There aren't many things that made Amisha go 'yikes'. But as she slips out of the girl dormitories and passes an intoxicated couple staggering up the stairs and tripping over each other, she mutters exactly that. With an unimpressed roll of her eyes, she continues tip toeing across the lounge. Despite the house keeping rules being made clear on the white board on the left wall, Amisha can spot empty mugs on the table, and a few books scattered in places they shouldn't be.

Speaking of things being in wrong places, she spots a student passed out on the couch, one leg off the couch, and a blanket covering the top of their body. Amisha snickers but continues her mission to sneak out.

"What are you doing?"

Amisha freezes. Her hand drops from where it was resting on the door knob, and she turns around. Lucas Faye rubs his eyes, looking at her over the back of the couch. His face is full of surprise and confusion.

"Going to the bathroom," Amisha replies, crossing her arms and developing a threatening posture.

"Well, you're going in the wrong direction, darl."

"Ew," Amisha says, the skin under her eyes wrinkling in disgust. "Don't call me darl."

Lucas stands, finally gathering his bearings and stretching. He stares at her with an expression that she cannot translate. "Fine, tell me where you're really going."

With a reluctant sigh, Amisha speaks: "I was just going to check the courtyard."

"I'm coming with you."

"What? Why?"

Lucas crosses his arms, mimicking Amisha's stance. "What happened the last time you went down to the courtyard in the middle of the night?"

"It actually went quite well. Sierra and I had a good look," Amisha replies, a smug smile on her face.

Lucas's arms drop beside him, with his mouth parting in shock.

"You and Sierra went without me?"

Amisha nods.

"Well not this time, darl. I'm coming."

Lucas walks towards Amisha, and out the door, giving her no choice but to follow him.

"Call me darl again, and I'm breaking your arm."

"Sure sure, darl."

Lucas notices the nasty look on Amisha's face, and runs backward, his eyes on Amisha but his feet focused on getting away.

Amisha starts jogging, making sure her shoes make no sound.

Lucas turns around as they get to the courtyard, he moves to enter with a goofy smile on his face, but the smile slips off his face. His eyes widen, as they take in the two hooded figures in front of him. Amisha stops next to him.

"Wha-" before Amisha can finish, the hooded figures step away from the statue of Maria Costav.

"Iacta Vasidium."

Lucas flies back against the wall, his mind not processing anything but the pain.

"Lucas!"

Amisha races towards him. She kneels down and looks back at the hooded figure who vanishes into thin air.

Lucas blinks, his arms trying to lift himself up.

"Fuck me," Lucas mutters, hissing in pain.

"I'd rather not," Amisha replies, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

"Have you heard?" Orion sits down at the table, placing his books on the edge. The boys look up in curiosity.

Day asks, "Heard what?"

"Lucas and Amisha were in the courtyard last night, saw someone in a hood touching the statue or something, and said person threw Lucas against the wall," Orion adds, looking down at his breakfast, and suddenly losing his appetite.

"Why were Lucas and Amisha in the courtyard?" Alec asks, his eyebrows furrowed.

Day rolls his eyes.

"That's hardly the point. Is Lucas okay?"

Orion nods.

"How'd you find out anyway? Was someone actually there or is that the rumour mill?" Day asks, knowing that the rumour mill could be detrimental to the truth.

"Lucas told Noah this morning, and I saw Noah before breakfast and he didn't look happy."

"So the statue is being messed with?" Alec says. "Is Sierra still in the infirmary?"

"I think she got released last night," Orion replies, knowing the direction that the conversation was heading in.

To Orion's surprise, Day interjects, "I don't think it's Sierra."

Alec's eyebrows rise.

"And off all people, you're saying that?"

"Someone tampered with her box to stop it from opening. I doubt she would do that."

"But why would someone attack Sierra?"

"Cause she and I have been looking into the courtyard."

The boys look up, to see Amisha Jeet standing behind Alec. She pulls a chair back and sits down, her plate of eggs on toast in front of her. She continues, "And I think Sierra was getting really close to something."

Looking a little uncomfortable, Day asks, "Have you spoken to her since the challenge?"

"No. I think she's still in the infirmary."

Orion adds, "I heard she got discharged last night."

"She's not here," Alec says, looking around, searching for the all too vivid red hair.

"I can flick her a text, if you want?" Orion asks.

To that, Amisha nods gratefully.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

There are many things Noah struggles with, and admittedly finds difficult. Things starting with not judging people straight away and the concept of being a candidate in The Revealing. But when it comes down to it, the thing Noah Woods finds most difficult of all: looking for Sierra Kingsley when she doesn't want to be found.

He had searched every lounge the students had access to, and of course the first place he had looked was the library. But alas, no Sierra Kingsley in sight.

Once he has given up on his search, he makes his way around the compound, kicking stones with his jandal clad feet. As he goes to kick the next stone, his right jandal breaks.

"Ah, fuck!"

He picks up the jandal, trying to push it back into the hole.

"Instraubo."

Noah looks down at his now repaired jandal and then up to the controller witch he has been searching for.

"If I had known that all it takes to find you is to break something, I would've done that an hour ago," Noah remarks, putting his jandal back on.

Sierra smiles. "Why were you looking for me?"

"Just want to make sure you're okay." Pause. "Are you?"

"Not entirely, but I'll get there," Sierra replies.

"You know, I think you're one of the very few people who answers 'are you okay' honestly. In fact, now that I think about it, you actually tell me how your day is going, when I ask you, rather than the old 'good'."

The smile on Sierra's face grows bigger.

"I'm a sharer. If sharing my feelings, keeps the conversation going, then so be it."

"Wow, the complex mind of an extrovert," Noah adds, jokingly.

The pair laugh.

"Wanna join me on my walk?"

Noah replies, "I'd be honored, Miss Kingsley."

Sierra lets out a girlish giggle, and to Noah's surprise it no longer annoys him.

"How is your day going? Like actually?" Sierra asks.

"It's been alright. Spoke to Orion in the morning, and he's quite worried about the courtyard."

"Hmm. I don't blame him." Sierra pauses. "Speaking of Orion, how are the tutoring sessions going?"

"He's been really helpful. He's lowkey such a scholar," Noah answers, with a goofy smile.

Sierra watches as Noah takes a deep breath in and lets it out. His posture tenses, and his face looks conflicted.

"What's wrong?"

"There's something I actually wanted to talk to you about," Noah replies, trying to focus on breathing and not backing out. "I think, I like Orion."

"Same?"

Noah shakes his head. "No, I think I like Orion."

"Oh," Sierra says, her eyes dawning with realization. "I didn't realise you were into guys."

"I'm sure you're disappointed," Noah replies with a chuckle.

Sierra snickers, shoving his shoulders with hers. "Shut up, you prick. Have you told him yet?"

"No!" Noah says, backing away, looking at her as if she was insane. "What if he's as straight as a pole?"

Sierra thinks back to her last conversation with Orion. She bites her lip, pondering whether it is her place to say anything.

"I think you should tell him, you'll never know if you don't say anything. If he's straight, that's alright, plenty of gay fish in the sea."

Noah rolls his eyes.

"Plenty of gay fish, she says. Hardly."

"You don't know that," Sierra sings, a goofy smile painting itself on her lips.

"Maybe I do," Noah grumbles.

"I think I would know if you did."

"We get it," Noah adds, stretching his words out. "You know everything."

"You got that right," Sierra replies with a wink.

Noah lightly shoves her shoulder with the words, "Fuck out of here."

"Language, Mr. Woods," Sierra chastises mockingly.

"That's it, you can walk alone," Noah says, turning away from her.

"But then you won't know about my secret hiding spot?"

Noah turns around, his interest peeked.

"Jokes on you, you'll never know," Sierra adds.