Echoes Of The Unseen

EOTU -NUEVE

The sound of excited chatter filled the grand hall of Wellington High School, where all the 12th graders were gathered for their last major event before the final exams. The school had planned a special activity to bring the students together one last time, a day of fun, games, and teamwork.

At the front of the hall, the teachers stood before a large box filled with colorful balls, each marked with numbers from 1 to 10. The students were buzzing with excitement, waiting to hear what the day had in store for them.

"Alright, everyone!" called Mrs. Na, the head teacher, raising her voice to command the attention of the students. "We have a fun challenge for all of you today! Each one of you will pick a ball from this box, and the number on that ball will determine your group for the activity. There are 10 groups in total, and each number has 10 balls. So, if you pick the number 8, you'll be in group 8 with nine other people. Let's see who you'll be working with!"

The students began lining up eagerly to pick their balls, laughing and joking with each other. Reverie stepped up to the box, her hand plunging in to grab a ball. As she pulled out a ball marked with the number 6, she smiled, turning to see if her friends had picked the same number.

Danielle held up her ball, also showing a number 6, and grinned. "We're together!"

Theodore and Noah approached them, both holding the same number. "Looks like we're all in the same group!" Noah said, giving Reverie a sweet smile.

Relief washed over Reverie. At least she'd be spending this activity with her friends. But her relief quickly faded when she saw Aries walking toward their group, holding up his own ball. It too was marked with the number 6.

Her smile faltered as her eyes met his, but Aries didn't seem to acknowledge her presence. He was laughing with his friends, casually ignoring her as if she wasn't even there. The memory of last night's prom king and queen announcement flashed in her mind, causing her chest to tighten. She quickly looked away, trying to shake the feeling of discomfort.

The teachers began explaining the first challenge. "Each group will work together to complete a series of mind games. You'll need to solve 50 math equations and complete a memory challenge all in 2 hours and 30 minutes. It's all about teamwork, so make sure to help each other out!"

Groans and cheers echoed through the hall. Some students were excited, while others dreaded the thought of math problems. Reverie glanced at Noah and Theodore, both brilliant when it came to this sort of thing. Their group was lucky to have them.

"Piece of cake," Theodore said, nudging Danielle, who looked horrified at the thought of solving equations.

Danielle scratched her head, looking utterly perplexed. "Why math? I thought this was supposed to be fun!"

Theodore chuckled at her reaction, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Don't worry, I'll carry us through the math part."

As the game began, the group dove into their tasks. Noah and Reverie quickly got to work on solving the equations, their minds working in sync. Theodore chimed in with helpful tips, and soon enough, their group was racing ahead of the others. Danielle, on the other hand, was visibly struggling, her fingers tangled in her hair as she stared at the equations.

"I don't understand any of this," she groaned, earning another chuckle from Theodore.

But while the rest of the group worked well together, Aries seemed lost. He sat at the edge of the group, staring blankly at the papers in front of him, his usual confidence nowhere to be found. Reverie, despite everything, couldn't help but feel a pang of concern for him. She stood up and walked over, hoping to offer some help.