” Cat replied, pointing to the large oak tree that towers over the concrete sidewalk.

“I don’t see anyone,” I stated, scanning around to see if I could find anyone.

When I mean anyone, I mean the rest of the Ninja Squad, Nahida, Whiatt, and Medea, not random students.

“Because they’re behind the tree, you muffinhead!” Lia whisper-yelled.

“Why are you whispering?” I questioned, jogging down the steps.

“You want me to yell at full volume?” Lia warned, following behind me.

I shook my head no as I headed towards the tree.

“Race you!” Cat and Lia exclaimed in union as they sprinted to the tree.

“Seriously?” I asked, dashing after her while dodging other students to get there quicker.

Lia and Cat ran the long way around, which either gave me a guaranteed win or a guaranteed loss. I slowed down my pace as I got closer to the tree, so I didn't crash into anyone.

“I won!” I exclaimed as they ran around the corner.

“What do you want, a gold medal?” Daniel mumbled as he dealt out playing cards to Whiatt.

“Shut up, Daniel,” Lia stated as she sat down next to Nahida and Medea to watch. Cat was close behind her and sat next to Medea.

I sat down between Michael and Makenna as everyone started betting on who would win.

“As much as I don’t like him, I’m voting for Whiatt,” Medea explained, taking a bite out of an apple.

“Wow,” Whiatt countered, emphasizing the ‘ow’.

I mean, Medea isn’t wrong.

“Just play already. Some of us are getting purr-etty bored,” Cat recommended.