The Cardinal

Chapter 3

Sasha's POV

I peek through the loopholes on the vent pipe. I still see an abundance of students that are chit-chatting in the hallway. Great! I have to wait even longer in this rat hole. I decide to watch the student body, instead of getting stuck in my past.

They all seem untroubled and as free as birds. There are teenagers from all kinds of ethnicity and backgrounds. But most surprisingly, they seem unaware of the big scheme called the Test. They can all stomach the fact that almost none of them has passed the exam. Most got into the Academy thanks to the wealth of their families. They might not be your typical criminals but they are for me.

I sometimes come back to Cardinal to visit my home. I detest it every time. I can't bear seeing Cardinal people. They disgust me. The fact that all they do is ignoring the ugly truth disgusts me. My parents don't even have graves. I don't know what they have done to their dead bodies but I would rather not anyways. I sometimes just wish that I was still that little girl who was excited for the Test. I wish that I was as carefree as the teens I am watching at this very moment.

While analyzing each face in order to determine which one would be the easiest to trick into showing me to the storage room, I see someone familiar. Everybody seems to steer clear away from him. His uniform differs as well. I squint and attempt to see the details elaborated on the cloth. He is a Phoenix. He has a bony face and strong built. I find myself staring too long at his green eyes. I know him. I have seen him before but something inside me stirs and that is when I finally remember where we encountered. He is the guy from the race. The one who caused me to sprinkle my ankle and wave goodbye to my dreams.

I watch him strut in the corridor. He is headed to the military office. I shouldn't follow him. I need to get the supplies on the list that Hunter gave me. That guy is a part of my past. I shouldn't open old wounds. However, it wouldn't hurt to see why he is going to the military office. Maybe I can find a clue about the new shifts of the recruits and the next check up of the pub so that I will have a notice beforehand to go and hide.

Decision is done. I will go after him but I can't just walk into the office. I need a uniform. I start crawling towards the bathroom in the air vent. I screw the lid off and fall to the tiles on the bathroom floor. I get up in a rush and leave the bathroom. In the corridor, I approach a girl which looks like a freshman.

"Hallo! I am the new exchange student. Maybe you have heard of me. Nein? Ok. No problem. Look, I forgot my uniform at meine Gastfamilie's house. Could you show me to the room where I can find a new one. I heard from meine Gastschwester that teachers are so strict. I don't want to get chastised." I say with a thick German accent.

She looks at me with understanding eyes and then shows me to the laundry room and warns me:

"Be careful! They can send us to the discipline council because of sneaking in without permission"

I try not to roll my eyes and say:

"How nice of you! Danke für everything. I owe you one, aber can you leave me alone? I need to get changed."

I don't forget to smile in order to spice my Oscar worthy performance. She nods shyly.

"If you need help, I will be waiting outside. "

Why is she so clingy?

"Nein, you don't have to. You have already done a lot. You should go directly to your class. I don't want to get you in trouble in case you get late. "

"Ok, then. Bye! "

"Tschüss! "

Oh God! I really need to revise German some time. I really lack in the vocabulary department. Why the hell I'm thinking of my German when standing in the middle of the Academy. Me and my "splendid" and sick mindset.