NAOMI'S POV:

It's been a few days and Mr. Davis has kept his promise. Neither of the Administrators have even batted an eyelash at Ryan. They've been pretending to continue their investigation of the matter, prolonging the fear inside of everyone. Especially Ryan.

Judging from some of the things I've heard about his response, he must know that they are suspecting him. Mr. Davis even found all of his other stashes in the Academy, now all he needs to know is how Ryan is brining everything in. That information will reveal itself in due time.

Fear is unpredictable in people; usually it causes someone to shutdown and retreat, but in others it wakes them up. In Ryan's case however, it makes him paranoid and angry at everyone. I guess that was a shield of his.

The suspicion has generated a quiet energy in the Academy though, as most students are trying to keep their noses as clean as possible. Everyone is 'crossing their 't's' and 'dotting their 'i's'; defaulting to the Academy's standard of orderly conduct. I wonder if that's the agenda of the Administrators...pretending to suspect everyone to keep things peaceful for a few days. It's not a bad strategy.

*Knock, knock*

"It's open." I wiped my hands on my jeans, not being able to move anywhere else other than where I am.

"Naomi." Mr. Davis said while entering, his eyes immediately widening as he got a good look around.

I've been shut inside my room for the last four days; we didn't have school yesterday or today due to fall break so I had no new homework to complete, and I couldn't get anymore ahead than I already was. So, rearranging my room was the only thing I could think of to keep my mind occupied. It kept my hands busy and my thoughts sane, I hated sitting still for too long.

"You're rearranging the furniture?" Closing the door behind him, he observed the progress I've made so far, which wasn't much.

"Inspection isn't until tomorrow evening and there's no rule against it." I defended immediately as I noticed he didn't seem pleased. "I've never seen another student do it before but..."

"There's no rule against it." He assured me. "And no one does it because they don't want to get too comfortable or used to the idea of this being long-term." He shot me an empathetic look.

Nodding, I continued to push my beg against the far-right wall. "Yeah, well I get that."

"How were you thinking everything should go or are you just seeing your options?"

"Well," I took a deep breath and wiped some of the sweat from my forehead. "the bed will go where the desk is, the dresser will be where the bed was and my desk will go against my window."

"Facing it?" His eyebrows furrowed as he tried to imagine everything I described.

"Yeah, I like natural light and a view."

"So do I." He smiled.

"Really?" I had to paint the image of Mr. Davis' office to make sure I had my theory correct. "Your office seems so dark."

"Image for students' sake."

Oh. Message received. "Was there something you needed?" I was desperate to change the subject and, if I'm being really honest, I don't feel much like having an audience right now.

"Yes." He ignored my hastiness. "Jess is leaving in a few minutes, you should go say goodbye."

My head popped as my memory was jogged, ""She's leaving already?" I glanced at my clock; it was only nine in the morning. "I'm still grounded, am I allowed?"

"I think I just told you that you are." A low smile escaped his lips.

We haven't talked much in the last few days, I've been restricted and he's been keeping himself busy with work. "Is it going to be extended?"

"No, I'm not extending your grounding...in fact, I'm ending it a few days early."

"R-really? Why?"

He inhaled, looking as if he weren't sure how to answer. "You've been through enough the last week."

That wasn't exactly what I was expecting, especially not after I disobeyed the terms of it and was punished by Mr. Patry, but maybe he's just taking pity on me. It also could be that I was the true person who exposed Ryan.

"I would hurry if I were you."

Nodding again, I wiped my face once more and began walking past him. "Mr. Davis?"

"Yeah?" He turned, getting ready to exit with me.

"Thank you, a lot."

"No problem," He moved past me this time. "When you're finished with dinner tonight, come see me and I'll help you move this furniture. Don't hurt yourself."

He left before I could thank him again.

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JASPER'S POV:

"A gathering?" I asked, noticing almost every male student herding in the middle of the staircase. "That must mean someone's leaving. Who's the lucky winner?"

"Jess." Daryl said, glancing at her parents from the middle of the staircase. "So, we've all come to watch the show."

Jess? I didn't know she was leaving, she never said a word to me about it. I wonder if Naomi knows...or if she'll even be allowed to say goodbye. I would go tell, but I don't want to risk getting either of us in anymore trouble.

"Did you even know her?" I asked him, moving down to the bottom of the crowd.

"No, but it's a good day when any one of us gets to leave."

"I suppose that's true." I leaned on the railing, watching as her parents stood side-by-side and waited for their daughter.

That's not what I would have imagined Jess' parents to look like; they were younger, probably having her when they were teenagers, slimmer and somewhat rugged. Her dad was a ginger, slender but with a beer belly, wearing a football hat and a plain shirt and jeans while her mom was an anorexic brunette. So much so that she probably has to buy juvenile clothing just to get a fit she likes.

Jess was a little on the heavy side but the real issue was her maturity. Judging from their clothing and body language, I'd guarantee that she is more of an adult than they are.

"Jasper." Ryan called, pushing past everyone to make way to me. "What was it? What did it take to sell me out? Did the Administrators promise to lessen your time here?"

"I'm getting really tired of having this conversation with you." I sighed, spreading my arms out and pushing my back against the railing.

He smirked, "We've been in here a long time, known each other in more ways than we care to admit...you are the only one who knows where everything is."

"The fact that we've been here together for a while is exactly why it wasn't me."

"I will throw you down these stairs." He threatened, causing everyone to circle around us, giving themselves enough room to not get hit but close enough to see the fight.

"I know you struggle with school, so math probably isn't a strong suit of yours but I have probably thirty pounds on you easy."

"Someone ratted on me, and I will find out who." He said more to the crowd this time.

"Oh shut up Ryan." Jess said, coming from around the corner with a duffel bag over her shoulder. "No one here dimed on you."

Ryan glanced up the stairs, laughing at her interjection.

"And how would you know that?"

"Because," She smirked, shrugging her shoulders. "I did."

Everyone exchanged glances, not sure how to process her blatant confession. Not even I was sure how to respond.

We all immediately turned to see Ryan, whose face had turned a bright red. There was almost a vein sticking out from the middle of his forehead. A few whispers circled in the background.

Jess began walking down the stairs, strutting almost, as if she were on top of the world right now.

"What did I ever do to you?" He finally asked.

"You're a jerk to everyone here, anyone would love to take you out." There was a coldness growing in her voice, something that I hadn't heard from her before. "We're all just too afraid to do it because it would mean implicating ourselves...but I had the opportunity to do it with no consequences, and I did."

Walking past Matt, she leaned in close to me, ignoring Ryan. "Take care of Naomi and yourself."

"Thanks Jess, stay out of trouble...."

"I better not see you here again." Ryan interjected, balling his fists.

I stood straight, motioning for her to continue. "Don't get yourself in more trouble than you already are."

"Wait, Jess." Naomi appeared from the top, her ponytail almost coming completely out from the rushing she did to get here. "Walk with me."

Naomi extended her hand once she got close enough and the two of them walked downstairs. No one, not even Ryan, could take their eyes off of Jess.

I was proud of her.

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NAOMI'S POV:

I held her hand tightly, trying to be as supportive as I would want someone to be for me on a day like this. She looked happy, maybe a little nervous and sad to let go, but definitely more happy than anything. And that's all that mattered.

"Bye Jess." I pulled her into a hug, and wasn't even reprimanded for it. "Don't ever come back here, you hear me?"

She laughed, "'Parting is such sweet sorrow.'"

I laughed too.

"I'm sorry, was that too cheesy?"

"Umm, somewhere between cheddar and Swiss."

"Shut up." She hugged me again. "I'll do my best not to come back." I felt her hand slip to the inside of my jacket pocket.

"What was that?" I went to reach for it but she stopped me.

Backing away, closer to where her parents were, she winked at me. "My phone number and new address. Call or write to me sometime."

I watched as she hugged her parents, her mom planting a firm kiss on her forehead while her dad took her bags from her hands. A moment I've longed for for so many months.

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JASPER'S POV:

It was a hard moment for Naomi, anyone who knew her could see it so plainly on her face. I hope she'll take some comfort in this moment for her friend, which I don't doubt she probably will, I just hope I can make her smile later.

Jess turned around one last time to wave to Naomi, and then to us on the staircase, before walking out the large wooden doors with her parents.

"Ryan." Mr. Davis said from the top of the staircase, causing everyone to stand straight and direct their attention to him. "Come with me."

"Come with you where?" He asked falsely confused, not wanting to pander to Mr. Davis' knowledge.

He knew where, we all knew where, but sometimes reality never sinks in until the final moment.

"Where I take you." Mr. Davis responded coldly.

Ryan moved from the crowd, unwillingly of course, up the stairs to where Mr. Davis was eagerly waiting.

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MR. DAVIS' POV:

His skin had turned glossy from a fearful sweat, and the light seemed to of left his eyes, the same look of perturbation I've seen on every student in his position. He was in for a rough time, and he was smart enough to know it.

We walked silently to his room, him treading behind me which forced me to remind him to keep up. A flight risk wasn't something I wanted to deal with right now. I knew he was scared, anyone would be, and I hated sending students to Room 113 but it's protocol and, usually, the experience deters them from their offense.

"Get a bag packed, grabbed your pillow and blanket and a toothbrush..." I opened his door for him.

"Yeah, I know the drill."

Nodding, "Then why are you moving so slowly." I responded spitefully.

Walking inside, he grabbed a pillowcase from under his bed and began packing it full of everything he'll need to survive his duration inside. There was no order to his packing, it seemed as if he were just trying to pack anything he could fit; clothes, his toothbrush and paste, a few books, but he knew to leave his phone where it was.

"Will it be you or Mr. Patry?"

"It'll start with me, but Mr. Patry will fill in when needed."

He fumbled a bit, dropping a few things out of his hands as they began shaking.

"Take a deep breath and grab what you need."

"I-I promise I won't ever do it again." The reality was setting in as he remembered his last visit there.

"You said that last time." I shook my head. "Get your things and..."

"Mr. Davis, please. Please don't..."

"Move it." I enunciated.

Aggressively shoving a few pieces of blank paper and a pencil inside, he marched in my direction as if he were going to push past me. I stopped him immediately, blocking his exit.

"Are you trying to make this anymore worse than it already is?"

He adjusted his body language, allowing a deep breath to settle his nerves before working to adjust his tone.

He shook his head, "No sir."

I motioned him to walk to the staircase, closing his door behind me and jotting a reminder down in my phone. He stopped for a moment, taking a quick inhale to prevent tears from streaming from his eyes, before continuing forward ahead of me.

Hey everyone, leave a comment here if you'd like a chapter from Ryan's POV in Room 113! If I get enough, I might just do it!