The Hijinks War

6. On the Wall

"Where were you last night?"

Jess' voice reached me through the noise in the dining hall the next afternoon, and I glanced up from my laptop to see her and Ashley approaching me at our usual table.

I shrugged off the attention her question brought me and returned to furiously typing out our chemistry project while I ate. "I went out for a run."

Jess' brows furrowed as if she didn't believe me. "You didn't even make it for dinner. When did you get back?"

"About half an hour after curfew. I passed out on the soccer field."

I caught their concerned expressions, and Jess immediately dropped down beside me, squeezing my shoulder. "Sorry I wasn't around, Jacks had me doing some spying. Wanna head up to our room for lunch?"

Spying for Jackson, of course. I shook my head and slid my laptop over to her. "Nah, here's fine. I finished the Chemistry thing—you want to double check it?"

With a laugh at our potential failing grade if she didn't, she took the laptop. As she looked it over I began listening to the conversations happening at the table behind ours where the Hellhounds Elite sat. Something was going to be happening. Something was always happening. Our job was to be prepared to avoid it, or flip it on the Hellhounds.

Our table was in the perfect spot for invisibility, just outside of their aura to go relatively unnoticed and close enough to hear almost everything they said. The beauty was the Elite barely recognized the rest of us when they weren't seeking us out specifically—their world revolved around them and the drama of their war. Like mine did, given that I was still sitting at this table, being a good recon soldier out of habit. Why did I care what Katia was talking about anyway?

"How are you feeling, Kia?" Vivienne's words were genuine and careful, but followed with a yelp, it was clear that she'd been kicked under the table.

"It's okay, Hads! I'm fine, Vivi."

"But you haven't eaten anything..."

"I'm fine!" Katia stood abruptly. "Besides, I don't want to talk about it anymore. Least of all here."

Interesting.

As Katia stomped away, I noticed her outfit. Where she would normally be wearing trim pants and a fitted or slim cut top, she was in lounge pants and a crumpled t-shirt under her leather jacket.

Odd.

Jess' eyes followed Katia out of the dining hall, a thoughtful worried look on her face.

-.-

Several Thunderbirds seniors found their cars thoroughly covered in post-its this morning. Good job to you Hellhounds that carried out this expertly crafted decorating job. We especially love the lights and racing stripes.