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Marcus's POV
"How are you doing, Arguello?" A girl I have never spoken to nor care about caresses my shoulder with her manicured hand. I've seen her walk beside Brandy, and that is enough to make me roll my eyes at the sight of her. "I don't think we've been introduced yet. I'm Kelly."
I nod, having nothing to say to that.
"I've seen you around school a couple of times, you are so different from the other boys around here." She continues, ignoring my lack of interest in her.
I keep making my way to the cafeteria in the hopes Kelly will finally get the message.
Instead of leaving me the fuck alone, she runs ahead and stops right in front of me.
I bring my body to a halt.
"I think the depressed thing you have going on is very hot." She grabs my collar, pushing me against the nearest locker.
"Really, really sexy." She whispers in my ear. "You know, some say I practice magic. That I can cure even the saddest humans from their sorrows. " She says seductively. "I would be happy to heal you. There is only one thing I need in return."
I clench my jaw. Of course.
"I've heard the Kuroki sisters had an argument after a dead boy came knocking on our door." She kisses my neck. "I just want to know what the argument was about." The back of her hand grazes my cheek and I feel the sharp ends of her nails. "One small price for a passage to paradise."
"I can't see why that would be your business." I say, grabbing her hands and peeling them off me.
"Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it can very well buy another one if managed correctly." Kelly winks.
"Unfortunately, I have no way to supply you this information. I wasn't there."
Her smirk falls, and she backs away.
"I'm sorry for not being anymore help." I wave at her. "But tell Brandy it was a nice try."
***
"Tell me about it." Lex throws his feet up on the table. "Willie's goons tried the same tactic. But I wasn't foolish enough to refuse them."
"Lex!" Billy looks at him in shock.
"What?" He furrows his brows. "It's not like I know anything. I made up some bollocks and they ate it up."
"But why do they want to know so bad?" I ask.
"If you haven't noticed, this school is built like a pyramid scheme." Petra cocks her head at the surrounding tables, all of which divided so cleanly and inflexibly. Everyone has a title, and no one deranges from it. "Here, the one thing that may separate you from life and death is your position in the pyramid. It's a competition, a game for them. There are no low blows or cheating. Everything counts."
"Even if we'd told them, what happens then?"
"They'd use the information to usurp the Kurokis for good. Whatever that information is, they always find a way to put it to use. Less competitors, the better." Chills run down my body as she explains it so simply. "Thank God they don't think of us as a threat. Or else, we would have to play the game too."
Competition is seen everywhere in nature, but I think everything taken to its extreme is bad. Really bad.
Normally, I would avoid any environment that cherishes competition as much as King's Dominion does. But I am here now and I don't plan on leaving.
I guess if they pay with money, I have to pay for my stay here with toleration.
Even though not knowing for sure in which side I stand, I know Brandy Lynn is not the one I am willing to fight with. Saya may not be in our tier of the pyramid, but she is one of us.
Not sex, nor whatever the Legacies can offer will prove me otherwise.
If that makes me a loyal dog, so be it.
"What did happen on that roof anyway?" Petra finally asks the question I was praying they wouldn't. "We heard you calling Saya's name, but when we were going up the stairs, Saya told us not to."
"Told us. Ha. That's an understatement. She practically threatened us with that shiny sword of hers." Lex waves his fork around, making lightsaber noises. "Then, a bunch of her mob buddies came and shoved us all into a random room."
"By the way, can she do that? Isn't that against school rules or something?" Billy wonders.
"Not if the one making the rules is on board with it." I note.
"You're right." Petra's eyes light up. "The Syndicate would have never been able to cover it up so well if Lin wasn't helping them."
"He did help them clean up the boy's blood." Lex recalls.
"But why would that be of his interest? He has nothing to gain or lose here." I say.
"That we know of." Petra adds and we fall silent.
And that was the complete truth. No one knows Master Lin other than Master Lin. He makes sure of that.
The man seems to know everything about everyone in and outside of these walls. But his background, his favorite movie, even his age are things I can only speculate about. He is the one true mystery in a crowd of liars.
I am still thinking about what Petra said when a girl stops by our table. I take a deep breath and Lex smirks, preparing for the latest of the Legacies' tricks.
"Hey, Marcus." I rub my eyes, before digging up the energy to look at her in the eyes.
"Hi." I say. I think I can almost hear my will to live withering away.
"Thanks for lending me this. I really enjoyed it." She leans forward and hands me a copy of 'The Catcher in the Rye'. "I have a theory that I would love to discuss with you later. I have to get to my locker before class starts, I'll see you around."
As swiftly as she came, the girl leaves us.
"Do you know her?" Billie makes a face.
"No." I eye the book atop my hands.
"What are you waiting for then?" Petra gestures to the novel.
"What do you mean?"
"If you don't know her and never lent her that book, it's a message." She says, matter-of-factly. "Open it up."
"How do you know?" Lex scoffs.
"If this message is from who I think it is, then contacting you directly would draw too much attention." The girl's eyes scan the room.
It made enough sense, and I also have nothing to lose.
I open the book.
A hand-written note on the first page catches my eye.
"Hi, Sally here. Sorry for not picking up the phone that night, my father was bothering me about a thing. I was hoping to make it up to you. Maybe you can meet me by my room tonight and I'll explain everything. -S" I read off the page and lift my head, perplexed.
"All moves count." Petra stares at the book in amazement. "Who would have though all we needed was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"What?" Billy and I exchange looks.
I don't think I want to know what she meant by that.
"Can't you see? We are players now." She sighs. "Welcome to the game, boys."
