Frances was walking through the hallway, her boots clicking against the tiles with an air of casual defiance. She had her earphones in, one strap of her bag slung over her shoulder, until she spotted a trio of boys standing further down the corridor. Her steps slowed.
She knew them all well, even if they weren't in her class.
One of them, Berry, stood out immediately. His shirt was wrinkled, collar lopsided, and his sleeves rolled unevenly. He looked like someone who hadn't slept in days. Frances narrowed her eyes just as she saw him rip up a handful of papers and toss them into the air like garbage.
"Who gives a shit about their school result? If I fail, I'm not gonna die," he sneered with a bitter laugh.
"This is our final term. You need to write your exam well," one of his friends said hesitantly, glancing around to make sure no teacher was watching.
Berry just hissed in response.
Frances's steps faltered as a dark look settled on her face. She adjusted the strap of her bag and began walking toward them, slower, almost predator-like. Her eyes were locked on Berry.
His friends were the first to spot her. Their eyes widened as she approached, one hand already raised to her lips in a shushing gesture. They stiffened immediately and nodded in compliance.
She slipped her bag off and handed it to one of them without a word. He grabbed it like it was a ticking bomb.
Frances pounced.
She wrapped her arm tightly around Berry's neck from behind. His gasp was sharp and panicked.
"Who the hell is that?" he barked, struggling, until he turned and saw her face. "Fran… Frances! What did I do wrong?"
Her smirk was wicked. "Why did you tear up your exam report?"
"It's just trash paper. I have no need for it."
Frances scoffed heavily, stepping in front of him now. "You have no need for it?" Her voice dropped as she grabbed the front of his shirt at the neck, shaking him once.
Students passing by gasped and slowed their steps to watch.
She slapped him hard. Then again. The sound echoed.
"You have no need for your result? You are such a disappointment! If your parents find out about this, how disappointed would they be, huh?"
"I have no parents!" Berry roared suddenly, pushing her away.
Frances stumbled back, stunned.
"What?"
"I said!… I have no parents!"
Her lips parted as the words hit her. "You have no parents? Wait up! Ain't you supposed to be the Hollis child?"
"And so what? That doesn't matter anymore!"
There was something brittle in his voice, something too close to breaking. Frances stared at him. Her fists clenched at her sides, the fury in her chest threatening to erupt, but instead, she breathed deeply. Controlled.
She grabbed his ear with a sharp twist.
"OW! What the hell!"
She dragged him along the hallway, ignoring his yelps. His friends made a move to follow, but Frances shot them a look over her shoulder that froze them in place.
They dropped their gazes instantly.
When they arrived at the garden behind the east wing, she let go of him. Berry stumbled slightly. Frances climbed up the high marble bench and sat cross-legged like a queen on a throne.
"Why did you two follow me?" she asked as his friends nervously trailed behind.
"We are worried about Berry. That's why we followed," one answered.
"I'm not gonna eat him up," she said dryly. "But he definitely owes me an explanation… a thorough one."
"What explanation do I owe you?" Berry muttered without meeting her eyes. "I told you that I have no need for all those things."
She bent to pick up a stick by the bench and whack!. slammed it down.
All three flinched violently.
"On your knees!" she barked.
They dropped to the ground instantly, kneeling properly with a mixture of fear and confusion.
She leaned closer to Berry, a cold smile playing on her lips.
"Now tell me what happened to our precious student, because from what I know, you were one of our best students in Dudley. And you also have parents."
"I'm gonna tell you, Frances!" One of the friends raised his hand like a student in class.
She gave a nod.
"His parents died when we were in year one."
Frances's eyes widened. The stick fell from her hand.
"What the hell!" Her voice cracked, and her heart pounded in her chest. One of them picked up the stick and offered it back with trembling hands.
She didn't even take it.
"The Hollis died?"
"Yes. His mum and dad were lost in a car accident. But it's not unusual that you didn't know. His uncle blocked the news so it wouldn't affect their partnership with other companies."
"Isn't that deceiving people?" she snapped, glaring. "How about Berry?"
"The uncle sent him out and occupied the family house. Everything was taken away from him. He became homeless, and soon he had to take on menial jobs to take care of himself."
Frances slowly turned her head to Berry. "Berry… was that why you stopped studying? Your results have gotten so bad in a couple of years."
"I don't have time to study. I'm always busy running around to survive."
"Studying could help you become successful, you know."
"And who am I trying to impress? My parents are dead. Why are you worried about my academic performance? You're a poor student yourself."
Frances smiled darkly.
She got off the bench and leaned in so close their foreheads almost touched.
"Berry darling, I'm different from you. Not studying doesn't mean that my life would be difficult."
"You don't have parents to rely on either. And your family is not rich."
"Not having parents to rely on is nothing important. What's more important is that I have money to rely on," she said with a smirk, straightening up.
"You don't have parents! You don't have your family company, you don't have money. The only thing that you have is your education and skills, but you decided to throw it all away. Just look at you!" Her tone turned sharp. "You said you were busy running around? How is it not reflecting on you? You look so bad, Berry. You didn't even cut your hair properly. You weren't using the money to survive. You were using it to ruin yourself."
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"What do you mean, Frances?!" Berry looked away, jaw tightening. Guilt flickered in his expression.
"You definitely know what I mean. In Frosty City we have more rich people than poor people. That means people rarely do menial jobs. If you take on a part-time job, that means you will be getting paid heavily. In Dudley we don't pay school fees, you just need to take care of yourself. Since you don't pay school bills and you only have yourself to take care of, where is the rest of your money going to? You and I know that perfectly."
Her voice dropped. Calculated. Heavy.
Berry sprang up, fists clenched.
"What does it matter?! Even if Dudley High is free, how about college? It's useless to keep writing good exams now when I have no hope of going to college!"
"What the hell are you talking about? Dudley High students are standard employees! Just graduating here alone can secure you a prestigious job. College is not a must. As long as you came from Dudley High, they're eager to train you. Moreover, what happened to scholarship? You are brilliant, just apply for a scholarship!"
"I don't need to!"
"Bring my bag!" she snapped.
The student fumbled to pass it over, and she rummaged through it furiously, pulling out a bunch of cards. She peeled one off and handed it to him.
"This card has the information about C Foundation. They will sponsor you throughout college."
"C Foundations?" All three gasped in unison, heads whipping toward her. Berry stared at the card in disbelief.
"We all know that C Foundation is very selective with their scholarship. Because you gave me the card, does that mean they will pick me?"
She yanked the card back, scribbled on it quickly, and shoved it into his hand again.
She wrote Cici and signed it boldly.
"Send an email to the address there. Snap the card and add it to your message. They will respond to you in a minute, I promise."
"Because you said it doesn't mean that I will believe it. I no longer have interest in studying!"
"I know you lost interest in studying, but you have no choice, boo."
"Why should I listen to you?!"
"Of course you have to!" she barked, pulling out another card. "This is for Lawyer Jasper Fox. Give him a call and tell him it's from Cici. He will handle your parents' inheritance for you within a few months."
Berry's jaw dropped. "How do you know Lawyer Fox? Isn't he the elite lawyer?"
"He works for me," Frances said casually, inspecting her nails.
Berry laughed bitterly. "What bullshit is that?! Lawyer Fox won't even work for some parents, talk-less of a student like you who has nothing."
"Do what I said and fucking go away!" Her voice thundered.
They all flinched again, their backs going straight.
"I won't! I'm not going" He turned, ready to storm off, when Frances's voice rang out like a blade.
"If you don't send the email today and call Lawyer Fox after school, I will report you for doing drugs. Straight to jail."
He stopped cold. His breath hitched. Slowly, he turned, pale and shaking.
His friends froze like statues. Frances stepped closer, arms folded tightly across her chest, her gaze cutting.
"How did you know, Frances?" he whispered.
She smiled coldly.
"I can smell you, Berry. I'm no idiot. And I mean what I said earlier. Call the lawyer or go to jail. Don't mess with me."
With that, she turned and walked off.
Berry dropped to his knees as the silence swallowed them whole.
"It's over! Frances knows that I'm doing drugs. She will definitely not spare me," he cried out.
"She will report you, I swear. No kidding," one of them murmured.
"Will she report him for real? He wasn't caught with it…"
"It can still be detected in his blood. And don't dare Frances. She won't even go to the school board, straight to the police. And your life is over."
"What should I do now?! Frances won't let me off!" Berry shouted, voice breaking.
"Why don't you try out what she said and call the lawyer? That's easier."
"Oh, true! Call the lawyer firstly. Come on, let's get out of here."
They all rushed out of the garden, throwing wary glances around in case someone had been listening.
Berry's mind was a whole mess throughout the school hours. He couldn't focus, couldn't breathe right, his legs jittered under the desk like he had caught a fever. His fingers tapped nonstop against his thigh, and every loud sound made him flinch. He kept glancing at the clock like it was taunting him.
He had been slinging drugs just to get his mind off things, to stop himself from falling into the deep, ugly pit of depression. Who could've imagined it would get this far, who could've imagined he'd get caught?
Dudley had a strict rule, no drugs, no smoking. None. Every semester, they ran random tests, and students who failed were destroyed socially and academically. But Berry? He had lied to them Claiming he had work and always slipped out of test days. The teachers stopped pressing, they trusted him because He was the "good kid."
Doing drugs in Dudley High wouldn't just get you suspended. It'd erase you. Jail time. Blacklisted from every school. Your record, wiped. It was terrifyingly final.
He looked pale now, visibly shaking, even with his friends flanking him. They sat close, shoulders pressed to his, trying to offer quiet solidarity but their eyes betrayed them. They were just as scared. Maybe more. But they wouldn't leave him.
Berry snapped the signed scholarship card with his phone and transferred it to his laptop. His fingers hovered for a second, then dove into action, opening his email, attaching all the required documents. His breath caught in his chest as he hesitated, then finally attached the photo. He hit "Send."
"Do you think they will respond? C foundations are too strict and Berry has been falling behind for a long time now," one of the friends asked, his voice tight with anxiety.
Berry's heart skipped a beat at the words. His hand froze over the trackpad.
"It doesn't matter! At least he gave it a trial. We can beg Frances after."
"True! He already gave it a trial, not getting accepted wouldn't be his fault at all." They all nodded, trying to convince themselves. A tense silence settled over them like fog.
Then. ding!
An email popped up.
Berry's eyes widened. His voice shot up.
"They have responded! They responded!" he screamed, face lighting up like sunrise. His friends gasped, crowding around the screen.
"So fast? We sent it just a minute ago. What does it say?"
"I'm accepted! They have accepted me! They just gave me a scholarship, guys!!!" He jumped up, hugging them one by one, arms flailing with joy. Their shocked laughter bounced around the classroom.
"Is it that easy?!" one of them asked, brows furrowed in disbelief.
Just then, the classroom door creaked open. A girl entered, wiping at her eyes. Her voice cracked with heartbreak as she stopped beside their desk.
"You can't believe that my application was rejected. It took them months to reply back and I was still rejected!" Her friend quickly pulled her into a hug.
"I already told you that getting a scholarship with C foundations is hard. You should try others," her friend said gently.
Berry and his group had frozen, all eyes on the crying girl.
"Rose, did you get rejected? They just gave Berry a scholarship now," one of Berry's friends blurted, voice trembling.
They gasped.
"Impossible! Why would C foundations give Berry a scholarship? He has been falling behind for two years. My result is way better than his!" Rose snapped, fury and disbelief blazing in her eyes.
Berry handed her the laptop wordlessly, still giddy.
"See who got a scholarship now!" he said smugly, a crooked grin on his face.
They burst into laughter again, the tension replaced with chaotic joy.
"It's really an email from C foundations! This bastard! How can you get so lucky? Do you know any higher-ups in there?"
"Not at all! I just got in."
"With your bad result?" Rose scoffed and stomped away in anger.
"Whatever!" Berry snapped and turned back to his friends, his grin wide and untamed. His eyes sparkled with relief.
"What next, Berry?"
"Call Lawyer Fox, of course! One step done!"
"Oh yes, yes! Do that!"
Berry picked up his phone, hands trembling like leaves in the wind. He dialed the number, stomach twisting. The line picked up on the first ring.
"Good afternoon sir/ma'am, thanks for reaching out to us. This is Jasper Fox receptionist, what can we do for you today?" came a calm, sweet female voice.
Berry gave a shaky smile, rubbing his sweaty palm on his jeans.
"My name is Berry Hollis. I want to talk to the lawyer, please."
"Kindly tell me your message, sir. I will pass it across."
"I want to see him and discuss something important."
"Mr. Fox's schedule is filled for this month. You will have to book an appointment for the next coming month. Thank you for reaching out to us, sir."
His stomach dropped.
"Please wait! Can you tell him from Cici, please?"
There was a brief pause. The receptionist's tone shifted slightly.
"Cici?"
"Yes! Frances Holland! He must know her, right?"
"Sure! When do you want to see the lawyer? I will put you on the appointment immediately."
His eyes widened. "How about today?"
"No problem! Come to our office by 6 p.m., you can still meet with him."
"Oh my! Thank you so much! Thank you so much, ma'am!"
"You are welcome."
The line went dead. Berry slowly lowered the phone, then dropped his head on the desk in disbelief.
"What happened, Berry? You were denied?" one of the boys asked nervously.
Berry lifted his head slowly, his expression stunned.
"Guys, you can't believe it! Jasper Fox agreed to meet me."
"What?!" they all screamed. "He did? Just like that?"
"I'm for real! When I mentioned Frances, the receptionist gave me an appointment immediately."
"Does Frances really know Jasper Fox? He's a lawyer that's hard to get your hands on!"
"Idiot, if she doesn't know him, do you think they'll give me an appointment?"
"True! Oh my goodness. If Lawyer Fox takes on your case, that means you would really get your inheritance back. Lawyer Fox is no joke at all, he never loses a case!"
"Oh my goodness, I can't believe it! I can't wait to see him!"
"We should wrap up and go back home to prepare."
"Yes, immediately!"
They scrambled to pack up the laptop, stuffing it hastily into its case. Bags slung over shoulders, hearts racing, they burst out of the classroom in a flurry of excited chatter and disbelief.
Berry's feet barely touched the ground.
For the first time in years, it felt like the world had tilted in his favor.