Chapter 33

Holden's ears perked up at the noise. Without a second thought, he grabbed Elysia's hand, and they ran. Seeing them bolt, the girls screamed, "It's Holden! It's really Holden!" They immediately gave chase.

Elysia was puzzled. Why is this guy dragging me along? she thought. Those girls are all over him; he could have just left. Why drag me into this? Now I'm caught up in his sprint! What gives? But she knew this wasn't the time to dwell on it. They had to lose their pursuers.

Holden wasn't sure why he was clutching Elysia's hand. Maybe it was fear that if he let go, he'd never see her again. There was something about Elysia that made him feel like he'd found a long-lost piece of himself. Could it be that I'm subconsciously confusing her with Evelyn? he wondered. He glanced back at Elysia but quickly looked away.

Ahead, Elysia spotted a lecture hall, likely deserted. She tugged on Holden's hand. "Come with me," she said.

Elysia led him around a corner, waiting for the group to pass. Once the coast was clear and the lecture hall was empty, they slipped inside. Elysia dropped to the floor, panting. "Are you some kind of celebrity?"

Holden chuckled, plopping down beside her and removing his hat and mask. Elysia saw his face clearly for the first time. She had to admit he was good-looking.

"My name's Holden Evans," he said steadily.

Elysia shook her head. "Never heard of you. But seriously, why did you drag me along?"

Holden was taken aback. He wasn't sure how to explain. Should I tell her I was afraid I might never run into her again, so I had to pull her with me? That sounds pretty lame. Plus, she might think I'm some kind of creeper.

Seeing his silence, Elysia sighed. "Forget it. If you don't want to say, I don't need to know."

"Even though I kinda saved your butt today, I'm a generous person. No need for you to owe me one. So, farewell!" She stood to leave.

"What's your name?" Holden called out.

Elysia furrowed her brows. "I don't think we'll cross paths again. A name's just a label. You don't need to know it."

"I need to know," Holden insisted firmly.

Elysia saw the determination in his eyes. It was just a name, after all. "Elysia," she said.

"Elysia," Holden repeated.

Elysia looked at him, bewildered. They were meeting for the first time, yet he acted like he'd known her for ages. She was about to leave when she remembered something. Turning back, she warned, "This place isn't safe to stay in for long. You should leave soon, too."

Without waiting for his response, she left.

Elsewhere, Holden's agent, Wendy Faulkner, and his assistant, Mike Cochran, were frantic.

"Wendy, Holden didn't say where he was going. I'm in the dark, too," Mike said worriedly.

"You're his right-hand man. Why didn't you stick with him?" Wendy snapped.

"Holden… He told me to stay put…" Mike replied.

Wendy was about to explode, but then an idea struck her. "Find the school closest to us," she ordered.

Mike quickly found Milton School on his phone's map app. "Wendy, you thinking we should go to Milton School?"

Wendy nodded.

"How can you be so sure he's there?" Mike asked, confused. He hadn't yet learned all of Holden's quirks.

Wendy pushed up her glasses. "Just remember: wherever Holden goes, a school visit is a must." Mike's phone buzzed. It was Holden. "Meet me at the back gate of Milton School," Holden said.

"Copy that, Holden," Mike replied, relieved.

They arrived at the back gate. Holden jumped in the car, removing his mask. He didn't look tired. Usually, he was in a sour mood after a school visit.

Wendy was confused. Schools were supposed to be great places. She couldn't understand why he always looked so drained. Is school more of a jungle than the real world? Does it take more out of you? she wondered.

Eventually, she learned the truth. Holden visited schools because of a promise to his sister, Evelyn. Evelyn, a brilliant mind, had been chronically ill and died at fifteen. She'd never attended school and dreamed of experiencing school life. She asked Holden to live out that dream for her.

When Wendy first heard this, it touched her deeply. Seeing him so down after visits broke her heart. She thought he was grieving for his sister. But today, he looked happy.

"Wendy, you think there could be two people out there who look alike?" Holden asked.

"Sure, why not?" Wendy replied.

"I'm sure there are, too," Holden said, having seen someone who resembled his sister. Even a slight resemblance was enough.

News spread quickly that Elysia was transferring to Class 6. Emma was ecstatic. So Elysia's true colors are showing, huh? I knew it. How could a dropout, who didn't even finish elementary school, end up in Class 1, Grade 12? she thought. Look at her now! Class 1 kicked her out. It must be because she bombed the exams, and the school had to put her in Class 6. What's Class 6? It's the place for academic outcasts. Most kids there don't care about schoolwork. Elysia's pretty much toast there. Her future's looking pretty bleak. What's she gonna have left to compete with me? How's she gonna make a comeback?

Robert was surprised. Didn't she win? Why's she moving to Class 6? he wondered. He remembered the announcement about her being called to the principal's office and suspected it had something to do with her mysterious backers. He'd heard from Emma that Elysia hadn't graduated from elementary school and that her spot in Class 1 might have been obtained through questionable means. He was curious how someone who hadn't finished elementary school could solve such difficult math problems. He guessed she might have just gotten lucky. Robert hadn't been at the sports ground, so he didn't know about Elysia's voluntary transfer. Ultimately, it didn't matter to him; she was out of Class 1.