Code Green , ᶜᵃʳᵐᵉⁿ ˢᵃⁿᵈᶦᵉᵍᵒ

CHAPTER EIGHT

Crackle had graduated about a week ago and Black Sheep had been pretty close with him, so I knew she felt cast away when he had to leave, along with the rest of the class.

She was held back for another year since she did not pass enough of her classes- which I must confess, I found rather off. Black Sheep was extremely gifted in everything they might need as a operative, so why were they choosing to keep her back another year? Was it that the stiff VILE instructors were actually soft for Black Sheep? She had just turned sixteen, and she should've graduated along with the rest of the students in her level.

I should've too, however I specifically requested I be allowed another year in VILE Academy. I didn't feel ready to take on the outside world and the requirements they had of field agents- they didn't suit me quite yet. I felt the urge to continue to improve on my skills, especially where I was weak because I wanted as little weaknesses as possible. They compromised you.

Doctor Bellum and Coach Brunt were approving of the way I concocted that statement when I was convincing them to allow me to spend another year on the island. I informed them that I wanted to strengthen what I had even more so- and while I had plenty of time to do so already, I explained that I would deliver on the promises my parents gave them. If only I could have one more year to finish training myself to adapt to the environment outside of the VILE Island.

They finally agreed after a few more pushing questions, and so I was enrolled for another 10 months.

Black Sheep didn't know that I chose to, though. She was under the premise that I, too, had been held back due to academic problems regarding the exams.

I chomp down onto my sandwich, meeting Black Sheep's calculated glare. We were sitting together at a smaller table, alone in the corner of the canteen, vigorously eating our lunches and prepping for our next class. The faint throbbing of the fluorescent lights hanging from the ceiling tiles repeatedly flared in our faces, and I had to shield my eyes from the weak light that constantly flashed into my eyes.

I set down my sandwich and focus on Black Sheep, noticing how tense she was. To be fair, she was still sensitive about the exams issue. "Is everything all right?" I question her, rubbing my finger along my bottom lip to wipe off any crumbs leftover from the grilled cheese I had cleaned off my plate. I smack my lips and finish swabbing around my mouth for filth, lifting my chin up and glancing again at Black Sheep.

Her eyes had a cold shadow lingering over the irises, taking over her usually nonchalantly normal facade. Oh, she was definitely still pissed about it.

"I was set up, I'm telling you," Black Sheep complained on our way back to the shared dorms that we now both lived in together.

Turns out, being spoiled from childhood by one of the main VILE leaders has its perks. Gives you certain strings you can pull.

I personally wouldn't know, but Black Sheep managed to land me a bed in her shared dorm as soon as she could, one of the ex roommates moved into another so that I could stay in the same room as her. The VILE leaders like to pretend they're indifferent to every student but I know at least one of them, if not all of them, had a bit of a soft side for the girl they grew up with and practically raised her from an innocent young child to now, when she became this badass young spy who was definitely capable of being an amazing thief. VILE only didn't seem to want to harness that yet.

"I'm sure Shadowsan wouldn't do that." I roll my eyes and sigh.

"But he did! Shadowsan never had a dollar bill in his pockets!" Black Sheep shouted, seething. The springs creaked underneath her as she sat down on her cot, putting her head in her hands. "He hates me," she spits out. "But even for him that's just unprofessional. I need to prove it to him, that I can ace that test."

"Then convince him you can," I say calmly. "Make him allow you to have a second go at it."

"I tried," Black Sheep replied crisply. "He only rejected me and told me I wouldn't get 'a second try.'" She air quoted his words and shook her head in infuriation. I frowned, unsure where she was going with this. "Parrot, I have an idea. And I'm going to need your help, but I want you to promise me- promise me, that you won't be angry with me for any reason."