𝐅𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑| 𝐋.𝐂.

5: The opening challenge

"Welcome to the opening challenge." Louis announces and everyone starts to clap.

"Hell yeah!" I hear Alex shout and I let out a brief chuckle from his excitement.

"As you all know, this is not a regular school. And our goal here is not to prepare you for the regular state standard exams. Other than a two week vacation at the end of the year for you to prepare for that unimportant test, we won't be dealing with that at all." Louis continues.

"Thank god." Parker says and everyone lets out a laugh.

"My only job here is to feed your curiosity. Now, the Ravens and Eagles have been rivals for decades, and this year is no different. So, today I'm sending you a riddle. You have to solve that riddle to find the key to unlock this case, to be the first team to ring the gong and win." Louis says, pointing to the gray gong.

"So, what's the prize?" Parker asks.

"Yeah, I wanna know what the Ravens are missing out on this year." Daniel says, glaring at us.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I growl as Parker gives Daniel a high five.

"It's okay. Let him talk." Leo says to me, sending me a calm look.

"I'll just say that the winning house will get a treat to kick off a very sweet year." Louis grins at us.

"Hope it's a car ride home." I mutter, playing with my hoodie string.

"The riddle is being sent to your Louie now." Louis states and I take mine out of my pocket, opening it up.

"Ten from the sea to the sand he walks, to look in the soil, but not in the box." I mutter the riddle to myself.

The Eagles and Ravens then start getting into their groups to discuss it.

"It must mean ten steps from the ocean to the sand." I say, looking at Leo.

"Exactly." Leo smirks down at me.

"Great. Let's go." Jackie says.

"Eagles! Eagles! Eagles!" I hear Daniel and his friends chant and I roll my eyes.

"Ravens! Ravens! Ravens!" Leo and his friends chant back.

"Hey, you're sure you're up for this?" Hayley asks, wrapping an arm around me.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just a riddle. Shouldn't be that hard, right?" I breathe.

"Not for a smart girl like you." She says and I scoff.

"I'm not that smart." I shake my head as we follow our team out.

||

"Don't work too hard." I hear Leo say and I open my eyes.

They squint at first due to the sun radiating over me.

"I'm waiting for the real classes to start." I say, crossing my arms, leaning back against the pile of rocks as I close my eyes again.

I then over hear Brooke say something to Carter and he walks off. 

I sit up and hop off one of the rocks, wiping myself off.

I scramble next to Leo and start digging through the sand.

"Hey, there." Leo says and I can his grin.

"I'm not doing this for the Ravens. I'm doing this for Carter." I simply say.

"Whatever works for you. And I thought you were mad at him." He says.

"I was. But I shouldn't of blown up on him like that. Hopefully he'll consider this as an apology gift." I say as I keep digging.