Mystery Loves Company

Chapter 4 - File #2.2: The Swapped Folders

Avery

"Everly! Here's your vanilla latte!" The barista called out while placing a paper cup on the counter. No one responded, so he shouted again. "Vanilla latte! Who ordered vanilla latte?"

I knew a person who ordered it—me. He kept calling out, and at this point he really sounded like a wailing cat whose tail got stuck between the door. So, to put us out of our misery, I approached him. "I did."

"Didn't you hear me calling your name? Jeez, check your eardrums, Lady," The young and pissed-off barista spluttered.

"You didn't call my name," I replied flatly.

"I'm pretty sure I did!" He insisted before grabbing another cup and put it next to my latte. "One strawberry smoothie and a slice of apple pie to-go!"

Huh. He didn't even bother to read the name written on the side of the cup. Maddening, I settled my brown folder on the counter and put my hands on my hips. "You called the wrong name."

"Then it means this isn't your order," he rolled his eyes. A guy came and took his smoothie, but because he had so many things in his hand, he couldn't take the apple pie. The barista nicely helped him. "Thank you, have a nice day!"

Okay, that was unfair. He didn't wish me a nice day, but instead, he chose to mock my perfectly good hearing. I lifted my cup and showed him the name 'Everly' that he wrote. "This is my order and my name is Avery, you idiot. Maybe you're the one who should check your eardrums."

The barista was taken aback. I quickly grabbed my folder and left the coffee shop with many eyes staring at me.

Were people in Bensworth not friendly anymore? That barista wasn't a type of person I met when I came here about three years ago. Everything was different. The environment used to be so quiet, but now that students from all over the country decided to continue their education here, it was just like other big city universities. And I hated big cities.

It took a 5-minutes walk to go to the building where we gave the applications and had the interview. I arrived too early so I decided to stroll around the campus until the briefing time. I used to do this with my Mom and Alex, my little brother, when we attended the book reading. Wondering why both 12-years-old and 6-years-old wanted to go to such a boring event? We, the Kanes, were avid readers. If we weren't financially tight, we might have our own personal library at our house.

Going back to the building, I was surprised by how fast the crowd increased. The early admission news apparently invited so many people's interests. I didn't know there were that many smart students around.

Including Danna Jennings.

"Hey, Avery!" A girl with long brunette hair was standing in front of the building as I went back from strolling. She smirked with arms folded.

"What are you doing here?" I couldn't react more harshly because I was too surprised.

"You think you were the only one that the principal asked to apply this admission?" Danna's upper lip raised. "Sorry, Ave. Turns out you're not so special at all."

She waltzed her way to the building's lobby with two other girls, whom I guessed she just met. I held my breath as my jaw hardened. What was it like being stabbed in the back? This was exactly what it felt like.

Mrs. Dench didn't even mention that I was going here with her. And the seemingly special 'I can speak to Mr. Connor'? Pretty sure Danna got it too because she was Danna Jennings. Her father ran for mayor in the upcoming election. Since then, the school had been full of the 'Vote Jennings' posters everywhere. And Danna wasn't even that smart! Well, I had to point it out one more time to make sure that this ridiculous thing was really happening.