All students were now seated in the multipurpose hall, noisy with debate and wild guesses over who would be chosen. The hall boomed with excitement and chatter from the teenagers, the occasional scraping of chairs filled the air like a chaotic symphony.
At the second-to-last row, Zack, Lily, and Daisy were seated. They watched as the hall spun into a frenzy, sitting quietly each lost in their own thoughts, until Daisy broke the silence.
"If Lily leaves today, can I come hang out in your dorm?" she said playfully.
Lily blinked, half-turning toward Daisy, lips parting slightly. The reality was sinking in — this might actually be her last time sitting here like this, with them.
Zack didn't laugh. He just stared ahead, jaw clenched slightly. How will she feel if she finds out I'm leaving too?.
"Is that even allowed?" Lily asked, raising a brow.
"I don't know, but if he comes to our dorm, why can't we go to his?" Daisy replied with a smug expression.
Lily sighed, the corners of her lips twitching.
Typical Daisy logic. Turn nonsense into confidence and somehow make it sound reasonable.
"It isn't a rule. No one actually cares," Zack chimed in, his voice was steady, but his eyes shifted slightly.
Anything to stop him from thinking about this being a goodbye.
"Daisy, what would you do if I'm selected?" he asked suddenly, turning his gaze to her, his question hung in the air.
"Are you going to miss me?" he added with a smirk.
Daisy paused, just a little.
"Yes, of course I would. I'll definitely miss your alter ego," she said and laughed, quickly turning her face away as she blinked her eyes multiple times.
If Zack left... that would be it. Her bright days, her sense of home--- cut short like the final chapter of an unfinished book.
Zack laughed with her, leaning back. Pretending like he hadn't seen her little action
"Why do you say I have an alter ego? I don't."
"Yes, you do," Daisy insisted, her tone light. "Sometimes you're nice, and other times you behave… unnatural. Like the other day when that Dustin guy was at our table."
Zack blinked, surprised.
Unnatural?
He turned to Lily, she was watching him too, silently.
Did she notice something too?
"Well, you know what they say--- the person involved is usually oblivious" Daisy said, interrupting his thoughts with a smirk then shrugged.
Just then, the mic squeaked faintly before Mrs. Baker's voice rang out, firm and composed.
"Good day, students."
The hall fell into immediate silence as students scrambled back into their seats,
chairs scraping. The buzz of anticipation was replaced by a hush, as if the air itself held its breath.
The atmosphere was tense as Mrs. Baker began calling out the names from the same blue box she had been holding earlier that day.
She would call a name and the students clapped while the selected candidate walked forward. She had called the first three already.
"Next is Zack Thompson, step forward," Mrs. Baker gestured.
Zack stood up calmly, back straight, but inside his stomach twisted. So it's really happening… He didn't look back as he walked forward, knowing Daisy was definetly looking at him.
Daisy sat frozen. She couldn't quite register what was happening. The loud claps around her felt like she was being struck in the heart like a blacksmith would on a heated iron. Her throat tightened, she blinked. Once. Twice. Trying to stop her tears from spilling out. It was real. He really was leaving.
Lily glanced at her and gave a soft, reassuring smile. They both knew it wasn't enough. Not even close.
Lily had always known Zack was a brilliant student. But he had never shown real interest in leaving Hope Sector. Just like her. She only studied hard because Facility 9 was the only path to her brother.
"Lily MacClair," Mrs. Baker's voice rang out.
The sudden sound pulled her out of her thoughts. Daisy gave her hand a small squeeze. Her smile was soft, but the pain in her eyes betrayed everything.
Lily gave her a tiny nod and stood up. This is it. Her heartbeat was oddly steady — almost like it had resigned. She walked to the front, her thoughts silent but heavy. Brother… I'm finally coming.
As she stood beside Zack, the clapping faded in her ears, and she swore she caught the faintest look exchanged between Mrs. Baker and the man in black by the stage. A flicker of something unreadable.
Behind them, the hall's buzz quieted just a little… but the silence didn't feel calm. It felt like the calm before a storm.