Mission

Clare stomped her feet where she felt uncomfortable with the silver high-heels that were too high for her. These shoes were chosen by Zoya before leaving and were only worn by Clare when she was about to get out of the car.

The Osbornes were quite good with them. Clare, Jules, and Zoya were the non-royal guests who attended the event. Honestly Jules had objected, but Zoya and Blaire forced her for various reasons.

Clare wore a white sleeveless dress with a skirt above the knee, covered with a pile of embroidery fabric that covered the back of the leg to the heel. Plus the purse fits the dress and the makeup isn't too thick. Her hair was wavy and she added silver earrings that dangled.

The Osborne family wore black for men and maroon for women. It was the first time Blaire had come to the party as part of the Osborne family after being at home for so long.

Zoya is wearing a dress upholstered in green tile to slightly expand. While Jules wore an orange satin dress with long sleeves on the left.

They entered the Mansion. They greeted each other formally to other nobles. No one realized that the three girls weren't nobles like them and no one dared to bring it up.

So far it felt safe until Clare's gaze fell on Luke who was standing not far from her. Instantly he remembered the contents of the mission this time that she was told three days ago that Vrochis was rumored to be there. Of course it makes Clare panic and this is their mission. But it seems unethical to talk about it here, it should be discussed in a relaxed time and certainly not openly.

"Clare, what are you thinking?" Jules patted her shoulder then looked at Clare's gaze before she looked down. "Remember something?"

"I was afraid that if I said that it would bother you."

"Just tell me, at least to me first. I'm not the Zoya who can't keep a secret."

"Actually not a secret because it relates to the mission. I want to talk about this with all of you, but I don't think the time is right. Everyone is enjoying the party, if I say so it will be very disturbing."

"Exactly that. I prefer missions to parties. Just say it." Jules urged.

Clare was silent for a moment. "Vrochis is in town. The professor said it three days ago. I've been bothered about it for a while but it's hard to tell you ahead of the party."

Jules was stunned. It's true that doing it now will disturb their fun. It was natural for Clare to feel uneasy like this. "Better to talk about it after the party. You don't leave early, we all have to gather in one place to discuss this. If Vrochis starts his act, at least there's a plan."

Clare nodded in agreement but her heart still felt restless. Are Luke and Louis going to scold her for not telling him sooner? Ini indeed her fault for being too busy in her own anxiety. Luckily Jules understood.

Clare turned to the direction where Luke had been which he had already left. Clare follows Jules, Blaire, and Zoya elsewhere, she knows she shouldn't be here and informs them immediately. But already, she could only follow Jules' advice.

The released billiard ball stuns another ball and enters the hole. Gavin hissed in annoyance at Luke playing pool smartly, for him it's hard to get game parts. Now they were in a fairly quiet room, only a pool table and a bar table behind them. They chose to skip the party instead of meeting Ainsley which would complicate life. If Gavin had known Clare was there, he would have chosen to stay at the party instead of playing pool and losing in a row. As for Luke, just following Gavin's advice for the same reason.

"Luke, can you give up a little bit?" Gavin had given up..

"How many times have I succumbed to you." Luke taunted him though his tone remained flat.

Gavin sighed and rubbed his face. Luke had always succumbed to him as an older brother, which made Gavin even more spoiled. At least Gavin always helps Luke to avoid his annoying fiancé. Think of it as reciprocity.

"All because of the fox Melorra. Why don't you just accept her so as not to complicate my life." Gavin protested. He called Ainsley a fox because of her fox strength..

"I'm not the one who accepts their decisions." Luke replied.

"But still you can't keep avoiding it. Think about what it will be like after you graduate. This year you will graduate, finished."

"I have my reasons. You're just helping out."

Gavin sighed. Luke is said to be stubborn and no one can handle it. Once he has made up his mind, it will be hard to change, no one can use it except himself. Then Gavin thought, he realized the difference between Luke then and now especially when it came to his engagement. Luke used to seem unconcerned, even though he refused, but it didn't show that he was really refusing. It was different now, he was clearly showing everyone that he refused and didn't want to meet Ainsley.

"Did something happen to you?"

Luke glanced at Gavin with a frown. "What is wrong with me?"

Gavin thought for a moment trying to find the right words to make it hard for Luke to dodge. "You've changed a lot lately. Even though you're cold, there's something bothering you."

"I don't feel that way."

"It's hard to say—"

"Needless to say." Luke put down his cue stick then walked over to get some wine from the bar's bottle rack and poured it into a glass.

"I don't understand... Since returning to the academy, you've changed a lot. Can't be explained thoroughly you should know anything."

"Then there's no need to understand. You think I've changed a lot, it's only natural. Everyone will change their attitude every time they get older, it's a common thing even you have experienced it."

"Right... I was thinking too much." Gavin grabbed the glass in Luke's hand. At the same time Luke held it back. "Luke, just a little bit." Gavin pleaded.

"You're still a minor." Luke warned. Even though Gavin is 17, it's still a bit short.

Moments later, Gavin returned to the party and parted ways with Luke. He walked the streets to see the atmosphere of the party which was still crowded. Then his irises found Clare sitting alone playing a cell phone. In the end, the person he had been waiting for was now in sight, he approached Clare and sat down next to her.

"How was the party?"

Clare turned to Gavin before answering. "Beyond my expectations. It's just, I'm still unusual." Clare was telling the truth. She was not used to parties let alone her mind was now burdened.

"You have to get used to it. Maybe one day you'll keep coming to parties like this."

"I didn't expect it. To be honest, my mom who was more enthusiastic seemed like she was the one who came. I almost got a mental attack." Clare narrowed her eyes almost laughing.

Clare just stifled a laugh, in contrast to Gavin who laughed instead. "Mrs. Davish seems very jovial."

Clare snorted. "What a jovial. Every time there is a mistake as small as an ant, I am affected. This time she heard that I was invited by you, instead she acted like a young child. While I was in your car, I was thoroughly interrogated at home." Clare put together everything she went through including the decision to be sent to Korea over the years. It was her mom's idea.

"All that? Looks like it's not much different from you, both have to finish curious." Gavin smirked.

"Thanks for the compliment." Clare gave a bitter smile, knowing that Gavin was joking while Gavin just giggling inexplicably managed to make fun of Clare.

Gavin and Clare talked to each other on random topics. At least the feeling of burden disappeared instantly when Gavin continued to tease her. If it weren't for Gavin, she'd be brooding incoherently until the party was over. So far she has refused her friends to go into the crowd.

Jules was just about to approach Clare, but her steps stopped when Eryk came to meet her. It's unusual for Eryk to meet Jules in person, usually he only goes to Zoya or Clare which she finds easy to tame.

Jules tilted her head. "Why?"

"Mr. Orlane said you guys were invited as an academy team and wanted to discuss something. Why didn't I know?" Apparently he had come to protest.

Jules sighed. "Why not just ask Luke? Why bother a junior? I don't think there's any point in you asking me, just follow his orders and you'll know."

"Xavier and Louis know?" He asked. Actually it wasn't only the two of them who didn't know about the meeting. But Luke and Zoya didn't know either.

"I didn't think about it. We all find it so hard to meet in person, so take advantage of the party to discuss something at the end of the event. Even I had trouble finding Zoya to tell her." Jules has been looking for Zoya who cannot be reached.

"Why not now?"

"I told you. What do I need to repeat? You as a scout, should know what's going on. Also tell Xavier to know anything about Vrochis because this mission is about the missing Vrochis. In more detail, Clare as controller and representative will explain."

"That means ... Luke doesn't know?"

"I can't find him nor do I have his phone number. I've found Gavin maybe he knows. After the party, don't go home, we gather in the lobby after that determine the discussion room. I'm sure Luke will arrange it." Jules planned it the best he could plus some advice Clare would tell the others.

Eryk could only confirm Jules' words. He doesn't want to get into trouble with Jules because last time he got the best punch in the face. In the end they parted ways, Jules approached Clare and Gavin to look for Luke's whereabouts.

"Jules, you're here. How?" Clare remembered the plan.

"I can't find Luke. Gavin, do you know where he is?" Jules doesn't want small talk.

"I was with him. Not now, I don't know. There is a problem?"

Jules and Clare looked at each other. He couldn't tell Gavin about Vrochis or he would panic himself. They also didn't want to involve the clueless Gavin.

"Clare, I have to find Zoya. Look for Luke, we'll see you later." Jules whispered and just walked away avoiding Gavin's question. It's useless if she approached Gavin if in the end Gavin asked her back.

Gavin looked at Clare questioningly. He's also curious about what she's been hiding all this time. Clare who can't lie, had to admit it a little so that Gavin wouldn't question her all the time. "You know about the mission we received. That's the reason. Actually no one should know, but since you already know, then I'll tell you."

Gavin trusted Clare and didn't question her again even though he still had many questions in his mind. He would ask Luke about it later, though he knew Luke was rarely honest about this.

Clare looks for Luke alone throughout the party. For her this is very heavy especially not having a number. After all, at a party like this no one uses a cell phone. So she had to search for it manually all over the party. She looked for Luke in the courtyard of the mansion but still couldn't find him, don't know where the boy was hanging around until it was hard to find Clare has asked Gavin for help but no confirmation from him.

It's not as crowded outside as it is inside. Although there were still some people chatting around, at least Clare got an empty and not crowded seat. She was tired of searching here and there but to no avail. She rested for a while, before long, someone tapped her on the shoulder.

Clare looked back thinking that it was Gavin who had gotten the result. "Gavin, you...." Clare's words stopped for a moment. What she saw was not Gavin but the person she was looking for.

Clare got up from the chair and went straight to Luke. Her eyes searched for Gavin's whereabouts, but couldn't find him. "Where's Gavin?"

"I don't see it."

Clare raised an eyebrow. "Didn't I tell him to look for you?"

"Why are you looking for me?"

Clare realized that there was no point in making small talk with Luke. She had prepared a sentence to explain it to Luke so she wouldn't blame her for holding it in for too long.

"I got a message from the professor. During the summer, must find the whereabouts—"

"I already knew." Luke interrupted making Clare freeze for a few seconds.

"When?"

Luke sighed. He had to explain it to Clare or Clare wouldn't stop asking. "On the subway, the professor told me. You remember when I came out when the subway wasn't full of people, that's when the professor told me."

Clare shrugged her shoulders. Apparently Luke had known earlier, long before he knew which meant all her worries had been for nothing. Now she's much better, it's just that the guilt still haunts her. Something that irritated Clare was, why didn't Luke tell her? Why wait for Clare to say it?

"Why not tell the others? What's there to hide?" Clare protested.

"You're hiding it yourself, what's wrong?"

"Only three days, after that I tell. Why don't you even? You're much longer."

"I just want you to know for yourself. If it's that fast, are you sure you'll wait? You always want to go forward alone, it's the same as bringing life. You can't solve it yourself even if it's your problem. I know what you mean, but I won't let it go." Luke warned. Actually, Luke didn't have a chance to tell his comrades because they were so far from his sight.

It was useless for Clare to tell Luke her ambition at that time, apparently Luke was not what he had thought all along. So, has Clare been wrong all this time? Even Luke was wrong.

"Why did you get in my way?" Clare asked then looked up at Luke. "Don't you care?"