The Keys to freedom

Ex's and foes

As they reached their classroom, they spotted Evie again standing near the door, looking uncertain and a little lost. She glanced around, clutching her books tightly, clearly trying to figure out where to sit.

"Look there's been a new rat added to the maze," Draven said with a laugh as him and jack glared over at Evie making obscene gestures to her.

Jessper nudged Oz again. "Should we help her?"

She sighed but nodded. As much as she wanted to just mind her own business and shut the puppy out into the cold cruel world, she knew she couldn't.

"Hey, Evie!" Jessper called out, her voice bright and welcoming. Evie looked over, surprised. "Come sit with us."

She hesitated for a second before a relieved smile crossed her face. "Thanks," she said softly, walking over to join them. She slid into the empty seat beside her, looking much less nervous now that she wasn't standing alone.

"We're not as terrifying as we look," Jessper joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Evie laughed, the tension slowly easing from her shoulders. "Good to know." She glanced back over her shoulder at Jack and Draven. "They seem to be though,"

Oz gave her a small nod. "Yeah, just ignore them. We've learned to tune them out,"

Evie smiled, settling in as the class started. Jessper leaned over to whisper something to Oz, and soon they were all exchanging quiet remarks about the lesson, and by the time the teacher began, she was feeling more at ease.

The shrill sound of the fire alarm ripped through the classroom, cutting off the teacher mid-sentence. Everyone exchanged confused looks before the teacher raised her voice, trying to calm the chaos.

"Alright, everyone, it's just a drill. Line up and head to the field, calmly."

Oz rolled her eyes, grabbing her bag as she stood up.

Jessper stretched, yawning as she followed her, with Evie trailing behind them. They filed out with the rest of the class, merging into the steady stream of students heading toward the open field outside.

"Don't worry, Oz, I'll protect you," Draven said, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close enough to feel his breath against her cheek.

Instinctively, she jerked away and elbowed him in the stomach. "Don't touch me!" she shouted, drawing the attention of several students as she stormed off. He rubbed his stomach where her elbow had struck and laughed with his friends. For a moment, she wished Pyke were in the class with them; she knew he would have had Draven picking himself off the floor for that stunt.

The sun beat down on them, and Oz squinted against the light, already annoyed by the disruption. They reached the field, where groups of students were milling around, some standing in their cliques, others aimlessly chatting to pass the time. Evie glanced around, clearly overwhelmed by the crowd, but stayed close to Oz and Jessper.

"So, do these drills happen a lot?" She asked, trying to make small talk.

"Every few weeks," Jessper replied, leaning lazily against a tree. "And you know how often we have a real fire? Never." She groaned like it was a bad thing.

Oz didn't respond, her attention suddenly focused on a group of guys standing near the far side of the field. Her expression darkened as her eyes locked onto Pyke, who was laughing with his friends, his presence hard to miss. He noticed her almost immediately, his smirk growing as he exchanged words with the guys next to him.

Evie noticed her tense reaction. "Who's that?" she asked curious.

Jessper glanced at Oz before answering. "That's Pyke. Oz's ex."

"Oh..." she nodded. Before she could ask anything else, he strolled over with his usual devilish grin, his friends trailing behind him like a pack. He stopped a few feet away from Oz, his smirk widening.

Jessper stepped forward, crossing her arms. "Do you need something, Pyke? Or are you just here to remind us how annoying you are."

His eyes flicked to Jessper, a sneer on his lips. "I just came to say that I hope we didn't scare you the other night with our little demonstration,"

"Demonstration?" Oz laughed "Is that what you're calling it?"

His grin widened. "What would you call it?"

"Pathetic," she shot back without missing a beat.

His smirk faltered, just for a second, before he covered it with a nonchalant shrug. "Guess that's a matter of perspective."

She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, "go away Pyke."

His smile didn't waver as his gaze drifted past her, landing on Evie. "And who's this? Another stray?"

Evie stiffened, but Oz stepped forward, blocking his view of her. "Leave her alone Pyke. leave us all alone."

He chuckled darkly. "Or what?" he leaned in tugging gently on one of her curls.

Her Jaw clenched. "You're not worth the energy," she whispered.

His smile widened as he leaned in a little closer. "You're right, I'm not. But you? You'll always be worth the trouble." His words were venomous, designed to provoke, but she stayed silent, her glare fixed on him.

Suddenly, a strong grip yanked him back, startling him. Grayson stepped in, his eyes narrowing. "Leave her alone," he said, his voice low and steady. "You're done here."

Pyke paused for a moment his jaw tightening as he looked from Oz to Grayson. He scoffed, disgust curling on his lips. "Hey man. If you're wanting my leftovers overs that badly, just make sure you get her tested first." He said moving his gaze over to Oz. "No telling where she's been," Laughter erupted from nearby students, but Grayson's patience snapped.

Without warning, he swung at him, his fist connecting with his jaw. The sound drawing everyone attention as chaos erupted. Grayson and Pyke were locked in a fistfight, each throwing punches and pushing through the crowd. James and Eric quickly jumped in to help, trying to pull him away from Pyke. But Draven and Jack, charged in, throwing their own punches. The field erupted into a melee, shouts and insults filling the air as they all engaged in a game of round two.