FATAL ATTRACTION

Episode Three

Imagine the morning light hitting those high windows, illuminating the dust motes and the polished wood of the hallways as they walk toward the canteen.

“Hello,” Lyra heard a voice behind her. It was a familiar, cool tone that made her heart skip a beat. She turned slowly, her eyes widening in genuine shock.

“Jazel…” she almost shouted, her voice echoing off the brick walls. Jazel actually offered a small, rare smile in return.

“Oh my God, is this really you?” Lyra continued, her voice rising as she physically circled Jazel, checking to see if she was a ghost or a hologram. “I woke up this morning and didn’t see you or your belongings around or anywhere else!”

Jazel paused for a while calculating a sharp lie to come up with. She needed to sound believable and give nothing away. “I had personal business to settle. I'm here now, aren't I?”

“Ohh… kay!” Lyra said tilting her head sideways before her bright smile returned.

Lyra laughed, her relief bubbling over. “Welcome back friend!” She threw her arms around Jazel in a quick, impulsive hug.

Jazel stiffened instantly. Her spine went as straight as a ruler, her arms hanging awkwardly at her sides. Physical contact was a language she hadn't spoken in a very long time.

“Oh, sorry…” Lyra pulled back apologetically, catching the "System Error" look on Jazel’s face.

“Yeah, it’s fine,” Jazel replied, her voice returning to its calm, steady frequency.

They started walking toward the canteen, the sound of other students’ laughter and the clatter of trays filling the air. It was a normal morning at St. Jude’s.

“So... I’m sure you’re no longer mad at anybody, right?” Lyra asked tentatively, her voice hopeful.

“Of course I am,” Jazel answered back casually, like she was commenting on the weather.

“Don’t say that, Zel. Anything could happen to bring you guys together. You know... a partnership? A common goal?” Lyra said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Jazel’s voice sharpened, “Nothing at all can ever bring us together.” She narrowed her eyes and added “And it’s Jazel not Zel”

“Fair! Except that…” Lyra dragged the word out, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Just then, the announcements cut through the air. “All prefects are required to report to the conference room immediately.”

Lyra turned to her with a playful, "I-gotcha" smirk. “I’m sure you know what that means, Jazel Martins.”

Jazel just looked at her and let out a long, heavy sigh. Had she almost forgotten that she was ironically made head over the clubs activities of the school? Ugh.

The conference room at St. Jude’s was its usual woody, soulful self, but today the atmosphere had a different edge. The main lights were cut, leaving the room mostly dim, with a sharp, focused spotlight highlighting the Pioneer at the podium.

Prefects were strolling in, chatting and laughing in low voices as they found their seats in the shadows. Everyone was fairly relaxed except for Jazel, who stood apart as the odd one out. Once everyone was settled, the room went quiet, waiting for the Pioneer to address them from his patch of light.

Then, the Pioneer stepped up to the podium, and the room snapped to attention.

“Alright, prefects. As we all know, our school remains a powerhouse in every possible walks of life including sports and games,” he began, his voice echoing.

“Yes, sir!” the room chorused in unison.

“This next initiative doesn't strictly concern every department here,” he continued. “It’s primarily the responsibility of the Sports and Clubs prefects, supported by the Health prefect. The rest of you will be drafted to ensure the execution is seamless. Understood?”

“Yes, sir!” they chorused again.

The Pioneer paused, his eyes scanning the rows of wooden chairs as if he were hunting for a missing piece of a puzzle. “And… Jazel? Yes, Jazel Martins. Where is she? As the Clubs Prefect, her presence is non-negotiable. Why isn't she in her seat?”

[Minutes Earlier...]

While the Pioneer had been laying out the school’s glory, Jazel was currently engaged in a high-stakes tactical maneuver: tip-toeing.

She was moving silently, her eyes darting across the room to avoid the Pioneer’s line of sight. She’d been hunting for an empty chair for the last few minutes, her movements as fluid as a shadow against the wood-paneled walls.

Great! She spotted one. A perfect, unassuming seat near the back.

She was just about to make her final advance when the Pioneer’s voice boomed through the silence. “Where is she? How is she not here?”

Ahem.

Someone let out a sharp, pointed cough. It was like a spotlight had been dropped on her.

All eyes turned. Every single student in that room was staring at the girl caught halfway between a crouch and a seat.

Silence.

Jazel froze. She looked at the crowd with narrowed, icy eyes for a split second, before she stood up straight and completely composed herself.

“Oh,” she said, her voice dropping into that familiar, chilled tone. “I was just about to get a seat.”

“But you’re late, Jazel,” the Pioneer said, his voice tight with an annoyance he was clearly struggling to maintain.

“I know,” Jazel replied, her face a mask of total nonchalance. “That’s why I was being quiet.”

The Pioneer let out a long, weary sigh that seemed to age him five years on the spot. “Just... find a place to sit, Jazel.”

“Oh yeah,” Jazel muttered, continuing toward the empty seat she’d spotted. But then, she suddenly halted. Her shadow froze against the dim wooden floor.

Jazel stepped toward the empty chair—and then paused. In the shadowy rows, the silhouette sitting right next to it was unmistakable.

Alex.

Her eyes narrowed by a fraction of a millimeter. Sitting next to him was the last thing she wanted, but making a scene would only draw more eyes.

“Jazel,” the Pioneer called again, his voice echoing from the spotlight.

“Ugh,” she muttered inwardly.

The Pioneer didn't wait for her excuse. “Don’t worry, I think I see an empty seat right beside… Alex!” He actually smiled, thinking he was being helpful.

Jazel gave a brief nod and walked over. Great. Sitting next to the school’s “golden boy”. She could feel Alex's eyes on her, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of looking back. She had survived a midnight vault heist four hours ago; she could survive sitting next to an arrogant teenager for twenty minutes.

She sat there like a statue, staring straight ahead and praying for the meeting to end. This was the exact reason she’d tried to come late; so she could just slip in for the final "Dismissed" and leave. Fortunately, the Pioneer wrapped up.

She stood up immediately. Even though her face was still blank, her soul was relieved. Sitting next to Alex was the one thing someone like her would do anything to avoid.

She started walking out of the hall peacefully, the cool air of the St. Jude's hallway practically calling her name. Everything was going so smoothly.

Then.

“Alright, you can now all go out,” the Pioneer announced, his voice booming. “Except for the Sports, Club, and Health prefects. And their heads.”

Jazel stopped in her tracks.

She stood there, trying to digest the words, but then the reality hit her like a physical weight. She was the Clubs prefect. Alex was the Sports prefect.

A heavy silence hung in the air as the room emptied out. She closed her eyes for a brief second, letting out a sharp, quiet exhale through her nose.

“Anything wrong, Jazel?” Jason, the Health Prefect, asked with mild concern.

Jazel opened her eyes, her face instantly returning to its calm, “No. I’m fine.”

Alex remained quiet beside them, minding his own business in the dim light. Even if he intended to apologize for the coffee incident, a formal council meeting wasn't the place.

The meeting dragged on with endless details about logistics and schedules. Jazel sat silently, mentally tuning out the noise while maintaining her composed front.

Finally, the Pioneer stepped back from the podium. “That is all for today.”

Relieved, Jazel didn't waste a heartbeat. She stood up to leave, but the Pioneer’s voice cut through her escape:

“Alex and Jazel. The two of you will be working closely to coordinate this event. Make sure you cooperate. Understood?”

****