I wake up with the strings surrounding me. My body feels so much lighter. I hold my hands to my sides and try my best to avoid them as I get ready for class. I take just a single pill and the strings fade almost completely.

Strange, I didn't think that would work.

I make myself a piece of toast and eat that as I get my bag together. There's no way in hell I'm going to the dining hall after I drop off wine to Hercules. Not unless I can convince him to come with me. I wonder if he'd go for it...I mean it's sort of his fault. I wouldn't have made the graduation list if it wasn't for his class.

There's a slight breeze coming through my door, a reminder that we're only a week away from winter. Good thing Teacher brought the clothes for me. I haven't touched the bags, but since we'll be seeing Luanne today, I might as well try everything on.

I open my closet. It's cleaner than I left it. My dresses and athletic t-shirts I always wear hang side by side, along with a new wool trench coat and two pullover sweaters. Even my dresser is organized, and my socks and underwear all perfectly folded. Who the hell folds socks?

Teacher does, I guess.

I'm thankful he cleaned up his mess, but he didn't have to go so as far as to get his hands into my underwear.

I shift my feet and grab the coat. The fabric is smooth and feels expensive, like nothing I've ever worn before. I've never had to, considering how close I lived to the ocean. How much did he pay for this? I go over to the bathroom and stare at myself in the mirror.

The coat ends mid-thigh and is only a shade darker than my dress. Classic. Now, if only I had a top hat I could look like a detective. Smart enough to solve the issues here on campus like the things Caiden left behind or that book. No, I better not dwell on that. Better to focus on the here and now.

Also part of my new wardrobe are some leggings and brown boots, but for today I think the coat will work fine on its own.

After a brief walk to the dining hall and an annoying walk to Hercules's place, I find his cottage empty.

Guess no breakfast for me.

I could go back to my room, but class begins in an hour, and I have my bag with me. If I go to Korma's early, I can skip the crowds that pack in the arts and letters building as usual. At least my chances of getting stabbed would be lower.

As expected, the halls are completely empty when I get there. I can see from the entrance all the way to the staircases on each end. My footsteps echo off the warm hardwood and I can smell the dust in the air.

I look into the window of my classroom. Empty. At least I'll be able to get a good seat, but damn. I feel like I'd just be a waiting duck in there. Even though I hate her, Korma being here would have been better.

The opening creak of the door to the building echoes down the hall. I turn around.

"Elizabeth, what are you doing here so early?" Teacher asks. He has a coffee mug in one hand and something in a rolled-up napkin in the other.

I let out a sigh of relief.

"Trying to get a good seat in class," I say.

He comes up to me and looks through the window.

"After the incident yesterday, don't you think it's a little risky to be on your own?"

I'm sure he didn't have to listen to my thoughts to figure that out.

"Yeah, I thought Korma would be the early type, but I guess not."

He shakes his head.

"No, she'll sit in her office before class. Come on, my office is next to hers. You can walk with her whenever she shows up, until then you can wait with me."

He begins walking up the stairs and looks back at me when I don't immediately follow.

"Something wrong?"

I shake my head no and rush up the stairs to join him. We don't exchange any words once we get into his office. He sets his cup and napkin down and takes a seat in his chair.

The last time I saw this place was in that nightmare I had a few days ago.

"Sit down," Teacher says, motioning to the seat across from him. I slide into it and put my bag on the floor. "The coat looks good, how is everything else?"

I shrug my shoulders. "I'm sure it's all fine. You've always gotten my sizes right."

He chuckles and takes a sip of his coffee.

"It's too early for breakfast, did you manage to eat anything?"

"Just some toast."

He unfolds the napkin to reveal a chocolate donut. He breaks it in half and slides it across the desk.

"Here," he says.

"Thanks."

I've never had a donut here before. It's fluffy and the chocolate icing is smooth. More luscious than any chocolate I've had in Topside. Teacher pulls a glass from his desk and his special bottle of water. He pours a cup and pushes it towards me.

Wow. This might be the best breakfast I've ever had in Near Elysium.

"How are you doing, medication wise? Those lines or whatever they are, still bothering you?"

I shake my head.

"I can't really make them out today."

"Good," he says and swirls his coffee. "Any weird dreams?"

All at once I remember the beach.

"Nothing too weird," I say. Hopefully he doesn't ask me to elaborate.

"Glad to hear it," he says with a smile in my direction.

"You seem to be in a good mood yourself, did something happen?" I ask.

He shrugs his shoulders. "Finally got a good night of sleep. And I'm not stressing about the council if that's what you're asking. They are obviously going to do whatever they want. No point in worrying about it."

Well, I'm glad he's fine, but what the hell am I supposed to do? The council is screwing me and I'm beginning to think it's personal.

"You okay?" he asks.

"Just wondering what's going to happen with that cursed list I'm on."

He finishes the last bit of donut and shreds the napkin until it disappears.

"Well, do you intend to try to graduate?"

I sit back in my chair.

"You can't, you don't think I actually have a chance, do you?"

"Why not? You made the list."

I put the glass back on his desk.

"I'm pretty sure the council did that so I could get my ass kicked for the Theron crap that happened a few months ago."

Teacher leans forward with a sneaky grin on his face.

"An opening is an opening. Don't tell me you aren't thinking of exploiting it."

I blink at him twice. He thinks I can graduate. And he believes it more than I do, but why?

"Just think," he says as he sits back and props up a leg. "My first student, graduating their first year. And Tiffany thought I couldn't be a facilitator." He laughs and I roll my eyes.

Of course, the Prince of Darkness is only thinking of what he'll gain from this.

"What's with that look? You were in such a hurry to leave when you got here, remember? This is your shot. Graduate and no more rules, sounds nice, doesn't it?"

"Well yeah. I just don't know how I'd pull it off," I say.

"You always figure something out. Just focus on hanging onto that spot, alright? It's just a week. Make it on the official list and I'll save you a special dance at the gala."

I break eye contact with his desk to look at him. He's drinking his coffee again, so I can't tell if he's serious or not.

A door closes in the hallway outside.

"That's probably Korma. Get to class and be careful."

I enter the classroom before the door even has a chance to close behind her. She looks back at me and arches an eyebrow.

"So, it's the Protégé. What are you doing here? Come to tell me you plan to skip?"

I shake my head no.

"Just coming to get an early start," I say and take a seat in the center row. This lady is always riding my ass and it has me seriously wondering if she got stuck here mid-menopause or something. I would tell her off, tell her I don't want to be there either, but it'd only piss off Teacher, so I keep the words to myself.

Then the lines begin to appear.

I pull out one of my notebooks and begin doodling to ignore them. Korma busies herself with scratching chalk across the board. For a solid ten minutes, I'm able to ignore her. But then she begins walking up and down the aisles of chairs, straightening each one as if anyone cares. I even catch her wiping away some graffiti.

As she moves throughout the classroom, she trails string behind her. She passes my desk, then returns to writing on the board. The string she's left is only inches away.

And so tempting.

Her back is turned. She won't notice. No one will, not if I just try once. I extend my fingers towards it, brushing them lightly against the faint thread.

Why care though? No one does, no one has cared in a hundred years. No one wants or needs to learn any of this.

I bring back my fingers when the classroom door opens. The campus bell rings in the distance. As the seats fill around me, I can't help but see Korma a bit differently. Those thoughts weren't mine. She...doesn't like this either.

The class goes on and on like it usually does.

Words fill the board that I don't understand, I struggle to stay awake, and my notes are just bad doodles. But when everyone gets up to leave, I stay in my seat, and it's not just because I overheard the plans to jump me outside.

Korma finishes wiping down the blackboard and looks back at me.

"Protégé? What are you still doing here?"

"I have a question about today's lesson," I say.

She crosses her arms. "Don't see how that has anything to do with me."

Right, because these classes were designed to be impassable. They couldn't have always been this way though, they must've been different a long time ago. Two years ago at least.

But I suppose when you stagnate yourself, those two years feel like a hundred.

"I was just wondering what you've been doing these past hundred years," I say.

Her eyebrows quirk upwards and her eyes narrow.

"What are you talking about, Protégé? What does that have to do with class?"

I point to the only Latin phrase I recognize on the board.

"Just wondering how you've been seizing the day. If you don't have an answer, that's okay too. See you tomorrow."

I pull my coat around myself as I leave the classroom. Well, one class over with, just a few more to go. Hopefully without incident. Once I exit the building, I squint in the harsh daylight.

Someone shoves me off the stairs and another someone pushes me against the brick siding of the building.

I gag as a hand locks around my throat. My eyes adjust enough to show me things I'd rather not see.

Two Meat girls. I've seen these girls before. They had the pleasure of beating me up a few months ago.

"Where's the other clone?" I say against the hand.

"Studying her ass off because of you, bitch," the girl holding me down says.

"I didn't know I was someone's role model, did you come for my autograph?"

The hand tightens around my throat.

If I'm going to die, I might as well have fun with it. I can't pull away from this girl, she's too strong, and my coat pockets are completely empty. The edges of my vision are starting to blur.

But the strings look clearer than ever.

My fingers twitch.

I could grab one and let it take me away, let it take me anywhere but here.

I ball up my fists.

I can't touch them, I can't do it without them knowing.

I want to. I want to grab them all.

I push the thoughts away and throw a punch forward, clipping the girl's jaw. She laughs it off, but her hand releases just slightly enough to give me a breath of air. But it isn't enough. The world is turning into shadows.

I suddenly fall sideways and the world comes back in color. Both of the Meat girls are on the floor too. I look up.

"So, Protégé, you wanted an answer to that question?" Korma asks from above me while flexing her wrists.