The bell interrupted my train of thoughts as everyone around me began shuffling out of the classroom. It was loud, crowded, messy, and complete chaos in the room as I tried to pack up as well.

The boy I needed to talk to was gone. He had left before I could even zip my backpack up. As for the worksheet from earlier, I had to erase that note, yet the words still lingered in my mind since I had spent the rest of my time in this classroom mulling over what it could mean.

I glanced at Allison Frances to see that she finished conversing with her friends before walking out of the class. I, slinging the backpack over my shoulders, walked out after her into the busy hallway.

Bad idea.

Her group of friends stampeded over my form as they rushed to her side, their mouths opening and closing like wrung puppets.

One girl knocked hard into me and I let myself stumble a bit before acting the dramatic fall. My fake glasses slid off my face as two of my braids whipped to the front.

Reaching for my backpack, I saw a shadow loom over me from the corner of my eyes while they were fixed to the floor.

"Watch where you're going, lowlife," a high-pitched voice rained down upon me. I looked up to meet eyes with one of Allison's followers.

"S-sorry," I let out, my voice trembling in act. My hands clenched tightly into fists at my side before I internally sighed at the attitude I just observed.

Remember your mission, Jamie. Don't crack.

Allison eyed me with a strange stare from where she was standing before I soon interpreted it to a detest expression written as clear as day on her glossy face.

I hurriedly gathered my things and stood up, acting low towards the groups of friends she had before turning my back to them and heading down the long flight of stairs to my next class.

As I left, I heard Allison's friends chirping not-necessarily-pleasant commentaries behind my back.

"She is such a nerd."

"Does she know she's unattractive?"

"I'm gonna puke if I ever see her hair again."

"Don't even get me started on her glasses."

Hopping the rest of the way down the stairway, I speed-walked to math class.

Then again math was my least favorite subject, no matter how good I was at it, so being tardy wasn't a big deal. I really... really, hated math.

I was perfectly fine with it until the alphabet became so involved everyday.

The late bell was about to ring, announcing that the doors were to be shut after it was heard, but I made it in the nick of time. Allison was in my math class as well, but she came late for unknown reasons and had to go to the front office to get a tardy pass.

I sighed as I glanced at her empty seat. This girl couldn't even get from one class to another by just walking. I didn't understand what was so important about her.

So important, in fact, that I had to be imprisoned in this school for two years just to protect her from 'harm.'

What would anyone want to do with her, though? It's been two years. Honestly, if she did have someone after her, I'd positively say that they either died or gave up a long time ago after seeing how useless and ordinary she was.

Allison was your average teenage girl, minus the rich, smart, and beautiful part.

Because not all girls were that lucky.

Ahem.

And who best to give that opinion than me who'd been following the girl around for two whole years?

If I, her protector, couldn't find a reason to protect her, then why would a killer have a reason to kill her?

It didn't make sense to me, but no matter how much I pressed for more information, The Organization just didn't give it to me.

I assumed they only liked to see me fit the pieces together and solve the puzzle, showing them only the finished product.

However, I don't know how much longer I could stand this mission. I needed action. I wasn't this weak Jamie Lennon that I played at school. I was never shy, and I was never and will never be scared of anyone.

I was the Jamie Lennon. 17 year old undercover secret agent under the R.U. that specialized in sniping, as well as being ranked one of the highest skilled fighters in the corporation.

Allison was brought in by the math teacher a while later as she waved the tardy slip back and forth through the small window made into the door. I carefully eyed the girl as she walked to her seat, grabbing and touching her fellow friends along the journey. I let my eyes wander around the room, scanning for a certain someone. My attention went back to my textbook as I noted that Liam Carter was not in my second period.

Who was he though? Liam Carter... the name didn't ring a bell.

Great, let's put that on my already full list of homework for this week.

We were paired off for a math project, to which no one chose me as their partner. Allison, on the other hand, had thousands of servants on their knees, ready for her command.

She was paired up with the high-pitched girl from earlier. Now that I racked my brain again, I remembered her name was Kayla. But that was as far as I was going to torture my memory for today.

It didn't really matter to me if I was working alone or not. I've always been alone and I preferred it that way. When you're alone, there's no one to slow you down and no one could be used against you.

That's the beauty of going solo.

A sniper doesn't always need a partner, they just need someone to give the signal.

_

Lunch came and I slowly trudged after the same girl I had been following for a thousand years. It's a sad life right now. I'm dying to do something else. The only thing keeping me going was the strawberry milk they provided at this school. There's just something about it. It's really good.

I grabbed my usual milk carton and glanced around at Allison. She's with her group of friends, which had increased in size since it was lunch. They were all sitting at the table with the jocks, one of them being Alison's show-off boyfriend.

I could leave her alone for a few minutes, I thought to myself. Nothing ever happened anyway. Not like someone could break into this school and kill her right now. There's people around her at least.

And hopefully I didn't just jinx myself. Fingers crossed. Prayers said.

I quietly head to the exit of the cafeteria and made my escape. My favorite place to be at the academy was not in it, but on it.

To be specific, the roof.

A sniper loved high, dangerous, and off-limit areas. Again, the school's roof.

As soon as I was out and no eyes could possibly sight me, I started climbing the small ladder indented into the brick wall of the building made for the custodians and mechanics to reach the very top.

My glasses kept slipping off while climbing so when I got to the top and placed my backpack down, I threw the thing into my bag.

No need for it. My eyesight was perfect. It aided me in my occupation.

I leaned on the protective wall that served to prevent me from falling off. The cars honked and drove by in a rhythmic beat. I wished I could jump and ride one back to my corporation. Then confront the man in charge and point a gun at him.

But hey, just a wish.

Usually, I would've walked around the whole area up here to get the breeze running through me. But today, I just felt like staying in one little spot.

I wanted something to happen. I needed something to happen.

I had knowledge and profiles of everyone in this academy. No one got away from me once I do my research. And I had concluded countless times that this school had no threat to it. Correction, no threat in it.

At least not yet. If an assassin was scheduled to come here before I die, I would openly welcome him with apple pies and strawberry tarts.

I looked down at my bag and glanced at my phone. I could call someone right now if I wanted to, maybe my own people. I haven't contacted a human being in a while.

Dialing a number I haven't called in two years, I hesitated a bit before putting the phone up against my ear.

The device rang and rang a few times.

Sighing, my hand dropped down before a crackling sound was heard and then a voice spoke out.

"Hello? Who is this."

A smile made its way to my face as I remembered the familiarity of his voice.

"Hey," I answered back softly.

"Hey..." came his reply, "Um, who..."

"Don't tell me you forgot my voice already, Axel."

It felt nice to say his name again. Two years. It was a long time.

There was silence on the other end before the boy replied, "Of course I know who you are. I could never forget, Jamie."

My eyes softened at his words. Shifting a bit in my place, I gazed out at the cars below.

"It's been a while," I said, letting out a light sigh as I let myself revisit the past.

"Sure has."

"... Are you still... mad?"

I waited for his reply while silently holding my breath. I've been dying to ask the boy that question ever since this mission started. However, I was told to limit my phone calls during my mission and it resulted in me not contacting anyone. My phone was turned off most of the time too so if anyone did call, I wouldn't notice.

I made a mental note to change that habit of mine.

"It's been two years, it's really hard to keep holding a grudge against someone like you."

My eyes lit up as I snapped my attention to my phone.

"Are you serious," I asked, staring at my small device like it was him, "You don't hate me?"

"No, Jamie. I don't hate you at all," Axel answered back in his somewhat low tone.

Immediately, it felt like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. The relief and happiness I wanted for a while now replaced that tiredness for a short while.

"I'm so sorry. I never want to hurt you," I said.

"Past's in the past," Axel answered back in a lighter tone, "So why the sudden call, Jamie? It's nice hearing your voice again. I'm sure no one has heard it in a while over here."

And by 'over here,' he meant back at the R.U. I missed the corporation. I just wanted to jump on a car and ride it back there. Then face the man in charge and give him a big, teddy bear hug.

Death squeeeeeeze.

"Well you see, I need documents on the new kid that transferred here today. He's been annoying me the whole day and I just wanted to finish reading his report as soon as possible."

"Hmm," Axel began, "At this time during school? He must be smart."

"Don't forget good looking and rich," I added.

"What's his name," he asked.

"Liam Carter."

Axel's voice had a slight irritation in it as he commented, "There's a thousand Liam Carter's in this world."

"Thanks," I piped, grinning, "I'll text you his school info as soon as I get back to my dorm."

"You can count on this hacker."

"I know I can," I responded, a side smile emerging.

"How's your solo mission going," he asked, changing the topic.

My smile wiped away in an instant.

"Wonderful," I responded sarcastically, "I'm having a blast. Lots of things happened in two years, you wouldn't even believe me if I told you. Aliens came to invade the school but I fought them off with Poseidon's trident and earned a sunshine award."

"Mhmm," Axel chuckled amused, "Make sure to include that in your report for the R.U. when you come back."

"Oh I will," I firmly stated, "They have to know what's going on — everything's that's going on in my head. I'm going to write my heart out when I get back, don't you worry."

"That's the Jamie Lennon I know," Axel chuckled proudly, "You go girl."

I laughed a bit at his enthusiastic response.

Glancing at the sky, I saw that it had changed so that the color had transitioned into a soft, purple-blue.

"I have to go," I chimed grimly, switching the device to my other ear since it was getting warm in that area.

"Bye, Jamie."

I smiled, "Bye."

I hung up and turned off my phone before remembering that I wanted to fix my habit and turned the ringer back on.

Placing it back into my bag, my fingers brushed across my glasses and I took them out.

Spectacles: check. Braids: check. Weak self: on.

I slung my backpack over my shoulders and began heading back to the inside of the academy through the same way that I had exited.

Back to being weak girl Jamie Lennon. Whoop.

_