The Game

1st Mission: Success!

"Seniors!" Loralee's voice fills the room and silences everyone in eager anticipation. "Congratulations on the success of your first missions!"

Everyone cheers, myself included. Loralee waits until we've all settled down before she continues speaking.

"Does anyone know what you all built?" Loralee asks and a couple of hands shoot up. "Yes, Daughtery?"

"It's a GSM box," Daughtery says and she goes on to explain what it is, an explanation similar to what Amilia said. 

"Thank you, Daughtery, that is exactly right. Going forward these devices will help you work better as a team, improving your communication between each member." Loralee continues but I tune her out while I look around the room. 

I notice Sydney sitting with her team, she is sitting tall. She looks over at me and a big grin spreads across her face. She gives me a little wave then lifts her phone and gestures to it. I nod and look down at my phone. I wait a few seconds and nothing comes through then I reach for my device from Tom. I see a message from her to our entire group.

'Day off tomorrow, let's all hang!'

I send back a quick thumbs up, which is followed shortly by an agreement from Tom and a couple of seconds later J.T. writes back his acknowledgment of Sydney's message. I look up at each of them and they've all turned their attention back to Loralee. 

"As you all know, the tasks will begin to get more challenging as the year goes on, so be prepared to put your skills to the test and rely on your teammates as often as possible," Loralee continues talking but once again her voice fades from my brain and I turn my attention to someone off in the corner of the room. 

Dr. Donovan is huddled by the door, speaking quietly to someone. I can't tell who it is because of how Dr. Donovan is standing but they seem to be talking urgently. Everything that man does, has me on edge. I know he's an adult and one of my teachers but I just can't trust him. Not after everything that's happened between us or all the weird things I've noticed recently. I want to get closer to him, to hear what he's talking about. After hearing him talking in the hallway earlier today, I have many questions. I want to see if Matt overheard somehow but I don't think that would be possible. I should have recorded Dr. Donovan with Tom's device but I didn't think quickly enough to grab it and record. I was too busy trying to stay hidden. 

"What are you thinking about?" Matt's voice pulls me back to our table and I look over at him. He's studying me and I think he saw the way I was staring at Dr. Donovan. I quickly look back over at him and see the other person has left and Dr. Donovan is making his way to the back of the room. "What is going on?" Matt tries again and I want to tell him to shut up but there's no use now.

"Nothing, Matt," I say with a heavy sigh. I know Matt is curious by nature and I can respect that but it is still annoying when that energy is focused on me. 

"You know we live together, right? I know where to find you to continue asking," Matt smirks at me and nudges my arm. I push back from the table, giving him a stern look. I stand up and grab my water bottle off of the table, smacking it against his arm. "Ow," Matt says and I smile a cruel smile. 

Loralee has stopped talking and I see her watching me. I must have interrupted her speech, but it isn't anything I need to stick around for anymore. I give one last look at Matt and then back at Loralee before turning and walking out of the hall. Loralee continues speaking before I've made it out of the room. I look around the entryway and try to see if Dr. Donovan is still around. I think I see him disappearing around the bend in the hall so I take off on a slow jog to catch up with him. When I get closer, I slow down and I notice the person I've been following is not Dr. Donovan. In fact, I don't know who this person is. It's only my second year at this school but I tried to make it a point to know everyone who works here and everyone who goes here. They could be a substitute or an alum of the school but I don't recognize them as someone who is always here. 

I sigh in defeat and turn back down the hallway. I stop short when I find that I myself have been followed. Matt looks like he's been caught with his hand in the cookie jar and I put my hands on my hips, looking at him.

"Really?" I say then I keep walking toward him. Once I'm next to him, he turns around and walks beside me out of the main hall and back toward our living quarters. "Why are you following me?"

"I'm the Team Leader, if something is going on with my teammate, don't you think I should know?" Matt tries to make it seem reasonable but I just scoff.

"Why would you think this has anything to do with the team?" I say as we jog up the steps to our third-floor living. "If it were pertinent to the team, I would have mentioned something. I prefer to work alone until I have concrete evidence that the lead I'm chasing might affect others," I say before Matt can answer my first question.

"Ah, so it might affect the team then?" Matt makes a noise as I've just proven him right. I shake my head disagreeing but decide to share some, just to get him off my back.

"It has nothing to do with our team, specifically. I just have a lot of questions about this school and the organization behind it. Don't you?" I ask and Matt goes silent. "Ah, you already have an in with the organization, huh? I heard some things about you when I first started at this school. Thought I would learn more about you last year when we were...closer but I guess we were never really in a position to be talkative." I chuckle. Matt laughs a bit too and I can see he wants to say something that will probably be gross so I put my hand on his chest to stop him when we're on the landing of our floor.

"Yes?" Matt asks when I don't say anything.

"We made a good team," is what I chose to say. Matt studies me and then he nods his agreement.

"I think I've said that before," Matt says.

"And I'm sure we'll say it again. So," I change the subject, "do you have any plans for our day off tomorrow?"

"Ah, Natalie, is this you asking me out?" Matt's smirk returns and I drop my hand from his chest to grab my room keys. I laugh as I push the door open. 

"If I said yes, how freaked out would you be?" I tease him and he rolls his eyes but his smirk remains.

"Massively," Matt says, jokingly and I throw an elbow back into his ribs as he follows me into the room. "Oof! Not that I wouldn't be thrilled, of course."

"Oh yeah, of course," I laugh and let him into the room as well. "I have to do some school work tonight and then tomorrow but my friends and I are meeting up if you want to join us." I offer, not knowing why but I need to see if I can trust Matt and I need Sydney's better judgement to help.

"Hang out with your loser friends?" Matt says with a huff.

"'Loser friends'? What are you? An 80s movie villain?" I chuckle and jump onto my comfy bed, then prop myself up on my elbows to look at him. He sits on the couch, turning on the tv.

"I would make a great 80s movie villain," Matt laughs when agreeing with me and I lay back laughing as well. "I'll think about it though. Thanks for the invite, loser."

"You're quite welcome, loser," I say in response and I get a pillow thrown at me in response. I laugh and hurl the pillow right back at him.