Escape: Heaven’s Temple

THE RIVALS

Each day passes and Steph continues to avoid Emery. There were several times that Emery tries to talk to Steph again, but she can’t. Especially when she noticed that Steph was avoiding and moving away from her. She also spent a lot of time with her friends so that Emery can’t directly approach her. Kate, on the other hand, does not leave Emery. She really obeyed the nun's command to her. Even if Kate also wants to be with her other friends whenever they’re at Hellviore High, she still doesn’t leave Emery’s side.

“Why don't you go with your other friends? It's okay with me if I'm alone somehow. I don't want you to stop being with them just because of me,” Emery said to her friend. She also noticed that Kate couldn't even leave her.

Kate nodded at her. “I can't leave you alone. Sister Anasha clearly told me that you can’t tour here at Hellviore High alone. I must be with you at any time,” she replied.

Emery sighed at her friend's answer. “But it's okay with me if you don't watch me. I'm not a kid anymore to be watched. I can do and handle anything for myself. Especially since I know you also want to be with your other friends.”

“But Sister Anasha will punish me when she finds out I'm leaving you here. I don’t want that to happen. I don't want to be punished.”

Emery felt sad because of what her friend was going through. She didn't expect Kate to experience that at school now that they were together. Emery thinks Kate and her high school life will be happy. But something else is happening. It was as if Kate was also choking because she was the only one with her and she’s obeying the orders of Sister Anasha.

“It is not really your obligation to accompany me and watch over me. Another is that, I am not just your friend. Let me talk to Sister Anasha for you to watching over me. You’re not my bodyguard to watch over me. We are just here at school,” Emery said again.

“All right, Emery. Just talk to Sister Anasha and let me know tomorrow if she is willing. I was surprised because you can't talk to other people besides me and the teachers. It looks like they just really want to keep you safe especially now that you're out of Heaven's Temple.”

Emery thought again. She wonders what she really is in Heaven’s Temple. Why did the nuns treat her that way and take care of her? She seems to be a treasure for the people in Heaven’s Temple. Even the members of Heaven’s Temple seemed to respect her even though she was just a normal child. She has always wondered why the people who worship in Heaven’s Temple treat her like that.

“It's up to me to talk to Sister Anasha. It's embarrassing because you can't be with your other friends just because of me.”

“It’s fine, Emery. I'm also happy to be with you. Another is that, we have been friends for a long time. So it's okay for me even if you're the one I'm with here at school and not my other friends.”

Emery thought her friend Kate was just fine and kind. They just continued eating because they had lunch break. When their lunch break was over, they immediately returned to their classroom.

“Good afternoon, class. Today I will be giving you a fifty items quiz for you to answer it for thirty minutes. This is a special quiz to know who will be qualified to participate in the Mathematics competition,” the teacher announced to them.

The teacher distributed the papers and answer sheets to the students. Then the timer started and the students also started answering the given problems. Emery was confident in answering the mathematical problems given in the quiz. Especially and there she is great. So in less than thirty minutes, she finished answering the fifty items quiz. But at the same time, she passed together with Steph.

Steph stared at her when she saw that they both stood up and approached the teacher in the front to hand over the answer sheets. “You don't have to be quick to answer the quiz, you will immediately become participants for the mathematics competition. You must also have the highest score from this quiz. I will choose two students,” their teacher announced again.

When everyone had finished answering, they waited for the result with the highest score. After the teacher checked their answers it stood in front.

“Congratulations to these two students. Emery Quinn and Steph Go,” the teacher announced. Their classmates applauded. Steph was surprised because she was one of the chosen ones to compete in the mathematics competition. But she also didn’t expect Emery to be selected. She doesn’t want to be around or be with Emery, especially and she avoids her.

There was no reaction on Emery's face. But inwardly he was glad that he was also chosen. “Emery got the highest score which is the perfect score. While Steph have two mistakes but she is the second to the highest score,” the teacher added.

“Congrats, Emery,” Kate happily said to her. Emery tried to smile at her. Other classmates also congratulate Steph.

“Come and see me at my office later after your class. We need to have a meeting for the mathematics competition.”

Their teacher left after that. Steph stood up and quickly approached Emery's seat. “Don't continue with the competition. Tell our teacher later that you will back out from it,” she said.

“Why would I do that? I also want to participate in that competition,” Emery said bravely. They already got their classmates’ attention.

“You don’t belong there. Maybe you just cheated that’s why you got a perfect score earlier. Am I wrong?”

“You’re obviously wrong, Steph. What do you mean that I cheated to our quiz earlier? It was a surprise quiz and all of us doesn’t have any idea about it. Are you crazy, Steph?” Emery answered again. Steph got mad because of what she said.c

“What? Did you just called me a crazy? Don’t you dare call me that! I am not like your dead friend.”

Steph could no longer control herself so she was able to say those words in front of Emery. Emery immediately stood up in anger when she heard that Angel was involved in their conversation. Kate also stood up and was ready to plead with the two of them. Kate also felt angry because of what Steph said about Angel. But she could do nothing.

“What did you just said? How dare you bring up Angel in our topic right now!”

"Don't mention her name ever again!"

“Why don’t you want to hear her name? Are you afraid? Are you guilty about what had happened to her before? Was your guilty eating your conscience because you did something wrong to Angel before she died? Is that it, huh?!”

Emery lost her control and got more angry to Steph. She wanted to hurt her physically but she can’t. Especially and a lot of eyes are watching them at that time inside their classroom. They could not continue their argument because their next teacher arrived. The lessons continues and they remained silent to listen to their teacher in front of them.

Three days passed and that was the day when the mathematics competition would take place against the other representatives of each school. But in the first round, the two representatives from each school will compete and whoever wins will compete against other representatives from different academies.

"The timer starts now!"

They have one time to fill out the test papers given to them. Emery and Steph were fighting during those hours. All their answers are purely mathematical problems. Everyone also needs complete solutions. When an hour has passed and it is known that the result will be announced who will compete with other representatives of the academies.

“The winner for Hellviore High is Emery Quinn! Congratulations! You will proceed to the next round,” the host announced.

Emery was overjoyed. Sister Anasha supports her. She agreed for Emery to participate in the contest but she had to be watched over by the nun herself. She could do nothing but let Sister Anasha do what she wanted to do.

Emery went backstage after the first round. Steph angrily approached her. “I can't believe you won instead of me! I'm sure you're cheating just to win!”

“Tell me what you want to tell me. There is no truth to that.”

“You should have just backed out! Then I would have won this contest.”

“If you're angry with me because you're jealous, it's best to keep quiet. You can't even accept defeat. What a loser.”

She quickly passed through Steph. She left her angrily. She does it so that she can confess to Steph what she knows about Angel’s death.