What He Thinks I've Done

Chapter Three

John

I stepped out of my beaten-up car as soon as I had parked it. I acted like a total nerd for the need of keeping a low profile, in that way I'd be able to hide my real identity better, keep people's eyes away from me.

My first period was Biology class. Agent Stewart's assistants had already fixed everything upon my arrival, getting the girl's schedule and having some of my subject matched with hers, the clubs that I'd be attending, her duties etc. I just really had to be careful not to be suspicious.

Yesterday, I went back to her village and waited until she came out but was disappointed to figure out she was only throwing a garbage bag outside. I picked the black plastic, carried it somewhere where I wouldn't be seen and scattered it around to inspect but nothing was there aside from rotten vegetables, plastics, papers and more useless stuff. I put everything back inside the bag and returned it to the waste bin outside her house.  I stayed up all through the night waiting outside her house, hiding in the bushes, the mosquitoes feasting on my blood but I didn't discover anything. It was already 4 A.M. when I decided that I'd get nothing from it. We couldn't risk getting a house where I'd be able to watch her all the time.

I arrived to my designated room and took a seat at the back. I saw her came in and sat beside a girl. They chatted like normal people, laughing and sharing jokes. She was so good at the game that she's playing which was starting to amaze me. I brought out my phone and rummaged through a list of names with pictures of all these students with me right now. I found the face of the girl that my subject was talking to. Anastasia Koromasov. I checked her background and sent her picture to Stewart who said that she was just another student.

Again, I couldn't risk getting close to the girl because she might end up killing me before I knew it. But I could use her friend.

I saw the girls parted when the bell rang signaling the break. I immediately approached Anastasia who was clutching her books close to her chest.

"Hey." I greeted, smiling wide. She smiled back.

"Hi, how can I help you?" She stopped walking.

"You forgot this." I said, holding out a light blue notebook. Of course, I just made it up.

"Oh sorry, that's not mine."

"Is that so?" I sighed and frowned. "I wonder who's the owner of this." She stared at me, studying my face.

"Are you a transferee? I've never seen you before."

"Yes I am." I answered.

"I can help you find the owner if you want."

"You will?" She nodded her head. "That would be really cool."

"No problem. By the way have you checked-"

"But I'm pretty hungry, I haven't had my breakfast yet. Can we grab something first at the cafeteria?" I said cutting her off.

"Sure. I'm also a little hungry." She smiled again, ignoring my sudden interruption. I talked her out of asking more about the lost notebook, I acted intrigued of her life because I learned that people specially my age are very fond of talking about themselves. And that was how I got her to be my friend in just a twenty-minute break, the lost notebook forgotten.

Three more periods later then the three of us were all together. It was lunch break, Ana -Anastasia insisted that I eat lunch with them. I pretended that I was shy, scratching the back of my neck and rocking on my heels but that was what I really planned.

We ordered our meals, found seats and the two girls asked me questions about where I came from, my parents' jobs etc. I had been watching Clementine -Tine closely the who time but I was careful not be so obvious.

My head was starting to ache from the eyeglasses so I removed it and put it inside my pocket. I continued to eat.

"Hey! You look good without eyeglasses." Ana remarked. I raised my eyebrows, surprised.

"Oh t-thanks." I said chuckling. I caught Tine's eyes on me and I gave her a slight smile. We stared at each other until she suddenly reached out. I thought she would hurt me so I held my fork against me tightly out of instinct. She retreated on her seat holding a tiny leaf with her thumb and forefinger. Was she testing me?

"You got a leaf on your shirt." She said before dropping it to the ground. We continued to eat then.

She had P.E. in the afternoon, I ditched my class and waited outside the girl's locker room, remembering every person who came in. When I was sure that everyone had gotten out, I sneaked in. It was just like the boy's place but much cleaner. I looked for Clementine Johnson's locker, reading the name labels of each one.

The door opened.

A pair of footsteps echoed inside the locker room.

"-You should never forget to bring your P.E. uniform or else Mr. Winters would make you run for 5 laps or more."

"What the hell. That's horrible." I had no other choice but to hide in a locker. I opened it quietly, careful not to make a sound and forced my body inside.

"Yeah. He really makes us do that. He's been my teacher before." The footsteps stopped in front of where I was hiding. I could see the legs of the two girls through the vents.

The locker on top of me opened. I heard the shuffling of stuffs.

"I think I got it here..." Quick! My body was already reacting from the small space.

"Ah! Found it." There were footsteps again, then someone opening a locker and closing it. Both girls walked and out of the locker's area.

I immediately came out as soon as I heard the door closed. I found Clementine's locker. An ordinary lock combination was easy to crack. It was one of the lessons during my training. but I had my doubts with a spy's. It was one of the lessons during my training. I pulled the lock into my direction, creating pressure and tried rotating  a dial. I got the first number, feeling the shackle loosening a bit and hearing a click that one wouldn't easily notice without listening attentively. She's not wasting high-quality equipments here after all.I got the second number and then the third. The shackle finally opened with a satisfying sound. I grabbed the tiny box inside my pocket and opened it, picking up the tracking device that looked like an ordinary button. I peeled a paper on its bottom part and attached it to the girl's shoe. I explored the compartment, cautious as not to disturb her belongings but found nothing. When I was done, I closed it and returned the lock. I walked to the door quickly, opened it a little and checked outside through the crack. There was no one. I came out and walked as if nothing happened.