Hidden Paradise

I guess we're going then

Everyone turned their attention towards each other yet dared not to speak. Since I was the one beside her, I slowly rubbed her back and tried to comfort her. "Hey, it's alright"

"No it's not. The doctor said it would take me three months to heal and there's only three chances of getting sent out every year. Those three chances are like, three days too! AND those three days start after the day of the first day. I don't know if that made sense but I'm not okay" she continued to cry. Her body was lied down as she faced the other side.

"It's just...I've been working for so long for this day. For what? 10 years? And now that the chance comes that everything I've done FINALLY pays off, it gets taken away? For two days, we've passed out. I keep thinking what happens if I decided to stay? Or if we never went at all? The guilt eats me up and it seriously hurts Athena" she stood up, her voice broke my heart when she called me. "I'll be out for a while" she wipes off her tears and drank a glass of water before going out.

"I think we should give her space" I poured myself a drink before hesitating to run after her and comfort her or give her some time by herself.

"4:42" the clock read. Yet, after twists and turns in my bed, I couldn't try to rest. Amaris hasn't come back yet. Alex said he saw her earlier and she was doing fine, watching the skies. What scared me was what's going to happen to her? I mean, she must have felt so wronged. After all, to go to Paraiso was her only goal.

In a flash, I sat in my bed with frustration, arms crossed as I looked at the wall. "Can't sleep?" a soft voice asked. I looked to my right to see Oliver reading a book outside on the balcony. "Y-yeah" I looked away, still mad. I couldn't understand why I was so mad when it wasn't me who got affected. But seeing Amaris cry wasn't an everyday thing. Which meant it really hurts to see her cry....at least, in my opinion that is.

"You know, things happen for a reason. Maybe Amaris isn't really destined to enter Paraiso yet" Oliver's voice was still soft as he placed the book down. "Well, if that's the case then why? Why isn't she allowed to? I mean, we all knew that when TOP students enter the age of 17, they automatically get sent out"

"Hm...that I don't know as well" he picks up the book and continues to read.

They said that the only reason why Amaris isn't able to go to Paraiso was that she's physically unable to do so. BUT, if I can find a way to prove they're wrong, then they'll be called as fraud for lying and they'll be able to send Amaris out tomorrow. Is it worthy to risk myself though? I mean, I would need to go through some files and if I get caught and Amaris IS physically unable to enter Paraiso, I'll be suspended.

Why am I even questioning myself? OF COURSE IT IS!

She's my best friend. I tell myself before going out.

What I needed to do was go through documents. SO, to the office I go. There wasn't a lot of people on the hallway, so it was quiet easy to move around. Luckily for me, I volunteered to help one time here. The office seemed quite near to our room "perfect" I got unto my knees and into a crawling position while slowly creeping around.

"Athena?" the voice made me slightly jump. "What are you doing here?" my hands held my chest as I could feel my heartbeat rising. 'You better act'

"You scared me!" I exaggerated as I turned around. It was Diana. "Oh...sorry" she gave me a nervous smile "But, what were you doing?" her eyes scaned me, up and down.

"I was just looking for something..." I began to scan the place, trying to find an excuse. "To be specific-.."

"You weren't trying to find Amaris' scan documents were you?" she gasps while I simply nod. "Look, I know it's wrong but-.."

"Me too" she smiled sweetly. "Oh...well then come along" I motioned for her. We were now both on our knees around the office. "I think someone's in-..."

Diana got interrupted by a loud bang inside the room. The door became more slightly open, then the doctor stood up to fully close it, probably locked it even.

We both looked at each other 'Are you thinking we should go near there?' Diana nods her head as we crept close to the door.

"So you've been lying?" A stern voiced asked, which made me and Diana more curious about the situation.

"L-look, It's not like I wanted to do it-..."

"But you did it anyways." A sigh came after

"How much did she paid you?" That question made my heart skip a beat. The guy said that the doctor was lying, then proceeded to ask how much money someone gave him to lie. Mostly, bribery would have been normal but not when you're a Yelo.

"L-listen, it's not like that you see-..."

"How much did Amaris' mother pay you?" His voice got louder, interrupting the doctor once again. Wait...Amaris' mother?!

Never in my life have I met her but, I've heard a few tales from Amaris herself.

Silence was in the air. We couldn't hear anything. Diana consistently tapped my shoulder and motioned for us to lower our positions.

"So, to sum this up...Amaris isn't physically unable to enter Paraiso, her mother just paid you a huge sum of money to deliver that news to us...? Why?"

My eyes were about to pop out of the sockets. Diana looked like she wanted to enter the room too.

"I don't want to hear any excuses but I'll be reporting you to the headquarters tomorrow. The footsteps were loud as they got near us. Quickly, both me and Diana went back to our spot just earlier, behind the cabinets that were placed across the doctor's office. Don't ask me why it's there...it's just there.

The door opened and got closed by a loud bang. "I think we should go" Diana whispered as she slightly pushes me out.

"You guys can show yourselves now" another voice made me jump. It was Alex, his body was leaning against the cabinets and held a folder.

"H-Hi" Diana stuttered

"What happened?" he only looks at me and hands me the folder. "You guys heard the conversation, right?" we both nod our head as I opened the file. Evidence and proof were there about the doctor guy getting paid and receiving a huge amount of money. Amaris' mother doing this wasn't quite rare of her to do so. But the fact that she actually managed to bribe someone was a first.

Even the school already warned her about it. I heard it was Amaris' decision to attend The Academy and her mother wasn't against it before she entered the TOP students. I mean, I don't actually know what happened but her mother is also a Yelo so I don't see the problem.

"However" Alex takes back the folder "You guys must shut your mouths until the morning comes, alright?" we both nod out head one more time before following him to get back into our room.

"Everyone listen up" the door suddenly opened and came a nurse who was clapping his hands. "You guys" he looks at all of us. We weren't even fully awake yet. "Are going to Paraiso" he clasps his hands. "Excuse me?" Oliver looked at him, his eyes squinting.

"It's currently 10:12 in the morning and we'll be leaving around 11:30, so pack yo things up" he places both of his hands on his hips. No one moved an inch as we were all confused.

Us? Going to Paraiso? I looked at Alex and he shrugs at me "what are you looking at?" his eyes asked.

"I said, everyone of you is going to Paraiso. And if you guys are wondering why, it's because Alex can't go alone and so you guys are coming with him." He sighs after seeing us still frozen in our place.

"Anyways, you guys should start packing up since you'll be leaving around 11:30... And oh, you guys missed breakfast" he says before leaving.

"What are you doing?" Alex asks as he sees Amaris going back to sleep. "I don't think I'm still physically able to enter Paraiso, remember?" she snuggles her blanket.

"Alright, get up" he takes off her blanket and forces her to sit on the bed. "You heard the nurse, right? He said that every single one of us is going" he looks at us, as if threatening us. "And that, includes you." He points at Amaris.

"Now let's move everybody" he started to clap his hand, gesturing us to leave our beds.

"Are you sure that I'll be fine?" Alex holds Amaris shoulder and bends down a bit so he could meet her eye. "You'll be fine, trust me, okay?" Amaris nods her head before approaching me.

"I guess we'll be leaving after all, huh?" Amaris started to smile at me as we both packed together.

We waved goodbye as the Academy gates started to close. All they instructed was that we'll get on the bus and then we'll be going to Paraiso...somehow.

The bus' doors started to open as we got in one by one. Everyone was seated separately while Amaris motions me to sit beside her.

"Hey" I spoke softly. The bus started to move and no one spoke a word to each other.

I felt numb sitting there. We were currently on our way to Paraiso, Amaris' mother bribed a doctor, and we were hospitalized for 2-3 days without waking up. And oh, we forgot to eat breakfast.

I didn't know how I was supposed to feel.

"Hey" I tapped Amaris' shoulder. "Why do you want to go to Paraiso?" she smiles at my question. "I don't know, probably because I'm curious what's in there..." she leans back into the seat and closes her eyes.

Slowly, I closed my eyes after her.

The bus stops harshly as we all fell forward "Ouch" everyone complains. "What is wrong with the driver?" Alex's hand over his head as he walks forward.

"Hey Mister"

"Ah, I had a pretty good dream ruined" Amaris sighs. "What's wrong?" we all looked at Alex who kept looking back at us and the driver's seat. "Uh...there's no one here"

"Stop Joking" Diana warns him "I'm not lying!" he defenses "See for yourself, come on" he motions for us.

"Do you wanna go see?" I turn to Amaris as she nods her head. I got out first so she could too. Since we've decided to sit at the very back- and the bus is long, we placed our bags unto the chairs.

"I'll go first" Amaris says as I followed behind her. "You better not be joking" I yell after

"I don't think he is" Diana says, concern all over her face as she arrived there first.

"Hey-..." it happened so fast as my foot fell into a hole in the bus. "Are you alright?" Amaris was quick to turn back and tried helping me. My shoes slowly fell and my foot felt breezy.

"Come on" Oliver offered both of his hands while Amaris made sure my foot wouldn't hurt. "Pull in the count of three. One...two...three" Oliver pulls me up safely. "Where are we?"

I slowly approached the drivers seat to find it empty. "What- what are we supposed to do now?"

"I think we're on a beach" Oliver approaches the hole and places his arms outside. "Be careful" Jason holds his body as the hole slowly gets bigger and bigger.

"I'm going out" Oliver says before his whole body goes out into the whole.