The Daughters Secret Assassin

Chapter 3

Harper was sprawled out on her bed, her attention fixated on the flickering images and steady drone of the evening news playing on the TV. She was half-listening to the broadcast, her mind occasionally drifting to the mounting hunger she felt. Just as she was contemplating whether she should get up and make a snack, an excited yell from downstairs jolted her out of her reverie. It was unmistakably the voice of Allda, brimming with enthusiasm. "It's dinner time!"

A second voice, tinged with exasperation and impatience, followed almost immediately. It was Syd, whose tone clearly indicated a long wait had tested their patience. "Finally!"

Harper let out a dramatic sigh, her voice carrying a hint of playful frustration as she responded to Syd's comment. "Seriously, I was beginning to think they were going to make us starve to death." 

With that, she leapt from her bed and dashed toward the bathroom, her red hair a wild, tangled mess. She quickly ran a brush through it, trying to tame the unruly locks, and spritzed on some perfume. She was determined not to look completely disheveled for dinner.

Once she was satisfied with her appearance, Harper bolted down the narrow, steep staircase. The stairs creaked under her hurried footsteps as she descended. At the bottom, she was greeted by the sight of Allda and Syd engaged in light-hearted conversation."Are we ready to go?" Harper asked, grabbing her coat from the hook near the door."I believe so," Allda responded, her tone nonchalant yet reassuring."I am if you guys are," Syd chimed in, a note of eagerness in her voice. The trio quickly donned their raincoats and, despite the still-persistent rain, hurried out of their dormitory. The rain had started about ten minutes ago, and Harper could already hear the distant rumble of thunder echoing through the sky. As they sprinted towards the mess hall, the rain intensified, turning from a light drizzle to a torrential downpour.

With each step, the rain lashed harder against them, soaking through their clothes despite their raincoats. Harper could barely see the dining hall through the sheets of rain. Desperate to avoid getting any wetter, she made a final dash and threw open the heavy door of the mess hall, stumbling inside, drenched but relieved.

"My raincoat did absolutely nothing to help me," Harper grumbled, her voice dripping with irritation as she shook herself dry, trying to rid her coat of excess water.

"Really? Mine worked like a dream," Allda shot back with a playful, snarky tone, clearly enjoying the opportunity for a bit of light-hearted teasing.

"Well, my kudos to you then for buying the right rain jacket," Harper retorted sarcastically, her tone laced with mock admiration.

"Just trying to lighten the mood," Allda quipped with a grin, shrugging off the comment.

"Let's get a table and some food; I am starving," Syd interjected, shifting the focus away from their damp predicament.

"Let's," Harper agreed with a nod. The trio moved further into the bustling mess hall, their footsteps splashing through puddles of water that had collected near the entrance. The hall was crowded, with students milling about, chatting animatedly, and forming lines at the food counters.

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As they scanned the room, the three friends began the task of choosing a place to sit. Harper's eyes darted around, looking for an open table that would offer some semblance of privacy. "What about that table over there?" she suggested, pointing to a corner booth that was semi-secluded and had enough space for all three of them.Allda squinted in the direction Harper indicated. "It looks like there's enough room, but it's right next to the dessert bar. We might get distracted by all those tempting sweets."Syd, who had been peering over the menu options displayed on a board near the serving area, chimed in. "And it's kind of close to the kitchen door. We might be in for a lot of noise and commotion."