—

  —

  A heavy thud echoed through the lobby as I dropped my travel bag. I had gotten the occasional stare from a few students going about their day, but I didn’t mind.

  “Need help with those?”

  I looked up to see Andre approaching, his hands casually stuffed in his pockets.

  “Sure, why not?” I exhaled as he easily slung my backpack on and strapped another across his chest. He grabbed one of the heavier suitcases, rolling it behind him. I took the remaining two, and we walked side by side toward the exit.

  “Where are the others?” he asked after a moment.

  “I told them not to bother seeing me off. Besides, we had our fun yesterday,” I said, smiling at the memory.

  “To think this plan would backfire so badly,” he muttered as we stepped out of the hostel. The warm afternoon sun cast long shadows as we made our way to the front gate.

  “I know, I know. That’s all in the past now,” I said, brushing it off but not entirely. After a pause, I glanced at him. “But why didn’t you tell me about the whole setup with Ryo?”

  “I was testing the waters with Marcus but he saw through the ploy too easily,” Andre answered. “Besides, what would you have done if I had told you?”

  I opened my mouth to answer but found nothing. With a defeated sigh, I tilted my head back and looked up at the sky.

  A thought surfaced and escaped before I could stop it. “You know what I regret the most?”

  “What’s that?” Andre asked.

  “This school’s about to get really interesting next term… and I won’t be here to see it,” I said with a quiet chuckle.

  After a pause, he spoke again. “You never told me who came up with this idea in the first place.”

  “Unfortunately, I don’t know myself. I got an anonymous message with instructions. It sounded too good to pass up.”

  Andre scowled. “Taking such a risk without properly thinking it through. No wonder they targeted you.” I smirked, unbothered by his bluntness as he continued. “The class only agreed to make you a candidate and go along with the whole bullying ploy because of that group.”

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  “They liked the idea but didn’t realise they were being played too,” I laughed, shaking my head. “Whoever planned this, I have to commend them.”

  “Aren’t you upset?” Andre asked. “You got expelled because of all this.”

  “Of course I am. Furious. Sad. Frustrated,” I admitted, taking a deep breath. “My mother had a lot to say. Would I do things differently if given the chance? Definitely. But… I’m still glad I got to witness the start of something big.”

  “Then I guess you should say a proper goodbye.” Andre said, nodding ahead.

  I followed his gaze to the school gate and stopped in my tracks.

  A crowd had gathered by the school gate. A mix of familiar faces classmates, friends, and even a few people I hadn’t expected stood there.

  “You sly bastard,” I muttered.

  “Took you long enough,” Larry said, stepping forward and tossing me a chilled bottle of Calpis. “Didn’t want that getting warm.”

  Larry and Arata stood with him. My closest friends ignoring my request to stay away, just like I knew they would.

  “You idiots,” I said with a grin, pulling Arata into a playful chokehold.

  From the corner of my eye, I spotted Harley lingering partially hidden behind the group and gave her a nod, which she noticed before quickly looking away.

  “Despite your stupidity, I’m here on behalf of the class to thank you… and to apologise for making you take the fall for all of us,” Amelie said, approaching with her usual cold expression.

  “I know you want to say, ”

  She sighed. “I think what is already happening is a lot. I will not add more to your suffering so that I come off as being right.”

  “Whatever,” I muttered, shaking my head.

  The next few minutes blurred by as classmates stepped forward, some offering awkward goodbyes, others quiet apologies. The majority of them were obviously here out of guilt… or because Amelie told them to be.

  As I adjusted my bag strap, a voice cut through.

  “Cohen.”

  Andre stood a few feet away, his manner serious which was a rare sight.

  “I’ll track down the person who did this.”

  “Huh? For what?” Irritation flickered in my chest.

  “Even with your negligence,” he said, locking eyes with me, “this person is still responsible for getting a member of our class expelled.”

  “This whole social justice thing doesn’t suit you, Andre,” I said, waving a hand. “Just drop it. That person’s someone else’s problem now.”

  Andre studied me for a moment before shaking his head and turning away, hands in his pockets.

  “If you say so,” he murmured, already walking back toward campus. “Goodbye, Cohen.”

  He didn’t wait for a reply. I never really understood him and I wasn’t about to start now. Whatever he did next was his own business.

  This was it.

  

  The final moments before leaving this chapter of my life behind. But there was still one last thing I could do.

  I pulled out my phone and scrolled to the number I had gotten from Kameko.

  “He’s probably not expecting this.” I muttered to myself, my thumb hovering over the contact name on my phone for a second.

  Maybe it was guilt. Maybe a need for closure. Or maybe I just didn’t want to walk away from it all without leaving something behind.

  I tapped the call button.

  The line rang once, then connected.

  “Yo,” I said, looking back at the school one last time. “How about I tell you who hired Ryo?”