Kalila Miracle Hart

"Evara, stop sleeping in class," I whispered, gently nudging her awake with my elbow. She shot up quickly, blinking away the sleep, and pretended as if she'd been paying attention all along. Then she leaned in closer.

"I can't help it. This class is so boring," she whispered, though it was the kind of whisper that wasn't meant to be discreet. I could feel my cheeks heat up as I instinctively brought a hand to cover my face.I glanced up, only to see the professor's eyes locked onto us. My heart sank.

Crap she also heard it.

It was our first class together, and things were already off to a rocky start. I could sense the scholars around us growing uneasy, some clearly puzzled by Evara's presence. Sure, the professor had been informed beforehand, and Evara was introduced right before class began, but it was obvious that the others weren't quite sure what to make of her.

Having an elite among us was bound to stir some nerves, but knowing Evara's easygoing nature, I was sure they'd warm up to her in no time.

"She's right," the professor suddenly said, snapping me back to reality. I nearly groaned inwardly—was she upset about Evara's remark? The professor calmly removed her glasses, crossing her arms in a way that made the room go still.

"So, let's make this a bit more interesting, shall we?" she continued, her tone light but with an edge that kept us all on alert. Confusion rippled through the class as whispers filled the room, scholars probably fearing a surprise quiz.

"I'm going to introduce your group project," she announced, pausing just long enough to catch everyone's attention—Evara included, who now looked wide awake.

"Since we're diving into Creative Expression and Human Behavior, can anyone guess what kind of project you'll be tackling?" Hands shot up across the room, and before I could stop her, Evara's hand joined them.

The professor pointed at her. "Yes, Evara?"

"Professor, are we going to draw our feelings... with crayons?" Evara asked, her voice full of innocent curiosity. The entire class erupted in laughter, even the professor couldn't help but smile.

"Now that's a creative thought," the professor chuckled, "but I have something more ambitious in mind." The room fell quiet again, curiosity lingering in the air.

"You're going to design a social experiment, one that ties directly with our study." she announced. "I want you to be as creative as possible with this one."

The room exploded with chatter, excitement buzzing as everyone began to exchange ideas. But while the others seemed thrilled, I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. Crowds weren't my thing, and now we had to come up with a project that involved engaging with them. The heavens must be laughing at my misfortune.

"Quiet down! We're not done yet," the professor called over the noise, her voice commanding enough to bring the room back to order. "I want you to form groups of four and use the rest of this period to brainstorm ideas for your project."

The class erupted into chaos once more as students scrambled to form their groups. I watched, feeling slightly adrift, as the professor wrapped things up.

"You, need to document the whole process then present it to the class by the end of the semester Ok? So class dismissed," she said before walking out of the room, leaving us to our devices.

"Kalila!" I turned to see Sumer waving enthusiastically from across the room.

"Do you have anyone in your group?" she asked as she approached.

I shook my head. "No, we still need two more."

"Oh, that's perfect! We're looking for two members as well." Sumer's smile was warm as she glanced at Evara. I had a feeling she and Sumer would get along just fine—they both had that easygoing vibe.

"Evara, this is Sumer. We share a class in another subject," I explained. "Sumer, this is Evara Galini Sinclair. I'm sure you've heard she's an elite."

"Hi, nice to meet you," Sumer said, extending her hand to Evara.

"You too. I hope we get along," Evara replied, shaking Sumer's hand. Sumer then glanced over her shoulder, signaling to someone behind her.

A tall girl with messy hair and glasses was standing there, nervously fidgeting with her fingers. Sumer waved her over.

"Akira, come here," Sumer called softly, and the girl hesitated before slowly making her way over. "Kalila, Evara, this is Akira. She's a bit shy, but she's going to be a great help with this project."

Shy? That was an understatement. She was practically invisible, and it was hard to even catch a glimpse of her face. Evara, always the friendly one, reached out and grabbed Akira's hand, causing her to flinch in surprise. As she looked up, I was struck by how pretty she was—why did she hide herself so much?

"Hi, Akira, you have a lovely name," Evara said, her enthusiasm making her shake Akira's hand a bit too hard for her liking. I stepped in, gently prying Evara's fingers away.

"You're going to break her hand, Evara," I teased lightly.

Evara blinked, looking from me to Akira. "Oh, my bad," she said, letting go with an apologetic smile.

"So, what's our first move?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation in a productive direction.

"Yeah, what should we do?" Evara and Sumer echoed in unison, both turning to me as if I had all the answers. I sighed, realizing the group was still in that awkward phase where everyone was feeling each other out.

Then, out of nowhere, Evara clapped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "We've got plenty of time before the semester ends, right? How about we spend some time getting to know each other first? That way, we can become the perfect team!"

I had to admit, the idea wasn't bad. If we understood each other better, we could probably come up with a stronger, more cohesive project.

"That's a great idea!" Sumer agreed, matching Evara's enthusiasm.

"Akira and I have another class right after this," Sumer said, checking her watch. "How about we meet up later?"

"I'm free for the rest of the afternoon," I said.

I'd recently quit my part-time job at the grocery store to focus on my classes, and although my schedule wasn't as packed as I'd anticipated, I wasn't planning to pick up more shifts, I wanted to keep my weekdays clear, just in case.

"Perfect! Let's meet up after class then," Evara said, her energy infectious as she flashed us a bright smile.

Before Sumer and Akira left, we exchanged phone numbers. I'm really racking my brain over this social experiment project. How can we make it interesting enough for people to participate?

"You need to relax, Miracle, or you'll end up with permanent worry lines," Evara teased as she walked beside me. We decided to head to the library and wait for Sumer and Akira to finish their class.

"Huh?"

"You frown when you're deep in thought," Evara pointed out, tapping my forehead.

"I didn't even notice," I said, touching my forehead. "I'm just wondering if anyone will actually join our project."

"Oh, don't worry about that. I'll make sure they do," she replied confidently, grabbing my hand as we entered the library. "We just need to make it interesting enough."

"Yeah, and that's exactly what's stressing me out," I sighed. "What can we do?"

"Oh, don't worry to much, well come up with interesting ideas" Evara continued, leading me deeper into the library. I hadn't realized this part even existed.

It was a secluded area with small, private rooms—like workspaces. Each room had a name on it, and as we passed by the glass walls, I couldn't help but notice the intense stares following me. It was unsettling.

"Where are we?" I whispered, feeling a bit uneasy.

Evara chuckled softly. "You don't need to whisper; they can't hear you." She stopped in front of a glass door with 'Sinclair' written on it. "This is where I usually do my assignments when I don't feel like doing them at home. Sometimes, I just crash here."

She opened the door, revealing a cozy office space. small tables to work on, no chairs—just bean bags scattered everywhere. Whiteboards lined the walls, and a huge TV dominated one side of the room and a pantry looked more like a small café.

"Is it okay for me to be here?" I asked, feeling a bit out of place.

"Of course!" she said, crossing her arms with a satisfied grin. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah, I love it," I replied, feeling her arms wrap around me in a warm squeeze. "Come on, let's settle in."

We made ourselves comfortable. Evara played a movie on the TV and whipped up a bowl of deliciously unhealthy snacks. I sank into the large bean bag, and before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep.

I jolted awake, my heart racing as I tried to orient myself. Where was I? The unfamiliar surroundings threw me off for a moment, but then it clicked—I was at Evara's workspace. Or was it an office? I wasn't quite sure what to call it. I glanced around, hoping to catch sight of her, but she was nowhere to be found. Just as I was starting to wonder where she had gone, the door swung open.

"Oh, you're up?" Evara's voice broke through my grogginess, and I nodded slowly. Sumer and Akira followed her inside, their expressions curious as they took in the space.

"Wow, what's this place?" Sumer asked, her eyes wide with wonder as she moved toward the pantry, scanning the shelves. 

"My workspace," Evara replied casually.

"They provide each of you with an office?" Sumer asked, her curiosity piqued as she grabbed a bag of chips.

"No, you actually need to get a membership for this," Evara explained as she began wiping down the whiteboards, erasing the remnants of whatever brainstorming session had taken place before. Once she was done, she clapped her hands together, drawing our attention. "So, should we start by getting to know each other better?"

"How about we each share one fact about ourselves every time we'll have a meeting like this?" Sumer suggested, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm.

"That's a great idea," Evara said, her eyes lighting up. "I'll go first—I was saved by Kalila from a kidnapping incident." The room fell silent as Sumer and Akira turned to me, their eyes wide with surprise.

"So, that's why you two are so close," Sumer remarked, her voice tinged with admiration.

"She's my savior," Evara added with pride.

"Well, I was your enemy before that," I interjected, trying to downplay the situation. Sumer and Akira exchanged intrigued glances, clearly fascinated by the story behind our friendship.

"I've already apologized for that, come on," Evara whined, rolling her eyes at me.

"Yeah, yeah—I'll go next." I paused, thinking of something simple to share. "I know self-defense."

"That's not surprising at all," Sumer said with a knowing smile. I was taken aback by her comment—I hadn't expected anyone to know that about me. I've never been one to share much about myself.

"Yeah, I kind of figured," Sumer continued, "You're always watching self-defense videos when you're bored in class." It made sense—Sumer always sat next to me in class, so she'd notice things like that.

"I see my Miracle is being a bad student," Evara teased, her tone playful.

"Kalila's never been a bad student. In fact, she's always at the top of our class," Sumer countered, flashing me a grin. I couldn't help but smirk at Evara, enjoying the brief moment of triumph as she scowled at me.

"Okay, now it's my turn," Sumer said, her expression turning serious. "I'm actually living in a mansion." The room fell silent again, this time was different. 

"So, you're rich?" Evara asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"No, silly," Sumer replied with a giggle. "My mom is a stay-in maid at the mansion, and I live with her."

"Whose family?" Evara asked, her tone more cautious now.

"Montclair," Sumer answered, the name lingering in the air. It sounded familiar, though I couldn't quite place it.

"Oh, fuck. Ciel's house?" Evara blurted out, her eyes widening in realization. I let out a laugh of disbelief— what a fucking small world.

"Yeah, why?" Sumer asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Is she an okay boss?" Evara asked, her voice tinged with concern.

"Oh, I've never met her. My mom says to avoid meeting any of the Montclair children, so I've made sure to do just that." I couldn't help but wonder just how big that mansion must be for her to avoid running into any of them.

"Okay, last up is Akira," Evara said, and we all turned our attention to the quiet Aikira fidgeting nervously.

"Um," Akira began, her voice so soft I almost missed it. Evara reached out and gently held Akira's hand.

"It's all right, Akira. You don't need to be scared," she said, her voice soothing. I wasn't sure Akira was scared, but it was clear that Evara and Sumer were the type to make people feel comfortable, which was good because I never knew how to help people open up.

"It's okay, Akira. Don't be shy," Sumer added, her smile encouraging. Akira nodded, looking between them, and then took a deep breath.

"I'm an artist," she said, surprising us all with the strength in her voice.

"Really?" Evara and Sumer said in unison, their excitement evident. Akira simply nodded, then reached into her bag and began pulling out a few of her paintings. As she carefully laid them out on the table, I felt a shift in the room.

I've never been one for art, but something about her work caught my attention. They say art tells a story, and I could sense that Akira's paintings held her story within every brushstroke. The colors, the lines—they all felt alive.

Sumer and Evara were captivated, especially Evara, who was an art student. She examined each piece with a keen eye, clearly fascinated by Akira's talent.

"I'll make everyone coffee," I offered, sensing that they were too absorbed in the art to notice. As I moved to the pantry, Akira quietly joined me.

"I'll help you," she said, her voice still soft but more confident. I smiled at her, glad to have the company

 As we worked together, I tried to think of a way to keep the conversation going. I wasn't the best at small talk, but I wanted to make an effort.

"Your paintings are great, by the way," I said, figuring a compliment was a safe start.

"Thanks," Akira replied, her cheeks flushing slightly as she focused on pouring the coffee.

I hesitated for a moment, then decided to take a leap. "Do you want to be friends?" I asked, unsure of what else to say. To my surprise, Akira looked at me, a small smile tugging at her lips. She nodded, and just like that, the tension eased.

We returned to the others, each of us carrying a cup of coffee. As we settled back in, the conversation flowed more easily. We chatted, laughed, and shared jokes, the initial awkwardness fading as we grew more comfortable with one another.

But eventually, we had to get down to business. It had been over an hour, and we still hadn't come up with any solid ideas. The atmosphere shifted as we all focused on the task at hand—Evara rolled up her sleeves, Sumer twirled a marker in her hand, Akira tied her hair back, and I found myself reaching for my third cup of coffee.

"I think I'm getting a nosebleed from thinking too much," Evara groaned, rubbing her temples as if the sheer effort was physically draining her.

"Yeah, I never thought coming up with ideas would be this hard," Sumer added, her usual energy noticeably subdued. I could feel the weight of the silence settling over us like a heavy blanket.

I let out a long, frustrated sigh and rested my head on the table, staring blankly at the scattered papers and Akira's vibrant paintings. This was bad—I couldn't think of anything. My mind kept circling back to the same words, over and over.

Creative expression...
Human behavior...
Creative expression...
Human behavior...

There had to be a connection, something that tied those ideas together. My gaze drifted to Akira's paintings, the colors and strokes. And then, like a flash of lightning cutting through the fog, an idea struck.

"Art Connections," I blurted out, the words slipping out before I had fully formed the thought. The room fell silent as all three of them turned to look at me, their expressions a mix of surprise and admiration.

"I told you she's smart," Sumer said, elbowing Evara, who was now looking at me with a newfound respect.

"I don't know, guys," I said cautiously, my mind already racing ahead, listing out potential challenges. "If we go with this, there's a lot to consider." I could feel the weight of the responsibility settling on my shoulders, but I couldn't deny the excitement bubbling beneath the surface.

"And we've got plenty of time to discuss it," Akira said, her voice calm but filled with a quiet determination. I chuckled softly, appreciating her resolve. It was clear that she believed in the idea, and that gave me the confidence to keep going.

"Well, first things first," I began, already thinking about the logistics. "We'll need someone who can create an app for us."