Cosmo Prison - Book 1: The Edge of Earth

Chapter 31

Chapter 31 

*Saket Bikmal*

After evading Sophie for two days, I finally summon up my courage and go out to look for her. Hopefully I’ll be able to undo the damage.

Evening has just started to set in when I find Sophie talking to Courtney just outside Town Hall. I pause just out of earshot -- I’d feel even more guilty if I’d ended up hearing something that I’m not meant to hear.

Once the conversation dies down, I shuffle up to the pair, keeping my eyes on the asphalt. “Uh... hi, Sophie. Hi, Courtney.”

“Hey, Saket,” Courtney responds, sounding slightly surprised. “Why’re you here? Is there supposed to be a meeting?”

I shake my head. “No. I, um... I was just looking for Sophie.” Gosh, that sounded bad. I cough to hide my embarrassment.

An amused glint enters Courtney’s eyes for the first time in days. “All right, then. I’ll just leave you two here.” Wiggling her eyebrows at me, she grins and slips into Town Hall.

I fidget with the hem of my shirt, unsure of what to make of Sophie’s silence, still not daring to look at her. “Uh, are you...” Suddenly very self-conscious, I let my voice evaporate in the darkness.

Sophie doesn’t look at me. “Still mad, you mean? No, I’m not. But I don’t really want to talk to you, either.”

“Listen, I’m sorry about... you know,” I stutter. “I just--”

“It’s all right,” Sophie says quickly. “I know you meant well. But let’s just be friends.”

“Okay.” I fake a smile, even though my gut is twisting into a jillion knots and my soul feels like it’s slowly shriveling up. “That’s okay.”

As an excuse to remove myself from the awkward situation, I grab the handles of Town Hall’s double doors. “I have to talk to Suchet. See you around.”

Sophie nods.

I turn around and drag the doors open, wincing at the ancient creak they make. My sneakers make squeaky sounds on the tiles as I step in.

“Hey, guys.” I greet the three people seated around the table in a friendly tone.

The heads of Courtney, Ramya, and Suchet swivel around to face me, and I realize I must’ve just interrupted an important conversation. Desperately trying to backtrack, I stumble back towards the door. “Sorry, I’ll just go and--”

For the second time today, someone cuts me off. “It’s okay, take a seat!” Ramya says cheerily, patting the chair next to her. She’s always so bright and sunny; I can see why Suchet likes her.

“Yo, Saket, what’re you here for?” Suchet inquires.

“I don’t know. Guess I was bored,” I answer.

“Well, join us!” Ramya exclaims. “We’re talking about our next plan of action.”

I slide into the seat between her and Courtney. “Why just the three of you?”

Suchet shrugs. “We didn’t want to let too many people know, since the plan is only in its first stages.”

“Makes sense.” I lean my elbows on the table. “Can you let me in on it?”

“Well, we want to lead Christy away from the fortress so Leo and Jack will be able to escape easily,” Suchet explains. “We’re planning a grand distraction, basically.”

“So, what are your ideas so far?” I ask.

“Yeah, that’s the problem,” he sighs. “There isn’t really any obvious move that Christy would expect us to take. She wouldn’t take anything seriously.”