Wellston Private High School 

Entrance:

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Seraphina watched as John descended the stairs not making any eye contact with anyone as the sea of students parted seamlessly for him.

'I can't imagine this helps...' She thought to herself as she viewed the scene before her.

John looked to her and found himself immediately annoyed.

He told her to back off as she began approaching him. He had not really thought of the offer she made earlier during the day and was now realizing that he was going to be asked again for an answer this time.

An answer he still did not have.

Seraphina posed the question, thinking he would say no.

"I haven't thought about it," John stated while continuing his walk.

Seraphina was annoyed but not angry because that was not a no.

"John, what if we discuss my ability returning," she asked.

This stopped John in his tracks, she got him.

"It would be private, not in a dorm with people all over to listen," she continued.

"Fine," he responded. "But, if you try anything... I walk."

"Fine by me," she brushed past him, leading the way.

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Boba Shop:

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John and Seraphina sat in a booth all too familiar to them. It had been a long, long time since they both had sat down together like this. It only took a fight, several arguments, and blackmailing to reach this point.

Although Seraphina had offered something first, she was not leaving empty handed on knowledge from John. He knew a lot that he was not sharing, whether it was about New Bostin, abilities, or his own feelings that she wanted to know.

She knew it was a gamble, but earning his trust was not a one-way street.

He need to earn hers, too.

"John," she started with a pause. "I need you to tell me about New Bostin, or tell me what drove you to this point..."

John perked up at this. He knew there would be a catch but he also knew her plan. John was no fool, he knew she wanted his trust for some reason.

He wanted to believe it was because there was something still there, but they threw each other out, or that was what he believed.

John sighed, took a breath, and decided to give up a little to get a little.

"Why should I believe you would take anything I say seriously, why do you even know about New Bostin?" John began.

Seraphina was happy with this. He answered her, and spoke a real sentence for once.

"John, even you can agree that you pushed yourself into a corner over the past months... Your entire personality changed so drastically!" She responded.

"Have you ever thought that this just might be who I am?" He asked.

Seraphina stopped.

"No." She shortly responded. "It is not who you are."

John scoffed. Seraphina noticed.

"If it is, then why did you make such an effort to be my friend?" She began. "You changed the way I thought... about the way I walked around and lived!"

"If you really are this person you claim to be, then the real question is why you faked being like that..." she continued. "And I know that you didn't."

Crack.

Bewildered, John was beginning to question his own thoughts.

'This is going too deep,' John thought to himself while staring at his hands.

"Back off, Seraphina." He responded. "If you want to interrogate me you're going to have to force it out of me."

She was slightly taken aback by this and wondered where he got that idea from.

Then it hit her. The files she read about that instructor. She knew this was major progress.

"John, where did you get that idea from?" "Interrogate you? Force it out of you?" She questioned.

In that moment John realized she knew even more than he thought before.

"How do you know so much?!" John stood and questioned.

"I'd love to tell you, but you don't want to let me in!" She responded.

He had enough.

"You have one chance to tell me how you got your ability back or I leave." He demanded.

It was Seraphina's turn to sigh.

"Fine," she began. "Arlo and I-" She was cut off.

John slammed the table, outraged at the mention of her working with Arlo.

"I KNEW IT!" John was seething.

Seraphina, no longer powerless, was not going to let this go.

"JOHN!" She yelled, throwing him off. "LET ME EXPLAIN!"

Everyone in the shop was now watching them. A few men looked quite bothered and decided to approach.

They looked at the duo, pissed by their sudden disturbance. However, both the teens were not having it right now.

John left the booth, and stood face-to-face with one of the men. He did not say a word as the hostile group started to threaten them. John uttered a simple 'fuck off' through gritted teeth which was met with several abilities being activated.

However, before John laid into them, Seraphina froze them all.

"Leave." Was all she said to get the message across.

The group realized very quickly just what they were dealing with and decided to depower and run.

The store was still watching, but John knew how to fix that.

"Mind your own fucking business." He demanded.

That command was simple and effective and soon enough John and Seraphina were back to arguing on their own.

However, they decided to also take it to the street and begin the walk back.

"I knew you were working with that fucking backstabber..." John angrily muttered.

"John, you were not exactly willing to talk or work with me... Who else should I have gone to?" She asked.

Silence.

"A certain someone sent me a message, I met them with Arlo and they offered to give me my ability back," Seraphina revealed.

John was skeptical, it was obvious how much she was leaving out.

"And?" He asked.

'He's interested!' Seraphina realized.

"If you want to know more, John, I have an idea... Come with the group to Rowden," she proposed.

John wanted to immediately say no, and his expression proved it, but he needed to find a way to destroy it. This could be his only chance.

"You can't come directly... But we could arrange it secretively," she added.

"Fine by me," he responded.

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