Who was the five targets?
Valery's POV It was Friday night, and the names of the five targets were posted on the announcement board—five individuals who would have to hide to save their lives from those who wanted to kill them. It seemed like the targets hadn’t seen their names written there in what looked like fresh blood, still dripping, indicating it had just been placed. A weight lifted from my throat when I noticed that neither Cindy nor I was among those names. At the same time, I felt a mix of fear and pity for the targets. I hoped they would all survive this game. The announcement board and the locker room were facing each other, so it wasn’t unlikely that the five targets would notice their names if they passed by to retrieve something from their lockers. A nerdy girl with glasses noticed the announcement board, her face going pale as if she had seen a ghost. She immediately opened her locker, and we watched her fall back in shock when she saw the ‘bloody paper’ that read, “You’re the next target, g’luck.” I noticed two girls and a guy taking pictures of the girl who received the bloody paper, all of them grinning widely. They looked like they were high-ranking students, as evidenced by the small gold medals pinned to their uniforms. The girl immediately ran off, and we followed her with our eyes as her figure disappeared into the distance. “What did that girl do to deserve this?” I wondered aloud. “It’s so sad. She looks defenseless,” Cindy replied, shaking her head. “Good luck to her tonight,” I added. “That’s a shame. I wish I could participate in the game. You have to win to join, though,” a guy said as he talked to a girl. “So, you’re willing to kill?” the girl asked him. “Of course! My cards are a bust, so I’ll just rely on this game!” he laughed. What a nonsense dude. A few hours later, the other targets saw their names on the announcement board. Their faces displayed shock, fear, and anxiety for their lives. I felt like someone was watching me, so I scanned my surroundings. I wasn’t mistaken; I caught Professor Calixta looking my way. When our eyes met, I saw her looking at me with soft, worried eyes, as if she was terrified something would happen to me. Oh, maybe I’m just assuming things? She was wearing something different today since she had spilled coffee on herself earlier and hadn’t reprimanded the student responsible, only punishing him. Ouch! That hurt so good! She wore a white polo shirt with a black tie and black pants. She looked good—so pretty, but with a slight flaw. I'll be honest; she would look even better if she were a man. Yummy! A sexy girl with a nice figure. Focus, Val! After a few seconds of staring at each other, I decided to approach her. I didn’t know her that well yet, but I knew she had a strong personality. She watched me as I made my way toward her. “What now, Prof?” I asked. She rolled her eyes at me. Attitude! I feel like kissing her right now. Damn, what the heck, Valery?! “Nothing,” she replied, still staring at me. I didn’t say anything further. “Please take care always, my Lily.” I froze at her words. Wait, what? Did she just call me "my Lily"? “Maybe you know something about this school, but there are dangerous secrets here. So please be safe, my Lily.” Her tone was serious, yet there was a tenderness in her voice. Damn, her gentle voice and gaze were captivating! You can’t blame me for falling for her, ugh! And she called me "my Lily" again. Damn this woman! Feeling a surge of affection, I pinched her side, causing her to yelp. “Do it one more time, and I’ll send you back to my room while you scream and moan my name, begging for more, silly woman.” I was left speechless by her words and quickly turned away. I heard her chuckle softly, but I ignored it. She was so annoying, tss. I decided to head to the parking lot to see if Cindy and Kairos were there. “What the?! You guys have been here all along? I’ve been waiting for you in the locker room! I thought you were getting something!” I exclaimed, confused by their blank expressions. “Yeah, didn’t you follow us? You even got in the back. I said I saw you, but you didn’t say anything. Then you just got out without saying a word!” Kairos shouted back. “Don’t tell me that was a doppelgänger?” Cindy said, fear evident in her voice. “If that’s a joke, Val, it’s not funny!” “Well, I’m not joking! I was at the announcement board checking the targets while waiting for you!” I retorted, getting frustrated. “Ugh, never mind,” Kairos sighed. “Anyway, who are the targets on the announcement board?” I asked, trying to recall their names. “Andrei Castillo.” “Blaire Hilgado.” “Sapphire Buena.” “Crystal Maude.” “And—” I paused, unable to remember the last name. Wait, I forgot! “Ahhh! Tristan Oliveros! They’re the ones on the announcement board.” They exchanged glances, concern etched on their faces. “What’s wrong?” I asked.