Abigail’s POV
The academy buzzed with a renewed energy as the students returned. The halls were filled with chatter and the occasional thud of lockers slamming shut. Nathalie and I walked down the corridor, taking in the sights of the school slowly coming back to life. 
I noticed several Red Elites pinning up bright, colorful flyers on lockers and the announcement board. They were handing them out to anyone who passed by, their faces a mix of excitement and urgency. The flyers were covered in bold letters: “The Midnight Scavenger.”
Curiosity got the better of me, so I reached out and accepted one of the flyers. It was decorated with flashy graphics and a lot of eye-catching details. I scanned the flyer, trying to piece together what this “Midnight Scavenger” was all about.
I turned to Nathalie, who was walking beside me, her demeanor as calm as ever despite the hectic environment around us. “What’s this Midnight Scavenger thing all about?” I asked, trying to make sense of the chaotic flyer.
Nathalie glanced at me briefly before beginning her explanation. “The Midnight Scavenger is a big event here at Aurorium Academy. It’s a mix of games, challenges, and competitions, all designed to test various skills, both physical and mental.”
I kept walking beside her, not interrupting as she continued. “It’s like an intense showcase of what students are capable of. There are hunts, battles of all kinds, talent shows with special prizes, and even a history movie about the academy’s past.”
Nathalie’s voice was steady and informative, as if she’d explained this many times before. “It’s held for four days straight, starting next week, three days from now, actually.”
I nodded, trying to absorb the information. Nathalie went on, her tone growing more serious. “For most Elites, it’s a critical event. If they don’t keep up or perform well, they risk losing their rank. It’s more than just a game; it’s a way to prove oneself and maintain their position. And for normal students, it’s a chance to rise up. They can gain points and potentially move up in ranks.”
Her words painted a vivid picture of the high stakes involved. “Students often get injured, and some even fight dirty to get ahead. It’s like selling their soul just to stand out and hold onto power. The competition can be fierce.”
As Nathalie spoke, the gravity of the event hit me. It wasn’t just about fun and games, it was a battleground of sorts, where every student’s future could be decided by their performance. The Midnight Scavenger was more than just a challenge; it was a test of endurance, skill, and strategy.
I looked around the hall, seeing the Red Elites working tirelessly to promote the event. It was clear they were preparing for something big. My mind raced with thoughts of how I might fit into this chaotic picture. Nathalie’s calm demeanor seemed to contrast sharply with the intensity of the upcoming event, but I knew better than to take that for granted.
“This sounds intense,” I said finally, my voice tinged with the realization of just how serious this event was. “I guess I’ll have to be ready.”
Nathalie nodded, a slight smile on her lips. “You’d better be. The Midnight Scavenger isn’t something you can afford to take lightly.”
As we continued walking, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this event would be more than just another competition. It was a chance for everyone to prove their worth, and I had a sinking suspicion that it would be more than just a game. The academy’s atmosphere was thick with anticipation, and I knew I had to be prepared for whatever lay ahead.
The excitement in the hall was palpable. I could feel the tension in the air, a buzz that seemed to electrify every corner of the academy. The Midnight Scavenger was more than just an event; it was shaping up to be a major turning point for many students here.
Nathalie and I walked, I couldn’t help but watch the other students. Some were excitedly discussing the event with their friends, while others seemed anxious, their faces a mix of worry and determination. The pressure to perform was written all over them. 
I looked at Nathalie again. Her calm exterior seemed almost out of place with the frenzy around us. It was clear she was used to this kind of intensity. I, on the other hand, was still processing the enormity of it all. “How do you stay so calm?” I asked her, trying to make sense of her relaxed demeanor amidst the chaos.
Nathalie glanced at me with a faint smile. “Experience,” she said simply. “I’ve been through these events before. It’s all about staying focused and keeping your cool. Trust me, it helps.”
We continued walking, and the sound of distant conversations and hurried footsteps filled the corridor. I found myself deep in thought. The Midnight Scavenger wasn’t just a test of skill, it was a way for everyone to show their true selves. The stakes were high, and the pressure was intense. 
Nathalie’s earlier words replayed in my mind. For the Elites, it was a chance to prove their worth and secure their positions. For the normal students, it was an opportunity to rise up and make a name for themselves. The idea of students fighting for power, risking everything just to hold on to their status, was both fascinating and frightening.
I glanced at Nathalie, her composure seeming almost too perfect. “Do you think this event is rigged in any way?” I asked, more to test her than anything else. “I mean, is it really fair for everyone?”
Nathalie’s expression didn’t change. “There’s always a bit of politics involved,” she admitted. “But it’s as fair as it can be given the circumstances. Everyone has a chance to prove themselves. It’s up to each person how they handle it.”
I nodded, taking in her words. Her response didn’t entirely reassure me, but it did give me a clearer picture of what to expect. The Midnight Scavenger was a game of survival, and I had to be ready for whatever came my way.
As we reached the end of the hall, Nathalie stopped and looked at me. “You’ll need to be prepared,” she said, her voice serious. “It’s going to be a challenge, but it’s also a chance. Don’t waste it.”
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her words. The Midnight Scavenger was just days away, and the pressure was already starting to build. I had a lot to think about, and even more to prepare for.
Nathalie turned to leave, her calm demeanor back in place. I watched her go, feeling a mix of anxiety and determination. It's still early for classes and I'm sure she will be also busy preparing with Emery and Finn. Guess she have other schedule than class today. 
The academy was about to enter a new phase of intensity, and I knew I had to be ready to face it head-on. 
As I walked away, the flyer clutched in my hand, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this event is something else they have been preparing. The pressure, the competition, the chance to rise or fall, it was all too real now. And as much as I wanted to ignore it, I knew I couldn’t afford to. Not if I wanted to make it through this with my head held high.
I walked down the hall, my mind still swimming with thoughts about the Midnight Scavenger. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the whole event. Part of me was curious, maybe even excited, but another part of me dreaded what was coming. It felt like the whole academy was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
Nathalie had gone off to deal with some Elite business, and without her by my side, I felt more out of place than usual. I didn’t have anywhere to go, really. Not this early. The classroom would be empty, but at least it was a quiet place to be.
Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t see the person coming toward me until it was too late. We collided hard, and suddenly books, papers, and folders were flying everywhere. The impact sent me stumbling back, and I landed painfully on the ground.
“What the hell…” I muttered, already feeling the anger bubble up. Rubbing my sore elbow, I looked up, ready to snap at whoever it was that ran into me.
It was a boy, probably younger than me, scrambling around, bowing his head as if he’d just committed the worst crime ever. “I’m so sorry!” he blurted out, his voice shaky. He looked terrified, like he was about to have a heart attack from the fear alone. “I didn’t see you, I—I’m so sorry.”
I watched him rush to pick up my things, his hands trembling as he fumbled with the scattered papers and books. For a moment, I just sat there, annoyed but also taken aback by how scared he seemed. The other students around us weren’t helping either, they were just standing there, watching, some laughing under their breath, others looking at him like he was some kind of pitiful spectacle.
“Stop looking,” I snapped, giving the onlookers an irritated glare. “You’re all acting like you’ve never seen someone trip before. Move along.”
A few of them exchanged glances, clearly not wanting to deal with me, and reluctantly turned away. Some of the laughter died down, but the awkward stares lingered. I sighed, rubbing my temple as I felt a headache starting to form.
The boy was still apologizing, his words tumbling out in a mess. “I’m sorry, I’m really sorry,” he kept saying. “I have—uh, I have low vision without my glasses, and, uh, some Red Elites, they... they broke them.” He hesitated before mumbling, “I just got them fixed, too…”
At the mention of the Red Elites, something in me snapped a little. Typical. They always had to make someone’s life miserable. Breaking someone’s glasses just because they could? Yeah, that sounded like something they’d do.
“Great,” I muttered, feeling my blood start to boil. “Red Elites can’t ever mind their own business, can they?”
I glanced at the boy again. He looked absolutely miserable, like he was ready to crawl into a hole. I sighed and bent down to help him gather the rest of his things. Handing him a stack of books and papers, I softened my tone, trying not to let my annoyance show.
“Here,” I said, shoving the pile toward him. “Take it.”
He looked up at me, wide-eyed, like he couldn’t believe I was actually helping him. “Thank you, I—thank you so much.”
“Stop apologizing already. It’s fine,” I told him, rolling my eyes. “I’m not going to bite.”
He nodded quickly, clutching the books to his chest. I could still see the anxiety in his expression, though, like he wasn’t sure if I was going to snap at him again.
“What class are you in, anyway?” I asked, more to keep the conversation going than anything else.
“Uh, Chemistry,” he mumbled, still looking down at the floor. “My first class is in the science lab.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Chemistry, huh?” I couldn’t help but smirk a little. “Same as me. Guess we’re heading to the same place.”
The boy looked up, surprised. “R-really? You’re… you’re going to Chemistry too?”
“Yeah,” I said, starting to walk toward the lab. “So, you coming or what?”
He quickly scrambled to follow, still clutching his books like they were a lifeline. I could feel the tension between us, but there was also something else. Pity? No, not pity. More like… empathy. As annoying as this whole thing was, I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for him. He wasn’t the first person to get bullied by the Elites, and he wouldn’t be the last. But the way he acted, like every step he took was another disaster waiting to happen, it got to me.
As we walked, I noticed how some of the other students still glanced at him with disdain or amusement. I hated that. How people could just stand by and watch someone else struggle without lifting a finger. It made me sick.
When we finally reached the lab, I stopped outside the door and looked at the boy again. “What’s your name?” I asked, realizing I hadn’t even bothered to ask before.
He hesitated for a moment, then answered softly, “J-James... James Seco.”
“Well, James, next time try to avoid walking into people,” I said with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood. “I won’t be so nice next time.”
He blinked, looking startled, and then barely, a small smile crept onto his face. “I’ll… I’ll try.”
I was half-expecting the rest of the day to pass without any more chaos. But, knowing my luck, I should have known better. The moment James and I stepped into the lab, I could feel the air shift, like a storm was brewing, and I had no umbrella.
James looked as if he wanted to disappear into the floor. He clutched his books tighter to his chest, shuffling to the back of the room while I strolled to my usual seat by the window. But of course, because nothing could ever go smoothly, the moment James walked past the first row, he tripped. And not just a little stumble either, he went flying, arms flailing, books and papers soaring into the air like confetti.
I bit my lip, trying not to laugh. It was like something out of a comedy sketch, and the rest of the class didn’t even bother hiding their amusement. Snickers and giggles echoed around the room as James scrambled to collect his things, his face beet red.
“What a day,” I muttered under my breath, shaking my head.
Somehow, though, James made his way to the seat next to me. I didn’t really expect him to sit there, but I guess he felt safer being close to someone who wasn’t openly laughing at him. He plopped down with a thud, letting out a sigh that sounded like he’d just run a marathon.
“You okay?” I asked, my voice laced with amusement. I couldn’t help it, the whole situation was ridiculous.
James gave me a sideways glance, his face still flushed. “I’m… fine,” he mumbled, though he didn’t sound convincing.
“Well, you made quite the entrance,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “Didn’t think anyone could make Chemistry this entertaining.”
He groaned, burying his face in his hands. “I swear, this day just keeps getting worse…”
I chuckled, shaking my head. “You’ve got a talent for it, that’s for sure.”
Before James could respond, the teacher, Mr. Graves, walked in, his usual stern expression making the whole room go silent. He didn’t even bother acknowledging the chaos that had just unfolded. Instead, he went straight to the board and started scribbling equations that looked like they belonged in a different dimension.
I sighed, pulling out my notebook and pretending to care about whatever formula he was explaining. But my attention kept drifting to James, who was staring at the board like it was written in a foreign language. He looked completely lost, his pencil hovering over his paper, not even attempting to take notes.
After a few minutes, I leaned over and whispered, “You got any clue what’s going on?”
James glanced at me, looking grateful that I wasn’t ignoring him like everyone else. “Not a single one,” he admitted with a sigh.
I smirked. “Welcome to the club.”
For the next half hour, Mr. Graves droned on about chemical reactions, and I could feel the weight of boredom pressing down on me. Every now and then, I glanced at James, who was either trying not to fall asleep or completely zoning out. When the teacher finally stopped, I sighed in relief, thinking it was over, until Mr. Graves turned around and announced, “Alright, pair up for today’s experiment.”
My stomach sank. Great, just great.
Before I could even think about finding a partner, James looked at me, his expression pleading. “Please,” he whispered, “don’t leave me hanging.”
I raised an eyebrow, pretending to consider it. “Hmm, I don’t know. You did almost kill me back there in the hallway.”
James blinked, looking genuinely horrified. “I-I didn’t mean to—”
“I’m kidding,” I interrupted, chuckling as his face turned red again. “Calm down, I’m not gonna ditch you.”
His shoulders slumped in relief, and I could see the tension leave his body. “Thanks,” he mumbled.
We moved to the lab table, and as soon as we got the materials for the experiment, I could tell this was going to be a disaster. James looked at the instructions like they were written in ancient Greek, and to be fair, they might as well have been.
“Okay,” I said, scanning the sheet. “We’re supposed to mix these two solutions together and observe the reaction.”
James nodded, looking serious. “Got it. Mixing. I can do that.”
I handed him one of the beakers, watching as he carefully measured the solution. For a moment, I thought maybe things would go smoothly, but of course, I was wrong.
The moment James poured the second solution into the beaker, there was a loud ‘fizz’ followed by a cloud of thick, purple smoke.
“Oh crap,” I muttered, stepping back as the smoke started to spread.
James’ eyes went wide. “What… what did I do?!”
I waved my hand in front of my face, coughing as the smoke swirled around us. “I think you skipped a step, genius.”
James frantically grabbed the instructions, scanning them as if they held the key to stopping the chemical chaos. “I didn’t mean to—this wasn’t supposed to happen!”
The other students had turned to stare at us again, some laughing, others looking genuinely concerned. Mr. Graves, who had been monitoring another group, rushed over, his face a mix of frustration and disbelief.
“What is going on here?” he demanded, glaring at James, who looked like he was about to faint.
“I… I think I made a mistake, Sir” James stammered, holding up the beaker like it was evidence of his crime.
Mr. Graves sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Clearly.”
I tried not to laugh, but it was hard to keep a straight face. The whole thing was ridiculous. “It’s fine, we’ll just… start over.”
Mr. Graves shot me a warning look, then turned back to James. “Be more careful next time. And clean up this mess.”
James nodded quickly, looking like he was going to pass out from the pressure. “Y-yes, sir.”
As Mr. Graves walked away, I turned to James and shook my head, trying to hold back my laughter. “You really know how to make an impression, don’t you?”
James gave me a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his neck. “This is why I usually stick to history class…”
“Well, you’re stuck with me now,” I said, grinning. “So let’s try not to blow up the lab, okay?”
James laughed, finally starting to relax a little. “I’ll do my best.”
We spent the rest of the class carefully redoing the experiment, and thankfully, no more disasters occurred. But by the time the bell rang, I was more than ready to leave. Chemistry was already a pain, but with James around, it was a whole different level of chaotic.
As we packed up our things, James looked at me, a hesitant smile on his face. “Thanks for… you know, not making fun of me.”
I shrugged, slinging my bag over my shoulder. “It’s no big deal. You’re not the first person to mess up in this place, and you definitely won’t be the last.”
He chuckled softly. “Still… thanks.”
I smirked, giving him a playful shove as we walked out of the lab. “Just try not to run into anyone else, okay? I’m not always gonna be there to save you.”
James laughed again, his shoulders finally relaxing. And as we walked down the hall together, I couldn’t help but think I officially found a friend in this chaotic academy. Even if that friend was a complete disaster.
The room was quiet, except for the soft clinking of glassware and the occasional scribble of notes. Mr. Graves droned on at the front, his monotone voice doing little to keep anyone engaged. I was half-tuned out, my attention still on James, who was fumbling nervously beside me. Just when I thought the day couldn’t get any weirder, the door creaked open, and in walked Nathalie.
Everything froze. Every single eye turned towards the door. Even Mr. Graves, who rarely showed any interest in students outside of their work, looked up. And instead of giving Nathalie the scolding he’d give to anyone else for being late, he just... nodded. Like her lateness didn’t even matter.
Of course, it didn’t. Nathalie wasn’t just any student. She was ‘Nathalie’. The aura around her was always cold, powerful. She didn’t need to say anything to command respect or fear; just her presence was enough.
She stepped into the room with that same graceful confidence, her expression unreadable. But her eyes, those sharp, calculating eyes, swept over the class like she was taking mental notes of everyone in here. When her gaze finally landed on me and James, I felt a chill run down my spine. 
I could see James stiffen beside me, practically shaking. He must’ve felt it too, the sudden drop in temperature that seemed to accompany Nathalie whenever she was like this.
She walked straight towards us, her heels clicking on the floor, cutting through the silence like a knife. Her eyes didn’t leave James, not for a second. And when she reached our table, she stopped, folding her arms and staring him down with that ice-cold look of hers.
“What are you doing here?” Nathalie’s voice was low, but it cut through the room, making James flinch. “Why are you with Abigail?”
James opened his mouth, but nothing came out. His face was pale, and I could see his hands trembling as he tried to form some kind of answer. But the way Nathalie was staring at him—like he was some bug she could crush under her heel made it impossible for him to speak.
“I... I...” James stammered, his voice cracking.
I glanced between the two of them, feeling the tension building up fast. This wasn’t good. Nathalie could be intimidating on a normal day, but today, she was on another level. James looked like he was about to cry, and I couldn’t just sit there and let her terrify him like that.
Without thinking, I reached out and softly grabbed James’ hand. His skin was cold, his fingers shaking, but the moment I touched him, he seemed to relax, just a little.
“He’s no harm, Nathalie,” I said, turning to face her. My voice was steady, even though inside, my heart was racing. “He’s just... helping me with the experiment. That’s all.”
Nathalie’s eyes flicked to where my hand was holding James’. Her lips pressed into a thin line, her jaw tightening. For a moment, I thought she was going to snap at me too. But she didn’t. Instead, she just stared at me, her expression unreadable. 
“Nathalie, it’s fine,” I said again, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “He’s harmless.”
She didn’t say anything at first, just continued staring at James like she was trying to see through him, like she was searching for something that only she could see. I could feel the tension tightening around us, thick and suffocating. James was shaking so badly now that I could feel it through his hand.
But then, just as the tension seemed like it was about to break, the bell rang. The sharp, loud sound echoed through the room, breaking whatever spell Nathalie had cast over us.
She sighed, the coldness in her eyes softening just a little. “We’re done here,” she muttered, turning her gaze back to me. “Come on, let’s go get something to eat.”
James let out a breath he’d been holding, and I gave his hand a quick squeeze before pulling away. “Sure,” I said, grabbing my bag. I could still feel the tension in the air, but it had eased, just a little.
Nathalie’s eyes flicked back to James one more time, narrowing slightly as if she was still suspicious of him. Like she didn’t trust him being near me. I could see her tracing every inch of him, trying to figure out what his deal was, what his intentions were.
“Let’s go, Abigail,” Nathalie said again, her tone more demanding this time.
I nodded, giving James one last glance. He still looked terrified, but at least he wasn’t shaking anymore.
“Catch you later,” I said softly to him before following Nathalie out of the room.
As we walked down the hall, the weight of what had just happened started to sink in. Nathalie had always been protective, but this... this felt different. Like she was guarding me against something more than just a simple classmate. Like there was something she wasn’t telling me.
And I couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever it was, it wasn’t going to stay hidden for long.