The smell of coffee hugs me as I enter the room and immediately ushered to the balcony."Good morning, Ms. Winters. Please, have a seat." Sitting opposite the woman before me, I thank the server as he pours me a cup of what smells like green tea."Good morning, Ms. Manning. To what do I owe the pleasure of this invitation?" I eye her over the brim of my cup as she closes her newspaper meeting my gaze."Hmm. You look more like your mother every time I see you dear.""Are you saying I'm beautiful or naive?" She chuckles into her hand before signaling to the server behind me."You are anything but a naive child.""Thank you for the compliment, ma'am." Breakfast is placed in front of us and she starts eating, motioning for me to join. We eat in silence and once we're finished, the table is cleared before her assistant places a folder in front of me."What is this?" I fr

Returning from the phone call, I head back to my seat next Jon who doesn’t turn around but is clearly looking at me.“What?” I ask as I take my seat next to him.“Haha, nothing.” He smiles slyly, returning his stare to the stage.“They look stuck.”“I think they are. It’s an unconventional question after all. We expected they’d ask questions on this topic but with it still being just largely based on theories and hypothesise giving an answer is seemingly hard. Everything you say is right, but knowing which one gets you the mark is the only downside. In other words, it’s a trap.” Sighing, Jon rubs his neck looking from our group to the judges.“Have a little faith man.” I say tapping his shoulder, with a light chuckle.“I have hella faith. I’m also at ease since the contracts already signed but as a scientist and educator, I want my students to be the best of the best.”

The buzzer of my apartment sounds for the umpteenth time and I groan, reluctantly removing my arms from around the woman lying next to me. Looking at the clock I see it's just after ten and I groan again in annoyance."Who the hell is it so early in the morning." Getting up, I stop my movements as the buzzer goes again and she moans getting up slightly. Fuck."No, no. Go back to bed." Caressing her head, I try soothing her back to sleep. Moaning, she rolls over; her breathing evening out again. Walking down the hall, I'm greeted by Williams' face through the buzzer camera. Of course."What do you want this early in the morning?" I scowl at him as he walks into the room, shopping bags in one hand, his cane in the other."What? Can't I have breakfast with my baby brother?! I've been craving hambagū steak." He grins, waddling into the kitchen dropping the bags onto the counter, the noise filling the open-spaced apartme

Her soft steps echo through the empty hallway as I lead the way to her apartment. Since leaving the Academy, we haven’t spoken a word to each other and the awkward silence between us has only gotten heavier. The feeling of not being trusted enough resonates through my entire body, my every step feeling as though I was walking through quicksand. I understand she had her reasons for her choice but I hated the bitter feeling I felt at the way she handled it, knowing that it left me in a difficult position and I'd have no choice but to accept. I never thought I’d feel like this ever again. Why didn’t she tell me? A life-altering decision and like everyone else I hear it through a mic surrounded by strangers? I knew she had to do something to combat her fathers' plan and I respected her decision to fight him head-on but why couldn’t she tell me? Recalling her conversation with Hughes on Friday, I know that’s when she made her decision.The entire weekend and she told me,

Exiting the bedroom I’m greeted by the pale man sat at the breakfast table. Unlike his sister's fair complexion from her mother, he was pale in comparison.“August.” I greet him and he hesitates briefly before replying.“Hello.” Giving me a warm smile, he beckons for me to sit. Setting a plate for myself, I sit opposite him and we eat in silence. I must say, in the silent department, they truly are siblings. The silence drifts over us for the entire duration of our meal until a throat clears and I look up to find him staring at me.“Yes?”“What happened?”“Huh?”“I saw her interview. Then all of a sudden you show up here at damn near midnight?” He says raising a quizzical brow at me and I sigh. Definitely related. Putting down my fork, I lean back in my chair, meeting his eyes.“She’s decided to take on your father head-on. Hence her withdrawal from The Academy as a