Sophia's eyes widened with curiosity as she watched Flora read the note. The sudden change in her friend's demeanor was impossible to miss.
"Who did you say left this note?" Flora stammered, her hands trembling.
"I'm not sure, actually. It seemed to be one of the school janitors who brought it." Sophia shrugged.
"Is everything okay? You look pale." She pointed out, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Flora shifted uncomfortably, letting her friend's hand fell from her shoulder then she crumpled the note in her fist, avoiding Sophia's gaze.
"It is ... it is nothing. Don't worry about it." She said trying to steady her shaky voice.
"Come on, Flora. We are friends, aren't we? What does it say?" Sophia pressed, concern etched on her face, curiosity in her voice.
Flora shook her head vehemently.
"It is nothing, really. Just ... some school stuff." She insisted.
Disappointment flashed across Sophia's face.
"You are hiding something from me, aren't you?" She blurted out.
Before Sophia could push further, Flora abruptly stood up. In a swift motion, she tore the note into tiny pieces, squeezing them tightly in her palm.
"I need a shower." Flora muttered, rushing towards the bathroom.
"Flora, wait!" Sophia called out, but the bathroom door had already slammed shut.
The sound of running water filled the silence of the room. Sophia sat on her bed, mind racing with worried thoughts about her friend's strange behavior.
"What is going on with her?" Sophia thought to herself. Sophia sat on her bed. Her eyes darted to the tiny scraps of paper Flora had left behind on the floor.
"What could have been in that note to upset Flora so much?" She thought, curiousity gnawing at her.
Sophia's gaze kept returning to those paper fragments, each one a tantalizing piece of a puzzle she couldn't solve.
"I shouldn't..." Sophia whispered to herself, even as she slid off the bed and crouched near the scattered pieces. Her hand hovered over them, indecision written across her face.
"Well, she is my friend. I should know what is going on." Sophia concluded.
With a quick glance at the bathroom door, she began gathering the torn pieces. Her heart raced as she tried to fit them together on her desk, like a jigsaw puzzle with dire consequences.
"What are you hiding, Flora?" Sophia muttered, frustration mounting as the pieces refused to form any coherent words. The shower continued to run, providing a soundtrack to her frantic efforts.
As the seconds ticked by, Sophia became increasingly agitated. The more she tried to piece together the note, the more elusive its contents became.
"Well, I can find out through other means." She finally gave up and threw the pieces of the note into the dustbin.
Several minutes later, Flora emerged from the bathroom, her hair damp and her expression unreadable. Without a word, she headed straight for her bed.
"Flora, you have to talk to me. What exactly is going on?" Sophia inquired, her voice pleading.
"I'm sorry, Sophia. I'm just... really tired from today's events. Can we talk tomorrow? I just want to sleep now." Flora said, pulling the covers over herself, turning away from Sophia.
"Alright. But promise me we will talk in the morning?" Sophia heaved a sigh, recognizing the finality in Flora's tone.
"Sure." Flora mumbled, her voice muffled by the blanket.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning, Sophia woke to find Flora's bed empty. Glancing at the clock, she realized it was unusually early.
"What could she be hiding like this?" Sophia thought to herself.
"You have left me with no choice then, Flora." She added, shaking her head as she thought of what to do.
Meanwhile, Flora stood in the school's phone booth, her fingers trembling as she dialed her mother's number.
"Hello?" Her mother's sleepy voice came through the receiver.
"Mother, it is me." Flora said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Flora? Is everything alright? It is so early." Her mother commented, concern creeping into her tone.
Flora took a deep breath, steeling herself for the conversation ahead.
"Mother, I... I need to talk to you about something important."
"What is it, dear? You sound upset." Her mother's voice softened, picking up on Flora's distress.
"I can't stay here. I need to leave this school." She blurted out, her voice quivering.
There was a pause on the other end for a split second.
"What? Why? What happened?" Her mother finally asked.
"I... I can't explain right now. There are other students around waiting to use the phone. But please, Mother, I need to come home." She maintained.
"Flora, listen to me. You can't leave that school. Do you understand what it took to get you in there?" Her mother's voice grew stern.
"But Mother-" Flora wanted to protest but got interrupted.
"No buts, young lady..." Her mother cut her off.
"What am I supposed to tell the Alpha who helped secure your admission? That you couldn't handle it after just a day?" She asked rhetorically.
Flora's grip on the phone tightened.
"You don't understand. It is not safe here." She whispered.
"Not safe? Flora, what are you talking about?" Her mother echoed, confusion evident in her voice.
"I can't explain now. But please, Mother, you have to believe me." Flora said glancing nervously at the growing line of students waiting for the phone.
"Flora, whatever it is, you need to tough it out. I know you can do just that. Manage on your own till we get to see and discuss better on it." Her mother said.
"Till we get to see? Mother, you know the school policies... We can't see until after my first month on campus." Flora said as if reminding her mother.
Her mother heaved a sigh from the other end.
"You are staying there, and that is final. Learn what you need to learn. Make me proud. Make the Alpha proud." Her mother said firmly then the line went dead.
"What do I do now?" Tears welled up in Flora's eyes.