THE ARISTOCRATS #1

00:24

After an extensive conversation with the other Aristocrats, the five of them had come to the solution of pretending to not understand what Clementine's mother was talking about. Of course, the fact that she was aware of their little scheme lingered in the back of their minds, whispering sweet words of cruelty in their ears. However, they had no intentions of turning back.

"What's wrong is wrong," Clementine had said firmly. "Just because she knows we know doesn't mean that we're going to stop."

They had all agreed, some more determined and angry, and others more concerned and worried.

A week had passed, and it was radio silence from her mother's end. Clementine sat in the old, dusty library, biting her thumbnail as she read Othello. She sat with one foot on her chair, her right arm hugging it to her chest as she rested her cheek on her knee. It was more comfortable this way, and she found that she could read like this for hours on end.

Any passerby may have stopped in their path to stare at her, sitting under a shaft of the pink light of the setting sun that lit up the golden locks of her hair. Tied back into a loose ponytail with a blue ribbon, one might've said she resembled goldilocks. Her white school blouse peeked through the soft, beige knit vest she wore over it, covered in various badges.

Clementine tilted her head to where her phone sat on her desk to her right. It pinged loudly, and she blushed with embarrassment as she hastily turned off the ringer. A notification from Elijah.

Where are you?

She quickly typed out a reply.

im in the library, why?

The reply came instantaneously.

I'll be there in a second. Don't go anywhere.

She staved off a smile, always pleased to see him.

Clementine put her phone back down, looking back at her book to find where she was interrupted from.

"Clementine?" Someone spoke above her.

She looked up, the sun shining behind her like a halo. It was a boy from her chemistry class, Maximus, was what she vaguely remembered. Awfully average looking boy, Maximus, with ears that stuck out slightly and mousy brown hair, he wasn't particularly one to stand out.

"Hello, Max," she greeted politely, the picture of poise.

"Hi," he grinned toothily. "I wasn't sure if you even knew my name, if i'm being honest."

She frowned in confusion. Where was this leading to?

"I'm happy that you know who I am of course!" He explained, taking the seat opposite hers. "I feel like I haven't seen you around much lately. Must be hard being a school captain. What are you reading? Can I see?"

She blinked, feeling slightly dazed by the barrage of questions, but lifted up the book so he could see the cover.

"Othello," she explained. "We have to study a book in our own spare time for literature, so I chose this."

"Wow," he whistled. "Smart girl."

"Thanks," Clementine replied slowly, unsure of what she thought of that. "Do you need help with anything? I'm afraid I can't do much, but f you need any help you're always welcome to go to our well-being officer, Mrs Plum. She's quite good at solving problems."

"No, no!" Maximus waved his hand dismissively. "You're sweet, but I saw you and thought I might as well try."

"Try?" Clementine tilted her head, a slow sense of impending doom washing over her. "You don't mean..."