𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘯 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 ➳ 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭; 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐦

The bus arrives at Washington D.C. After what felt like eternity for Ophelia, they had finally arrived. The bus left them right in the hotel's entrance, where above of the entrance a banner was announcing the "United States Academic Decathlon".

The team goes to the check-in-area, and the students look around in awe as they walk in. Everything was filled with preparations for the Decathlon team.

Liz being in the front, led everyone inside. She came to a halt and turned to her teammates, "Everyone stick together." Liz instructs as she shares a glance with the teacher who nods, "Yeah."

"You kidding me? This place is huge!" Charles, the boy with blue glasses, exclaims in awe looking around the place they'll be staying.

Flash shrugged at his comment, unimpressed by the surroundings, "I've seen bigger."

"There's a bird in there." Abe points, Cindy and Charles looking to where he pointed and saying 'wow' at the same time.

"Hey, you brought your laptop, right?" Peter leans close to Ned, who sends Peter a curious look, "Why?"

In the back, Michelle and Ophelia twirled in their spots— observing everything and taking everything in. The place is one of the prettiest places both girls ever stayed at.

Ophelia not watching where she was wondering off, accidentally bumped into someone, her back against their chest, letting out a gasp she quickly apologized whilst spinning around. Facing the person. Her eyes widening, her lips parting slightly from getting caught off guard.

"I believe it was my fault." He spoke, his deep voice bringing back the girl back to reality, blushing she bit her bottom lip with a small smile stretching on her lips, "I should have been paying more attention." She lets out a nervous laugh, playing with her fingers.

"As a gentleman I should take at least half of the blame." He playfully says, making the brunette giggle softly.

Unknowingly to them, a figure watched the two speak. A frown was placed on his face, he watched as the boy flirted with his best friend, feeling something in the pit of his stomach churning.

Was he jealous?

'No.' He told himself, moving his eyes from the two figures and looking towards Ned who was winking and smiling at some females who passed by. Only to receive weird looks in return, but that didn't stop him. Peter on the other hand, was fully annoyed and seemed grumpy.

Rolling his eyes, he let out a heavy breath and walked pass Ned, bumping his shoulder purposely, "Let's go."

"The hell got into your panties?" Ned makes a face not understanding the sudden change of mood.

Ophelia moved a strand of hair behind her ear, "Are you from here?" She asks the boy, who's name she found out was Julian.

Julian had dirty blonde hair with bright blue eyes, and let's not forget his incredibly fit body for an eighteen year old.

"Uh, no." He looks at the girl in front of him, eyeing her up and down while biting his lip, "You?" After asking that, he felt stupid. She was after all with the rest of her friends who were wearing yellow jackets and all of them had a small imprint of the school's name.

"Don't answer that." He quickly fixes his mistake and chuckles, "Anyways," his eyes trailed behind the girl where two figures stood motioning him to hurry, "I need to leave. But I'll see you soon, Ms. Ophelia." Winking he walked away, joining his friends and leaving the hotel.

Ophelia stood there, a bit too happy.

Turning to Michelle, she ran to her and squealed, "Oh my God! He was so hot! I did not just dream that, right?" Ophelia rambled, with flushed cheeks and a goofy grin, her eyes also sparkled. Michelle sent the girl a fake smile whilst shaking her head 'no', "He was here."

Ophelia squeals softly, but was called by the teacher who told her to come over and Michelle's fake smile dropped to a small frown, she looked over to where the boy and his friends left. For some reason she had a bad feeling about them.

Then again, she could careless but for some reason this time she cared. It wasn't just any person, but her new friend. Ophelia really had made a spot in Michelle's life without knowing.  Sighing, the girl closed her book and joined Ophelia who was calling out for her.

🕷

Looking through my bag, I tried to find my charger. My phone was running out of battery.

"Shit." I said under my breath.

It was in the bus. Luckily the bus was parked outside and the driver was in the lobby. Closing my bag, I looked at Michelle who was laying on her bed whilst reading a book.

"I'm going downstairs. I have to get my charger, wanna join?" Glancing to Michelle, she looked away from her book then went back to reading— and I took that as my answer.

"Well, I'll see you later!" I closed the door behind me and stroll down the hotel's isle, going down the stairs only to make an abrupt stop when I saw Peter and Liz talking.

Hiding behind the wall beside me, I peek at them and saw them smiling at each other.

'I guess that's a good start?' I thought.

"What are you doing?"

Letting out a yelp, I jumped up startled by the voice.

Greeting my teeth, I punched the familiar dirty blonde headed boy and shushed him. He watched me with amusement, and smirked when he realized what I was doing, "Ah, spying on them?" He points to where Peter and Liz were at and I threw Julian a small glare, "No comment."

"Your secret is safe with me." Julian winks, "That's if you do me the honors of joining me for a walk." He flirts, sending me a rather charming smile. Biting my lips, I hesitated before deciding to take a walk with him.

"Fine." Was the only thing I said as Julian led me to another hall.

Following him, we both walked together in silence.

"I've heard about your school." Julian speaks up, and I raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

He nods, slowing down before blocking my path, and I came to a stop facing him. Only a small gap between us.

"Yeah, you guys have quite some history with these competitions." He states and I felt a shiver go down my spine, "W-What?" I was confused, Julian's once charming expression turned to an angry one, grabbing me by the arm tightly, he opened the door next to us and threw me inside the room.

I didn't have time to react as the doors then slammed closed. Hearing the lock, I gasp and widen my eyes.

"What the hell?!" I pushed my body against the door, pounding on the door, "Let me out!"

"Haven't they told you to never trust a stranger?" Julian chuckles, and I heard his footsteps slowly fade, leaving me by myself.

Glancing around the dark room, I took my phone out and saw how it had been recording for the past few minutes.

Stopping the recording, I went through my contacts to call Peter, I just saw him a few minutes ago and he was outside. Maybe he could help me.

The phone rang for a while but soon went straight to voicemail.

Texting Michelle I was about to press the 'send' button when my phone went black.

"You've got to be shitting me!" I cried out, hitting my head against the hard door, I let my body slide down on the ground.

Facing the dark room, I felt tears threatening to fall.

Feeling the cold hard floor, I pulled my legs up against my body and put my head down.

"H-help..."