Chapter—7 [Secrets]

'A little girl fed up with memories ' 

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"Class, don't forget about your assignment next week. The talent event will be starting soon so you all have to submit your task before that."  In class, Seyong listens to her professor Mr. Kelvin order everyone. 

"Yes, professor!" They said in unison and prepared to leave class.  

 With everyone, Seyong carefully gets her things; her backpack, card, books, and most importantly her valuable notebook. Arresting her things she waits for the students to leave. She doesn't like to stick in crowds. 

When the class emptied she gets up from her seat holds the books that she deems to submit to the library  and moved toward the opening 

"Seyong, " The call of her name stops her. 

She turns around. "Yes, sir?"

Mr. Kelvin smiles softly as he gathers the essays of the other students. "Did you give your name for the talent event?" Seyong shakes her head.  

The professor sighs in wariness. He doesn't like how the poor girl is squandering her time just being antisocial. In his thirty years of pedagogy, he never saw anyone so isolated from others. 

Within the first years, he was worried but he acknowledged this is how the girl is and he praises it. He appreciates how the young girl sits at the back beside the window panes. watch the airy world, letting her imagination drafts her from everyone. 

Nonetheless, he was curious about how the girl managed to prove her worth in her grades. Afterall, getting a full-time scholarship in Wilmington is not lenient, it takes sleepless nights of hard work and study, and that's why he is dubious. He knows the young girl has talent but she is lurking behind everyone, even herself. 

"Why Seyong?"

Seyong grips tighten around her books. her palms getting sweaty. She is... scared. but still managed to display brio. "Sir, I don't have any talent. And about your assignments, I will submit them before next week "

Mr. Kelvin soothes his tie. The professor did predict this answer. In one left hand, he withholds the essays and in the other, he grabs his suit. "Seyong this is your last year. You should do your best, "He encouraged. Mr. Kelvin maybe look cold persona but he looked after his students 

Seyong smiles. "I will, Sir. " assuring the professor. 

Mr. Kelvin is still uncertain but he grants it. "Okay, you can go now." 

Seyong bowed her head and made her way to the second edifice of Wilmington University, the third-floor Library.

The library is another favored place for her. The passageway is empty because it's almost lunchtime.  She also should be at the cafeteria with others where Lucy is properly waiting for her, yet she wants to return the books first. 

The Library of Wilmington is preserved by the vast pillars of authentic forms guiding the massive ceiling. The Victorian Gothic architecture roof can take anyone's sight, making them fall in their ingenuity. The Wang Kin family indeed knows how to construct a masterpiece because the library was surely a masterwork for Seyong. 

The calmness of the room and the fragile smell of obsolete yet fresh books always craft Seyong's heart. Her eyes gaze on all sides to find a specific person. There are a few students in the library too with books and notepads. Some of them are first-year course students who are preparing for their class exams. 

Stepping inside the room, Seyong put her book on the librarian's table. The specific person she was looking for is Mrs. Catherine who is the youngest among the others and is efficient at her work. 

Seyong uses the call bell that was set at the desk to grab the librarian's attention who was working on her computer. 

Mrs. Catherine glimpsed at Seyong and smiled warmly. "Seyong, Is there anything I can help you with today?" she asked. 

Seyong shook her head. " I was here to return those ." implies the books. 

"Oh, right. You can leave them. I need to put this on the shelves first. " Mrs. Cathierine told her showing the new package of fresh editions for new course students.  

Seyong sighed there is a lot. "I can help. " she offers 

"No, Seyong, it's fine. "

Even though Mrs. Catherine said it was fine, Seyong knew it would take a lot of time. "Please." she implores

The small plea makes Mrs. Catherine sighs in disbelief. "Fine but you will go after the first rack. Okay. Don't forget to eat your lunch. "

Hearing the light scolding tone in the librarian's voice made Seyong nod variously. "Okay "She held the package and trembled a little. It was kind of heavy. 

Mrs. Catherine giggles at how eager the younger is to help her, she is delighted to meet Seyong. Seyong is like a little sister to her. However, their sisterly friendship didn't begin the first time they met. It took time for Seyong to not be nervous around the librarian. 

"Seyong,"  Mrs. Catherine called out. "Let me carry those packages you can put in the books."

"Okay" 

Both Seyong and the librarian set up the books on the first rack. "Did you sign your name for the talent event?" Mrs. Catherine asked. 

"Nope! You know I don't have any talent. " 

"Is it about your parents? They don't want you to participate?" 

No one in the University except Lucy knows that Seyong only lives with her father, and her mother left her when she was young. She pauses to school her emotions for a second then laughs nervously. "No, Mrs. Catherine h-..t-they would love it if I participate. It's just me who doesn't have any talent ".Lies. The truth is her father would be furious if he found out about her daring act. 

Mrs. Catherine frowned. "Seyong this is supposed to be your last year. You should get out of the closet. You don't need to have a perfect talent to participate in it" 

"Fine, I would think about it. can you please let me do some work" 

Mrs. Catherine grinned. "Courses Ninã. " 

Meanwhile, At the Cafeteria The Queen Bee and her group were having their peaceful lunch. well, almost peaceful because Jo keeps her eyes fixed on Lucy who occurred playing a game on her phone 

"Jo, stop staring at her as a stalker, people would think we're planning to deport her. " Yeri scolds her best friend. 

Jo snapped out of her thoughts. "I'm not staring at her, it's just what Ari said. If that's true then Hwang should be angry right now but look at her, " She uses her index finger to signify the Girl who is still unaware of the fact that she is being watched. "She is playing games like the whole seduction lessons punishment are nothing. Don't you guys think it is weird like she is the one who was almost ready to kill Ari because she was talking to the nerd and now..?" 

Ariana takes a sip of her juice and rolls her eyes. "Jo she can't do anything about it even if she wants. And if Hwang butt in my business with the nerd ass I won't hesitate to..." She glances at her friends. "You know what I mean" 

Danny gulps sometimes Ariana can be dangerous. "Ari, even if Uncle is not here, don't forget about those PA teachers ." she tries to warn.

Ariana smirks. "Those PA teachers can only see what I want them to, even if I cross my limit it'll stay behind the walls of Wilmington. " 

The whole table falls deathly silent Seo chuckles at the effect of Ariana's words, "Guys don't worry. Ari only does things that are right for the university. She won't do anything illegal ". Perhaps something happened that made her cross all the limits that she had set for herself. 

Yeri also agrees with Seo. "You're right Ari never does anything wrong." Maybe. 

"Oh really, then what about that guy who put love letters in Ari's locker, she kicked him out for that?" Jo remind them 

Danny scowled at her and slapped her arm making poor Jo yelp. "Ouch! Dude! what was that for" 

"Serve you right are you forgetting what the guy writes in that later" 

Now that makes Jo recall. "Oh right that  creepy guy wanted to have sex with her and he wrote how much he wanted to use her body..." She snorts at the words. "The guy was indeed creepy, glad he got caught " 

Ariana crosses her arms over her chest. "If you think I only do bad things then you should remember the time when I executed that girl who was laughing in the corridor. " 

"Oh come on Ari that girl was a bully she used to bully her classmates every day. " 

Seo wanted to ask something too. Seeing everyone talking about Ariana's brutality ." What about those cafeteria workers, why did you kick them out" she implores her.

The cafeteria incident is still unknown to her friends. The only thing they know like others is Ariana kicked them out because the food was cold but that's not the truth it can't be. Ariana always makes every decision for a reason, she has to. She has responsibilities. 

Ariana closed her eyes. "The workers used drugs in the food. It was way more hardship and disaster to deal with. But Papa manages it. So... It's solved now.  "

" Then why didn't we see anyone? It was a huge matter. " 

"Because Wilmington University has a reputation and secrets ". Surely the University has otherwise it wouldn't be top without any mistakes. Mistakes can be hidden from the eyes. 

"You're right." Yeri agreed with her. She eyed her Rolex wristwatch. "Anyways, are you guys finished? don't forget we have to attend the discussion with the teachers and other monitor students about the talent event. " 

Ariana stood up from her seat to fix her blazer. "Well, I'm done so let's go. " She turned her attention to look at her friends and smiled "You guys can join after you finish". The three of them  nod together 

Jo watches Yeri leave with Ariana. "Do you guys think she can keep her temper? The nerd looks too innocent to do anything. I don't even think she ever swears." She mumbles 

"Me too kinda worried about the Hot chick she's too young for Ari's torture. " Danny finds herself admit 

"You two are worrying too much. I have faith in Ari maybe the nerd can change her a little bit for good. More like Ari needs someone other than the Jea Youn" Seo said. 

Seo hopes the nerd changes Ariana, Even if Ariana doesn't show how hurt she felt when Jea Youn left her. She can't blame Jea Youn too. No one would ever want to be with someone who's so controlling. 

Nonetheless, Seo had seen the hurt, for the first time in her friendship with Ariana she had seen Ariana's eyes hurt with pain but still, there wasn't any breakdown. it's like Ariana doesn't even feel anything otherwise The Clod Bitch is good at hiding Or pretending 

"You're right, " The pair confessed together. 

Leaving the Cafeteria Ariana and Yeri walk to the teacher's Room. But before they could pass the entrances, Ariana stopped. "Yeri, "

Yeri looked behind and found her best friend stopped in the middle. "What is it?" She asked.  

"You go ahead, I will join you. I need to get something from my locker" 

Yeri raises a brow. "Oh Okay, come back soon" 

"Yeah" 

Ariana departed from the corridors and went to the locker room, twirling her eyes to find Seyong's locker. Typing the passcode of the locker, it opens. She smirks 'Just what I thought. a weak passcode'

Ariana didn't go through Seyong's thing; she just put a small piece of paper and got out of there. 

Only If she looked through her things she would discover a small journal where Seyong had written every encounter with the Queen Bee since the day she had entered the University.