Chase Me Tomorrow

Familiar Faces, Unfamiliar Thoughts

Abigail’s POV

The last bell of the day finally rang, signaling the end of our lesson. I stretched my arms, feeling the stiffness from sitting for hours. As I packed up my things, I realized something I hadn’t noticed before. Nathalie—yeah, the Blue Elite girl who lent me the pen earlier, was in all my classes today. And after glancing at the schedule in my bag, I figured out she was going to be in every class with me this whole semester.

Great.

She wasn’t bad or anything, just... different. Talkative. Friendly. The kind of person everyone liked because she was approachable, polite, and always seemed to have the right thing to say. She laughed at people’s jokes, complimented others on their work, and smiled like nothing in the world could bother her. But it bothered ‘me.’

Maybe it’s just who I am, but I can’t help but watch people closely. The way they move, how they act, the little things they do that give away what’s really going on in their heads. And with Nathalie, I could see something that most people probably couldn’t.

She was faking it.

I don’t mean she was a bad person or anything, but something about her kindness seemed... forced. Like every smile was rehearsed, every compliment carefully planned. I saw her interact with other Elites during breaks, and it was the same thing. Perfect words, perfect smile, perfect everything. But none of it was real. I don’t know why, but it felt like she was just going through the motions, doing what was expected of her because she had to, not because she wanted to.

I sighed, feeling a little frustrated. Why would she put herself through that? Pretending to be someone she wasn’t? I pitied her in a way, but I couldn’t understand it. I didn’t have time for that kind of thing. I was here for a reason, and making friends or pretending to be someone I wasn’t didn’t fit into my plans.

“Abigail?” a voice called out, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I blinked, realizing everyone else in the room was staring at me, including the professor. He was waiting for me to answer him, but I hadn’t heard a word he’d said. Nathalie, who was standing beside me, gently nudged my arm and whispered, “He’s calling your name.”

I flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry, what was that?”

The professor gave me an amused look. “I was saying, Abigail, since you’re new, you’ll need to stop by the faculty office to collect your uniform. Nathalie, you can accompany her. I’m sure she’s not familiar with the academy yet.”

Great, just what I needed, more time with Nathalie.

I nodded quickly. “Yes, of course.”

After the fourth bell rang, signaling the end of classes for the day, Nathalie and I walked together through the large, echoing halls toward the faculty office. Neither of us spoke at first, which made the silence feel heavier than it should have. I could sense Nathalie’s mood shift a little. She wasn’t smiling or joking like earlier. She was quieter, more reserved, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she was slipping into her “Blue Elite” role again.

But just when I thought she’d stay silent the whole way, Nathalie broke the quiet.

“So,” she said, glancing at me with a small smile. “Since you’re new, I figured I could help you get familiar with the school. You know, show you where things are so you don’t end up wandering around like a lost puppy.”

I rolled my eyes at that, but there was something playful in her tone that surprised me. “A lost puppy, huh?”

She laughed, a soft sound that felt genuine this time. “Well, maybe not a puppy. But still, this place is huge. It’s easy to get lost.”

I gave a small shrug, trying to act like I didn’t care. “I’ll figure it out eventually.”

“I’m sure you will,” she said, her smile widening. “But no harm in speeding up the process, right?”

I looked at her closely, trying to figure her out. She didn’t seem like the kind of person who’d joke around, not with how she acted in front of the other Elites. But here she was, teasing me like we were old friends. It was strange, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

“Thanks,” I mumbled, more out of politeness than anything.

Nathalie didn’t seem bothered by my lack of enthusiasm. She kept walking beside me, pointing out little details about the school, like where the library was, which hallways led to the cafeteria, and the best shortcuts between classes. I listened half-heartedly, still trying to piece together what her deal was.

We reached the faculty office, and Nathalie stopped outside the door, leaning against the wall as I went in to get my uniform. I came out a few minutes later, holding the neat stack of clothes in my arms. Nathalie glanced at the uniform and nodded approvingly.

“Looks good on you already,” she said with a grin.

I snorted. “It’s a uniform. I doubt I’ll look any different than anyone else.”

“True,” she admitted, pushing off the wall. “But maybe that’s a good thing.”

As we started walking again, I glanced at her, still confused by the different sides of her I’d seen today. One minute she’s acting like a perfect Elite, the next she’s cracking jokes and acting... normal. It didn’t make sense.

“So,” I said, hesitating before I asked, “why do you do it?”

“Do what?” she asked, looking at me curiously.

“The whole... act,” I said, lowering my voice. “With the other Elites. The fake smiles, the forced kindness. Why do you bother?”

For a second, I thought I’d crossed a line. Nathalie’s smile faded, and she looked down at the floor as we walked. I wasn’t sure if she’d answer, but after a moment, she sighed.

“You noticed, huh?” she said softly. “It’s not really an act, you know. It’s more like... survival. In a place like this, you either play the game or get left behind. And I’m not the type to get left behind.”

Her words hung in the air between us, and I didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t wrong. Aurorium Academy wasn’t a regular school. It was a battlefield, and only the strong survived. Maybe Nathalie had figured that out long before I did.

---

After we left the faculty office, Nathalie kept true to her word. She led me around the academy, showing me the different spots I’d need to know. The place was massive, bigger than I thought. It was almost overwhelming, but Nathalie was easygoing and kept things light. We passed by the gym first, huge, of course, with all kinds of equipment and space. I could see a group of students inside, already working out or practicing. Nathalie pointed it out like it was nothing special, but for me, it was impressive.

“Here’s the soccer ground,” Nathalie said as we reached the field. “A lot of the guys from the Red Elites play here. They’re strong, but a bit slow on the field. Still, they dominate most of the time.”

I didn’t say much, just nodded as she continued. Nathalie seemed comfortable around people, always waving or saying hi to anyone we passed. But something in me still didn’t trust her. It wasn’t that she was fake exactly, but it felt like there was more to her than she was letting on.

Next, she brought me to the theater. “This is where we have performances, speeches, big events. You’ll get to see it in action soon.”

The theater was impressive too. Big, almost fancy, with red velvet seats and a huge stage. I could picture it filled with students, all focused on whatever show or event was happening. Nathalie led me through the aisles, talking about past events, but I barely heard her. My mind was drifting, thinking about why I was really here, what my goals were.

The cafeteria was next. It was grand, with long tables, and of course, an area just for Elites. Nathalie didn’t say much about that, just pointed at the separate space where only the Elites were allowed to eat. I could feel eyes on me as we passed through, but I didn’t pay much attention. My mind was elsewhere.

We moved on to the fool for sports, which was bigger than anything I’d ever seen. Nathalie talked about the teams, how the Elites dominated every sport, and I just let her words wash over me. I wasn’t interested in any of that right now.

Finally, she brought me to the library. It was quiet, peaceful, filled with books that seemed way too serious for what I imagined students here would care about. Nathalie whispered something about the Blue Elites spending a lot of time here, but I was distracted again.

We started walking again, passing different buildings until we reached the Elite area. That’s when I saw it, the building for the Black Elites. The faculty building loomed ahead, dark and cold, almost intimidating. My feet stopped without thinking, and I just stood there, staring.

Nathalie noticed immediately. She looked back at me, eyebrows raised. “What’s up, Abigail? You okay?”

I blinked, trying to shake off the strange feeling that washed over me. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I muttered.

“You sure? You kinda froze there.”

I forced a smile, hoping it looked convincing. “It’s nothing, really.”

But inside, my mind was racing. I couldn’t tell her why I was staring at that building, why I couldn’t stop thinking about what was inside. I couldn’t tell her what my real goal was here at Aurorium. I couldn’t trust anyone with that, not yet. Nathalie might be nice, but she was still a stranger.

I wasn’t herefor any distract and fun. I was here for a reason. To reach the top, no matter what it took. The Elites... they were part of that.

Nathalie looked at me for another second, like she didn’t quite believe me but didn’t push it. “Alright then,” she said lightly. “Let’s keep going. Still a few more places to show you.”

I nodded, but my thoughts were stuck on the Black Elite building as we walked away. The feeling that I had to pass through those doors someday, that my goal was waiting for me behind them, stayed with me. I didn’t know how or when, but I’d get there.

Nathalie and I were just about to leave the area when I noticed him, the boy from earlier, the one who faced off with Xioron. He appeared out of nowhere, as if he had been watching us the whole time. I stopped in my tracks, and I could feel Nathalie tense up beside me.

She lowered her head slightly, just enough to show respect. I didn’t miss the small but clear gesture. It made me wonder, how much power did this guy really have? Nathalie wasn’t exactly the type to bow to anyone unless she had to.

The boy, calm but sharp-eyed, focused on Nathalie. "What's your excuse for visiting the Black Elite area?" His voice was smooth but carried an edge of authority. "And bringing her here?"

I could feel his gaze shift toward me, but I kept my expression neutral, not giving him any reason to question me. Nathalie answered quickly, her tone steady.

"Just showing her around, Finn. She’s new."

There was no need to explain further, but we both knew that the boy already knew I was new. Finn. So that was his name. He glanced at me briefly, almost like he was trying to figure something out. Silence filled the air for a moment, and it felt like time stretched on too long, like we were all waiting for something to happen.

Finally, Finn sighed, and it wasn’t a heavy sound, it was more like he was deciding whether or not we were worth his time. He gave a small nod. "Alright." It wasn’t exactly an answer, but it was enough to ease the tension slightly. He turned to Nathalie, and the way they interacted made me wonder if there was more to their connection than just academy ranks. They talked casually, like they knew each other well enough, but it didn’t quite fit. Was there some kind of history between them?

I needed to add this to the pieces I was putting together about the academy. Everything here had layers, and I could tell Nathalie was hiding something, but so was Finn. I wasn’t sure yet if they were on the same side.

But before I could dive any deeper into my thoughts, Finn’s voice broke the quiet.

“I’m Finn Caryozo,” he said, looking at me now. “Second in rank among the Black Elites.” His introduction was simple, but it carried weight. Second in rank. That meant only one person was above him, Emery Amara Aurorium. The very name that seemed to hold all the mystery of this place.

His eyes flickered over me, measuring, and for a second, I thought I saw a hint of curiosity behind his cold exterior. He nodded, more to himself than to me. "Welcome to the Academy, Abigail."

There was something in the way he said it that made me pause. His tone wasn’t exactly warm, but there was something else there, something I couldn’t quite place. And then he added, "Enjoy your year here. It’s going to be a special one."

A special year? What was that supposed to mean? The way he said it sounded less like a welcome and more like a warning. His words stuck with me as I watched him turn away and head back toward the Elite faculty building. He moved with such ease, like he owned the place, and maybe he did, in his own way.

Just before he entered the building, he glanced back at me, his lips curving into a normal smile that felt just a little... suspicious. It wasn’t exactly threatening, but it wasn’t friendly either. It was like he knew something I didn’t, something important.

As the door closed behind him, I felt a strange chill run down my spine. Nathalie and I stood there for a moment, both silent, as if processing what had just happened.

“That was... weird,” Nathalie finally said, her voice quiet. I nodded but didn’t say anything. She was right, it ‘was’ weird, but there was more to it.

I was more confused than ever now. Finn Caryozo, the second Black Elite, and the way Nathalie had acted around him, it didn’t add up. I’d have to figure it out, but one thing was clear: this academy was more than it seemed. And if I wanted to reach my goal, I needed to be careful. Everyone had secrets here, and I wasn’t about to trust anyone too quickly.

I glanced at Nathalie, who was still staring at the building as if lost in her own thoughts. Whatever was going on between her and Finn, I’d have to keep an eye on it. There was something deeper happening at Aurorium Academy, and I was determined to uncover it.

But for now, I pushed the thoughts aside. I had a year to figure it all out. A year that, according to Finn, was going to be special. Whatever that meant.