The Phantom's Princess.

Chapter 12

Wyndmoor Academy was in a highly prestigious area in their city named Ashford Heights. It was along a route that Alexis regularly took when on jobs with Jeoffrey so making her way there wasn't too difficult. She stopped a street away to lock up her bike and walked the corner on foot subconsciously smiling when the pupils in the lilac uniforms came into view.

There was a reason she had always been drawn to the school when they passed; lilac was her favourite colour and the school uniform boasted a lilac blazer with matching lilac skirt or trousers for the boys.

Alexis scanned the pupils as they flowed out from the school gates with most dispersing into small groups, apparently waiting for their rides, while others lined up by a school bus. There were a few stragglers who seemed to be making their own way, two of which were walking in her direction.

"He's gonna pay for making us look like idiots," one of the boys said to the other as they walked past.

The other boy chuckled in agreement.

Alexis watched them curiously wondering exactly who was going to pay and what for. Also, how precisely were they going to pay?

Alexis faltered for a moment considering discontinuing her perusal of the school grounds and following the boys, but Thomas' words of warning echoed in her mind. They were the sentiments of all of the Blackthorn men - 'Never concern yourself with what doesn't concern you', as that was surely the quickest way to bring trouble to yourself that wasn't needed.

Reluctantly Alexis plodded onward towards the school gates taking in the girls as they stood in chatter which was most likely gossip if the random whispers, sideward glances and shocked expressions they were making were anything to go by.

Alexis walked through the crowd until she spotted a lone girl who seemed more interested in releasing her bangs from her neatly secured ponytail than socialising with any of the other girls buzzing around her.

That's the one! Alexis confirmed internally and was satisfied enough with her choice of who to approach.

She wasn't someone who needed to fake confidence, specifically since that night with the baker, but it had been a while since she made a new friend, nonetheless, she needed at least one student on the inside so she could add to her argument with Vincent.

"Er .. Hi?" she said, attempting a bright smile but achieving more of an unsure expression than anything else.

The girl's eyes scanned Alexis' face and clothes before she offered a light. "Hi."

"You go to this school, right?" Alexis asked.

"Nah," the girl replied with a scoff. "I wear this for fun."

"Oh right," Alexis said with a semi-relaxed laugh. "Well, I wouldn't blame you if you did. It's pretty cool."

"Mmm. Personally, I prefer darker colours," she said. "Not that your choice of preference is bad," she rushed in before adding. "Are you supposed to be meeting someone?"

"Oh. No. I'm actually interested in enrolling. My name's Alexis, by the way."

"I'm Brittany. Brittany Jameson."

Jameson. It didn't have any familiar ring to it. Most likely not one of the families!

There were a number of families that lived around the city. Though the term family appeared friendly enough, these families were large and wealthy, and each ran one of the sectors of the criminal world. Blackthorn was also one of these families and had varying degrees of ties among the other families, and was the reason Alexis steered away from using her family's name.

Only those within the families knew the families, and it was from those whom Vincent had bad ties with that he was cautious of any retribution.

"I thought I'd check it out and see what the vibe was like before I came down with my dad," Alexis said - by dad meaning Vincent.

"Not much to check out after school hours really," Brittany said, not suspicious on any account. "There are a few after-school clubs but you wouldn't be able to go in to see them. Out here, as you can see, everyone is simply waiting to be collected."

"You're not interested in any of the after-school clubs?"

"Yuck, no! I can't wait to get out of here as soon as the bell rings."

Alexis gave a small laugh, she wished she knew what it was like to be annoyed with school to the point of wanting to leave as soon as possible. As it was, she was trying to get in and enjoy as much as it had to offer.

A small car beep and Brittany's focus was diverted to a black Bentley that had just pulled up.

"Well, sorry I can't talk longer," Brittany said as she pulled her rucksack onto her shoulders. "That's my driver."

"Right," Alexis said taking a quick glance around the remaining students to see who she might try approaching next.

Alexis' intention was not unnoticed by Brittany. "I wouldn't bother with these lot," she said. "Besides they'll probably be collected very soon."

"Right," Alexis repeated with a slightly more sullen tone.

"There are a few kids who make their own way home," Brittany added before walking away. "Maybe you can walk with them if you have questions. A couple just went down that way." Brittany pointed in the direction of the two boys who had just passed Alexis had been walking.

Well, I guess that settles it, Alexis told herself before heading back down the road she came.

Alexis hadn't been sure if she would catch up with them or not, but, on reaching the corner, it seemed they had been moving pretty slowly and were still in view.

A truer description of their progress would be meandering with no urgency about getting anywhere, especially if sneaking into an empty lot was any indication.

Disregarding her family's advice about not involving herself in what didn't concern her, she followed the boys beyond the vacant lot while keeping out of sight and, then, into a warehouse.

Raised voices hit her as soon as she entered. Two boys were arguing although one sounded very calm despite the fact that he was also the one who was outnumbered and appeared to be at a huge disadvantage.

Alexis ducked behind a cabinet adjacent to the action and watched.

"We offered to pay you if you shared the answers, but you're too good for our money, aren't you?" one boy shouted at him.

"I've told you - I ... did ... not ... cheat! Maybe you should try studying then you won't need to gang up on me just because I did," the calm boy replied dabbing his busted lip with a tissue.

"We know you did! There's no way you would have outscored us by so much. You made us look like fools."

"Haha," the calm boy scoffed. "I don't think you needed my help much, to be honest."

That may not have been the best response as the boy whom he'd been arguing with ran forward and slammed his fist into the calm boy's face causing him to stumble back a little although he didn't lose his footing. He tried swinging back at the other boy, but his punch was easily dodged and the boy hit him once again.

Ooof! Alexis thought unsurprised that his punch missed since it looked like it was moving sluggishly. Maybe he's not calm. Maybe he's just slow.

"You think just because your dad's a hot shot that you're better than us don't you," the boy continued before describing the beating of a lifetime that he was about to give the other boy.

'Slow Joe', as Alexis had decided to name the target, stood tall and raised his fist.

He was brave, she could give him that at least! Likewise, she wasn't one to sit around and watch as a group of boys beat up a lone boy, especially one who seemed to lack any form of self-defence attributes.

"Hold on," Alexis said as she jumped up from behind the cabinet. "I think we should even up the numbers a little."