𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍 , 𝐣. 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞

𝟎𝟏. 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐒

▌ Alex rushed into her room, rummaging through everything to find her French book. It had been 2 weeks since the start of term, and yet, she hasn't once been on time.

She panicked once the room was a complete mess and no French book was found.

"Looking for this, sweetie?" A voice came from the doorway. There stood Trudy with Alex's book in her hand.

Alex ran to her, hugging and rocking her side to side. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" She exclaimed.

"You left it on the kitchen table again, be careful, you're already late enough every day." She smiled. "Now hurry along! better get to school"

"Thank you!" Alex said once again, swiftly running past her with her blazer carried on her arm. She ran down the stairs, her black hair with streaks of pink swaying behind her.

She ran out the door, suddenly getting barged by a brunette girl around her age.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" The girl said, carrying her suitcase inside the door.

A sense of shock hit Alex as she heard the girl's accent. An American? at anubis house?

Alex examined her like it was the first ever American she had seen, and before she could say anything back, the girl put her hand out for Alex to shake as she spoke out "Im Nina, I'm from America!" She smiled. It was obvious to the blackhead Nina was nervous.

Alex shook her hand "Im Alex, Alex Hunnington" She smiled warmly, trying to rush this interaction in order to not be extra late.

Before any words could leave her mouth, Victor suddenly appeared behind her.

"Aren't you meant to be in class Miss Hunnington, off you go." He said, his eyes staring down at her.

She quickly ran out the door, yelling "It was nice to meet you Nina!" behind her.

————

Out of breath, Alex knocked on the door of the classroom. The hallways were empty, as everyone was in class. She quickly fixed her hair as footsteps approached the door.

The door opened with Mrs Andrews's presence. "Alexandria, lovely to see you joining us." She left the door open for her to walk in.

"Sorry miss" Alex uncomfortably smiled at her as she walked in, going to a free seat next to Patricia. As she sat down, she whispered loud enough for her teacher to not hear. "Where's joy? I thought she was sitting next to you?"

"Someone was here to see her. Mr sweet took her out like 10 seconds before you came." Patricia replied.

"Ohhh" Alex replied.

An exaggerated cough came from two rows behind them. Alex turned, and there sat Jerome and Alfie. Jerome pointed to a tally he made a couple of weeks ago on the wall. It wrote, 'Alex's lates and on-times.' with seventeen marks on lates, yet not one on on-time.

Jerome laughed as he put another mark on late. "You really have no sense of time do you, pinkie pie?" He whispered to her.

Alex rolled her eyes at the comment and nickname.

Ever since her and Patricia got matching coloured streaks in their hair during the summer, and with Alex getting pink, the nickname started. It clearly pissed Alex off, but Jerome never bothered to stop.

"Alexandria, turn around and stop talking." Mrs Andrews got up, giving her a practice exam she was late for. "You have to finish this in your own time, stay after class for it."

———

"I can't believe no ones got Joy's home number!" Patricia still hadn't gotten in any contact with Joy since she got pulled out of class. She had checked Mr Sweet's office before leaving school, but nothing.