The whole school was lively, probably too lively, especially the seniors' building. The day happened to be the founder's birthday, so the students had the day off after the general celebration during assembly time. Students walked around, chattering as they went. Some lined up along the corridors, gossiping among themselves.
Three girls stepped out of their classroom, all looking troubled and disgusted.
"Was this why you joined the group?" Laura asked as soon as they stepped out of the building.
Anna scoffed as she scrolled through her phone repeatedly.
"Those freaking perverts should be ashamed of themselves. Honestly, I still wonder who on earth thought it was okay to create such a group."
"It must be another crazy gang," Penelope said as she clenched her fists. "We're going to teach them not to mess with innocent juniors."
"Hell no. I'm not ready to die yet. We're just three in number. Do you even know how many obsessed fanatics are after him? We are definitely outnumbered."
Anna looked away from her phone and laughed at what Laura said. Of course, she was right. They were definitely outnumbered.
"I fear we don't even have the time to play serious. They already gave the order to go after him. I'm sure every member will be on the lookout for him. After all, the first to find him will be the first to get to him."
"No one would want to lose such an opportunity."
"Let's hurry before someone else finds him. Let's just hope he's the type to stay in class."
Laura and Anna nodded in agreement and hurried their pace.
* * * * *
Natasha kept noticing Riley's gaze breaking off whenever he would look around the classroom in an uncomfortable way.
"Is everything alright, Riley?" she finally asked when she couldn't take it anymore.
"What?" Riley asked, confused. He probably hadn't heard her clearly.
"I asked if everything is alright."
The trio dropped the cards they were playing with and turned their gazes toward Riley, who was still looking around with a troubled expression.
Riley's eyes finally met theirs, and he noticed the concern on their faces.
He tried to laugh it off, but he couldn't with how serious they all looked.
"Seriously, it's nothing. I just thought some of them have been watching me for a while now."
He dropped a card on the table, continuing the game as though nothing had happened, but no one else moved.
"What do you mean?" Tharn asked, his expression turning serious.
"Nothing serious. Maybe I'm just being paranoid."
Natasha, too, was beginning to look around the classroom. She had noticed it as well, but what was confusing her was why Riley felt like something was wrong when, to her, everything seemed like an everyday occurrence.
"Hey," she tapped him gently.
"Why don't you step out of the class for a second?"
"Yeah, let me go with you," Julian added as he stood up, urging Riley to do the same.
Riley was about to object until he saw how worried they all were.
"Fine. Let's go."
Riley and Julian tried to walk out of the class in a very composed manner while Natasha, Max, and Tharn studied the expressions of their classmates.
Natasha caught sight of two girls who watched Riley step out. As soon as he did, one of the girls rushed out before returning shortly after, as though she had gone to confirm that Riley was actually heading somewhere and not just hanging around outside the class.
When she returned, she sat beside the other girl and whispered something to her. They both picked up their phones, typing furiously while laughing.
Natasha flared up in anger.
"Go call them in," she said to the boys as she got up from her seat and approached the girls.