asset [h.s.]

three // shaken up

Harry

After picking up some information that Liam managed to curate about this Alicia girl, I drive over to her college for my first round of surveillance, or as I like to call it, babysitting from a distance. I manage to find a parking spot right outside so I'll be able to see exactly when she leaves, although it's now 4:45 on the dot and the campus is still mostly empty, only a few tired looking students wandering around like ghosts, dressed in hoodies and clutching coffee cups in a way that suggests their caffeine intake is more important to them than the expensive laptops clutched under their arms.

As I wait, I flick through the file about Alicia Ferguson that Liam put together, deciding that if I have to do this job, I might as well find out as much as I can about this girl. I have to say that I'm fairly impressed as I read through her file, especially the parts about her schoolwork. From the picture, I just assumed she was some typical bimbo but from reading about her, I discover she's a lot smarter than she looks. Finishing high school with straight A's, captain of the hockey team, proficient at languages, and managing to find time to keep up with what seems to be a hectic social life, seeing as she was voted favorite in her class for three years straight. And with only being a year into college, she's predicted to graduate top of her class already.

My thoughts are interrupted by the growing sound of voices and I glance out of the window to now see dozens of students making their way out of the buildings and across campus, coming from all different directions. I close the file and toss it onto the passenger seat, turning to look out the window to see if I can spot her. It takes about 10 minutes until I finally see her walking out of school with two other girls, all of them with shiny looking hair which varies in length, wearing similar clothes and with huge smiles on their faces. God, I forgot how much I hate teenage girl's little cliques.

They all stand on the steps and talk for a few minutes, checking their phones and rummaging through their bags but then they all head off towards a red Prius parked up on the street, climbing inside. I wait until they've driven off down the street and then I turn my keys in the ignition, putting the car into first gear and pressing my foot down on the gas to follow them.

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Alicia

As expected, the coffee shop is busy for the time of day, but the three of us manage to squeeze into one of the spare tables pressed up against the window. To be honest, I'm just glad to be somewhere that serves caffeine after the hellish day I've had. "I really need one of you to convince me not to drop out," I say to my friends, leaning back in my chair. "And quickly, because I have the tab open on my phone already."

"I have no advice to give, because I'll be right there with you," Claudia says, shaking her head. "The feedback on my essay made me think my professor wants me dead."

"At least you know where you can improve," Poppy cuts in, returning with our tray of drinks, which I help divvy out between us. "My professor said my essay was amazing and could be published, and then only gave me an 80%?"

"I honestly think part of graduating college is just going to be a well done for surviving all these mind games," Claudia says, taking a sip of her drink. "By the way, I can't be here for long. I need to rush back home as soon as I finish this."

"And where are you rushing off to?" I ask curiously. "Please don't tell me another guy from a dating app. I can't keep showing up and going along with whatever story you've told him to get away from him. My acting skills aren't that good."