Hollow Twilight - A LitRPG Novel

Chapter 15

An empty classroom was eerie to be in, didn't matter the time or the situation. All the desks and chairs, the stillness of it all. It reminded Reid of Hollow Twilight, in some ways. Devoid of activity yet still occupied. This particular classroom was made worse by the two people at the front watching him.

K's impatience was a permanent feature of her face. Any expression she made, any movement in her eyes or mouth always displayed impatience. But it was all Reid had to look at. The other person was an adult, one of the teachers. Crowley? Cran...something with a c. Reid couldn't remember, it's not like he had ever had him for class so why would he memorize all the names?

"So we'll just sit here?" Reid asked, eyes shifting between the slightly balding teacher and the deadly stare from K.

"Why'd you log out on me like that?" K snapped back. "Last I saw you, we were chatting about levels and you just vanish."

Reid averted his eyes down to the floor. It felt like school was in session. "Yeah, well, you were just trying to lure me into a guild or whatever."

"Yes, how terrible of me to have you join a flock. Reap the benefits of allies in another dimension. Share resources, form parties, really terrible stuff."

"Kari, please." It was the teacher cutting in. His voice was strained, exhausted. He didn't seem to like talking. Reid was thankful he didn't have to suffer through classes with him if this was how he spoke.

Kari, on the other hand, went flush with embarrassment. She grabbed at her cheeks, trying to block anyone from seeing the rouge. "He does...I didn't tell him my name."

"Really?" The teacher's tone was genuinely perplexed. He glanced at Reid then back to Kari. "You're in the same school, is this a big de-"

"Yes!" Kari cut in, stamping her foot down for emphasis. Her hands had been squeezed into fists.

"Kari is like...as short as K anyways," Reid added, withdrawing his phone to update the contact. He was relieved the pressure was off him from before. It was getting unbearable to have this pair watching him so intensely.

"Well it's short for Karishma and you'll keep calling me K, got it?"

"I get it, Kari."

"K."

"Kari."

"K."

Reid slid his phone back into his pocket, drumming the fingers of his other hand on the desk. "Kari, you already knew my name, so this is only fair." The answer was a silent stare. "But why are you waiting for me at school."

"Oh my god," Kari exclaimed, rolling her eyes. Reid felt the power in the room shift right back to her at her response. He wanted to slink down in his seat. "You're such an idiot."

"Kari you can't...we foster an inclusive school here and the flock is supposed to be similar." The teacher was clearly exasperated. He rubbed at his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "We're in too deep at this point though. We're lucky it's a fellow player who came in here."

"What?"

"We weren't waiting," Kari said, blankly, her arms folded across her chest. "Not for you at least. We're having a meeting on our own, as part of our flock. That's what we do, get it? You think a door to the school is just unlocked on the weekend? Wow."

"Well," Reid replied, rubbing at the back of his head. Tendrils of embarrassment were creeping up from his stomach, wrapping around his lungs. This seemed to be how it went every time he spoke with Kari. And she was right. He skipped over a lot of details and just assumed there was nothing to it. "I mean, maybe it was luck?"