Lawless Love

Chapter 1: A Vigilant Graduate

Not crumble over feelings or reminisce about how I ran from where I belonged, going back and forth, and keeping all the doors locked when it came to my pain.

Law is law. If people break the law, they should be punished.

Right?

I tap my pen on the table.

Wait. Is there not a physical portion of these exams?

Something about thinking on your feet: putting things into practice and seeing if you can take it?

The smell: it is smoke.

The building is on fire.

I fly out of my seat and race to the door. No one should get hurt because of my foolish pride.

"Miss Pixal! You are not permitted to exit the exam room!"

I turn to Officer Woolworth and lean against the door. "Ma'am, this is an extremely urgent matter."

"More urgent than-" her tone falters, "-your final exam?"

I tie up my silver hair in an almost-bun and nod, a stern expression on my face. "Yes. Lives could be at stake."

"Alright," she sighs, "but I'll have you know that this could cost you your grade."

I inhale and smile hopefully: "That is a risk I am willing to take."

My friend Lloyd stands up and walks over to me.

Officer Woolworth looks appalled for a fraction of a second, but she is pretty much used to Lloyd's antics at this point.

Lloyd brushes blonde bangs out of his eyes: "What's going on?"

"The building is on fire," I whisper in his ear.

Lloyd's green eyes flicker. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

I stare blankly.

He claps energetically: "Let's go!"

"Okay," I reply. Then I take a handkerchief out of my pocket and use it to open the door.

We walk through and crouch down, watching smoke pour into the halls. It creates an illusion of threatening storm clouds looming over us.

"You were right," Lloyd whispers, starting to crawl.

I join him and scoff softly, "When am I not?"

He smiles playfully at my remark. "Fair point."

My gaze roves down the hall, my vision like a grid. I have to plan this out meticulously, or something could go wrong.

There are three other rooms in this hall where people could be.

We have to turn on the fire alarm, check those rooms, get the people from the exam room, and hightail it out of the building. That sounds...doable.

"What's the plan?" Lloyd asks expectantly, tapping on the carpet.

I stare into his green eyes, grasping for confidence. "We have to pull the fire alarm, get everyone on this floor out, and make it outside."

"Alright, what do you want me to do?" he says.

"How fast can you crawl?"

"As fast as you need me to, chief," he replies with a smirk.