"What?"

Rihanna stared at the headmistress, caught in a terrorized expression at last, but this time, the headmistress seemed to be understanding.

"No matter what you hear about the program, it's only rumors. Actually, it is as decent as the actual classes you are taking now. Just a bit different. People that don't know it, won't describe it in its full portrait."

It took Rihanna a second to understand what had just happened. Faith, or whatever the program is called, is something that's bad.

"Why? Why do I have to enroll in there? Can't I at the very least stay in my regular classes until you do whatever it is you're doing?"

She looked at her crisply. "I apologize, but my suspicions are quite high. Or else I wouldn't have gone through the trouble of placing you in F.A.I.T.H."

Rihanna stared at her in disbelief, "I'm–I'm already enrolled?"

She nodded. "Yes. Your grade president will take care of the rest of the matter for you. As of now, I will ask you to follow through without causing a ruckus. If you are innocent of my suspicions, then you will have no objection or worries concerning this issue until it is resolved. Otherwise, if you feel like you have something to hide, come forward with it now and we can end this quite easily."

Rihanna couldn't believe what was happening. She couldn't believe how fast it took to untie some of the knots.

After settling things with the headmistress, whose name she figured at last was Dr. Dormer, she made her way toward the dormitory feeling completely drenched out of her energy. So much happened–so much that she was't able to lift a smile on her lips no matter how hard she tried.

What were Dr. Dormer's suspicions? Where did they start? Where did they end? What's this faith program that she was supposed to start attending at the start of next week? Why is it different? Why did it seem to be hated? Why was she chosen to enroll in it for the time being?

What the hell was going on?

She almost fell on the stairway from the level of thinking she was doing. Add to that the lack of sleep and it was a given why she was sick to the stomach with anxiety.

With her head resting against the stairs railing, she opened her eyes, which had momentarily closed from exhaustion, and saw Joshua standing in the Assembly room, head leaning against the wall behind him, tipped upward with his eyes closed.

He looked exhausted as well.

She slowly descended the stairs and walked over to him. "Joshua?"

He opened his eyes and looked at her. Then looked away.

She looked down at the suitcase near his legs. "Where are you going?"

"You know," He stated, looking over at her. "I never asked you what your name was."

"It's–"

"Rihanna, I know."

She blinked rapidly at him, confused.

He smiled. "You were the first to stand up to him. In a backwards sort of way, but you still did it."

She smiled in return. "I wish I could do more for you, I really hope you know that."

"You almost did. I can't believe you were going to let go of one of the most amazing electives because of me. I mean business class? That's like a dream come true for anyone. Even for me."

She pursed her lips.

He put a hand on her shoulder. "You know, I'm actually poor. I enrolled into this school because my dad had connections with a rich family. I wished one day I could be someone my father relies on fully, without the need to kiss up to those rich assholes like a personal maid. Its why I fought this long."

"I wish I could help you. I really do." She saw something in him that she wished she had seen all her life.

He smiled. "You did. You made me realize that my place requires a little fixing."

What he said reminded her of her own misery. She frowned. "Do you know what faith is?"

He looked at her stunned. "F.A.I.T.H.? As in the program in this Academy?"

She nodded.

He stared at her for a couple of seconds as if it was a trick question. "Uh... yes, everyone in the Academy knows what F.A.I.T.H. is."

"Could you tell me about it?"

They sat down in the chairs nearby.

"I don't know when F.A.I.T.H. started, but I know that the owner of the Academy had established it especially for one of the students. Rumors say it's for his son, but no one's really sure since the program is a lot more private than anyone could just follow. At first, it was only that student, but slowly, the school had become more appreciative of it existing in and they began enrolling more students who are suitable for it.

"F.A.I.T.H. stands for Fundamental Adolescence Institution for the Troubled and Hesitant. So you could sort of understand what kind of students you might find in there. And that's why a lot of us don't interact with the members. Their trouble after all, and that's kind of scary. No one really knows what's behind their masks, why the headmistress placed them there. Because their normal? Of course not, right? However, a lot of the students, especially the girls, are shocked because they believe two of their members shouldn't be enrolled in there."

"Who?" Rihanna asked.

"Lexis Ellis and Jessie Leone."

That almost kicked her off her chair. Both of them were in there?! How could that be possible. Well, Lexis, that's possible. But Jessie?! "Why?"

"Well, Lexis Ellis because of the obvious. Jessie, well for Jessie its kind of completely unfair. He's in there because he gets bullied way too much by the tough guys in the Academy. That's why he's sharing a dorm with you, you know. The beatings he'd get are merciless."

Her heart pounded with pain for him. So that's why? She had been so occupied with Dawn's Angels and their drama, not to mention her own misfortunate life, that she had completely forgotten why Jessie had been placed in the girl's dormitory. Now she was outcasted too, into a program with a mysterious agenda.

"What is it, the program, how does it work?"

"Well, basically they wake up in the morning just like any of us and attend the morning announcements just like any of us. After that, instead of going to different classrooms throughout the day, they settle in one classroom on the very top floor across the hall from the old music room for all their classes. Over there, I heard a rumor saying there is a genius young teacher who teaches them all of their subjects, which are just like ours, same books, same studies, same everything. The only difference is that we stand up, go to a different classroom and a different teacher. They don't. That being said, they are declared to be the absolute richest youngsters in the whole school. Of course, as well as the worst."

She was completely transfixed by the situation she had suddenly fallen in. A boarding school life was enough for her to agitate over, and now... she was dropped into another string of events that she had to stress over all over again. Troubled and Hesitant? If everyone in the regular classes had rejected her, what will the members of F.A.I.T.H. treat her like, with cookies and milk?

And why? Why the hell did she end up being a member? What was she supposed to do in there? She had been trying her best in the past weeks to stay grounded so the normal students could accept her.

But if she ended up in F.A.I.T.H. ...

Oh god! She could barely take the outlandish look her classmates give her now. Imagine all the hate they'll start throwing her way after she joins F.A.I.T.H. Joshua made it clear how much they disliked the members of the program, well, aside from the two he mentioned. So how is Rihanna supposed to convince this whole school that she's not as scary as they're going to start to think she is?

A pervious phone conversation between her and Vincent came back to her in a flash. It was the first she had with him after she came into this school.

"No matter what, keep on smiling." Vincent had said, "And when you smile, don't do it for them, do it for you. Do it so you could feel happy. If they look at you in a dirty way, it's only because they're jealous that you have a happy place of your own and you're not afraid to show it on your face. Be happy, because sometimes, that's the only survival method you'll have. Because sometimes, that's the only thing they don't have."

Being happy... Could some things be as easily done as said? Can she really make it through next week before breaking into a million pieces?

She sprang to her feet. "Then why? Why did she put me in there?"

Joshua stood up too. "Are you talking about the headmistress?" His eyes searched Rihanna's. "She enrolled you in F.A.I.T.H.?"

She looked at him and nodded.

His eyebrows pulled together. "That's odd."

"Why?"

He shook his head. "Its just, F.A.I.T.H. isn't accessible for anyone to enroll in, no matter how poor you are. Take me as an example."

She looked at him with wide eyes. "How did you know..."

"That you're poor? Its obvious actually. Maybe because we come from the same class that I see it right away. And rumors are slowly emerging."

Rumors...? What rumors?

Her feet itched as her body slowly rocked with adrenaline. Her blood boiled and her skin shivered as the need for her candy grew.

Joshua looked at her worried. "Are you okay? Your face looks... troubled."

For a moment, he actually felt uneasy by it.

She nodded and looked away. "I'm fine." She tried to find something else to talk about. "Why are you wearing a coat? Its a bit warm to be wearing one inside the Academy."

And suddenly it fit. The puzzle connected inside her head.

She looked at the suitcase.

At his jacket.

"Joshua." Her voiced cracked as she reached for him.

Joshua stared down at his shoes. He took a step back. "I was really hoping you wouldn't guess. I was hoping I wouldn't see you before I leave in the first place."

"No. No, you can't do this."

He looked up at her, his eyes swelling up with tears. "I have to. No matter how much others might think I deserved it, you have no idea how much I put up with. I've been hurting for too long now."

"I"ll help you. We'll figure it out."

He shook his head. "None of this is your fault, you already did more than I would have expected from anyone in this Academy."

"I"ll just make friends with someone in the electives class and have them record it for me."

"You shouldn't have to pay for my mistakes."

"You made no mistakes."

"I looked up to where my ranking in this world didn't stand. My neck broke."

"Please..."

He smiled sadly and gave her a hug that surprised both of them. "It's already done." He whispered in her ear. "I'm illegally standing on the Academy's grounds right now." He pulled away and looked at her, looked away and wiped his tears that were now falling without his control.

"If one day," Rihanna suddenly said, taking ahold of both of his hands in hers. "If one day I make it through and become something worthwhile, I'll find you and I'll make sure you make your father proud. I promise."

He smiled. "You're so giving. Thank you. I didn't think anything would make me feel better anytime soon. But you just did." He sighed in relief. "I believe in you."

She nodded.

"Don't let him drive you out like he did to me. Beat him at his own game."

"I'll get pay back for you." She smiled.

"Thank you." His grip tightened around her fingers, grateful for her comfort.

As he grabbed his suitcase and made his way to the big doors, she remembered what Mrs. Caravelle once told her. Those who leave can't come back. She wanted so badly to stop Joshua from exiting those doors, but as she watched him, she could only remember Lexis' expression and let sadness wash over her.

Joshua's back was the only thing she could see. He didn't turn back once. The big doors opened under his hands effortlessly, almost in insult. He pulled his suitcase out first, then himself.

Not letting his face be seen by Rihanna, the big doors slammed behind him.

She stared at the door, watching it while emptiness haunted her mind. Feeling the sudden void of Lexis' victim gone, and her in place of him. Fear won over sadness in a split moment, and she was suddenly aware of how alone she really was in the Academy.

She broke out of her transfixed phase. She realized that her body was starting to react out of control, and if she doesn't get her candy soon enough, she might...

She shook all bad thoughts out of her head and tried to think positively. If Jessie's a member of F.A.I.T.H. then nothing else should matter, not Lexis, and not anyone else.

But what if there is more of the likes of Lexis in F.A.I.T.H.?

She shook her head harder this time as her actions threatened to respond to her unmedicated self. Think straight. Think straight.

Lexis stared at Rihanna as she watched Joshua leave out the door. He stood on the steps, looking down at her as she curled her fingers into fists and shook in emotions he hadn't seen on anyone else.

As she turned to walk up the stairs he was standing on, she caught sight of him and froze in sudden fear. The fear that was slowly aggravating him. There was an expression on her face that made him, for the first time, wonder why he hadn't taken notice of it the first time he saw her. Something barely threatening to escape. Something, he suddenly realized, that she hid very, very well.

He was slowly putting her together, her reality.

The pit of Lexis' head churned into a fit of unsettling emotions, and the fluttery feeling in his stomach, he was sure, was due to the distaste he had for the mysterious being. There was something about her... He didn't like it. He didn't like it at all.

She was the first that wasn't readable by him.

For a moment, all Rihanna could do is stare at his expression, which was full of hatred and wonder. The animosity that had recovered from yesterday's fever was now back as strong as ever around him, making her repulse being in the same area he was in.

And she realized, in the spur of the moment, him showing up like this in front of her troubled mind had only made the state of her body much worse. Much, much worse.

They stared at each other in a moment that spoke volumes. He had feelings he didn't understand. She had feelings that were about to explode, revealing what she was dying to hide.

The two together were only making the situation more suffocating–for the both of them.

She quickly dropped her gaze, trying to get ahold of herself. He didn't like it, Lexis didn't like how she stopped looking at him, as if she didn't want to look at him. As if looking at him was something unpleasant for her.

He didn't like it.

And as she turned and quickly walked the other way, no longer having the intention of going to her dorm, all he could do is stare and wonder what it might feel like to screw with her head so hard, that the reality he had suspicions of would be forced out into the light.

As soon as she reached the music room, Rihanna shut the door and dialed Vincent's number with shaking hands.

After a few rings, he picked up. "Good morning." He said with a groggy voice. She seemed to have woken him up, and she idly remembered that it was the weekend and it was his blessed day to sleep in.

"Vincent?" She begged breathless.

"Yeah?" He was suddenly more awake than he'd ever been. The tone in her voice was alarming.

"Something a bit...unpleasant came up."

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