I stare at my watch, diligently breathing in and out with every tick of the second hand, hoping to somehow will time to run faster. My eyelids feel like they're being weighed down by heavy lead dumbbells and my yawns most certainly aren't as discreet as I want them to be.

I'm sitting close to my desk, my chin propped on my left hand and a pencil in my right just in case I accidentally scribble some nonsense in the margins of my English literature textbook. My eyes close again and I let them be like that for a few moments. When it feels like I've fallen into the arms of deep sleep, I sit up with a start and steal a glance at my modestly weathered white strapped watch for the millionth time in the past forty minutes.

We've been given a free period to complete our reading work since our class happens to be ahead of the course plan compared to the other classes.

I inhale deeply, mindlessly reading a couple of sentences on the page that's open, and hold my breath for a few seconds before blowing out the warm air forcefully. It helps a little but enough to push the sleep out of my eyes.

Sighing, I sit back and resort to scouring the classroom for some sort of entertainment.

The class consists of students that range anywhere between two stark polars. A couple of them in the front row are practically devouring their textbooks with more zeal than a hangry pregnant woman at a buffet while a few have resorted to playing footsie with their respective boyfriends and girlfriends to while away time.

One of the boys sitting in the back looks up to find me observing him with keen interest as he discreetly slips his hand into the back pocket of his girlfriend's skinny jeans. He gives her bottom a squeeze, making her yelp in surprise and sends her into a giggling fit as she tucks a lock of hair behind her ear and shifts closer to him. She cranes her neck up to whisper something into his ear but the boy shamelessly tries to win a staring contest with me. More like a how-long-can-I-shamelessly-ogle-another-hot-girl-before-I-have-to-get-back-to-tending-to-my-girlfriend contest against time.

I give him a plastic smile that morphs into an acidic glare, making him avert his eyes swiftly- I mentally note his face in case I found myself lacking a spar partner to practice my right upper hook on in the near future, as well as the girl's so that I can have a friendly talk with her in the girls' restroom if the need ever arose.

Sleazy fucker!

Devin, Madison Wu's brooding boyfriend, is sitting by the window that overlooks the currently empty football field and seems to be sketching some kind of motor engine on the last page of his notebook. He's so absorbed in his work that he doesn't care about the lone bee circling the crown of his head. My lips curl up their own accord because the sight reminds me of Izzy when she used to doodle sketches of her favourite Korean pop stars in the margins of her notebooks.

Lastly, I turn to Nathaniel. Sitting two tables in front of me, he is conversing in French about French poetry with the language studies teacher who has been assigned to monitor the free period. She's smiling brightly, clearly enjoying their discussion.

The bugger could probably charm Aphrodite of Knidos off her solid pedestal without even bringing his A-game to the table. And he wouldn't even realise it.

I roll my eyes, sucking my cheek inwards and move my gaze to the other inhabitants of the class before unconsciously seeking him out again.

He's back in his clothing staples of a dark navy turtleneck and black denims with a pair of black squeaky clean Converse sneakers. His style statement has started influencing me lately- I've thrifted out more than quarter of my clothes in lighter shades to get corset tops and cropped turtlenecks and more academia inspired outfits. I don't know what to make of it, to be honest.

It's sunny outside, the mercury soaring high enough to cook eggs on a car bonnet in the parking lot.

Belatedly, I decide that what I desperately need to cure my lethargy is some ice cream or frozen yoghurt. Something cold and sugary to cool my soul.

I fish out my frequency modem from inside my backpack and set it on my lap before wrapping my fingers around the cool metal surface and signing.

.... . -.-- / -... .- -... . --..-- / .. - .----. ... / --. . - - .. -. --. / ... ..- .--. . .-. / .... --- - / .. -. / .... . .-. .

Nathaniel continues talking to the teacher, choosing to ignore my message. But the sudden reddening of his ears is a dead giveaway that he has indeed received it.

.-.. . - .----. ... / --. --- / --. . - / .. -.-. . / -.-. .-. . .- -- / .--. .-.. . .- ... .

He turns halfway around in his seat and shoots a disgruntled glare my way before mouthing, "Stop doing that Ariya."

I raise one eyebrow innocently, frowning a little.

"What?" I motion with my hand.

Shaking his head, Nathaniel turns to the front and resumes his work. The language studies teacher has moved to solve a doubt of another frowning student sitting near the door of the classroom.

.. .----. .-.. .-.. / -- .- -.- . / -.-- --- ..- / -.-. --- -- . --..-- / --- -. . / .-- .- -.-- / --- .-. / .- -. --- - .... . .-.

This time Nathaniel breaks into a coughing fit, his ears returning to their bright shade of crimson.

I smirk slyly.

Honestly, I didn't expect him to understand the sexual innuendo in my message. But surprisingly, someone has been reading the Urban Dictionary regularly.

.--. .-.. . .- ... . / -.-. --- -- . --..-- / ..-. --- .-. / -- .

I watch the back of his neck as Nathaniel swallows slowly, shifting in his chair. He turns back to give me a warning glare. I counter his glare with a grin, biting my lower lip as seductively as I can without bursting into a series of snorts to add to his misery. A drop of sweat runs down the sharp planes of his forehead before disappearing into his hair.

He sputters in response, bringing his hand up to cover his mouth as he turns around.

"Miss Larive, I ask you to excuse me from this class." He raises up half his arm to garner the language studies' teacher's attention, "My lunch doesn't seem to be sitting well."

- .... .- - .----. ... / .-. .. --. .... - / -... .- -... . --..-- / .--- ..- ... - / .-.. .. -.- . / - .... .- -

"But you were perfectly fine a few minutes back Mr. Ross. I don't appreciate students playing around in my class." she says in response, scrutinizing him from across the classroom over the lenses of the spectacles perched on her nose.

.... .- .-. -.. . .-. / -... .- -... .

At this point Nathaniel looks ready to implode in his seat.

"I understand Miss, and I would never do anything that might disregard your authority in any way. But I request you to excuse me now." Nathaniel nods, sporting a bright shade of puce on his face as he attempts to wheedle his way out the class without incident.

After a few moments of studying his expression, Miss Larive sighs and dismisses him before hushing the rest of the class until everyone is silent again.

Grinning triumphantly, I neatly deposit all my things into my recently washed bright purple canvas backpack.

Lady Luck appears to be in my favour today because when I stand up to leave, Miss Larive is sitting on an empty desk near the back of the class facing the large window next to it. She's deep in thought and is absently scratching some loose paint off the side of the painted wooden desk.

And just like that, I bend down to pick up Nathaniel's bag that lays abandoned beside the seat he's just vacated before slipping out of class. No harsh words exchanged, not a single question asked. The world was none the wiser. It's days like these that make me appreciate young substitute teachers fresh out of university, still reeling from their latest heartbreak or lack thereof.

Confidently, I stride over to the boys toilet closest to the classroom and push open the door without a single qualm since it's bound to be empty at this time of the day.

A wave of the lavatory stench hits me in the face. Despite bracing myself for it, it still manages to put me off for a few seconds and makes me screw my nose tightly.

I really wonder what dies in here every single day, because girls' washrooms never smell so disgusting.

"Nathaniel." I sing out loud, standing outside the only closed stall inside the washroom, "Come out now!"

I'm met by complete silence.

"Babe?" I call out, my tone teasing.

"There's not even a small chance that you're going to leave me alone, is there?" he asks in a clipped tone.

"You know there isn't, so why ask?" I chuckle, rummaging through my backpack for my cherry fragrance sanitizer and hold it close to my noze, "So you might as well come out fast. Because this washroom isn't going to start smelling pleasant anytime soon."

I see shadows move under the stall door, a brief shuffling before the door opens and Nathaniel steps out sporting a glorious scowl.

"Cherry sanitizer?" I ask coyly.

Shaking his head, he brushes past me towards the row of basins behind me and washes his hands before making his way out without looking back.

Biting back a cheeky grin, I follow him out and fall into sync with his footsteps without much thought as we silently walk out of the side door that leads to the sports fields and the back gate of the parking lot.

I quickly send a GPS location pin to Agent Merde who I know is sitting, restless, inside one of the cars in the parking lot so that he can update the secretly patrolling agents of our movement.

The afternoon heat burns into the bare skin of my exposed arms as we walk down the dusty lane to Fortescue's Frozen Treats, a popular hangout among the students of Wolfrock Secondary.

The bright sun doesn't bother me since my naturally tanned olive skin doesn't burn easily, and it's something I thank God for almost every single day since I've arrived in this sleepy coastal town. Humming softly, I press my cheek against my sleeve to wipe away some of the perspiration coating it.

"You don't need to be so bitter." I surmise aloud, glancing sideways at the grumpy looking prince.

Nathaniel pretends to not have heard me, kicking a loose stone on the road with his shoes, like every other time that he's annoyed with me.

"I wouldn't be so glum if you did not take it upon yourself tease me like that!" he scowls at my feet.

"You know I'm only kidding right?" I laugh, placing one hand on his shoulder playfully, "And I only do it because it's funny to watch you all riled up. You always react so easily."

"It's hardly funny when you're always on the receiving end of the joke, Ariya. You know what—" he opens his mouth angrily before shutting it, "Never mind. You wouldn't understand."

"Uhuh?" I raise my sweaty brow, "Try me."

Nathaniel considers it for a second before sighing, "Just don't, ok. It is not funny."

"Fine, I won't." I concede begrudgingly, not wanting to make him unnecessarily uncomfortable, "If it makes you feel any better, I promise not to tease you with innuendos but I cannot completely put a stop to my favourite pastime."

"Thank you for your generous consideration." he answers flatly, "As much as I hate your teasing in general, I'll take what I get."

By the time we reach Fortescue's, Nathaniel's frigid demeanour has somewhat melted away and I observe the corners of his mouth perking up slightly when the deliciously pleasant aroma of freshly rolled waffle ice cream cones welcomes us into the ice cream store.

"I want a large scoop of watermelon gelato." I decide, after quickly scanning the laminated menu card on the table, "You?"

"What's the best flavour they have?"

"I don't know. They don't do chef's best here." I smack my forehead lightly, picking up the menu card again, "I think you might like the fresh berry sorbet though. I've tasted it before and it's delicious."

"Alright, I'll have that." he shrugs.

"Great!" I clap my hands, "You're paying."

"What?" He scrunches his nose, as he shoots me a questioning look, "You're the one that dragged me here because you wanted ice cream."

"And you're the one with the currency in your bank account that's valued at more than seven times a dollar." I blink like it's supposed to be obvious, "Excuse me! We're ready to order."

Nathaniel mutters something along the lines of conniving harpy under his breath as a young boy, about a year or two older than us, approaches with a flip pad and a Fortescue ice cream shaped pink pen.

"Are you Wolfrocks students?" the waiter asks.

"Yes, why?" I ask.

"We have a special early fall offer of ten percent cashback for all students. You just need to show me your school identity cards to avail it." he explains.

"Oh alright." I nod in response, opening the front zip of my backpack, "Just a moment."

A small chit of paper jumps out with my identity card as I fish it out of my bag.

Nathaniel places his school card atop the plastic table top and bends down to pick the chit up since it's landed under his chair. He places it on the table top and flicks it towards me.

"Thanks." I flash him a quick smile, turning my attention to the chit.

I don't think much of it as I deftly unfold the chit to check what's written in it. My backpack has an abundance of paper chits with phone numbers of a bunch of boys and girls who wanted me to call them strewn inside.

I stare at the opened note quizzically- it's printed, which means I cannot track the sender by comparing handwriting or fingerprints. It's rather meticulous and clever on the sender's part but that doesn't make it any less unsettling.

It's a pity we couldn't meet the other evening. But soon...

"What does it say?" Nathaniel asks curiously, seeing my face fall.

I push the unfolded piece of paper towards him wordlessly.

"Is this—" he asks, widening his eyes slightly.

I nod, discreetly looking outside to make sure we aren't being watched.

"It is exactly what you're thinking." I nod gravely as I lean forward on the table, supporting my weight on my elbows, "And I'm certain that someone at school put it in there."

"Are you sure? Because it is not reasonable." Nathaniel looks slightly troubled as he speaks, he masks it quickly, "I mean no one in school goes to The Glade."

"I know, but there's no other time that someone could have slipped it in." I frown, picking up the chit and carefully keeping it back inside my backpack along with my school identity card, "And it's most probably someone we know."

•><•

Morse translations are available in the in line comments.

Who do you think dropped the chit in Ariya's bag? Drop your suspects please XD

Also what do you think of the new cover of TAOU? I like it but I'm not sure, so please let me know what you think.

Do vote, comment, share and don't forget to spread the love!☆

Also did I mention comment? Please do, because I love knowing your reactions and thoughts about where the story is going!