In the almost empty cafeteria, Kilin and Keele sat at a small table, their excitement palpable as they huddled over Kilin's phone and read the message over and over again. It was an exclusive request from the mysterious generous person from last night who was willing to pay a significant fee for a first glimpse of the pictures of Kilin dressed as Lady Kigyn from Heros of Terra
"Do you think he is a creep?" asked Kilin and Keele was a little skeptical.
"I don't think so. He seems respectful and despite sending you money for the job he isn't hounding you for it," she said seeing that he only sent the request plus the money that was all.
While they were engrossed in their conversation, Arwen sat opposite them, trying to concentrate on his book. But it was impossible not to overhear what they were talking about not that he could understand it. He absentmindedly pushed up his reading glasses as he continued reading when he heard Keele say.
"What's the day today? Oh, Friday... We can take the pictures tomorrow at twelve," she said and Arwen couldn't resist saying,
"That is the worst possible time to take pictures. You risk taking pictures with dark eye shadows, people tend to squint and there might be a shi-," he said only for Keele to cut him off.
"Hey Einstein, do you know anything about photography?" she asked her voice so coquettish that he stood no chance against her. Kilin rolled her eyes. Keele seemed to have found her new target.
"Yes but," he said not knowing where to put his hands and feet.
"You will be compensated but you better keep your mouth shut and not tell anyone," she whispered loudly menacing yet cute at the same time.
"Is-is it something illegal?" he stammered and Keele exclaimed,
"No... well, it isn't illegal but if she dressed up like Ciana or Iris it might be... ouch," before crying out after being smacked upside her head.
"I am not dressing half naked...," she said before glancing back at the phone screen.
Keele rubbed the back of her head while saying, "You were going to take pictures anyway so don't say no. Tell them you will think about it."
Kilin nodded her head before she started tapping on the screen typing. After a minute or two she finally sent it feeling a little nervous.
RoyalRose: I will think about it.
Outside the campus, Wyatt's phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out and saw that the person he had been eagerly waiting for a response from had finally replied.
He walked away from his friends who were yammering on about something insignificant and read the message. He couldn't understand what was there to think about. She was going to post the pictures later anyway but he just needed her to send them to him first.
With his thumb resting on his lip, he suddenly assumed she was negotiating the price. He thought that she was being a little greedy. At least people like that are easy to decipher. All they needed was money to solve the problem and he had lots of it. He transferred twenty percent more of what he sent before and waited but she didn't reply.
***
Twenty minutes later the afternoon classes had begun and the students who had eaten their feel at noon tended to sleep and be very inattentive in class. Plus it didn't help that the first class in the afternoon was history.
While the teacher was writing on the blackboard the people behind her were misbehaving. Kilin opened the message underneath her desk and typed back a quick response.
RoyalRose: No no no, don't send any more money.
She glanced up checking on the teacher who was still writing and typed again.
RoyalRose: I will send it back later. Just don't send any more.
A notification from Keke popped up on her screen and she read the message before glancing at Keele sitting a few desks behind her and on the opposite side of the class.
Keke: How about employing cutie Arwen?
Kilin heard the teacher speaking so she shoved her phone in her pocket and picked up her pen like she was seriously listening. She felt her phone buzz and glanced at Keele thinking it was her.
"... if you take this historical event like they are interesting movies you will do well in my class. You should be excited to learn more about it...," said Mrs Camper but the energy levels of the class were so low.
While she was walking on the other side of the class, Kilin saw a folded piece of paper on her desk. It was addressed to her and that ugly handwriting was obviously Keele's.
She unwrapped it and read the message. It was a simple 'please please please'. Kilin glanced in her direction completely disregarding that Wyatt was also in the same line of sight.
She wrote a reply on the note 'We already did' before sending the note back. She crossed out her name and wrote Keele before passing it on.
Keele wrote back saying, 'Permanently. He is so cute to look at.' But the note never reached Kilin. That's because someone was dumb enough to pass the note to Wyatt. He crumpled the paper and tossed it into the bin.
Keele, "..."
She gritted her teeth and wrote another one. She made sure that it didn't pass through Wyatt's hands but unfortunately, they got caught.
Kilin tried to hide the note but Mrs Camper tapped on her table. Her hawk eyes had already seen them earlier. She was just waiting for them to fill a page before calling them out.
"Kilin, since my class is not that interesting to you then why not get up and share with the class what is so intriguing that you couldn't wait until after class."
Kilin rubbed the back of her neck nervously. She was starting to think she had been cursed otherwise why was her luck so bad recently?
The room was filled with hushed whispers and suppressed giggles, anticipation hanging in the air like a thick fog. Those who were asleep were now wide awake watching the drama as it unfolded.
"Hurry up, we don't have all day," said the teacher the impatience in her voice evident.
Kilin's heart pounded in her chest as all eyes turned to her. She reluctantly unfolded the note and clutched it tightly wondering why she didn't just shove it in her mouth and got rid of the evidence. Taking a deep breath, Kilin began to read aloud.
"Ho-how about you hire him permanently,"
"You... are having boy fever again. Now stop otherwise she will catch us,"
"Oh, you mean big-eyed Camper. Do you think she needs... needs a torch when she goes camping,"
"LOL, her eyes are probably big enough to see at night,"
"Like an owl,"
"They are as big as dinner plates? I swear they can see through walls!"