𝒟𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝒥𝓊𝒹𝑒,

╰┈➤ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟏

𝚂𝚎𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟸𝟽𝚝𝚑, 𝟸𝟶𝟶𝟺

𝙹𝚞𝚍𝚎

The school bell rang, and the hallways erupted with the familiar sounds of clattering lockers, excited chatter, and the occasional shout. I slipped my headphones on, letting the music drown out the chaos as I weaved through the sea of students. Posters for the upcoming Midnight Ball decorated the walls, their bright colours barely visible over the crowd.

"Jude!" Mr. Perez's voice cut through my music and the hallway noise. I glanced back, spotting him weaving through the throng of students, his face determined.

I pulled off my headphones and slowed my pace, curiosity piqued. "Hey, Mr. Perez," I greeted him with a friendly smile, adjusting the strap of my backpack. "What's up?"

Mr. Perez came to a stop in front of me, a faint hint of excitement dancing in his eyes. "I wanted to thank you for agreeing to join the planning committee for this year's Midnight Ball once again," he began, his tone appreciative.

I furrowed my brow in confusion. "Joining the planning committee again? I didn't realize I had signed up for it this year," I confessed, puzzled by the unexpected gratitude.

Mr. Perez chuckled softly, a knowing look in his eyes. "Ah, well, Maya may have taken the liberty of signing you up once more," he explained, a fond smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

I knew it—Maya always had a knack for roping me into things without my explicit consent.

"I see," I remarked, my voice tinged with both amusement and a hint of irritation. "Well, I suppose I should thank Maya for her... proactive approach." Proactive, my ass.

Mr. Perez chuckled again, nodding in agreement. "Indeed, Maya's enthusiasm knows no bounds. But I have no doubt that your contributions will be invaluable once again, Jude."

I gave him a small awkward smile, knowing Maya and I were going to have a conversation about this later.

"Well, I should get going and you should make your way to class now. The first committee meeting takes place this Wednesday in room 201. I'll be happy to see you there."

As he turned to walk away, he pivoted back, adding, "Oh, and I forgot to mention that this year's committee is short a couple of members due to the departure of last year's seniors. Maya mentioned you had befriended a new student who offered to help out as well. I think his name was..."

"Atlas, Dad," Maya interrupted, throwing her arm around my shoulder, smiling ear to ear. THIS BITCH.

"Ah, yes, Atlas. A name straight out of Greek mythology. His folks must've been big enthusiasts, it seems. You don't see that name often."

"Greek, you say?" Maya winked at me, unbeknownst to her dad, Mr. Perez, who seemed to have fallen down a long, deep rabbit hole of thought. I shot Maya a look, silently communicating my thoughts.

Maya, you're killing me.

She just grinned wider.

"I should get to class," I said, trying to escape before the conversation could get any weirder. "But thanks for the heads-up, Mr. Perez. See you on Wednesday."

"Looking forward to it, Jude," Mr. Perez replied with a warm smile before heading off in the opposite direction.

"Bye, Dad," Maya waved.

As soon as he was out of earshot, I turned to Maya, who was still clinging to my shoulder. "Maya," I said, trying to sound more stern than I felt.

"Yes?" she smiled knowingly.