Academic Betrayal

It had been a few weeks since Samhain, and the thoughts of the triop in the wading pool still frequented my daydreams.

Those little pink panties pass the test. I hummed to myself as I stared down at the Intermediate Martial Combat handbook.

I wasn’t really studying since I didn’t have any tests to worry about, and most of the things for the dungeon dive were already set up. So, I was mostly reading the same line repeatedly as my mind wandered to perversion.

Mostly—

That was why my hand moved with lightning speed as a blur entered my periphery. Gripping onto the object, which I immediately recognized as my pillow, I looked up from my little corner of the room to see Sharzin and Aesandoral staring at me from the bed.

Sharzin had been the one to throw the pillow from her place at the edge of the mattress.

“What’s up?” I asked, closing the book with a dramatic, single-handed snap.

It's not like I was reading it anyway.

“Food.” She ordered, pointing towards the stairs.

This meant that she wanted me to be her personal mall dasher.

Ever since Samhain, Sharzin had become positively obsessed with World Eighty-Two cuisine—particularly fast food. Whenever we ended up in the shoppe around mealtime, she insisted on trying different mall treats. As of late, Tennessee Fried Chicken had been her favourite, but she had yet to try Burrito Bell, so I was positive that there was still hope to convert her.

“Let’s wait for Ri.”

Standing, I crossed to my bookshelf, slipping the reading material away before flicking the adjacent switch. A Papasan chair replaced the oversized beanbag seat that I had been lounging in. This was usually where Rionriv liked to sit, but I figured that I’d enjoy it for a bit since she wasn't here.

And, as though my thoughts had summoned her, the downstairs door opened and closed with a slam. Heavy, fast steps charged their way upstairs.

With a glance at the bed, the sight of Aesandoral and Sharzin frozen in terror sent chills up and down my spine.

Uh-oh, Ri’s in a mood.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Rionriv stopped at the threshold of the room before beginning her scan. Her face had that familiar look of a raptor on the hunt.

Uh-oh, she’s angry.

“What’s…up?” Aesandoral asked timidly.

Rionriv’s eyes locked with mine and dilated. Her brow furrowed as she stepped towards me and threw an accusing finger my way.

“What did you do!?” She yelled.

Oh no! She’s angry at me! What did I do? Can she read my mind? No. It can’t be that. Is it the chair? No, probably not. I should probably just ask instead of sitting here.

“Why, whatever do you mean?”

Eeep, that came out more sarcastic than I wanted. Uh-oh, it’s too late now. Blowback in three…two…one—

“What do I mean? What do I mean?!”

She huffed, placing a hand on her hip while running the other through her hair. Scratching her head aggressively, she growled as lightning arced across her body.

Rionriv reached into the bag affixed to her hip, where she withdrew a fistful of parchments and threw them at my chest.

“This, Ishara—” She yelled, “Explain this!”

Grabbing one of the sheets, I quickly examined it.

Bah-dump! Bah-dump! Bah-dump! Bah-dump! Bah-dump! Bah-dump!

My heart began to race as anxiety filled the vessel that was my soulless body.

Crap! Where did she find these? All the test questions and answers—Sharzin!

I looked up immediately, locking eyes with the rogue. Our gazes met, and through an instant exchange of looks, she understood that we were both burned. We knew what we needed to do.

“I, uh—” I stammered, “Sharzin and I—”

“Iz forced me!” Sharzin immediately blurted out, disappearing behind Aesandoral.

Judas!

I was on my own, with nowhere to go—cornered in my own room. So, left with no other option, I explained.

Divulging the whole ordeal, the details came to light of how I slipped the questions and answers into their study sessions to seed the thoughts. I left out the bits about how Sharzin helped in this scheme, as it appeared she had already decided her move, and the last thing I wanted was to tear apart their strengthened group dynamic.

The results of this revelation were as anticipated.

Rionriv was exceptionally angry. She believed that tricking the triop made each of them equally responsible for the theft and cheating. To her, this dishonesty made their current grades no longer representative of their true abilities. I was also yelled at for involving Sharzin in doing something so blatantly against school rules.

And, after a good fifteen minutes of scolding, I was beginning to understand her point of view. While looking for the easy way out, I skirted rules and made some questionable decisions on behalf of their triop.

But then, as I noticed a waver of emotion in her voice, she said something that struck me to my core.

“People who break the rules aren’t good people.” Rionriv huffed, throwing to my feet the keycard I had made for her. “And if you’ve lied, cheated, and stolen already, then what line will you cross next? You say you want to make the world a better place—well, I don’t believe you, and I don’t think I could ever trust you because of it. People like you inevitably destroy everything you touch. Goodbye, oracle.”

She turned to leave, hiding her face with a swish of her hair. But as the red locs concealed her, I saw the faintest sliver of a different emotion for an instant. Sorrow.

Oh gods, right in the heart. I thought as she stormed out, reaching a hand towards her.

I fugged up. Maybe Aes and Zin can—

The remaining two jumped from the bed, looking at me with pitiful glances, before chasing after Rionriv.

I was alone. Again. Going too far in too short a period. Only this time, in another world. And I had no idea how I was going to fix this. Or, like the last time, if I even could.