- i

Lily leaned back at the bench, watching all the students move, walk, and talk. Transferring to Utopia also means transferring into other school. But this time, it's different. Lily had already finished high-school back at Cole Fortress, where she stayed for four years to hide from those who were trying to abduct her. 

Apparently, Lily isn't just some normal teenage girl.

When she was found all curled up and shaking inside a dump container by an old man, Lily knew she wasn't like the others. The old man knew she's been through almost everything. That night, she thought she was going to finally die, but no, that night, her life was instead extended. The old man had taken care of her, made her study, trained her, and accompanied her. But eventually, old man Eugene died because of a sickness they couldn't actually tell. 

They say, when one leaves, another one comes. And it's true. Because when old man Eugene died, there Lily met Zion.

Zion had brought Lily to an actual city. What Lily calls the 'Inside'. 

And that day, her life became more interesting, messed up, and thrilling. Just the way she likes.

Lily's eyebrows met. Her skin itched because of the soldier-student uniform. Black fitted slacks, a black but red-lined long-sleeved polo that was unisex she must say. It was exactly the same with what the boys in the school were also wearing and a pair of women's black shoes for her footwear. The shoulder part of it has a pad though, to make their shoulders look broad.  Kind of off, she thought. And weird.

The school's trademark was their red and black theme and their hawk-eye logo. Around the eye was the words written elegantly; 'Utopia Middle Military School: Combat and Clandestinity'. It was only the logo and the tagline that she was amused at, and also the school itself and its facilities. Well, Lily could almost say she was amused with all but not the uniform.

Lily wondered what might be Zion was doing right now, at this sunny afternoon. She thought of strangling the boy. This idea of getting into this military school isn't fun at all. It bored the hell out of her. But was else she could do, Lily thought maybe this could use some training.

The students were like those normal high school students. Chatting, making fun of each other, laughing, but she has seen these teenagers in work, they were no joke. Blank faces, cold eyes, static bodies, almost like robots, and their commander's voice is the only thing that is programmed in their heads. Lily had experienced that, and she wasn't left behind just because she was a transferee. She has a high IQ and a trained body, what she has to do is to only obey and catch up. 

The school was strict in their classes but all hell breaks loose whenever that damn bell rings; indication of their one-hour break time.

Lily finished eating and feeling almost sleepy under the shade of the Centennial Tree. She was bored and she can't have the earplugs here. Gadgets are extremely prohibited. Also, if she sneaks one in, she can't still use it. Girls were required to tie their hair up, and if she would use it, the earplugs would be obvious.

The earplugs were for communication with Zion, but with the restriction, she can't talk to the guy. Lily still hasn’t made friends. For many years, Zion was her one and only friend. Lily has trust issues, maybe because of her past.

A beep cut the silence in her and caught her attention.

 

“Calling Lily Springfield from Freshmen Foxtrot Team. Head to the Receiving Quarters immediately. I repeat, calling Lily Springfield from Freshman Foxtrot Team. Head to the Receiving Quarters immediately.”

 

Another beep ended the announcement. When she stood up and walked, some eyes were immediately glued to her. Great, some people knew me effortlessly, Lily thought. On the way to the quarter, she was thinking what was waiting for her there.

When she arrived, a soldier was guarding the door. She saluted and the soldier saluted back, and opened the door. There, on the other side, was Zion. He was holding a paper bag.

They both sat in the chair and came face to face. The guy smiled to her and pushed the bag to her.

“Hey little sister, I brought you your lunch.” Zion gave her a cheeky smile. 

Lily raised her left eyebrow at him, “Lunch?”

“Yes,” Zion pushed the bag once again, and scratched the paper bag once with his index finger. Lily caught it. "I just thought that the money you have with you isn't enough.”

Lily acted as if she was a loving and thoughtful sister. There was a soldier on the other side. The room was separated with a glass. “It's enough but thanks, Zi. I was actually still hungry but I have to, you know, not be that careless with the money.”

Zion smiled and put his hands on his lap, “Sorry sis if we're in this financial crisis, but I'll find another job, I promise.”

Lily stood up and the chair made a noise. She smiled back to him, “I promise I'll do well in here.”

“Oh, finish that special dish I made for you. It's somewhat experimental but hey, it's still edible.”

Lily laughed and brushed him off, “Okay, okay, big brother, now go. I still have to eat.”

“Okay, bye, Lily!”

 

Lily was walking through the slightly crowded hallways, the paper bag in her hand. She was looking for an empty room. With the scratch message of Zion, Lily knew there was something inside the lunch box. The school was pretty big and had many rooms, and in just a few minutes, she found an abandoned class room. The tables were against the walls, and the chairs were stacked carelessly. A chair was weirdly placed in the middle.

Lily became alarmed and gripped hard to the doorknob and to the paper bag. Was this room some kind of special or something occasionally happens here? But with the smallness and emptiness of the room, seems like no one was here. Her eyes roamed around sharply, not even missing the smallest detail; the room was dusty and old.

She closed the door and settled in the nearby table, the teacher’s table. She faced the whole room, just in case someone or some people suddenly pop up. Lily looked under the table and it was clear. Good. Now she can see what’s inside the lunch box.

When she opened it, Zion was true to his words, he really had brought her food. Rice and chicken curry. If Lily still hasn’t eaten yet, she would’ve devoured it in a blink of an eye, but the girl was full and has no time for eating. She looked at her wristwatch, 12:39 PM. She still has twenty-one minutes.

The act a while ago, they were doing it in ages so they had no struggle to make it look real. But surely, when Lily reaches home, Zion will headlock the girl and praise her for her acting skills.

After a few minutes of looking for the real thing, she finally found it. The first one she found was a sealable plastic, inside was a paper folded. It was hidden in the rice, and when she took it out, it was real sticky. Lily began to unfold the paper and read it.

“There are two more plastics like this. They are in the curry,” Lily had to pause and furrow her eyebrows. What the hell was Zion thinking? Good thing there was a pair of spoon and fork, or else, she’d start to think of ways to strangle to heck out of that guy. “I think you will find the microphone first, it’s just easy to find. Clamp your microphone into your undergarment—what?!” she hissed. Zion was getting annoying. She continued to read as she caught the time in her wristwatch. “It’s the only way not to get caught. The second one is the micro-earphone. You have to put it in your wristwatch. Be careful, it’s just really small. Good luck, Lily. You know what position of the arm you have to do in order for you to hear me.”

The note ends there and she immediately grabbed the spoon and fork to look for the two sealable plastics. Opposite to what Zion had written, she first found the earphone and then the microphone. She did what Zion had said. Clamped the microphone into her undergarment and put the tiny black earphone on the black strap of her wristwatch. It has like an adhesive substance and becomes glued tightly to whatever you’ll put it. She doubted the microphone because it was pretty far from her mouth but she’ll still try.

Lily pressed the earphone; it was not an earphone until someone says it to you that it is. It’s like just a tiny round button. She raised her arm and put her wrist in her ear.

“Hotel?” The two preferred using messages or signals that are only understood by them. ‘Hotel’ stands for ‘Hello’.

“Loud and clear, Lils.” Zion replied on the other line. It was surprisingly vivid and the microphone had wide range.

Lily glanced at her watch, she only has ten minutes left to clean and get out. With one hand, she started to pack things up, “Where did you get this? Did you even think this is actually tiring, Zi?”

“You’re a tough girl, you can endure it. It’s useful in classes,” Zion chuckled and Lily had to roll her eyes.

“Useful? I would look suspicious, if not suspicious; I would look like I’ve gotten mad.” She roamed her eyes in the table, clean. No traces. It looked like no one was now going through this hallway so she got out and silently closed the door. “Tango Lima.” Lily caught an ‘Oscar’ from Zion and she quickly headed to her designated room.

Foxtrot Team was full of these careless, bitchy, snobbish students. When she got to the room with the paper bag in her hand, they were noisy and so energetic that the whole classroom was a mess. But her seat was surprisingly still intact and she thanked the gods on that.

Their class or team has a total number of twenty-six students. Fifteen boys and eleven girls, including her. When she passed by the other freshmen teams though, they were quiet, if they were noisy, they still had this control. But for this team? They don’t know what control is.

There’s this one group in the class though. They were pretty quiet and normal, unlike the others. They consist of three boys and two girls. Lily caught them casually talking and when she was on her way to her seat; their eyes were immediately on her. Lily didn’t mind them and sat in her seat, putting the paper bag inside her backpack. It was provided by the school and has their emblem in it.

Soon, the teacher went in and started the lesson. Everyone suddenly became serious, but she knew some just stay quiet. If you have nothing to say and to show, stay quiet.

 

The third ring of the day filled every classroom. It was finally dismissal. The chairs made annoying noise and Lily rolled her eyes at their excitement. They all looked like pigs that escaped from their pens. Lily waited for them to lessen then she stood up.

“Hey.” A voice behind her said and she immediately turned around. She didn’t notice that group still hasn’t left.

Lily just stared at them, looking at their faces one by one. The three boys were – she has to admit – handsome. Their eyes were something else, and they looked reserved. The boys were tall that she has to chin up slightly so that she could get eye-to-eye level to them. The girls on the other hand were beautiful and just as tall as her. One wore a friendly smile and the other one was just looking at her.

“You’re the transferee, right?” The smiling girl said, but Lily couldn’t get herself to speak. This was still new to her. New city, new school, new people.

Lily just nodded and adjusted her backpack. They were the only ones now in the classroom.

“I’m Vixen. You are?” The girl asked. From what she had observed, the school doesn’t do the introductory part of the class, even for freshmen.

“Lily.” She muttered.

“Wow, nice name… Lily…” Vixen trailed off, but she smiled again and turned to her friends, “by the way, this is Xavier,” the neutral one smiled at her and nodded, “Cromwell,” the guy with jet black hair just nodded at her but still smiled slightly, “and Kade.” The Kade guy just nodded then turned away.

“And this is my best friend, Ezra.” Vixen slung an arm to Ezra’s shoulder. Ezra just grinned at her.

“I hope, Lily, we get along through the whole year. Please, come join us. Don’t talk to our other classmates though, they’re just a bunch of idiots and immature.” Vixen crinkled her nose. The girl hated them immediately because of their attitudes.

Lily nodded, “Okay… I hope… so too…”

“Oh, don’t be shy around us! Starting tomorrow, we’re your friends, okay?”

“Vix, don’t force her if she doesn’t want to.” The Kade guy spoke up and rolled his eye at Lily. Lily shamelessly glared at him though she could see from her peripheral vision that Ezra was watching her.

Vixen also rolled her eyes, “Oh shut up, Kade. She’s just shy.”

“Kade.” Xavier sternly said, his eyes piercing through Kade, but eventually softened, “If you don’t really want this, you can leave or you can leave.”

“What, Xav, aren’t those the same?” Cromwell had butted in, confused with what Xavier just said.

“Doesn’t matter. Kade?”

The defeated boy sighed and put his hands in both of his pockets, his head turned away from them. It was obvious that he did not like the idea of them introducing their selves to Lily. If it wasn’t for Vixen’s friendliness and cheery attitude, Lily would’ve walked out on them.

“Good.” Xavier smiled triumphantly, and then turned to Lily, “Sorry for that. He’s just on his period.”

“Looks like it.” Lily snorted and rolled her eyes.

“Oh my god!” Vixen laughed loudly while Ezra just chuckled.

“Hey!” Kade’s fiery eyes were now on her but Lily didn’t back down.

“What, PMS guy?” Lily likes this type of situation. When someone is challenging her, getting in her way. Her blood boiled in excitement and adrenaline rushed through her veins. Lily couldn’t help but to smirk.

“This bit—“

“Don’t, Kade. She’s a girl.” Xavier’s voice held authority over him and Kade surprisingly seemed to stop. Lily asked in her mind if Kade’s ego isn’t bruised yet.

Lily was smugly looking at him while he was fuming with anger. In just this way, she had already won. Getting into your enemy’s veins is one way to win. It makes their mind malfunction and do rash things. With Kade’s clenched fists and charging position, in just one snap, he could hit her. But according to the school rules, hitting each other if not in combat training is not allowed. Wow, the joy if Kade gets punished.

Clearly, Lily developed a hate at first sight at Kade.

“Wow, you got some real guts, Lily!” Vixen gaped at her while Ezra clapped.

“Nice. I see your tactic in there.” Ezra smiled at her. Lily returned a small one.

Lily knew from that that this group isn’t just like an ordinary group of friends.

 

After meeting and bidding goodbyes to her new ‘friends’, Lily immediately took the train to go home. On the way home, she was thinking how Ezra saw her tactic. She just hoped that she won’t spill it. By her attitude, Lily doesn’t think she will.

Some kind of thinking, Lily voices in her mind as the train moves through Utopia’s skyscrapers. It was almost evening and the lights were already on. The city was beautiful and lively.

After few minutes, she got to the condominiums and found herself lying on the bed. The soft feeling on her back relaxed her and she felt like drifting off any minute if only Zion didn’t speak.

“Tired?” Lily looked at him. Zion was leaning on the doorframe with his arms folded on his chest. Lily unclamped the microphone and wore off her wristwatch. She put them in her nightstand.

“Beyond tired. Did you hear it?” Lily stood up and walked to her closet.

“Hear what?” His voice was teasing her. Lily’s head snapped to him and she found him grinning.

“Don’t even deny.”

“Yeah, yeah, I heard it. You know what, give them a chance. It’s time for you to have some friends.”

“I don’t know, Zion. I still have to get to know them.” Lily pulled her sleeping clothes and closed the closet.

“And from what that, wait, Ezra? Am I right?”

Lily sighed, “Yes.”

“Yeah, from what Ezra had said, I think she’s not that ordinary. They’re not that ordinary.”

She bit her lip, “I thought so too. I was thinking that on the way here.”

“You’ll just go bald if you think about it without any basis,” Zion shook his head and stood properly. “Wash yourself up and change, and sleep. No homeworks?”

Lily rolled her eyes for the nth time this day, everything just gets annoying but with Zion, it’s somehow funny, “None, dad. And yes, dad.”

“Not funny, Lils.”

“Funny for me, Zi.”

Zion laughed and brushed her off, “Whatever you little brat. Go to sleep. Good night.”

“Good night, Zion.”

 

That night, when she slept, she had a nightmare. 

 

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too long for a first chap huh haha this is almost 3k words in ms word and im so proud of myself. feedbacks are much appreciated! thank you so much! :) x