Chapter 3: Sleeper cells

“And why do you look so toned down?” pearl asked taking a seat next to Xavier

“Whatever do you mean?” Xavier replied disinterested

“haven’t seen you picking on anyone once since you got back …has prison taught you some manners finally?”

“No ..there’s just nobody left to pick on anymore, seems like I’ve gone through the whole school, can’t even remember their faces anymore” he laughed cruelly.

“Well im sure you’ll be up to your old pro-aggressive self when Zach comes back”

“Hey Pearl !”

“what?”

“I think I can bear you better when you’re not talking”.

Pearl got up and left haughtily.

“you know I think she like’s you” Nico said, chewing on his fruit.

“of course she does, which girl doesn’t? As a matter of fact, if I were a girl, I’d want him too! Sole heir to the Royal group”

“Ohh…which one of us would you like to date between Taylor and me?” Nico asked, blinking his eyelashes at Xavier dramatically.

*******

If you want to make a big entrance back at school, guess there’s no better way than doing so after you’re released from prison, Zach thought to himself, as his driver was driving up the road leading to the entrance of Royal High. Ah the stares he will get coming back, well, can’t say he didn’t give the kids anything to talk about that’s for sure. And most of all…….let’s hope he is back there. Definitely have some unfinished business to attend to.

“yeah that’s enough……..i can walk from here” Zach said coldly to his driver signaling him to stop. He got off earlier than the actual stop, he needed the time alone. It was going to be an irritating long day. Maybe he and Xavier were taking their feud too far? Picking on each other, humiliating each other’s family, getting into fights with each other, burning malls and now going to jail…..they were both showoffs.

One thing is for sure, they both go all the way , no half way about anything. Walking up the stairs, he came across a small figure huddled on the stairs, in the cold. Zach had definitely not seen her before, which was strange, they were no “new” students into Royal High. You came to Royal high school, from royal primary, and you went to royal primary from royal pre-school, and before you could even enroll for royal pre-school, you had to have the right lineage, the correct parentage. There was only one type of ‘new student’ and those were scholarship students. And even those were limited to boys only, so that they could endure the humiliation which they would have to go through day in and day out just to have a certificate from Royal high.

Her posture looked timid, her head was curled up into her arms, as though she were sleeping in a sitting position. She didn’t even have a proper winter coat on. Yep definitely a charity case. She raised her head slightly as he got closer to the stairs leading to the entrance, but he couldn’t see her face properly. Huh…imagine that, a girl beggar, here in Royal High, Zach thought to himself, as he opened the entrance door to Royal High School.

He walked to the reception, ready to get his timetable, and already he bumped into a familiar face.

“Well…….look who’s back from prison…” Alicia said, walking closer to Zach. Her long brown hair neatly tied up into a ponytail. Her uniform fit her like a glove, no doubt custom made to highlight her slim figure. Her once average face had clear signs of modifications, higher cheekbones, sharper nose, plumped lips, the same story for almost every girl at Royal high school.

“Ow Alicia…you’re such a tease…” Zach said, walking closer to her, he stopped just a mere few millimeters from her “But don’t tease me too much, I’ve been deprived while I was in prison…..i might not be able to control myself….” he said. He could see her eyes grow wide with slight fear at his words, and she edged back a few steps.

“I see you’re still a prick” she said haughtily.

“I see you’re still a taunt….anyway I have things to do…so if you don’t mind …I’ll be getting my timetable now and heading off to class.”

“Hope I don’t see you again”

“ow…..come now, you’re hurting my feelings ! “ he said, with a mocked look of heartbreak. Alicia rolled her eyes and she stormed out of the reception.

“Good morning Ms. Oscar, I trust my secretary called you?” Zach said, paying attention to the receptionist, she looked up at him fumbling with her glasses, as though nervous.

“Hi Zach, yeah he did, I have your new timetable ready for you…” she said handing him a piece of paper. “I trust you will be on your best behavior this semester?”

“Ms Oscar, I’ll be as innocent as an angel. I promise” he joked placing a hand on his heart. She stared at him with slight shock “You should know that Xavier is already here, he came earlier on in the morning..”

“Ah good ! I was counting on it ! You know I think I’ve missed him, I should go over and give him a hug “ Zach responded giving his best smile, with that he took his timetable sheet and walked out.

Zach walked down the corridor, to his locker, he had asked his secretary to equip it with everything he needed , including a packet of cigarettes. Just as he was getting to his locker, the bell rang. Checking his watch, oh great, its already the break for the morning. Students were all walking to their lockers, he opened up his locker, and took out his cigarette. Just as he was lighting it, he saw someone from the corner of his eyes staring at him. It was one of “his beggars” as he liked to think of them. Ultimately the whole royal school was divided into “ Zach’s beggars, and Xavier’s beggars..” and even those that were not scholarship students had subdivisions, and any of them, could be picked on at any time by any of the two, and they all knew that.

“ Miss me much?” he asked his beggar without turning around to look at him. He didn’t hear a reply.

“You know its rude not to answer, when someone asks you something ..” Zach said, while shutting his locker with deliberate force, he could hear its echo into the hall. Turning around, he saw his beggar Joel. Zach had been bullying him ever since he started his scholarship at royal high a few years ago. He looked pitiful, he was staring down on the floor, his hands were shaking and he was panting. “ow come now, give me a hug? I’ve missed you too much !” Zach said, giving him a hug as a crowd was starting to gather around them. He patted him hard on the shoulder, and he could already smell him, the stench of sweat, with small hint of washing soap.

Pinching his nose, dramatically, “whoa ! what the heck Joel ! don’t you know how to take a bath? What is that stench ?” he said as the crowd started laughing at Joel. All of a sudden he heard the crowd scream and laugh at the same time. The sound of liquid was obvious. Looking down on the white porcelain tiles, he could see Joel had just peed in his pants. The whole crowd started laughing and cheering at him, while Joel still just stood there like a statue staring at the floor. Zach looked at the crowd, they were all laughing, all…except one. He looked at the face, and every inch of her face was looking horrified, her eyes were wet, the tears just on the verge of falling down her cheeks.

Zach stared at her, she had the same timid shape he had seen sitting on the entrance stairs. She finally looked up to him. She looked disgusted with him, but he couldn’t help noticing that at the same time…..she was beautiful…very beautiful. She saw him looking back at her, her eyes got slightly bigger as though in fear, and turned around and started walking away. From the wiping motion of her hands near her face, Zach could tell, that the tears had fallen down. Coming up the same corridor, Zach saw him, walking alongside Nico and Taylor, but he wasn’t looking back at Zach, he too was staring at the small timid figure which had rush down the corridor. And then finally he looked back up the corridor, and there they were, the cold dark eyes, bore into Zach’s, and already from the dead expression in them, Zach knew they were on the same page…the same page as last time. There can only be one Alpha at Royal High School.

***

A man dressed in a crisp black uniform waited in the line of chairs outside his Major’s office. He wore his uniform with pride, and even more so the stars that symbolized each rank on his shoulders glaring brightly under the dimed and dark office.

A young lady walked to the reception, her pin drop heels making a loud clanking noise in the empty reception, she too was dressed in an all-black uniform “You may enter now Comrade….” She said sternly, no sign of any emotion in her face or voice.

The comrade nodded his head in her direction before stepping into the office.

It was dark with only the streaks of light from the window blinds coming in to the dimly illuminated room.

“You have an update for me comrade…?” Came a voice in the deep corner of the room

“Yes Sir! Our sleeper cells have returned back to Royal High School Sir !” The Comrade said, standing tall and straight, his eyes looking somewhere far beyond the room

“And was their trip to the prisons yielding? Were they able to gather any relevant Intel for us?” came the Major’s voice

“Negative Sir.” The comrade responded.

The Major sighed a heavy sigh “Alright, let’s make sure our sleeper cells at Royal High stay completely off the radar comrade…”

“Affirmative Sir !” Comrade replied.