Chapter 93 A twist in time

Chapter 93 A twist in time

\[Levi's POV\]
I threw my eyes open. Sliding my legs to the floor to wear my slippers, I walk to the fridge to get a bottle of water. I threw the cap open and dunked down everything.
There was a ping and went to check my phone. It was a notification from groupchat.
Stacy sent a crying emoji and a message saying she was worried about Charlotte and wondered where everyone disappeared to after the police raid. Gracie wonders who snitched to the police seeing that the bar had never experienced such before. No one has an answer to that but Jacob and I did. Charlotte too. Malcolm had told us to act natural and tell our friends nothing about the meeting. Frankly, I think that's best considering the fact that half of our friend's parents have a hand in Hide and Seek.
'Exams are coming up on Monday. Who'll sit next to me?' Michael says in a voicenote.
Gracie replied to him with one of her own. 'Mr Gale will shuffle us all. Alan doesn't let high performing students sit with low performing students.'
'I'm a New Yorker. Explain in plain English.' Michael sends a message.
Josie replied to him. 'Because you're new here, I'll do the honours. High performing students are just grammar for those students with high grades. It applies to low performing students.'
'Wolves and Lambs. Just like Hide and Seek.' Michael replied.
'Exactly.' Josie said.
The group becomes chilled all of a sudden. Was it something Mikey said? Or had they not recovered from the police raid?
Derek sends a view once a picture and I check it out.
It's our exam timetable including our seat number and the principals and teachers to invigilate the exercise.
'I wish I was still with you guys.' Lin says in a voicenote and adds a crying emoji.
'It's okay. Our exam is in one week so when we're done, we'll have so much fun together.' Adira replies to her.
'My seat number is 014.' Mattie says.
Stacy types. 'Mine is 076.'
'How do the HP and LP students work again?' Michael knocks and enters my room, Jacob trailing behind him
I turn to look at him. 'HP students rank from 1 till 50. The rest are you all losers.'
Mikey tuts as he sits on my bed. 'Aren't you an LP student? You're repeating a year.'
I defend myself. 'Not by choice. I was charged with murder, remember?'
'Oh yeah.' Mikey's voice trailed ahead.
'I'm 012.' Jacob told us.
Mikey exclaims. 'Dude, you're a smoking gun. You're smart.'
'You betcha.' Jacob slaps his shoulder and Mikey winces in pain.
I focused on the group chat and everyone said their seat numbers. Matty is 014; Scottie is 020; Adira is 056; Lenin is 089; Jacob is 012; Gracie is 023; Adolph is 024; So meant to be. Stacy is 076. No shock there. That girl is dumb. Margo is 045. No shock there. She's good at AP English. Rose is 016; Mikey is 040; Josie is 035, Derek is 036. Did he arm-twist the exam officer to put them as seatmates? Well, knowing Derek, he'll do just that. Mattie is 014. It remains just me and Charlotte and she's not online. Joanna is taking the exam with us but not in the school premises. I hear she's home-schooled.
'What's yours, Queen?' Adira asked, tagging Charlotte.
Charlotte doesn't reply.
'She's not online.' I replied to her.
'Where's your girlfriend, Gee?' Stacy tagged me.
'One sec.' I told her.

\[Charlotte's POV\]
Students of Alan Institute will begin the week with our exam.
I had joined Scottie and Mattie's study group in the morning. AP English was to be our first paper and the boys were lagging behind. Yeah. English is a difficult subject. No shock there. While writing our exercises, a lot skipped my mind. I'd faze out momentarily. Malcolm's words kept Mael's echoing in my head and in distant time, I lost my focus. The study group was over before I knew it and I had neither gained nor understood anything.
In my room, I laid on my back, gazing at the ceiling. I'm now working for the FBI. Not only me but Levi and Jacob. It sounds pretty cool and all. However, the involvement of my friend's families in Alan Institute and Hide and Seek is a total ice-breaker. If I were to put a stop to Hide and Seek, that means I'd be stopping their families but are they involved? Malcol made us swear never to tell anyone. Not our parents or siblings or friends. Not anyone should know. He insists we keep this secret to our graves.
I took out my phone to call Levi but he'd beaten me to it.
'Hey, you okay?' He sounds worried.
'I don't know.' I walk to the window and draw open the curtains. He was standing before him. I grabbed a chair and sat down. He did the same.
'Why? What's wrong? Is it your heart?' He pressed his hand against the window. I was compelled to do the same.
'No,' I shake my head. 'I don't feel sick. It's just - -
'Malcolm?' He interposed.
'Yeah.' He knows I wouldn't be able to handle it.
'Mind if I come over?' He asked.
'Yeah.'
I walked away from the window and jumped on my bed.
Not less than a minute, I heard the window slide open. Levi's here. He joins me on the bed and puts his arms around me. I rest my head in the nook of his neck - my new comfort zone and happy place.
'Everyone's online. We've been given our seat number for tomorrow's exam.' He rubs his hand down my right arm.
'What's yours?' I ask him.
'Tell me yours first.' He told me and I rolled my eyes, reaching for my phone in my back pocket. Opening the class groupchat, Derek pinned a message and I clicked. It was students of class 3C's exam seat number. I didn't have to scroll down to find my name. I was number 1.
'What's your number?' Levi probed.
I put my phone back in my pocket and exhale. Malcolm was right. If I was to host the final Hide and Seek, the School Director would want me in the spotlight.
'Number 1.' I and his hold on me grew tight.
'You're 29 numbers away from me.' Levi kissed my hair.
'That's terrible.' I bury my face in his neck, my voice muffled.
'We'll survive, won't we?' He said.
'We will.'

D-DAY.
Dad let Levi take me to school. He's now comfortable having him around. I guess mom's changed him.
On our way, Michael was whispering and muttering.
'Dude, what are you doing?' Jacob rolled his eyes.
They are riding with us.
'Oh shit. Now, I have to start over. I hate you, Jacob!' Michael hissed.
'Cramming at the last minute won't help you. Trust me. I was once a victim.' Levi looked at the rearview mirror to meet his cousin's gaze.
Mikey is frustrated. You can tell from his tone. 'Well, what do you expect me to do? It's not like we're seatmates. We can't even switch numbers if we want.'
'Well, there's a way we all can sit together.' Levi said.
'How?' I couldn't help but ask.
He clenched the steering wheel. 'We use a different exam hall.'

\[Margo's POV\]
Lin finds a way to release the answer keys to the exam to me. She has Mr Gale wrapped around her finger. I'm.in one of the bathroom stalls cramming the answers like my life depended on it. Technically, it did. Mom threatened to confiscate my credit card if I don't make the top 20 by the end of the semester. I'd do that either with magic or some cheat code. And cheat code it is.
Someone knows on my door and I become startled, dropping my phone in the toilet.
'Oh my God!' I screamed as loud as I could.
The door flew open and there came Gracie. Great, it's her again.
'You okay?' She asked innocently. I bet she did it on purpose.
'How am I okay? My phone is in there!' I pointed at my phone laying in the bottom of the clean toilet.
'The phone's waterproof and the toilet's neat. Get it out.' She said it 's easy like ABC.
'Why don't you get it out!' I step back.
'Fine,' She approached the toilet. 'It's not like there's germs in there. My parents don't pay a million dollars for nothing. This water better smells like roses.'
She wraps her right hand in a blue hanky and dips it in the toilet water, lifting out my phone.
'I can never use that again.' I wrinkle my nose.
'Here.' She puts the phone in my blazer pocket and I scream at her.
'What the freak is wrong with you?' I take my jacket off.
'The phone's yours, innit? She walked into the stall and closed the door.
"I'll make you pay." I thought inwardly.
I tie my hanky around the handle as tight as I could before walking away. That'll teach her.

\[Author's POV\]
Levi's squad are currently occupying D hall. An exam hall for students who were given detention. Guess what they all did? They wore the wrong uniform - their sportswear. Now, Levi was overjoyed that he'll sit next to his girlfriend. Lenin too.
'The exam will begin in 5 minutes.' Mrs Gertude, an exam officer said as she passed the answer sheets and question papers around.
'Everyone's here. Where's Gracie?' Adolph asked.
'I don't know. I thought she was with you.' Charlotte whispered.
'Shit. Her phone is in my bagpack. I've gotta find her.' Adolph pushed back his seat.
'Young man, the exam is about to begin. Where are you off to?' Gertrude has a frown on her wrinkled face.
'Bathroom. Excuse me.' Adolph rushed out.
Gertrude called behind you. 'You've got 5 minutes.'
Levi, Scottie and Charlotte excused themselves also. To help Adolph cover more ground in looking for Gracie.
'Have you seen her?' Levi asked via his airpod.
'No.' Everyone chorused.
Adolph grew annoyed. 'Where is she?'
Meanwhile, in the bathroom. Gracie is banging against the door. 'Help, someone help me. Anyone! I'm here! Open the fucking door!'