Leo

Chapter Two

[Ria's POV]

“What the heck?! No freaking way!” Iris yells. Her red hair shines under the sun. Her brown eyes are full of excitement. Her freckled skin looks lighter than yesterday. I told her about the text and lied about my swollen cheek which has gone violet in case you’re wondering.

Iris has been my friend for four years. She’s a girl who works at the local café although people who only have money can go there. Our lives are simple to tell, we live in a world where a wall separates us from another. Only the wealthy live there and it’s hard to get by, only when they need something from us do they actually set foot here in Vesperin. Marvin and the other gangs can pass by without notice since they are good looking and cunning but for us inexperienced hackers we would die from the poison the guards would give us if we’re caught.

No one has seen the Royale or the city behind the wall, no one from Vesperin except the hackers.

“Yeah, I can’t believe it either.” I say.

“Why is he telling you all of this now?!” she panics.

“I don’t know, ask him.” I suggest.

“Good idea!” she beams as she looks for someone. Oh, dear.

“HEY JOSH!” she shouts. I quickly cover her mouth as if nothing happened. Josh only looked up from the book that he was reading. I salute to him with two fingers and he smirks at me with his glasses then turns back to his book again. I take my hand back from Iris’ mouth.

“Don’t you dare do that again or I’m gonna kill you!” I hiss.

“Sorry, no need to get defensive.” She says as I sit down.

“You know, it’s just all too tragic.” I say.

“What’s so tragic?” a familiar voice says. I turn around and felt my mouth form an ‘O’. It’s Josh.

“Um…nothing” I hurriedly say. Feeling my cheeks heat up, I glare at Iris.

“Wow! I better go! I’m late for class!” she says stands up and starts to run.

“But Lunch just started!” I yell after her.

“I mean I’m early for class!” she yells back. I shake my head.

“What’s with her?” he says as he sits down beside me. Iris and I both love to sit outside the Institute or the school. Trees and benches are everywhere plus it is silent here.

“Nothin, she’s just being typical Iris.” I try to stay calm but he has never been this close to me, well maybe three days ago but still that’s seventy two hours. My heart starts to race.

“And you’re being typical Alex.” He says but he says Alex like a whisper. My heart stops. He has called me Alex ever since I met him and that was back when I was five up until now I was never used to being called by him.

“Why? What do you mean by typical Alex?” I ask crossing my arms.

“You know, the usual hostile and beautiful girl I know.” He mutters.

“What?”

“I said you’re being your hostile self again.” He says louder. His glasses have gone bigger. His braces must’ve gone tighter. His skin is paler than usual. His black hair falls into waves above his eyes. He’s a nerd and I don’t know what I ever saw in him.