yesyesohgodyes@gmail.com

Leandre remained silent as he read the message, his eyes fixed on the words before him. "To strike a jackass without incurring any physical harm?" He repeated to himself, perplexed by the bizarre request. "Am I a personal bodyguard to order around?" Leandre was completely flummoxed as to why he had initiated a peculiar, witchy conversation with this stranger whom he doesn't know anything about except for being obsessed with essential oils.

A few minutes back, he opened Enforcers mail to see if he had received any requests from the public. He did get a bundle of thank you emails, but among them, one caught his attention The snarky and derisive essentialoillover's reply. He is not to someone to sit and watch someone mock him. One reply to settle the score, and he would be done. That's what Leandre thought. Fifteen minutes later, he was prattling on in a language that sounded like it came straight from the witches cauldron. "Why am I entertaining a stranger!" This was not like him. Clearing his senses, he slammed the laptop shut, putting an end to the conversation.

Leandre pulled a file from the drawer, diving into studying the intricate details of the criminal case study. While engrossed, an email notification popped up on his phone. Leandre peered at the name: yesyesohgodyes@gmail.com.

"What kind of kinky user name is this?" He clicked on the email, and inside was a compressed file containing a video. As he hit the play button, animalistic panting and rhythmic grunting mixed with moans filled his room.

Leandre didn't need to endure the sounds any longer to know what it was unless he had a perverse urge to keep going. "Which idiotic bastard has sent this?" He closed the video, pulled the IP address through the email header and traced it. He was surprised to see the latitudes and longitudes pointing very near his location. "Someone from the academy? But why?" His mind raced with potential suspects. But no one would dare unless they were foolish!

Losers!" Leandre muttered in disdain as he deleted the email, refocusing his attention back on his work.

.....

The next morning, Pineapple emerged out of his room sporting a white tee with high spirits. As he sauntered onto the training grounds, he was met with hardly twenty trainees running 1.5 miles run around the field.

"Looks like my mantra worked!" He chortled, popping the strength-boosting pill into his mouth. He scanned the crowd, elated to find Leandre hadn't come yet. "That hooligan must be snoring like a hibernating bear after feasting his eyes on p.o.r.n all night long!"

Sporting a smug grin, Pineapple marched towards the gym without giving a hoot about the compulsory jog that he usually ditches. As he pushed open the door, his eyes quickly scanned the room, taking in the sight of the five trainees working out. His gaze eventually landed on someone performing wide grip pull-ups, with back rippled, and flexing each muscle on display with beads of sweat dripping down his spine. His sneer deepened into a scowl. "He woke up? Did he not watch the video I sent?"

"Evandre! Bend your lazy ass, and get your booty in gear. Knock out 50 squats. I heard you have been skipping physical training." Pineapple heard the fitness coach's barkings. A sudden surge of panic coursed through him.

"No coach. I am not skipping!" Pineapple nervously said, grabbing a pair of measly 1 kg dumbbells and sauntering over to where Leandre was wrapping up his workout. "Hey, hooligan. What time did you sleep yesterday?" He asked.

"At a time when civilized people are supposed to sleep," Leandre deadpanned and turned to leave. Pineapple was itching to go after him, but the stern gaze of the coach held him in check, forcing him to retreat into a sulky silence.

Leandre took one last glance at his friends, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of Knox, who hadn't come. His gaze fell on Dustin and Xanth, who shrugged their shoulders, indicating they had no idea.

Thirty minutes later, Knox barged into the gym, panting and out of breath.

"You are thirty minutes late, Knox!" The coach said, jotting down a tardy mark next to Knox's name.

"I_I am sorry, coach..I was just...just_"

"Don't tell me you were watching p.o.r.n all night and woke up late." The coach jovially laughed, teasing him.

"That's true, coach!" Knox told the truth before sprinting away.

"I like your sarcasm!" The coach grinned, and moments later, the grin on his face faltered as a noxious odour suddenly invaded his nostrils, causing him to scrunch up his face in disgust. "Whoever released it, smell it!" He declared, scanning the room for the culprit. "Evandre! Is that you?"

"No, coach! I swear on my grandmother!" Pineapple cried, pinching his button nose shut to avoid the stench.

"Whoever it is, I will hire a bloodhound to track you down before you leave the academy!" With that, he hurried out of the gym, desperate for a breath of fresh air.

Knox approached Xanth studying his tired face, who was in the midst of performing lunges. "You got dark circles. Why?" He said, initiating his body to squat.

"You are late to the practice. Why?" Xanth questioned, breathing heavily, diverting the topic from his eyes.

The two fell silent and resumed their workout, not intending to reveal their night-out activities.

It didnot end well for the trainees after the physical training. During the law lectures, Knox and three others were kicked out and punished with 50 round run around the field for dozing in the class. Lucky for them, Duncan was not teaching law. However, Xanth was not fortunate like Knox. During the defence arms training, he yawned in front of Duncan and was in for a double latte punishment.

Pineapple grinned, seeing the trainees make mistakes which gave him the motivation to continue his mission tonight as well.

.....

At the other end, the morning was crisp and bright for Clary. She went to college after the archery practice. Settling into her usual spot in the back row, she swivelled on her spinny chair, chatting with her friends while keeping a watchful eye on the door. Suddenly, she jerked the chair to stop as she caught sight of bald baby waddling into the class.

All the students greeted him.

"I see a new face today!" He mocked, eyeing the last row. "Clary Ainford! Bring your assignment to my table."

Clary left her seat, jumped onto the platform, and placed her book on the desk. While bald baby was scrutinizing the complex chemistry equations, Clary studied his face from close which was tared. His nose was upturned, and there were unshaven patches on his chin as if it had been shaved by a drunken barber.

"Think again if you're under the impression that you got away from me by doing this assignment."

Clary broke from her reverie and was greeted by his menacing smile as if he was here to give her a hard time.

"I will be haunting you for the entire semester. Make one more trouble, I will not let you sit for the final exams. Now, get your stuff, and sit in the first row beside Myra. For the rest of the semester, that's your abode. Is that clear?"

Clary pursed her lips and nodded, making a note to teach this pinto bean a lesson right after she had the graduation certificate in his hand. Clary moved to the first row and sat beside Myra, who smiled at her and offered her a pen, encouraging her to jot down the notes. Clary accepted the pen and said thank you, returning her a smile. Myra is the epitome of a perfect student in the class, always jotting down notes, completing the assignments every day, and the professor's favourite student, the complete opposite of Clary's rebellious spirit. She wondered how she had to gel with this studious girl for the rest of the semester.

The moment Bald Baby's class finished and he walked out, Clary sprang from her seat and bolted to the last row.

During the free period, Clary and her friends went to the library since Clary wanted to borrow a book. Gwen sat with her boyfriend chitchatting and immediately went silent, seeing Clary sitting opposite her.

Suddenly someone jumped from the chair and screamed, startling the students. "I got selected in the lucky dip for a trip to Norway, Scandinavia. My flight is scheduled for tomorrow night!"

"What? Myra got?"

"How did she?"

The rest of the students frantically checked their emails, some with a hint of envy while others with a pinch of jealousy. "No! I did not get the mail!"

"How come only Myra got?" Gwen complained to her boyfriend, pouting her lips in displeasure. "This is not fair."

Just the week before, a travel agency which was started newly had offered nine free passes for a three-night, four-day trip to Scandinavia, only for students aged 18 to 21. Students from all the colleges flocked around the travel agency, filling out their details and getting their medical tests done, hoping they would be the lucky nine.

"Seems only Myra got selected from our college!" A student cried.

Candy also let out a disappointed sigh. "Why didn't they select me too?"

"You can go on your own someday, Candy," Clary said.

"Our rich Clary didnot even apply!" Ariel chuckled.

"My dad would tag along, leaving all his business if I get selected, Ariel." Clary sighed. Besides, she doesn't take anything that comes for free. Her dad always says don't be fooled by the word 'free'. Everything comes at a cost, and you may end up paying more than you bargained for. Clary wanted to share it with Myra but held her tongue. She doesn't want to sound like a jealous sour grape. Instead, she simply said. "Congrats, Myra. Have a safe trip."

"Thank you, Clary. You have no idea how much this means to me," Myra beamed, radiating with joy. "I have never been abroad before, and this trip is a dream come true. My mother always called me unlucky for being born on an unauspicious day, but today, I'll prove her wrong and show her that I'm one of the luckiest nine in the whole country. I need to start packing and get permission from the principal. Bye-bye."

Clary smiled and waved her hand. If Myra thought of herself as unlucky for being born on an inauspicious day, then Clary couldn't imagine how she would describe herself for not even being able to celebrate her real birthday or reveal it to anyone.