"Do you want to run away?" I heard a whisper from behind me.

"Don't look back," the girl warned when I tried to look back to see who she was, "Act like you are reading the book."

"Who are you?" I inquired. The voice was unfamiliar to me, and I knew everyone in my batch. After all, I have been here for five years.

"Norah Jones."

The name rang a bell. Everyone here in Islington Institute was an outcast of society, abandoned to live a life worse than death. And Norah Jones was the outcast among the outcasts.

She was admitted here roughly four years ago. She never interacted with anyone. No one ever heard her speak and until now just like everyone I had thought her to be mute.

"Do you want to run away from here?" Norah repeated.

"How?" It was practically impossible to get past the institute's security. Many had tried but no one had ever succeeded.

"I have a way." She said mysteriously. "Are you in or not?"

"Yes, I'm in." I am ready to do just about anything to get away from here.

"Meet me in the fourth-floor washroom tonight at sharp 10. Don't be late." Norah warned. "Don't tell anyone else."

... ... ...

I left the dormitory at 9:55 p.m. I knew I would get in serious trouble if any teacher saw me going to the fourth floor at this time. But I told myself if Norah had a plan, it would be all worth it.

It was always the quiet ones you need to look out for.

"You're on time," Norah was already there when I arrived.

"Get to the point." I wanted to get back to the dorm as fast as possible.

Norah passed me a folded paper. I opened it to find a rough sketch. "This is the map of the institute?"

"Yes. It took me three months to draw it." I observed the map more carefully. I had to give her credit. She hadn't left even one detail left.

"It's impressive. How do you plan to get out of here?" I moved to the important question.

"You see this wall. There is a forest behind it. That's our escape route." She pointed to the wall that stood on the left side of the institute.

"That's your plan?" I asked irritated. I felt regret crawling up for taking such a huge risk coming here.

"Yes. You don't think it's good?"

"Besides the fact that the wall is twenty feet tall and even if we manage to climb it, there is a cliff on the other side of it. How are you gonna cross that?"

The institute was secluded from the world. It was located in a deep forest with walls surrounding the entire area. And even if someone managed to climb the tall walls, all they could do is fall to their death.

"You don't know how to climb?" She asked looking troubled.

"I do, but that's not the point here. What are you going to do after that?" I stood up to leave. It had already been ten minutes since I got here. The longer I stay here, the chances of me getting caught get higher.

"We are going to use parachutes to get across the cliff." I paused at her words. That's not a bad idea.

"And where are you gonna get those?" I'm sure no one from the outside can send it here. It wouldn't get past the security.

"Remember the class six months ago? Where they taught us how to use a parachute?" Norah asked. I nodded; they had said it was a life skill we should know.

"There are spares left in the research building. I checked last week."

"And you want me to steal them?" Of course, she wouldn't help me for free. I knew there was a catch.

"Yes."

"Alright. When are we doing it?"

Even though the plan seemed absurd, it was worth a try.

"Tomorrow night. I already have the ropes. So, steal the parachutes by tomorrow night."

"Why so fast?" I frowned.

"The faster, the better the chances of success."

"And we are not telling anyone else?" I confirmed. Taking two or three more people wouldn't hurt.

"More people means more risk." She strongly refused.

"Why did you tell me then?"

"Because you are the only person I know who might actually pull this off, Aylin."

She was wrong, of course.

We failed miserably.

... ... ...

"Shortcake," Ethan prodded.

I ignored him. I already had an incoming headache from the flashback last night.

"Shortcake."

Besides, my birthday was tomorrow, and Ezra just wouldn't shut up about it. He had been nagging me for the past two days about what I wanted as a gift.

"Shortcake."

"What, Ethan?"

"I can't see because of your head." Ethan complained in a 'distressed' tone.

"Let's exchange our seats then," I proposed.

"Never." He refused, unfaltering. "How will I play with your hair then?"

"It's not for playing," I gritted out. He was currently trying to braid my short hair. Did he really have nothing better to do?

Ethan hadn't disappointed me. He had managed to climb up in my hate list just within a week. He would annoy me throughout the entire class.

Even after school ends, he would call a council meeting claiming he had 'urgent' matters to discuss. He would send me home with a workload of three people, demanding it the very next day.

I don't get it though. Eve had already patched up with them. Bryce and Emma were still reserved before me but the previous hostility was gone. I knew for a fact Eve had a fight with them because of me.

Ethan told me.

"You know, shortcake, Eve fought with us because of you." He had leisurely said, twirling a strand of my hair.

"Is that why you've been bullying me for the past week?" I asked, shifting my attention from the physics teacher to him.

"I don't bully you." he protested.

Sure, whatever you say.

... ... ...

"Are you excited for tomorrow's party, buttercup?" Ezra asked during dinner.

They were having a party tomorrow evening for Eve and my birthday. There was no way in hell I would attend another one of their birthday parties.

Been there, done that.

"I don't think I can attend. I have work tomorrow." It wasn't a lie.

"Take the day off."

"I can't. I don't want to make a bad impression on my employer." I played with the food on my plate, this conversation had already killed my appetite.

"But it's your birthday party. How can we celebrate it if the star of the show is absent?" Ezra tried to reason with me.

I didn't ask for it. Stop imposing your decisions on me.

"Eveline will be there," I told them.

"Won't your friends be disappointed if you're not here?"

When did Ezra get so stubborn?

"I didn't invite any." More like I didn't have any friends, to begin with. "Besides I don't like parties."

Ezra paused.

"Is it because of what happened at your last birthday party?" Ezra's voice went down by octaves.

"Mhmm, partly because of that. It still haunts me, you know." I said, slowly chewing my food. I got the desired effect of my words, Ezra stopped talking after that.

"Diego's not here anymore." Stephen stated.

'Would you look at the audacity of this man!' the voice scoffed.

In times like this, I really agreed with it.

"Don't act like you're any better than him." I scoffed. "Didn't you used to just stand there and enjoy the show?"

Kai tried to stifle a laugh at my words.

"Watch your tone with me, Aylin," Stephen warned, narrowing his eyes at me. Apparently, he didn't share the same humour as Kai.

"Oh, my bad." I faked a gasp before adding in a concerned voice, "Did the truth hurt?"

Stephen looked at me with narrowed eyes, the veins in his neck bulging.

"Go to your room, Aylin," Stephen commanded in a cold voice. I felt a shiver run down my back.

"Aylin, go." Ezra encouraged me when I showed no signs of moving. No one wanted Stephen to get angry. Even I was aware of the consequences that would follow my disobedience despite not living with them for almost an era.

"I'm not done with my dinner." I refused to back down from this fight.

"RIGHT NOW!" Stephen's thunderous roar made me flinch from my seat.

I didn't test him after that and rushed back to my room.