The Academy That Eats Tomorrow

Lunch for Five

The first thing Mira noticed was the silence.

Not the strange kind of silence that came from the underground room.

This was ordinary silence.

The kind that happened when five people sat at the same table and nobody knew what to say.

Mira looked around the cafeteria.

Students filled almost every table.

Some were laughing.

Others were arguing over homework.

Someone at the next table had already spilled a drink.

Everything looked normal.

Almost painfully normal.

Mira looked at the five people sitting with her.

Sophie was picking at her food.

Rhea had stolen two pieces of chicken from Sophie's plate.

Eli was staring at his drink.

And Noah was sitting at the end of the table, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.

The fifth seat remained empty.

Theo's seat.

Mira looked at it.

Rhea noticed.

"Don't."

Mira looked at her.

"Don't what?"

"Keep looking at the empty chair."

"Why?"

"Because every time you do, I start remembering him."

Mira went quiet.

Sophie looked at Rhea.

"You remember him?"

"Yes."

"Clearly?"

Rhea hesitated.

"No."

She stared at the empty seat.

"I remember laughing with him."

Mira smiled faintly.

"I remember that too."

"What did he laugh at?" Sophie asked.

Nobody answered.

Rhea frowned.

"See?"

She tapped the table.

"It's disappearing."

Eli finally looked up.

"Then we need to write everything down."

Noah nodded.

"Exactly."

Rhea pointed at him.

"See? That's why you're useful."

Noah raised an eyebrow.

"I'll try to survive the compliment."

Rhea smiled.

Mira almost laughed.

It was the first normal moment they'd had all day.

Almost.

"Can someone explain something to me?"

Sophie looked at Noah.

"Why are you acting like you've known all of this for years?"

Noah leaned back.

"Because I have."

"That's not an explanation."

"It's the only one I have."

Rhea crossed her arms.

"No. You're doing that mysterious thing again."

"What mysterious thing?"

"Answering questions without actually answering them."

Noah looked at her.

"That's because you ask bad questions."

Rhea gasped.

"I like him less already."

Mira smiled.

Sophie laughed.

Even Eli's mouth twitched.

Noah noticed.

For a second, he looked at Eli.

Then Eli looked away.

The moment disappeared.

Mira caught it.

She didn't say anything.

They ate quietly for a few minutes.

Then Sophie spoke.

"So... what exactly are we supposed to do now?"

Mira looked at her.

"Find Theo."

"Obviously."

Rhea pointed her fork at Mira.

"But how?"

Mira looked at Noah.

He sighed.

"I don't know."

Rhea dropped her fork.

"Wait."

Everyone looked at her.

"You don't know?"

"No."

"But you literally found a secret room underneath the school."

"That doesn't mean I know everything."

Rhea looked offended.

"I thought you were the human Google."

Noah almost smiled.

"I'm not."

"Debatable."

Sophie leaned forward.

"What about Ava?"

Mira's expression changed.

Everyone went quiet.

The girl from the photograph.

The girl who had appeared beneath the academy.

The girl who knew Noah.

And Professor Vale.

"We need to find out who she is," Mira said.

Noah shook his head.

"Not yet."

"Why?"

"Because we don't know what she wants."

Rhea frowned.

"She said she'd been waiting for us."

"Exactly."

Eli finally spoke.

"She also knew Noah."

Noah looked at him.

Eli continued.

"And she knew about the first attempt."

Noah's jaw tightened.

"You want answers from me."

"Yes."

"I don't have them."

"You know more than us."

"So do you."

Eli frowned.

"What does that mean?"

Noah stared at him.

"You've been having memories too."

Eli froze.

Mira looked between them.

"How do you know?"

Noah didn't answer.

Eli stood.

"Don't talk about things you don't understand."

Noah stood too.

"I understand more than you think."

The cafeteria noise seemed to disappear around them.

Mira stood quickly.

"Sit down."

Neither moved.

"Noah."

He looked at her.

"Eli."

Eli finally sat.

Noah followed.

Rhea slowly picked up her fork.

"Well..."

She looked around the table.

"That was uncomfortable."

Sophie nodded.

"Very."

Rhea took another bite.

"Anyone want dessert?"

Mira laughed.

She couldn't help it.

Sophie laughed too.

Even Eli smiled.

Noah shook his head.

"You people are strange."

Rhea pointed at him.

"And yet you're still sitting here."

Noah looked around the table.

For the first time, he didn't immediately look away.

Five people.

One empty chair.

He quietly said:

"I guess I am."

The lunch bell rang.

Students began leaving the cafeteria.

Mira stood.

"We have History again tomorrow."

Sophie looked at her.

"Without Theo."

Nobody spoke.

Mira picked up her bag.

"Then we'll make sure he has a seat when he comes back."

Noah looked at her.

"You really believe he'll come back?"

Mira met his eyes.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I remember him."

Noah stared at her.

"And if they erase the memory?"

Mira closed her notebook.

"Then I'll remember again."

Noah didn't answer.

But as they left the cafeteria, Mira noticed something.

He walked with them.

Not ahead.

Not behind.

With them.

For now, that was enough.

Mira was halfway down the corridor when she stopped.

A strange feeling passed through her.

She looked back.

The cafeteria doors were closing.

For one second, she saw Theo sitting at their table.

Smiling.

Then the doors shut.

Mira blinked.

He was gone.

But this time, she smiled.

Because she knew something now.

Theo was still somewhere inside the Academy.

And he was trying to find his way back.