Noah felt his heart stop for a second. Because he was not looking for anything. At least, not yet. He fell asleep again. The envelope was left forgotten on the nightstand. The feeling of unease still lingered in his chest but sleep eventually dragged him back.
When he woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. He brought a hand to his face and blinked several times, still sleepy. He turned his head towards his watch. 12:47 p.m.
He sat up suddenly. —Late again... —he murmured, running a hand through his hair. He did not have school, it was Saturday, but still, he hated the feeling of wasting the morning. He got up lazily, passed through the kitchen, and poured himself a glass of water.
When he was about to drink, he heard someone ringing the doorbell. He did not need to think much about who it was. He approached the door and opened it. Ava was there, arms crossed, with a frown and an expression of absolute defeat on her face.
—Hi… —Noah looked her up and down. She looked tired, as if she had fought an entire army
—How did the exam go? —Ava did not answer. She just stared at him with those dark eyes full of frustration. —So bad? —She puffed up her cheeks, annoyed.
—It was a disaster, Noah! —she suddenly shouted, entering the house without waiting for an invitation —I almost cried in the middle of the exam! The letters seemed to move, the numbers danced, and my brain went into panic! —Noah closed the door calmly.
—Well, at least you tried...
—Trying doesn't matter if I failed anyway! —she dropped onto the sofa, burying her face in the cushions—. I'm going to repeat the course... I know... my mom is going to kill me... Noah sighed and sat down next to him.
—You still don't know if you failed.
—But I did —Ava lifted her head to look at him—. I know I did. I felt it in every damn exercise I tried to solve. —There was a moment of silence. Noah watched her closely. Her eyes still reflected a mix of sadness and anger. Then, calmly, he ruffled her hair.
—If you're really doing that badly, then we can study more.
Ava frowned. —More? Noah, we've already studied a lot. My brain isn't made for this.
—It's not that you're not made for this —he replied—. You just need a different method.
Ava looked at him suspiciously. —I don't want to do more math.
—What do you want to do then? —Ava thought about it for a moment. Then, a small mischievous smile appeared on her face.
—I want an ice cream from Molly's. —Noah tilted his head.
—Aren't you too depressed to think about ice cream?
—Ice cream cures everything.
Noah sighed. —Alright, let's go. —Ava smiled with satisfaction and jumped off the couch, ready to go out. But before they reached the door, Noah noticed something. The envelope was still there. Ava saw it too.
—What is that? —Noah hesitated for a second. Then, with a nonchalant gesture, he took the envelope and put it in his pocket.
—Nothing important.
Molly's was packed, as it always is on Saturday afternoons. The small place, with its characteristic pink and blue neon sign, smelled of a sweet mix of chocolate, vanilla, and fruit. The fans spun on the ceiling, but the heat remained sticky. Ava walked ahead with renewed energy, as if her failed exam had never happened.
Noah, on the other hand, was behind, with his hands in his pockets. He felt the envelope rustling inside his shorts and, for some reason, couldn't stop thinking about it.
—Look who's here! —Ava exclaimed suddenly, pulling him out of his thoughts. Sitting at one of the tables by the window, Cain was waving at them with a spoon in his hand. He had a two-scoop ice cream, one pistachio and the other lemon, and he seemed to be enjoying it with absolute tranquility.
—You two are late, lovebirds! —he joked as they approached.
—It's not my fault —Ava huffed, dropping her body into the chair in front of him. —Noah fell asleep until almost one. Cain raised an eyebrow in amusement.
—Really? Wow, that's unusual for you. Normally, you are a precision machine. —Noah shrugged and sat down as well.
—I just had a bad night. —Cain smiled mockingly.
—Too busy dreaming about Ava? —Noah didn't even react. He just sighed.
Ava, on the other hand, blushed slightly, but ignored the comment and got straight to the point —I want an ice cream! —Without waiting for a response, she got up and went to order. Cain followed her with his gaze and then turned to Noah, who was watching distractedly out the window.
—Something on your mind, friend? —Noah took a while to respond.
—No... it's nothing. —Cain didn't believe him for a second, but he didn't insist. Ava returned with her ice cream and sat down with a sigh of satisfaction.
—This is the only comfort after today's disaster. —Cain looked at her with curiosity.
—Was it that bad?
—Worse. I almost cried in the middle of the exam. —Cain burst out laughing.
—God, that's legendary.
—Don't make fun of me —Ava murmured, taking a huge spoonful of her ice cream. Cain leaned on the table with a mischievous smile.
—Well... there might be a solution. —Ava looked at him skeptically.
—Unless you have a time machine to make me retake the exam, I highly doubt it. —Cain smiled more broadly.
—I don't have a time machine... but I have a better idea. —Noah narrowed his eyes.
—I don't like the tone of that phrase. —Cain ignored the comment and leaned a little closer to them, lowering his voice as if he were sharing a secret.
—What if we sneak into the school tonight? Ava almost choked on her ice cream.
—WHAT?!
—Shhh —Cain gestured for him to lower his voice—. Don't shout. Noah sighed and crossed his arms.
—Explain. —Cain smiled, clearly enjoying the attention.
—Look, the school is old. The lock on the front door is a joke. I know how to open it without making a sound.
—And then what? —Ava asked distrustfully.
—Then we go into the teachers' lounge, find your exam, and... we do it again.
There was a silence. Ava looked at him with her mouth half open, not knowing if she was impressed or terrified. Noah brought a hand to his face.
—Cain, that's illegal.
—Pff, as if I care —Cain shrugged. —Or do you prefer Ava to repeat the year?
Ava tensed at once. Noah noticed it. Cain had said it casually, but it was a low blow. Ava hated feeling incompetent, and repeating the course would be her worst nightmare.
—Look, I'm not saying we have to change the answers or anything... —Cain continued. We just "correct" what she already did. That way, if the teachers see it tomorrow, they'll think it was her mistake. —Ava swallowed hard.
—But... what if they catch us? —Cain smiled confidently.
—They won't. —Noah looked at him seriously.
—You have too much confidence in this.
—Because I've done it before. —Silence. Ava and Noah looked at him, incredulous. Cain simply kept eating his ice cream, as if he hadn't said anything strange.
—Cain... have you ever sneaked into school before? —Noah asked slowly. Cain smiled mischievously.
—Maybe. —Ava and Noah exchanged glances. Cain leaned towards Ava. —It's your decision. —Ava looked down. She thought about her mother, how disappointed she would be if she failed. She thought about the effort Noah had made to help her study. Then she thought about the fear of getting caught. She took a deep breath. Ava drummed her fingers on the table, nervous. She knew this was crazy. She knew they could get into trouble. But the idea of repeating the year terrified her much more.
—Fine... —she finally whispered—I'm in. —Cain smiled like a cat that just caught a mouse.
—I knew you would say that. —Noah, on the other hand, let out a heavy sigh.
—I can't believe you're considering this...
—Come on, Nini —said Cain, giving him an elbow nudge. —Don't be a killjoy.
Noah closed his eyes for a moment, as if he were gathering patience. —Don't call me that.
—Whatever you say, Nini. —Ava laughed softly but then leaned towards the table.
—Alright, criminal genius, explain to me how we're going to do this without getting caught. —Cain leaned back in the chair and intertwined his fingers on the table.
—Listen carefully, because I'll only say this once. —Noah rolled his eyes, but Ava paid attention immediately. —First, we have to go to school after midnight.
—Why so late? —asked Ava.
—Because at that hour the guards make their final round and then leave. Only the old doorman is left, and believe me, that guy sleeps more than a bear in hibernation. Ava nodded slowly.
—And how do we get in? —Cain smiled.
—Easy. The lock on the front door is old and poorly adjusted. A few weeks ago, I realized that it can be opened easily with a credit card. —Noah looked at him with a frown.
—How the hell do you know that?
—Let's just say... I have my methods. —Ava blinked.
—Cain... have you ever entered the school at night before?
—Maybe.
—God, why? —Noah asked, exasperated.
—Because I was hungry and I forgot my lunch in my locker. —Silence. Ava and Noah looked at him incredulously this time.
—Cain… —Ava tried to find the words—. Did you break into the school at night... just for lunch? Cain nodded with pride.
—It was a really good burger. —Noah massaged his temples.
—You're an idiot.
—Thank you.
—It wasn't a compliment.
— Anyway —Cain continued as if nothing—, once inside, we have to be quick. The teachers' lounge is on the second floor. At that hour, everything will be dark, but don't use flashlights.
—Why not? —asked Ava.
—Because the windows face the street, and if someone passes by and sees lights in the school, they might call the police. Instead, I'll bring some small flashlights with red lights.
—Red light? —Noah asked.
—Yes, the red light isn't as noticeable from afar and it will let us see enough. You should know that, 197. Ava and Noah exchanged glances.
—You still haven't answered how the hell you know all these things —said Noah.
—Pff, Internet. Do you think I'm wasting time when I spend hours on the library computer? —Noah sighed.
—Yes, in fact, I think so.
Cain ignored him again and continued with the explanation. —When we are in the teachers' lounge, we look for the exams. Most likely, they are at the desks or in the filing cabinets.
—And what if they are locked? —Ava asked. Cain snapped his fingers.
—That's why we'll bring tools. I have a couple of lock picks that can help us with that. — Noah looked at him wearily.
—Of course you have lock picks. —Cain winked at him.
—You always have to be prepared. —Ava bit her lip, still nervous.
—And what if they catch us? —Cain smiled sideways.
—They won't. But if something goes wrong, we have an escape plan. There is an emergency exit at the back of the gym that is never properly closed. If they see us, we run over there. Ava swallowed hard.
—It sounds risky.
—Life is risk, Ava —Cain said dramatically. —Do you want to save your course or not?
Ava took a deep breath and nodded. —I will do it. —Cain smiled satisfied and looked at Noah.
—And you, genius? Noah sighed deeply.
—I'm going just to prevent you from doing something stupid.
—Alright, then it's a deal. We'll meet at 10:45 in the park near the school.
—Wait, why so early if we go in after midnight? —asked Ava.
—To go over the plan and make sure everything is ready. I don't want you to arrive late or with last-minute doubts. —Ava took a deep breath and rubbed her hands, nervous. Noah crossed his arms, still with reservations. Cain, on the other hand, smiled as if he were about to embark on the greatest adventure of his life.
—This is going to be legendary. Sneaking into that hell again, but with my two best friends.
"This Cain... How can he be so stupid, yet so clever at the same time?" thought Noah. Of course, if he had a talent for making him uncomfortable, he had much more for manipulating people to his liking. Noah just prayed he wouldn't become a politician.
---
—Why isn't he coming? —Ava asked, moving her feet quickly out of nervousness. She and Noah were under a streetlamp, at night, waiting for Cain. It was already 11 PM, so he was 15 minutes late to the agreed time. They were wearing short-sleeved black hoodies, along with very comfortable pants. —Could he have tricked us? Knowing him, it's very possible... Aish...
—He's right behind you. —Noah told her, pointing to Cain, who had just arrived silently, and there he was, smiling, making the poor girl almost have a heart attack.
—Hi there... Sorry for taking so long. I was looking for a missing flashlight. —Ava let out a sigh of relief but couldn't help shooting a fiery glare at Cain.
—A flashlight? Really? Did that delay you for an hour? —she asked, eyebrows raised, clearly surprised by the excuse. Cain shrugged, with his typical carefree smile.
—What do you want? The world needs flashlights, Ava. Besides, you know how hard it is for me to find things in the chaos I have in my room... —he replied, looking up at the sky as if justifying himself for something greater than himself. Noah let out a chuckle as he nudged Ava.
—Come on, Ava, relax. At least he arrived. And if the flashlight was lost, I'm sure he already has an excuse for everything else. —Ava sighed, but she couldn't help but smile a little. Despite everything, Cain's presence always managed to calm her nerves, even though he was still a disaster.
—Yeah, yeah... —she murmured. —But this has to be quick. We have to get out of here before anyone sees us. Do you know what's at stake? —Cain nodded, still with that smile on his face, but his eyes became more serious.
—Yes, I know. This time it will be different. There is no margin for error. Let's go.
The silence of the night settled over the campus. The three of them were hiding under the shadow of a bush, barely illuminated by the streetlight. The tension in the air was palpable. Ava nervously watched the watch on her wrist, while Cain and Noah remained silent, looking towards the main building where the school gate was located.
—How much longer? —Ava whispered, without taking her eyes off the window of the security room. From there, they could see the doorman, a bit overweight, staring straight ahead, bored. Cain, who seemed calmer than ever, looked at his watch and sighed.
—About twenty minutes more. The guards don't take long to leave, and the doorman usually falls asleep afterward. If everything goes according to plan, the moment to enter will be when he starts to nod off.
Noah nodded, carefully watching the lights inside the building, waiting for the exact moment. —The doorman won't stay there all night, now that I think about it —Noah commented. —He'll probably go home.
—And?
—What's wrong with your logic, you idiot? We can even enter before what was said. —Ava chewed the inside of her cheek, too nervous to be calm.
—Well, I hope it goes quickly, I don't like this wait. All this... this whole plan gives me the creeps. — Cain looked at her with a calm smile, even though he knew his words didn't soothe her. It wasn't the first time he had done something like this, but he knew there was always that feeling of uncertainty, as if everything were about to collapse at any moment.
—I know. But don't worry. We know what we're doing. This is the final step. —The distant sound of a car starting reached their ears, the 20 minutes they had been waiting for. The guards were leaving. Noah stepped forward a few paces, approaching the corner of the building to check that no one was nearby. Cain and Ava remained in the same position.
—Are they gone yet? —Ava asked, barely audible, as she held her breath. Noah peeked around the corner and gave a slight nod. He ran back towards them
—Yes, now. Now, we just have to wait about five minutes, and then we go in. —Cain looked at the clock once more and nodded. The wait was becoming heavier, but they were already too close to fail. In the background, only the sound of the wind rustling the leaves of the trees could be heard. Ava turned to him, almost not believing what they were about to do.
—Hopefully, everything will go well.
—It will —Cain replied firmly. —Now, patience.
It was half past eleven, and they decided to go in. They thanked heaven that in that 70s school there were no cameras. Cain took out some small flashlights and handed them to them. They were normal flashlights, but with transparent red paper stuck to the lens. Next, he took out an expired credit card and fiddled with the door a bit.
Ava, with fear, kept looking back the whole time. In the end, the door opened. They entered quickly, Cain being the last. Immediately, they ran towards the stairs and quickly went up to the second floor, where the teachers' lounge was located. Upon arriving, the door was surprisingly open. This calmed them down a bit. They quickly searched through the professors' files.
They were, desperately, searching for 10 minutes. In the end, Ava found her exam. They examined it. They hadn't graded it yet, so they were lucky.
—Alright, 197. It's your turn. Take the exam. —said Cain, adjusting his glasses.
—Why me? It was your idea. —he said, looking at Ava's exam. It was horrible. None of what he taught him applied. It was painful for his eyes. He looked at Ava with an unpleasant expression.
—W-What?! I got nervous, okay?! —she said nervously, waving her hands.
—I can't believe you made a mistake dividing 21 by 3... —there was a moment of silence, until Cain burst out laughing, and Ava turned red with embarrassment. In the end, she gave her boyfriend a light taps on the head, and he, fearing Ava's gaze, began to correct the exam errors, without making it too obvious.
—There you go... You won't get a 100, but I think a 65 will be enough, right? —he said, handing her the exam. She saw it, happy, and hugged Noah, showering him with little kisses.
—Go to a room, lovebirds... —said Cain, while tidying up the room. He did it to eliminate the trace that they had been there. —That way you can kiss more, caress each other, take off your clothes and...
—S-S-STOP! —she shouted, all red. She separated from Noah for a moment to hit Cain, while he laughed.
—Hey! Is anyone there?! —they heard a male voice coming from outside. He seemed to be a guard who had decided to stay there. The guard, a nearly bald man in his 40s, approached the teachers' lounge. He found the door open.
He entered, and... No one was found.