The Brawler meets Miss Perfect

The decisive answer

[Elena's P.O.V]

With a brief, fleeting silence, Garrett stood up, grabbing my hand. "Uncle Dray, we'll be right back." Garrett stepped out of the house before Drayson could make any assumptions or reply.

"Garrett, what are you doing?"

"I told you already, Sheila has been working with those trench coat guys. I have a possible reason what her connection is with those group of people. She must be in a relationship with one of the guys there, someone who would also happen to be the same age as us." Garrett spoke confidently, looking serious as he did. "Use your girl talk skills and somehow manage to see if you could squeeze out some information."

"G-Girl talk skills?-"

"Maybe then she'll let some important information slip ..."

"Okay-"

"Don't leave immediately after she says something that may be important, otherwise she'll know you're on to something."

I smiled at Garrett, squeezing his cheeks.

"And then I'll tell you all about it. You're strangely in tune with an investigative mindset." I released my hold on his cheeks, giggling to myself a little.

"G-Good. And, uh ... just make sure to be careful okay?" He looked a little concerned for me, gently patting my head.

"Same goes to you ... and you bet I will."

After a good night's rest, Garrett and I drove back on the bike we stole, returning to the spot we found it in, entering the school about half an hour early. We wanted to get to school as early as we could, just to make sure we didn't see any shady characters. "I forgot to mention; that bike we took ... it wasn't just a typical bike. It's a high-end bike called a Black Jet, one of the fastest bikes ever made. It's also pretty expensive, which means one of trench coat guys or Sheila drives that ..." Garrett said as he whispered to me. My eyes widened a little, finding it a little unbelievable at first. 

"Y-You're going under the assumption that they're rich, or have some form of wealth backing them up?" I whispered back.

"Yes. While this seems a bit illogical, it's also just because the bike is that kind of matte black ..."

I chuckled a little, walking upstairs to my locker with Garrett. "It's not totally out of the realm of possibility, just so you know." I smiled at him, leading him to my locker. The second floor of my school was like a desolate wasteland. Eerily quiet. No one there. All the hallway needed were tumbleweeds.

"What do we do now, Garrett?"

"We wait. Honestly speaking, I would like to stay with you in case some weirdo comes to try and hurt you, but if we're spotted together, people are gonna get mad ..."

"Let's go the a homework help room, no one is usually there this early ..."

"You know that for a fact, Elena?"

"Of course, I sometimes come to school early, and go there to do work ..." I grabbed Garrett's hand and led him to the second floor, where one of the homework help classrooms were. We entered the room and sat down at one of the desks, sitting really close to each other.

"Say, Garrett ..."

"What is it?"

"Do you, uh ... like anyone?"

"You mean ... 'love' like?"

"Mhm." My face was flushed in a bright red, but I looked away to make sure he didn't see me blush.

"Well, it's complicated. By the way, since we're here, why don't we make it look like we're working, so that way if anyone sees us, you can just say you were helping me with work?" Garrett said, changing the subject.

"U-Uh, sure, good plan." Soon, more people were flowing into the school, getting busier, with more people going to the second floor. We split up before anyone could notice us together, as we went over our plan one last time. I would have to somehow make Sheila pipe up about her possible boyfriend. Why did Garrett have such high suspicions that she was dating someone?

"Hey Sheila!" I ran up to Sheila, slapping her on her back lightly as I giggled naturally.

"Yo! Hey, today I'm free, wanna hang out? You, me and Lora could all hang out again ..." Sheila said, smiling sweetly and delicately.

"Sorry, I have plans today, maybe tomorrow." I said as calmly as I could, knowing what I said was a lie.

"Hey!" Lora came running over to us, waving her hand high up in the air to us. I had to find the right chance to bring up the topic.

At lunch break, we all met up again and walked across the street to the same diner we always went to.

"So, Lora, do you have a crush?"

"W-Why do you ask?"

"Well, this is payback for asking me the other day ... so just say if you have one." I giggled, nudging Lora's shoulder.

"I-I do ..." Lora mumbled quietly as she looked down.

Both Shelia and I squealed in excitement: I feigned general interest in the topic, so that 'squeal' was not really genuine; Sheila was sure to be faking it as well.

"Is he hot?" Sheila immediately asked.

"Mm ..." Lora nodded slowly, still looking down at her lap.

"Then what about you, Sheila?"

"H-Huh?"

"Yeah, what about you! Do you like anyone?" Lora said with energy, lifting her head up.

"As a matter of fact, I have a boyfriend." Sheila said crossing her arms, speaking proudly. I was surprised she openly admitted it, since she had also been secretly hunting Garrett and I down.

"Oh, that's so cute!" Lora said, squealing with enthusiasm.

When I glanced out the window, I saw Garrett and his friends hanging out near the diner entrance. I guess Garrett could tell I was looking at him, gazing back at me. I stopped looking as soon as I could, feeling a bit embarrassed. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Garrett telling his friends something, and walked into the diner. He was walking over to my table ... what was he thinking?!

"I wanted to say sorry to you Lora, since you didn't let me apologize last time."

"W-Well ..." Lora said, stuttering a little.

"You're Sheila, right?"

"Yes, that's me ..." She sounds tense all of a sudden ... he's going to try and crack her.

"I want you to put an end to this bullshit. That was also a very crappy ankle weight you put on my ankle."

"H-Huh? What are you talking about?" Sheila said nervously. Lora looked at all us with a puzzled expression, looking like she had a question mark over her head.

"Why are you trying to hurt Elena?"

"Do you have any idea what you are talking about, you loser!" Lora said standing up, looking at Garrett with a frustrated expression.

"No, it's not like that Lora. Sheila has been trying countless times to hurt Elena, no joke. Whacked me in the head with a club or something once, I think."

Lora was too baffled to speak, and just sat down staring at Sheila. Sheila looked hopeless, seeming like she was defenceless.

"What's your point, Garrett ..."

"Know anyone named Jared Quinn?"

Sheila stood up immediately and ran out the door, getting on a black bike with someone who was already on it. That's the bike we stole earlier. Garrett and I ran out the door immediately, seeing the driver taking off his helmet.

"Fuck the Clint n' Arrington tag-team ..."

Niqun. Something so simple was right in front of me. It's an anagram.

The guy on the bike was Jared Quinn. He was the missing connection; the son of my parents' rival company owners.