When an obnoxious ray of sunlight hit Miren square in the face, she took it as her cue that prom night, and all of the enchantment that went with it, was a dream. As her eyes fluttered against the harsh light of reality, her instincts honed onto the fact that she wasn't tucked in bed at her dorm in Rinzen. Rather, she was on a couch in Axel's apartment. The well-worn sofa sucked her in, and it took way too much effort to pull herself out of its sunken depths.
Once she made it to her feet, she rubbed her face in an effort to become more alert. It was then that she noticed sleeping bodies littered around the tattered living room. She patted down her body for her phone, before finding it in the pocket of her wrinkled slacks. She wrinkled her nose, attempting to ignore the weed and alcohol in the air, her ears still ringing from both the performance and the noise-complaint level music from the after parties (yes, plural) Jemma dragged her to.
She skimmed her phone for missed messages, but there were none. It technically made sense - she wasn't Jemma's only friend by a long shot. And apart from Jeno's messages the night before asking where she was, he was probably understandably annoyed that she'd blown him off. Or maybe he was being a huge baby.
She decided on the latter before weaving through the messy living room as if it was an obstacle course. Once she made it to the kitchen area, she saw Axel on the opposite side of the island, getting something from the fridge.
"Good morning," Miren offered in a bit of a scruff. To say she was dehydrated would be an understatement.
"Morning, Miles," the shirtless senior greeted, before shutting the fridge, a gallon of apple juice in tow. He took a direct gulp from the bottle before extending it toward her. "Sounds like you need it more than me."
Shrugging, she took it before taking a sip. Much to her chagrin, they had already kissed, so if she was going to die of super-mono or something the damage had already been done.
"Jemma told me to make sure nothing happened to you at the party," Axel then went on before smirking. "Though you passed out pretty quickly."
Miren rolled her eyes. "Do you know where she is now?"
"She left a couple of hours ago in a bit of a hurry. Prom clean up I think," he decided, scratching his mousy brown hair. "I'm actually about to head back to the mansion to get the rest of the music gear with Cliff." As if on cue, the gargantuan red-head entered the space in an almost sleep-like trance. He opened the pantry as Axel's eyes met her gaze. "Did you want a ride back to campus?"
"I'd appreciate it," Miren said. And then they were on their way.
***
Miren's stomach had caught up with her by the time she set food on Rinzen soil. Although most of campus was empty, the cafeteria was still open. After eating a bit too much, she made her way back to the dorm, exhaustion washing over her body. But even when her body collapsed against her bed, her mind would not sit still. Her eyes skimmed against the wall calender; it was officially June 1st. Only two more weeks of school - technically less with the weekends and graduation.
She closed her eyes to let the thought simmer, and her mind eventually went blank as the type of serenity that belonged to late spring afternoons swept over her like a breeze. But peace and anything that resembled it would always be fleeting - because reality hit her like a draft in the room.
Martha's Vineyard!
She sprang to her feet, grabbing her phone from her night stand. She dialed Jeno's number but he didn't pick up. She thought about texting him again before calling Jemma. She also didn't answer. Her mind started running again - sprinting when she got a text from her.
Jemma: Tearing down decorations at the McMansion. Don't worry about Jeno - he's w/ Roger. Looks like your trip won't be happening though, sry. Talk in a few, k?
Although Miren finally had answers, it was hard to resist the urge to beat her head against the wall.
***
"So are you going to tell me what you planted in Soren's room?" Levi asked Olive. She just rolled her eyes, half tempted to shift from his chest as they lay in his bed.
"You think that just because I let you sleep with me that we're suddenly chums?" Her hands brushed through his straight brown-black hair. She tilted his face closer to hers, their lips brushing against each others. She bit hers. "I would tell you, but it doesn't matter anymore. Chara and Penelope removed the envelope."
"And why did they do that?" His full eyebrows rose and Olive just shrugged.
"Penelope's not as vile as everyone thinks she is. And I'm beginning to realize not everyone should be a social justice warrior. Myself included."
"It's hard to change things while being timid," Levi then offered, taking her hand and interlocking it with his. "You want to make the world better. I want to do the same but through medicine. You shouldn't stop." His eyes were consoling but serious. "I admire you."
"You're just saying that because you still want me to tell you what was in the file." She pinched his hand before kissing his neck, her teeth gently grazing his olive skin.
"Guilty." Levi smirked. "But I'm not going to beg you to tell me. You don't have to do anything you don't want to."
"I didn't want to give up on Miles, but it looks like I'll have to," she sighed before meeting his gaze. "As for the file, it just had evidence against Artemis. I'm sure you're aware that she and I did some not so legal things while investigating. I figured Soren wouldn't be willing to let her dirty laundry be exposed."
"So you used his girlfriend as blackmail, knowing that he couldn't get to you without throwing her under the bus as well?" Levi shook his head in awe. "You sure you don't want to use your superpowers of manipulation for good?"
"I am using them for good." She pursed her lips. "Next you're going to say I tricked you into bed."
"I'm not complaining either way," he laughed and she felt his chest rise. "I just want to know your takeaway from all of this."
"I do what I do to make the world a little bit better. I know not everyone feels a burdened by how fucked up the world is, but I do - and I know you do too." She rose from his arms now, and moved to the edge of the bed to collect her garments. "The students of St. Rosemunde and Rinzen are blinded by privilege and opportunity, and they are going to be the ones making decisions for people in the future. I know I can't make everyone mild-mannered and considerate, but if what I've done has shown them even in the slightest that there are consequences for their actions, then maybe they and everyone else will be better for it.
"I know your headmaster was responsible for Miles' attack," she went on casually, sitting on the side of the bed as she buttoned-up her shirt. "And I don't have to look at you to tell that you also know this."
"Damn." Levi folded his arms as he also rose from bed. "So what did you do when you found out?"
"I told Theodora Zolotov, but swore her to secrecy with the exception of Jeno." She slid on her slacks, rising to her feet. "So I guess it's his problem now."
"What do you mean by that?" Levi said as he watched her pull her backpack over her shoulders and start for the door. "Wait, where are you going?"
"Turned in my withdrawal forms yesterday," she told him as she brushed a hand through her loose curls, similar eyes, now bronze in the light, landing on his. "And I don't know. Maybe I'll try public school."
***
Miren knocked furiously on Ms. Cowdry's apartment door, but after five minutes, it was obvious she wasn't there. And because they kept phone messaging and conversation at a minimum for obvious reasons, she suddenly felt fresh out of leads and fucks.
Maybe Jemma was just covering for Jeno and Ms. Cowdry and Dr. Edsel had eloped. It would make sense. Prom apparently made people make dumb decisions. Herself included.
And because the rest of her friends were now ghosts to her, she had only one option. She went to her dorm room and waited. Saturday blurred into Sunday and then it was Monday.
She rolled out of bed with less enthusiasm than usual. And upon her zombie march to the bathroom, she made the decision to skip class. Afterall, having school on the Monday after prom weekend was criminal.
She hailed a bus into the city after taking the secret tunnel, and decided to camp out at a generic, indie coffee place. She ordered a coffee, black. Found a seat in her corner and opened her laptop. Then shut it.
No.
How was Jeno still ignoring her?
She called his phone. It went to message. She went to Wallace's contact screen before swiping out of it, shaking her head. Was she really going to call him just to ask about Jeno?
Gritting her teeth, she packed up her stuff and went back to school and headed straight for the administration building. She didn't know what she was doing, but she had to do something. Maybe it was time to let Dr. Edsel know she was on to him - regardless of Ben's better judgement.
When she met the receptionist, she was panting, sweating more from fury than from nerves.
"Can I help you, Mr. Ellison?" The man said before skimming her non-Rinzen attire. "Is there a reason you aren't in uniform?"
"Is Dr. Edsel available?" she said instead, trying her best to hide the maniacal look in her eyes. "It's urgent."
"Unfortunately, the headmaster isn't here," he told her, clicking something on his computer monitor. "He'll be out for the rest of the day and probably tomorrow. He's at the hospital."
Just like that, all the blood drained from Miren's face. Hospital?
"Is it his mom?" Miren found herself saying before realizing how random she sounded. "Jeno had mentioned something about his mother. Do you know if everything is alright?"
"I'm not at liberty to say more, but that sounds about right," the man said, offering her an apologetic look. "But I honestly don't have all the information. Try not to worry though, from what I do know, no one is dead or dying. Try to have a good day, okay?"
"Okay," Miren replied in a hush. "Same to you."
A defeated walk from the administration building turned into an aggressive one as she went back to her dorm room. She threw on her uniform and headed over to the history building. As she expected, a substitute teacher took Ms. Cowdry's place. She bit her fingernails as she watched the class go on through a slit of glass on the door, her feet unable to move.
She was stuck.
When the bell for third period rang obnoxiously through the air, she was forced to follow the flow of traffic. She carried about her day as normally as she could, not surprised that no one thought anything of Jeno's absence. Another day passed.
And then she decided to become unstuck.