Whatevr

CHAPTER 18

The morning sun filtered through the windows, casting a warm glow over the training grounds. But for some reason, I felt cold inside. Something was off. I had been missing too many activities, and now I was being dragged by my new team to an assembly I didn't even know about. Miro and the others looked at me like I had just committed the ultimate sin.

Miro sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Someone's been blocking your communication. Intentionally."

Obstruction. The word echoed in my mind like a warning bell. Could someone really be sabotaging me? But who? And why? As I scanned the messages again, I realized just how much I had missed. There were training schedules, tactical briefings, and even invitations to strategy sessions. I had been in the dark this whole time, struggling to keep up while everyone else moved forward without me.

"Who would do this?" I asked, my voice shaking. "Why would anyone want to keep me out of the loop?"

The team exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of sympathy and concern. But no one had an answer.

As we made our way to the assembly, my thoughts raced. This wasn't just some random glitch—someone had deliberately kept me out of the loop, and I needed to find out who.

First, I don't know about this int device. Second, I did not even hear anything about these missed activities, for sure they'll announce it! They have this all-around speaker and for what?! Lastly, this is the first time in a while since I've met the team

"Mari, we have the same class on Tuesdays. I never met you once, I don't have a chance to ask you about... these" I know this sentence will only get the situation worse but I've asked around my blockmates! They would always tell me about minor assignments

But, Instead of being irritated and angry Mari only looked at me with worry

"We all have unique assignments and activities as an individual or a group and you not participating in any of it is kind of surprising" Miro sighed 

Mari gave me papers and documents "These past few days, the professors have been dumping their work on me, I won't complain since it's giving me additional points" Smiling kindly, she looked around and whispered "You should have broken your bond with the other teams"

With that, I know there's a silent hostility

and I... don't blame them

accumulated points of each members are counted as a group. So, everyone should work hard if some of you want to purchase something, a vacation, or even an early graduation. 

The assembly hall was packed with students, the air buzzing with excitement and chatter. As I looked around, I spotted Christian standing with Fournier and the rest of our old team. He caught my eye and gave me a small, almost apologetic smile. I wanted to believe it was genuine, but something gnawed at me—a tiny, persistent voice in the back of my mind telling me that things weren't adding up.

The assembly started with the usual announcements about upcoming missions, year-end events, and special projects that required extra training. The instructors emphasized the importance of these activities, especially for freshmen like us. My heart sank as I realized just how much I had missed. How was I supposed to catch up now?

After the assembly, I made a beeline for Christian, my heart pounding. "Christian, can we talk?"

He looked taken aback by my urgency but nodded. "Sure, sis. Ah! Your Int device is here, the director told me to give it to you but since you've been snacking out lately, I don't have a chance"

Controlling over all my emotions, I know I should not. NEVER. It hurt him in many ways, but what he said proved everything

I pulled him aside, away from the crowd. "Why didn't you tell me about the assemblies? Or any of the other activities? I've been missing everything!"

He hesitated, glancing around as if to make sure no one was listening. "Lia, you've been busy. I didn't want to overwhelm you."

"Overwhelm me? Christian, I'm not some fragile little girl! I need to be in the loop, especially with everything going on."

"I was just trying to protect you," he said, his voice softening. "You've been through a lot lately."

Protect me. The words felt like a slap in the face. "By keeping me in the dark? How is that supposed to help?"

Christian looked down, unable to meet my gaze. "I... I thought it was for the best."

"For the best?" My voice was rising now, anger bubbling up inside me. "Christian, I'm struggling to keep up! I've missed so much, and it's all because you decided to 'protect' me?"

He didn't respond, and that silence spoke louder than any words could. My own brother, the one person I thought I could trust completely, had been the one sabotaging me. My chest tightened as the realization hit me—this wasn't just about missing a few announcements. This was about trust, and how it had been broken in the most hurtful way.

I turned away from him, unable to look at him any longer. 

As I walked back to my team, I could feel the weight of everything pressing down on me. I had always trusted Christian, relied on him even, but now that trust felt shattered. And the worst part was, I didn't know how to fix it.

All I knew was that things were changing, and not in a way I was ready for. I had to figure out how to catch up, and how to move forward despite everything. But for the first time in a long while, I felt like I was completely on my own.