Hunted

Act 15; Room

Noah couldn't help but admire how childlike Amelia's curiosity was. In a way, She had a mature control over her beagleness that made it more childish to him.

He saw it in the way her dark brown eyes seemed to glint with every new flyer she saw and stopped to read, how she just stood by the wall near the light to study the bulletin board with all the names and schedules and rankings as Daniel gave him final instructions.

"Yo. Dude. You still got ears on you?"

"Huh? What?" He sounded like someone just woke him up. "Oh. Sorry. What were you talking about?"

Daniel glared, looking like someone who hadn't slept in ages. "Like I said. I'll have to tell the dorm students about your little stray. You need confidentiality on this or what?"

He shook his head, "I don't." Then pointed a thumb behind him. "But she seems to."

Daniel studied the girl standing by the bulletin board, crossing his arms over his chest. "She really does remind me of someone I should know. Can you tell me her name?"

He thought for a bit. "Kacey. Call her Kacey Boyne."

Daniel showed his surprise and recognition with raised eyebrows, then glared like he wanted to shoot him with the school's T-shirt gun at point-blank range. "You mean like that Sci-Fi series? What, you're gonna tell me she's a knife-wielding psychopath in space and follows a bunny ringleader around a spaceship later? Or is she still in her bashful, self-conscious stage where no character development has happened yet?"

Noah grinned sincerely. "Ain't gonna say it then. But you sure know sarcasm."

Daniel scoffed then pulled out a key from his pocket. He pointed it at his chest like it was a knife. "I'll have to look around tomorrow for the actual keys, but for now, use this to open the door. It should be a little dusty, but bearable." He placed the pointy tip of the key on his chest, stinging the skin under his shirt like an ant bite. Noah showed no outward reaction, keeping his good-natured smile. "It's the master key and I only have one copy, officially. Guard it with your LIFE."

Noah took the key in his hands, a silver little thing where the Sports Department's insignia was etched at the base. The red figure making a dash to the left seemed off to him for some reason, but he didn't know why. He nodded at Daniel, his smile never leaving his face.

Daniel gave him one last glare before sighing. He patted the gamer guy's shoulder as he passed, whispering, "Don't get into trouble because of a stray again, got it?"

Noah nodded with a sound, his smile slightly faltering at the memory.

Daniel took his exit, heading to his own dorm room two hallways away from Noah's.

The gamer guy looked back at the dancer girl who had her fingers hovering over a flyer that was advertising their school's party on Friday. It had a stage in the background and a hip hop guy was balancing himself on one hand in the foreground, the movement caught perfectly on camera, the moment made more dramatic by the shadows casted on the dancer.

"Am---Kacey?" He caught himself from almost calling her by her real name.

Amelia looked at him in confusion, then her eyes raised to show comprehension. "Y-yes?" Her voice was higher than he was used to. Actually, hearing her talk was more of a rarity than anything else.

He smiled genuinely. "I got your keys. Follow me?"

He nodded to the doors that led to the hallway containing personal lockers for the dorm students.

She followed him all the way, willing herself not to stop and read the inspirational quotes on the posters on the walls since that would just slow them down. But golly, they were so inspirational. She wished there was one from a ballerina.