Kalila Miracle Hart

"Kalila, are you okay?" one of the scholars asked, catching me in the middle of yet another yawn. "You've been yawning non-stop. Did you get a night shift or something?"

"No," I replied, trying to suppress another yawn but failing miserably. "I'll see you in the next class, Sumer. I need to head out."

"Where you going?"

"To the admin office." With that, I grabbed my things and left the classroom, dragging my feet through the hallway. Honestly, I felt like a walking zombie—exhausted down to my bones, with sleep still clinging to me like a shadow.

It all started when we brought home the car for Aunt, Evara couldn't contain her excitement about teaching her how to drive. She was practically bouncing with energy, and somehow convinced Aunt that we needed a spacious area for her to practice. So, without a second thought, Evara called her mom, who was more than happy to help and quickly sent us an address.

We arrived at what I thought would be some empty parking lot, but to my surprise, it was a full-blown race track. My jaw nearly hit the floor.

I couldn't believe my eyes when we arrived and saw the endless asphalt loop stretching out before us. I remember scolding Evara, thinking, Seriously? Aunt's supposed to be learning how to drive, not getting ready for a Grand Prix.

But Evara's enthusiasm was infectious. Her eyes sparkled with a kind of thrill I hadn't seen in a while. She was grinning from ear to ear, and as much as I wanted to be the voice of reason, I just couldn't bring myself to ruin the moment.

So, instead, we spent the entire night on that track, driving circles until the stars faded and the first light of dawn touched the horizon. Aunt was over the moon, and I found myself smiling despite my fatigue, knowing that her happiness made it all worthwhile. I even picked up the basics of driving just by watching them.

Now, I'm on my way to the admin office, hoping to find out if there's any room available in the dormitory. For a while now, I've felt this pull—a need to carve out my own space, to start living independently. It's not that I don't love being at home; I do. But there's a part of me that's eager to prove I can stand on my own, that I can handle whatever life throws my way without leaning on anyone else.

When I brought up the idea to Aunt, I could see the worry in her eyes. She wasn't thrilled, that much was clear, but she gave me her blessing nonetheless. I know she's going to miss having us around—first Marco, now me—but I promised her I'd visit often. The dorm isn't far from home, after all. Still, I need this for myself. I need to know that I can be independent, that I can build my own life, even if it's just a small step like moving into a dormitory.

"Miracle!" The voice hits me like a jolt, and my shoulders tense instinctively. There's only one person in the entire world who calls me that, and, naturally, it's Evara. My earlier decision to let her hang out with me at school suddenly feels like a monumental mistake.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, my voice laced with urgency as I grab her arm, carefully pulling her into the corner. My eyes quickly scan her to make sure she's not hurt. "This is the annex."

"I know," she replies with a nonchalant shrug. "It's my first time here, and everything looks a bit..." Her eyes roam the plain walls and sterile corridors. "Dull. But hey, at least the gardens are pretty."

I can't help but sigh, feeling an invisible hand slap my forehead in frustration. "Evara, that's not what I meant. Why are you here?" My voice lowers to a whisper. If the scholars here notice her, it'll be chaos. She doesn't belong in this world—not because she can't handle it, but because they won't handle her.

"Oh, that," she says, waving a hand as if it's no big deal. "I was heading to the admin office." Her tone is casual, as though it's perfectly normal for her to be in a place she doesn't belong. I know each building has its own admin office, but what on earth is she doing here? "This was supposed to be a surprise, but since you're here, I'm taking you with me. Let's go."

Before I can protest, she's already dragging me through the door. The moment we step inside, the chatter dies down, replaced by a thick silence. It's as if everyone has just seen a ghost. "Good morning, ma'am, sir," Evara chirps, completely oblivious to the tension in the room.

"Can you help me? I want to take a few subjects from here," she announces, her voice filled with determination. My face burns with embarrassment, and all I want is to disappear into the floor beneath me.

Miss Cha, the Program Coordinator, steps forward, her face a mask of professional calm. She gently guides Evara to a chair. "Take a seat and calm down a bit," she says, her tone soothing.

"But I'm completely calm," Evara replies, her voice as steady as ever. Miss Cha and I exchange a glance, both of us caught off guard by her unwavering confidence.

"Why are you doing this?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper as I try to shield my face from the curious eyes around us.

"Because I want to be classmates with you!" she exclaims, leaning in as if to share a secret, but her whisper is loud enough for everyone to hear.

"What?!" The word escapes my lips before I can stop it, and the sound of my own voice startles me. Miss Cha just chuckles softly, as if she's amused by our little drama.

"So that's why," Miss Cha says, nodding in understanding as she looks at Evara, who nods back with a wide, innocent smile.

"Are you not afraid of being here with scholars?" Miss Cha asks, her question gentle but pointed. She knows the world Evara comes from and the chasm that separates it from ours.

"Why would I be?" Evara answers without hesitation, her voice filled with pride. "Kalila's a scholar, and she even saved me from death." Her words hang in the air, casual yet heavy with meaning, as if saving her life was just another day at the office. Miss Cha's soft chuckle is the only sound that breaks the silence.

"Alright," Miss Cha says, her professional demeanor returning. "But may I know your name first? I need to report this to the main building admins to see if they'll allow it."

"Uhmm, I'm Evara Galini Sinclair," she says, flashing a bright smile. Her name, so familiar to me, suddenly sounds foreign in this sterile environment. Miss Cha returns her smile, a polite yet reserved acknowledgment.

"I'll make the call now, Evara, so pray they allow you," Miss Cha says as she walks over to the corner of the room, dialing the landline with practiced precision. Evara, unbothered, looks around the room like a child lost in a candy store, wide-eyed and curious.

"Are you sure about this?" I ask her again, my voice tinged with concern.

"Of course I am," she replies with unwavering confidence. "What could go wrong with you here?" Her words are meant to be reassuring, but they only deepen the pit in my stomach. I just sigh, knowing there's no stopping her now.

"Miss Sinclair," Miss Cha calls out from across the room. "The admin would like to speak to you."

Evara strides over with the confidence of someone who's always gotten her way. She takes the phone, her expression shifting as she listens. "What do you mean I can't?" Her voice rises, the sharp edge of frustration cutting through her usual cheerfulness. "I still need my parents' consent? What?! Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you—my dad's coming here!" The phone slams down with a loud thud, her temper flaring like a storm.

Miss Cha flinches, her composure cracking ever so slightly. I just sigh again, feeling the weight of what's to come. "Let's go, Miracle," Evara says, her voice calm once more as she grabs my hand and pulls me out of the office.

She dragged me all the way to the Main Building, the one place where no scholars dared to go. As we reached the entrance, I instinctively pulled my hand back. It's strange—I've never been scared of facing elite students before, but something about this place makes my body react. It feels like there's an invisible line I'm not supposed to cross.

"What's wrong, Miracle?" Evara asked, her voice filled with concern.

"I... uhm," I started to say, but the words wouldn't come out. Before I could explain, Evara pulled me inside.

The Main Building is completely different from the annex. While the annex is plain and simple, the Main Building is grand and polished. The floors shine with smooth marble, and the walls are covered in dark wood with portraits of important-looking people staring down at us. It feels like everything here is designed to impress, to remind you that this is where the elite belong.

In the annex, it's easy to go unnoticed, but here, everything feels important and serious. The air is crisp, and there's a sense of power in every corner. The students who walk these halls move confidently, their uniforms perfect, like they know they belong here. As I stand in this space, I can't help but feel tiny—like a speck of dust that needs to be swept for this place to become a lot cleaner.

"Take a little leap of faith, Miracle" Evera whispered to my ear, and with those tiny words I felt a lot braver, Life was handing me a rare glimpse into a world I'd only ever imagined—a world without violence, without problems, without hunger, just pure, unfiltered bliss. Maybe I should take this opportunity to dream bigger, to see what's possible.

Evara twirled around in pure happiness, her laughter ringing through the grand hall. "Welcome to Eldonbury University, the school of elites," she announced, her arms wide open as if she was embracing the entire world. Her joy was infectious, and I couldn't help but laugh along with her.

I took a step forward, then another. There was no turning back now. The invisible lines I'd always feared crossing seemed to vanish, like they'd never been there at all. But even as I moved forward, a nagging feeling lingered at the back of my mind. I couldn't fully enjoy this moment because I knew that in life, when a bug occurs, the system crashes, and the creators do everything they can to eliminate the flaw. I felt like that bug—an outlier in a system designed to run smoothly without me.

Evara led me into a spacious lounging area, where we waited for her father to arrive. The room was elegantly furnished, with plush seating. It wasn't long before her dad appeared, and to my surprise, her mother came too. Her mom's face lit up when she saw me, and before I knew it, she had pulled me into a warm hug. It was easy to see where Evara got her bright, bubbly personality from.

"Why aren't they letting you take the subjects you want?" her father boomed, his voice full of frustration. The way his words echoed in the room made it clear that Evara had inherited his temper .

We marched into the admin office, and I quickly realized why Evara had been glancing around earlier—the admin offices here were vastly different from the ones in the annex. Everything here seemed more polished, more intimidating. The walls were lined with heavy bookshelves, and the air felt thick with authority.

"But she just wants to take classes with the scholars. What's the problem with that?!" her father demanded, his voice rising in anger.

"We just needed to confirm with you, sir," the program coordinator said, her voice trembling slightly under his intense gaze.

"So now that we're here, this should count as confirmation, right?" Evara's mom chimed in, her tone firm yet diplomatic.

"Yes, but unfortunately, we can only allow her to take one subject with the scholars," the program coordinator explained, clearly shaken. "The other classes are already full."

I could see why everyone in the room was on edge—when someone like Evara's dad raised his voice, it was hard not to feel the pressure. But I couldn't blame him; he just wanted his daughter to have what she wanted.

"What?!" her father roared again, his anger flaring up.

"That's alright," Evara interjected calmly, her voice soothing the tension in the room. "As long as Miracle is in the same class." Relief washed over me as she agreed, and her father seemed to calm down.

The program coordinator, still visibly shaken, turned to me. "Can I ask what your major is, miss?" she asked, her tone more respectful now.

"I'm a psych major," I replied, hesitating slightly. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had caused all this trouble. She didn't answer she just nodded and printed out the study load for Evara.

"Ok you can take this subject miss Sinclair." The program coordinator said feeling ease now that the problem has been solve.

Evara and her mom leaped with joy, their excitement filling the room. Her dad and I exchanged a glance, both of us silently observing the scene. This family is something else—no wonder Evara's got a loose srew. But watching them, I couldn't help but think of my own family, and a small smile crept onto my face.

"Please, take care of my daughter," Mr. Sinclair said softly, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. I looked up at him, and his eyes were filled with a quiet happiness as he watched his wife and daughter. "Evara doesn't ask for much, so when she does, her mom and I do everything we can to make it happen."

Mr. Sinclair is right, I noticed I found myself nodding, understanding more than I expected. Evara might live in a world of luxury, but she doesn't seem to be consumed by it. Her life, from what I've seen, revolves around simple pleasures—most of all, food. She indulges in it like it's the only thing that truly matters, which, in her world, maybe it is.

Once everything was settled, Evara finally got her wish—one class with me. I could hardly believe it. The whole idea that scholars and elites couldn't share classes was just something everyone accepted without question. But here we were, breaking that unspoken rule. It turns out the system wasn't built on any real laws or regulations—just a long-standing tradition that had grown stronger over time. The elites didn't want to mingle with scholars, and the separation grew deeper, more rigid with every passing year.

I couldn't help but wonder if a scholar could ever get the same kind of treatment Evara did. Probably not. The students in the annex seem perfectly content in their own little bubble, happy to keep their distance. They've built their world, and they're in no hurry to change it.

As the Sinclairs gathered their things and headed home, I snapped back to reality, realizing I still had a class to get to. I rushed out, muttering under my breath as I remembered that I'd forgotten something important at the admin office. But that could wait—right now I don't want to be late.