Deadly Kisses

2. The New School

2.      The New School

 

//

After visiting M’s office, I spend the rest of the night walking around the neighborhood, until I know every shadowy corner and every rusted stop sign with the familiarity of someone who has grown up here their whole lives. I stop back at my house, take a quick shower and put on an outfit less intimidating than my usual spygear, and then head over to my new school.

My phone buzzes in my hand.

Ready for school?

I look down at M’s text and shake my head. M’s obviously trying to psych me out, but there is no way I’m falling for her antics.

Completely, I text back.

White Sands High has an extremely prestigious reputation, and its exterior building definitely lives up to its name. It’s the size of a small castle, sprawling with green fields and blooming flowerbeds, with modern architecture and the shiniest gold entrance plaque I’ve ever seen. For a place that most teenagers refer to as a living hell, this high school is pretty beautiful.

Considering the fact that it’s only 5 am, the school itself as well as the surrondings streets are completely deserted. My eyes immediately start scanning the building and catch on to a window near the main entrance that is just low enough for me to climb through.

I take out my phone and type M a text. Going early to map out the building. I’ll brief you on the escape routes and target locations when I get the chance.

M’s reply is short and direct. Perf. Good luck.

“Not gonna need it,” I say under my breath, putting the phone into my bag. I stealthily slide along the length of the building until I come across the window. Luckily, there aren’t any locks—with a little bit of strength, I pry the window open and slip inside the school.

The classroom I land in is completely black, but years of training have significantly improved my eyesight in darkness. I’m able to make out the blurred outline of the classroom door on the other side of the room.

My fingers have just touched the cool metal of the doorknob when, suddenly, the room floods with blinding light and all I can hear is the loud screech of an alarm blaring throughout the entire school.

Oh, fuck.

//

The switch from average teenage girl in a high school to professionally trained assassin is immediate. I fling open the classroom door, my eyes burning from the sudden change in light, and hurry down the deserted hallway without delay.

“Shit, shit, shit,” I hiss. Who is idiotic enough to set off an alarm at this time of day? And for what freaking reason?

There are no signs of other people at the moment, but I know that pretty soon authorities will be flooding in. Normally high school vandalism is so petty that I wouldn’t even be bothered about the sounding of an alarm, but from research I found that White Sands High had several mysterious break-ins that occurred recently. There’s no doubt in my mind that the local police are already on high alert about any incidents concerning this school.

I turn a corner, and to my great relief, see a door at the end of the hall with a glowing exit sign above it. I’ll have just enough time to leave the school and walk down the street as if I was just another innocent bystander.

My phone buzzes. Ugh, it’s definitely M, already notified about the alarms going off and probably getting ready to scream at me until my ears bleed.