Room 520's Secret

33. Mind Games

"Honesty may be the best policy in some ZIP codes, but not in this one. And not this week. Because "I was a teenage drug addict" is not exactly a winning college essay," Gossip Girl

Song: Bad Blood - Taylor Swift

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"Brian, are you insane?" Professor kay exclaims.

"Professor..."Helix calls the title with a mocking tone. "You're just now figuring that out?" Helix asks.

As I notice Brian place grab a fork from the windowsill and place it next to his neck.

"Brian!" I exclaim drawing everyone's attention to him. Professor Kay gasps taking a step back. A strange look passes across the face of Helix and is quickly replaced with a look of eerie calmness.

"You called me a brainless idiot," Brian says looking at Helix.

"Wrong, I called you a Brianless idiot. Same difference though," Helix says lackadaisically to which I glance at him with a look of horror. Seriously Helix? Was this really the time to be throwing insults?

Brain lets out a chuckle of self-mockery. "You're right," he says. "Ever since I won the first competition that got me a scholarship here. I was labelled a genius, one with a bright future,"

"My family, high school peers and teachers all expected me to become a psychologist. Not just any psychologist, but the best. No one ever asked if that was what I really wanted. Instead, they put their expectations and hopes on me," he says causing my heart to go out to him.

"First it was the pressure to bring glory to my family name, then the pressure to bring glory to the school's name, the endless circle of pressure from family, friends, peers and now even professors, has never stopped even when I joined this college," he says to which I let out a heavy sigh.

"And so?" Helix says with a look of absolute disinterest causing me to be taken aback. However, Professor Kay who I assumed would intervene wasn't, seemingly looking intrigued.

"And so I did it, I stole her paper," Brian says reminding me of why we were here in the first place.

"I realized after seeing her submission that if I let her submit it, I'd let a lot of people down. I'd be exposed for not being as smart as everyone thought I was. Because her paper was better. So, I switched the papers. I had to for my future. You should understand me, after all you were also caught cheating," Brian says looking at Helix with a pleading look. Which is met with a look of deep disgust by Helix.

"You and I, we are not the same. I never cheated and never will. With a brain like mine, I don't need to. So, don't ever link me up with the likes of you," Helix says looking like a toad had just crawled on him.

"If I make a single mistake, my entire future will be gone!" Brian exclaims seemingly at his wits end not getting an understanding form Helix like he'd hoped for.

"So, stealing another's ensures that future is intact?" Helix says and lightly chuckles shaking his head. "To be honest, I could care less about your future. However, what I do care about? Is her future," He says pointing at me.

"When you try to mess with that, then we have a problem and my duty is to see to it that you have no future," Helix says throwing a book at Brian who is surprised by the action and moves to doge it letting go of the fork in his hand. Naz and Helix quickly rush forward, Naz grabs the fork and throws it far away while Helix grabs Brian and lays a punch across his face.

"Don't try to take your life in my presence ever again," Helix says releasing him and getting up.

"Has anyone called campus security?" Professor Kay asks as Helix walks out of the office.

Not wanting to stay any longer realizing a lot had to be taken care off and I had gotten the true facts revealed. I hurry after Helix.

"Hey, Helix" I call out. "Hold up," I say hurrying after him. He pauses and glances back at me a brow raise.

"Thank you for helping me back there. Especially with restoring the file," I say. "Though, it sucks that the computer was destroyed, at least he confessed to the theft," I say truly grateful.

Helix glances at me a smirk on his face.

"What?" I ask piqued.

"Do you really think I restored it?" He asks his tone laced with laughter.

"Didn't you?" I reply puzzled to which he scoffs and keeps walking.

He didn't? Wait a minute, so he called Brian's bluff? I pause realization kicking in that he had called his bluff and forced Brian to quickly take action in exposing himself.

"Helix Maddox you absolute devil," I call out absolutely floored to which he pause turns and winks.

"You're welcome," Helix replies twirling his hands as he slightly bows with a smile on his lips. I shake my head chuckling. Absolutely incorrigible.

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