A loud school ball starts to ring in the distance, birds shot up through the morning blue sky, breaking the clouds like whips in the wind.
Outside Genevieve middle school, a quaint one-story brick building that was built by the British when Cambodia is still under its colonization.
A People's Republic of Cambodia flag waves in the breeze. Alice pulls up on her bike. she slots it into a bike rack.
"Look who's here, the poor girl." Some of the bully girls' voices can be heard from a distance. Alice tries to avoid trouble with the people in her school as much as she can, but it seems like they don't want to avoid getting in trouble with Alice.
Alice tries to keep her head low, but she still runs into the bullies, Victoria and Ava, striding over to her. They're staring at her birthmark.
"Step right up, ladies and gentlemen. Step right up and get your tickets for the freak show. Who do you think would make more money in a freak show?" Said Victoria.
"I think it grew over the weekend!" Said Ava.
"You really gotta get that checked out, Alice! Might be cancer or something!" said Victoria.
They laugh. Alice simply ignores them. This is a regular occurrence and this is how she handles it with passivity today, at least, it works. Ava and Victoria shove past her...Ellis pulls up on his bike. He glares at the bullies."Bitches" Said Ellis at the bullies.
Alice shrugs it off like it's no big deal, even though it clearly is. But her mood brightens when she spots her friends coming toward her.
Freckled, with a gaggle of POPULAR FRIENDS. Ellis punches Alice in the arm."Jesus, Alice! Mirrors! Mirrors. Use them, remember? You can't just stare like some creeper." Said Ellis.
"I wasn't staring," Alice replies with a shy face.
"Hey, guys! let's get going we're gonna be late." Said Miles.
"Have you seen Sebastian around?" Alice asks the boys.
"No -- why?" said Miles.
"Have you seen him?" ask again by Alice.
"I don't know -- his mom called this morning, looking for him," said Ellis.
"I'm sure he's just in class," Miles replies.
"Yeah Maybe," said Alice. Alice's gaze drifts back over Wolf again, Ellis punches her again. and said"Mirror! Jeez.
In the school hall, a ton of students are standing, chatting, and chilling like normal students do on a normal school day. The school bell rings, making a really loud noise that every student hates the most. Looking back at the high school hallway,
The two high schoolers still have not yet gone to class.
"So, did he call?" Naty asks her BFF, Adeline about her new boyfriend.
"Keep your voice down," Adeline replies while trying to silence her friend's mouth with her hand.
"Did he? Come on Adeline, tell me?" Naty tries to urge her to answer her question with a smile on her face.
"I told you, it's not like that. Okay, I mean, yes he likes me, but not like that. We just...hooked up a couple of times." Adeline whispers to her BFF's ears, while her cheeks turn red.
"We just...hooked up a couple of times," Adeline says.
"Adeline, seriously, you're gonna be so cool now, it's ridiculous," Naty replies with a surprised face.
"No, I'm not," Adeline replies, while punching lightly at Naty's shoulder.
"You better still hang out with me, that's all I'm saying. If you become friends with Matilda and Henry--, I still hate them, not gonna lie" Naty replies.
"Oh, that's not gonna happen, you know that! Okay, I'm telling you, it was a one-time... Two-time thing."
And speaking of the devil our handsome guy in Northbridge high school walks through the main door. Every girl in school starts looking and giving him some flirty signs that show that they like him.
Adeline's cheeks turn red like a rose instantly.
"You were saying?" Said Naty, teasing her best friend.
Pulling his girlfriend into the boy's bathroom, they both start to make out.
Adeline pushed Micheal away gently, trying to free herself from his embrace. "Micheal, stop," she said, glancing at her watch. "I have to go to class."
Micheal tightened his grip on her waist and kissed her neck. "Just a few more minutes," he murmured in her ear. "You don't want to miss this."
Adeline squirmed in his arms, feeling uncomfortable and annoyed. She didn't like making out with him in the school bathroom, especially when she had a math test to study for. She heard footsteps outside the door and recognized them as Principal Wetherbee's. She panicked and whispered, "Micheal, let me go. Principal Wetherbee is coming."
Micheal pulled back and looked at her with a mischievous grin. "So what? Let him catch us. Maybe he'll join us." He winked and leaned in for another kiss.
Adeline slapped his cheek lightly and shook her head. "You're such a jerk, Micheal. Come on, let's get out of here before we get in trouble."
Micheal rubbed his cheek and pouted. "Fine, fine. But you owe me, babe. How about we hang out tonight? I can come over to your place and help you with your math homework."
Adeline rolled her eyes. "You can't help me with math, Micheal. You flunked it last semester."
Micheal shrugged. "So? I can still teach you some tricks." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Adeline laughed despite herself. She had to admit, Micheal was funny and charming in his own way. She gave him a quick peck on the lips and said, "Maybe later, okay? I really have to go now."
Micheal nodded and wrapped his arms around her again. "Okay, okay. But promise me you'll meet me at Dearborn and Maple at eight. We can go for a drive and find a nice spot to park and...study."
Adeline smiled and pushed him away gently. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say, Micheal." She pointed her finger at his forehead and said, "But don't forget, we're here to study, not to fool around."
Micheal saluted her and said, "Yes, ma'am." He kissed her one more time and said, "I'll see you later, Adeline. You're the best thing that ever happened to me."
Adeline blushed and ran out of the bathroom, hoping no one saw them. She liked Micheal, but she also wanted to do well in school. She hoped he would understand that and respect her boundaries.
*———*
A People's Republic of Cambodia flag flutters in the wind. High on a flagpole.
The Lakewood police station looks like a relic from another era. The sign out front reads Police in Khmer, but the building has a British colonial style.
An old military jeep with a police siren screeches into the parking lot.
Captain Jack gets out, smoking a cigarette, his eyes bloodshot.
Inside, Officer Thomas and Officer Ademar are playing cards, their feet on their desks. They wear khaki uniforms and berets.
The atmosphere is relaxed, almost lazy.
"Rough night, Capt?" Officer Thomas asks.
"Your mom was rougher." Captain Jack retorts.
He heads to the coffee machine.
His secretary, Davey, follows him. She has a clipboard and glasses.
"Get your feet off the desk, boys. This is a police station, not a casino." Davey says.
Captain Jack snaps his fingers. The officers grumble but comply.
Davey checks her clipboard.
"While you were out doing God knows what, Linnet came by. She said she saw Norbert and his gang fishing with spears in the lake --" Davey says.
"Tell her I'll look into it --" Captain Jack says.
"And Oriel called again. He said he heard some weird noises in the forest last night."
"Big deal." Captain Jack says.
"One more thing. Margaret Dominic is here. She says her son is missing --" Davey says.
Captain Jack stops. He turns around.
"Missing?"
He walks into his office. He sees Margaret sitting on a chair, clutching a photo of her son.
She looks up at him with anger and fear in her eyes.
She slaps him across the face.
WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! A typewriter hammers out a report.
A single word appears on the paper: "MISSING."
Captain Jack rubs his cheek. He puts on his glasses and looks at the report. His desk is a mess of papers, mugs, and candy wrappers.