The weather was wonderful outside today.

I was right. I didn't deserve to be locked up in a classroom when I did nothing wrong.

And what was Daniel thinking.

My hand ran swiftly through my hair once as I walked briskly out of I.O. Academy. I decided to not wander far from the school and just somewhere a little hidden off.

My body unconsciously moved towards the deserted woods next to the school and I ended up placing my book bag on the ground and climbing a big oak tree.

I sat at the very top by myself, enjoying the high and dangerous height I was at. From afar, I could spot some students still hanging around campus, being the teenagers they were.

My eyes diverted away when I caught a couple kissing aggressively against the building's wall.

My mind ran through the event from earlier today when Allison's boyfriend crashed his lips upon mine.

It was a strange feeling. I didn't like it.

I have concluded, I hate kissing or being kissed.

Movies make it look so easy. Books make it flow so smoothly. And stories make it sound so exciting.

Well, it wasn't what I had experienced. And that was my second kiss in my whole life.

I sighed to myself as I slouched lower onto a well-supported branch and crossed my arms.

I was bored. Like always. There's nothing to do. Now that Allison was nowhere to be found and I had the whole day to myself, I don't know what to do.

What can I even do?

I pouted silently to myself as I eyed the surrounding.

Leaning against the tree trunk while still on the branch, my right hand came up slowly and pointed it at the back of a student's head from far away.

The back was turned to me and there was no way he could have seen me.

My ring finger and pinky folded in as my hand and fingers tightened their grip. My middle and pointer finger were aimed at the boy while my thumb was at a 90 degree angle.

I waited for a second before the boy stopped shifting around with whoever he was with before I silently imitated a shot firing from my handgun.

Bang.

My eyes widened as my hand stopped dead in mid-air.

The fingers suspended in the air immediately tensed up into a balled fist before I breathed out softly and my body relaxed.

The boy had turned a bit as he was talking to a girl with black hair and blue ombré.

Helene, echoed through my head as I eyed the two intensely.

The other guy was not Carlos. Who was he?

There was a thought that came to my mind but I pushed it away.

There was no way.

There were too many guys with natural hair colors. I couldn't tell. Though the hairstyle and posture was for sure 100% familiar.

I just needed to see the eyes.

A school announcement suddenly came on and said that all students still on campus were to refrain from entering the woods, which were at all times off-limits to every student at I.O Academy.

My attention went away from the two and to myself sitting on the tree branch. I shrugged a little before my eyes went back.

My brows furrowed when I realized the boy that once had his back to me had turned to my direction and was eyeing me with his blue eyes with an unreadable expression.

I silently cursed. I hated it when I couldn't read his expressions.

Since I was already caught, I decided to just head on over there and see what my partner's appearance means.

I only got to shuffle a bit in my spot before I spotted Liam gesturing for Helene to walk with him towards the woods.

I frowned a little as I could tell they wanted to go over to me, so I didn't move and stayed up in the tree.

I heard the rustling of leaves and small crunches of sticks and twigs snapping lightly, marking their journey here.

Eventually, I could see their identical black hairs emerging from the trees and in moments they were standing before me.

Well, under me.

Liam was holding a small object in his hand. My head tilted in confusion at it.

"What is that," I asked, my eyes traveling up to meet his eyes.

"Not 'that,' Jamie," Liam responded, holding the bundled thing covered in a soft hued blanket, "'her.'"

My eyes widened as I glanced at Helene for the first time and then back at him.

My brows furrowed into a deep frown, "Wait, wha-"

"Jamie, it's not his baby," Helene spoke up quickly, biting her lips down.

I haven't heard her voice in two years. I didn't know what to do. Should I smile and greet her, or should I hate and turn a cold shoulder?

"Baby..." The strange word trailed off my lips as I would never have imagined I would ever need to say it.

Helene stared up at me waiting, not sure how I would react.

"Who." I stated lowly, my eyes blankly returning her softening ones.

She looked away for a moment before replying to the ground instead.

"... Carlos."

My left hand balled into a fist that was out of sight of the both of them. Of course it was him. That sickening cheating bastard.

"She said she knew you and asked where you were," Liam came in casually, "I assumed she's a friend."

I scoffed loudly.

"I'm sorry," Helene piped, not averting her eyes away from me this time, "Jamie, I'm so sorry, I- really, please, it's been two yea-"

I glared at the girl stuttering before me. She was so weak at this moment. I hated it.

"I don't know her," I told Liam with a calm tone, ignoring and cutting off the girl below.

Liam eyed me with raised eyebrows and a light smile, "Lennon, hear her out."

"Since when did I listen to you?" I laughed dryly, "Don't get in my business, Carter. She and her boyfriend can go fuck themselves all they want. Make all the babies they want. I don't give a damn."

"Jamie-"

"Oh, that better not be my name coming out of your clammy mouth." I raised my eyebrows at the woman, "The name never crossed your mind when you were fucking my ex, now did it? 'Aight, then you've lost your privilege."

Helene's eyes watered, "Jamie, I'm so sorry. I really loved him, but it was selfish of me, I know, I've told myself a thousand times it wasn't right but I- I didn't have the courage to tell you."

I let out a tired breath. "It wasn't about telling me. The problem's on you. The nerve to do it behind my back in the first place, if I had gathered all my anger that day I might have fired at you. You're damn lucky my gun ran out of bullets coming back from a mission."

Helene was finally crying, "I'm so sorr-"

"I will never forgive you, if that's your goal by showing up in my face again." I concluded sharply as I gave her a silent stare, "Glad you're alive so I can witness your apology, but suck it up and do better."

I glanced at the baby and my jaw tensed, "Why is she here? You could've left her at the corporation before you came here."

"... You know I can't do that," Helene answered, her voice unstable, "If word got out that I had a baby with another R.U. agent, I would be out of the corporation. It's a rule."

"And yet you made one anyway," I stated matter-of-factly.

Helene bit her lips shut and glanced at the boy next to her for help. Liam sighed quietly and looked up at me.

"I'll summarize what happened so far," He announced dully, "Your Axel sent Helene and Carlos to I.O Academy. Carlos is buying baby formula right now so he should be back later today-"

"Baby formu-"

"Shush, Lennon, don't interrupt me," he cut me off abruptly, "And, Helene and Carlos already know about me and Kai, thanks to your Axel. She tried to attack me when she first saw me but I took her baby and-"

"You better not have hurt her," I exclaimed, finally understanding why he was the one holding the baby and not its mother.

Liam stared up irritated at me, "Do you see it crying? Bleeding? Dead?"

"Alright alright," I let out, hands up in defeat.

Liam sighed out once before continuing, "She and Carlos are enrolling Monday. She just wanted to check out the school today and hopefully get to meet you. The announcement went on saying something about the woods being off-limits and I turned around to look and oh-wow, Miss Jamie Lennon was sitting in a tree."

I nodded a little before turning to a tear-stained Helene. "What's her name," I asked.

"Cherish," Helene replied, "She's two months old."

My eyes softened a little before I covered it up again. I finally decided to come down from the tree. Once I was securely on ground again, I walked towards Liam.

I arched my brow at Helene and waited before she nodded and gestured for me to go ahead towards her child.

My hands tucked the blanket away from her face and I was able to see the child's face for the first time. Almond brown, curly hair covered her upper head as her evergreen eyes stared widely back at me with a cheerful coo.

"Cherish Glen," I said the baby's full name, hesitating a bit before gently cupping one side of her face, "Father's hair, mother's eyes."

I looked at the baby for a moment before snapping back to my senses, "Where would you hide her?" I glared at Helene, "Why'd you even bring her here? You're an early mother. Not only that you're an agent. The baby's not safe."

"I know," Helene replied softly, "That's why I needed my best friend with me. You were right. You're always there for me, but I've always taken it for granted. Please help me, Jamie."

"'Help?'" I repeated with amusement, "I can find myself helping the little one in the future because she's innocent, but you'll always be a problem."

"Can you keep her in your dorm for now?" Helene sighed, giving up, "It's better the quicker she gets used to her surroundings. I'll most likely be assigned a room partner since I'm new and I can't hide Cherish with a stranger around."

"Liam didn't get assigned one," I directed my attention to the man standing there watching us.

Liam shrugged.

I turned back to Helene as she said, "I'm going to go find Carlos. I'll hand over the baby starting tomorrow. You still have my contact?" she asked me.

"No."

"Oh," she said, a little down, "You still remember it?"

I ignored her.

Helene managed a weak smile before she waved quietly goodbye as she excused herself along with her baby girl.

Liam and I waited a few moments before we turned to look at each other.

"You actually liked someone?" Liam asked casually, crossing his arms, "Was he like, Prince Charming too-"

I frowned immediately as I eyed the boy, "Carter, can you not."

"What," he stated dully, "Just collecting info on your type of man so that our little game could end faster."

"What about you," I turned on him, "Haven't you ever liked someone? I know girls fly head over heels for you but has it ever been the other way around?"

Liam let out a light smirk as his blue eyes stared deeply into mine, "That's a secret."

Even with an expression as clear as day, I couldn't read what he was thinking.

"We're out of school now," I suddenly said, "If you killed me no one would be watching. Forget the game. Come at me."

Liam chuckled slightly, "Lennon, you're impatient. Besides, how could I come at you when I asked you out on a date. It's improper."

I raised my eyebrows, "You're weird. When you can't kill me you try to, but when you can you refuse to."

The boy tilted his head amused at me and shrugged slightly.

I'm not going to lie, he looked really good with the lighting right now. The thin sun rays shining through the trees made him look golden.

I caught myself before I stared at him too long and walked away, only to be stopped by his hands firmly around my smaller wrist.

I turned around and pulled it away, "What do you want," I asked him.

"Take a wild guess," he responded back.

I sighed, "Carter, I'm not going on a date with you."

"Just for ice cream," he persisted.

"But-"

"No ice cream?" he slightly whined, exaggerating a long sigh before releasing my wrist and turning around to leave.

I'm not doing it. I'm not giving in. Who did he think he was? What kind of trickery was this-

"Just for ice cream," I chimed, heading back towards the tree with a pace to collect my backpack before catching up to Liam.

He had turned around and waited for me, watching my quick change in decision with an amused smirk on his face.

"Just for ice cream," he restated, following casually behind me as my form walked briskly out of the woods and to my promised treat.

_