“Here we are.”

  “I follow you.”

  The night was cold. If it weren’t for our coats, we'd probably be shivering a lot, and that wouldn’t be convenient, after all, we’re gonna do something that requires being in a good state.

  “Okay, let’s break in the school.”

  Probably everyone is wondering “why?”. Let’s go back to yesterday.

  “Stars. Do you want to do something with that?”

  “Yeah…”

  During our reunion in Camila’s house, we decided on a thematic. Aisha was sure about that, so we both tried to follow her idea.

  “Okay. How's it going to be?"

  “...I don’t know…”

  “But you have an idea.”

  “I have it, but I’m not sure about the aspect...”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well.”

  I explained to Camila that Aisha had never seen a real starry sky. She understood immediately, but it wasn't enough.

  “We can just look at pictures on the internet, right?”

  “I tried…but I didn’t feel anything with that…"

  “How are we supposed to do that part?”

  “Maybe there's some place where the stars look good.”

  “Hmm…”

  We tried to think of a place, but even Camila was having trouble. Surprisingly, Aisha looked at us with an expression that said, "I've got it."

  “How about a rooftop?”

  “A high place? Maybe that works.”

  “But what kind of rooftop?”

  “Actually…I have an idea.”

  “Really?”

  “Tell us.”

  “Well…I can’t say it with the class delegate hearing us.”

  “Huh?”

  A little concerned, Camila left the room, letting us talk alone.

  “Explain yourself.”

  “Actually, one time I broke into the school during the night.”

  “...Why?”

  “Some people needed my help.”

  “I know you accept everything, but that's a little stupid.”

  “The point is, I know a window with a broken lock.”

  “I see.”

  “I know it sounds bad, we can look for another-”

  “I want to do it.”

  That's why we're here. Being in a school during the night is something I've always wanted to do. Some people say that without light some things look very different.

  “So, what is the first step?”

  Our first problem was very obvious. The school was surrounded by a small, four-meter wall. And even if we could climb it, the nightguard was protecting the place. Luckily, I have Aisha with me.

  “I also wondered that the first time.”

  “And?”

  “Follow me.”

  Cautiously, we made our way to the right side of the school. That area wasn’t any different from the rest of the wall, but apparently there was a way to enter in there.

  “What are we looking for?”

  “That.”

  In front of us was a rather large rock. If someone stood on it, they would gain a few extra centimeters; the plan was probably to stand on it.

  “I don’t think we can reach the other side even with this. You less for your size.”

  “I know, just stand on the rock.”

  “Uh, okay.”

  Aisha was guiding us, so without asking anything else, I just stood on the rock. I was very surprised when she suddenly lifted me up.

  “Woah.”

  “Don’t do that much noise, the nightguard rarely came here, but we can’t be loud.”

  “Sorry.”

  Carefully, Aisha helped me to reach top of the wall, and immediately after, she extended her arms. Understanding the plan I, grabbed her hands and pulled.

  “Why is that rock there?”

  “Someone used it to enter the school. No one explained this to the teachers so they think this is only a rock with a funny size. ”

  “I see.”

  "Several students use it to get in when they're late or have forgotten something. The rock's existence is an open secret. Camila probably knows about it too."

  "But she probably doesn't know that our plan was to use it."

  “You got it. By the way, be careful with-”

  Suddenly, I stumbled with a cracked part of the wall, making me fall backwards. Aisha used this and jumped to the other side, but she fell on me.

  PLAF

  “Ugh…”

  “Are you okay…?”

  “Yeah…”

  My clothes were a little dirty, but somehow, I didn’t get hurt.

  “Is the landing always like this?"

  “Actually, the plan was to land on that bush.”

  “...Dang it.”

  I felt really stupid seeing the bush two centimeters to my right. But at least we're inside now.

  “...Lusia.”

  “Yes?”

  “We can start with the infirmary, there we can get some bandages.”

  “Huh? Why?”

  “You got hurt.”

  “Whay do you-”

  I looked at myself. I wasn’t bleeding so maybe she heard some crack and thought it was a bone. But it wasn’t that.

  One of my sleeves shifted slightly, revealing a small part of my arm...and a scar.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  “Ah…”

  “The window is in the art classroom, so we have to move to-”

  “Ah...Ah...”

  “...Lusia?”

  Aisha was saying something, but my ears weren't working at the time. My vision became blurry, my heart was going too fast, my hands were shaking and I was hyperventilating. I had to control myself, but I couldn’t even think about that.

  “Lusia?”

  “Ahh….Ahh….”

  CRACK

  I was about to scream, but Aisha pushed me to the bush, hiding with me and covering my mouth.

  “Is someone there?”

  The nightguard walked close to the place we used to be, trying to find something.

  “...A cat, perhaps? I need to stop freaking out over random noises...”

  When the nightguard left, Aisha tried to get my attention, but I wasn’t in the correct mood.

  “Lusia”

  “You saw it…”

  “...We can enter if-”

  “I tried…I can’t get better, everyone is right…right?”

  “...”

  For Aisha, my words were probably a bunch of incoherent blabbing. But…whatever, I can’t just act like I deserve being treated like a good person…

  “Lusia.”

  “...”

  “If we don’t go now your leg will get worse.”

  “...My…leg?”

  “Yes, that fall was very bad.”

  “You…didn’t see it?”

  “See what?”

  My body started feeling lighter after hearing that, she didn’t see it…No, that doesn’t make any sense, her eyes were clearly pointing at my arm.

  “Aisha?”

  “Yes?”

  “...It’s…nothing.”

  I didn't want to know the answer to my question. She's terrible at lying, so this must be true, right? Maybe it doesn't make sense, but I want to believe she's being honest…No, I need to.

  “Okay, I follow you.”

  “...”

  Aisha walked until we reached the laboratory. The placement was perfect so we could enter without being noticed.

  “Give me a minute, this is difficult.”

  “‘Kay.”

  I sat down on the floor while Aisha tried to open the window. Touching my leg, I realized I might have a small wound, but it was probably just a bruise.

  “I got it.”

  Finally, Aisha opened the window and entered without hesitation. I also did it, and with her help, I was finally in.

  “Woah, we’re actually in.”

  “Yes.”

  “Can we use your phone’s lantern?”

  “Yes, but we can’t let the light reach a window, or we’re gonna be discovered.”

  “Right.”

  Aisha picked up her phone and, after shaking it a bit, the flashlight illuminated the art room. Perhaps this place isn't new to us, but seeing it at night gives a very different impression.

  “By the way, isn't this a bit risky?"

  “Don’t worry, the school has a nightguard only for the outside, the teachers don't know about the broken lock."

  “I see.”

  “But, it was a little weird.”

  “What was weird?”

  “Well, it was too easy”

  “And?”

  “It was too loose, that only would happen if someone entered here before.”

  “A robber?”

  That possibility was too scary, luckily, Aisha knew how impossible it was.

  “It's not that, only the students know about the window.”

  “Then?”

  “...Perhaps someone forgot to close it today.”

  “I see.”

  “Or maybe it’s a ghost.”

  “Do you believe in ghosts?”

  “Some things would have a lot of sense if ghosts exist.”

  Finally, we started our new adventure. We could only light the floor so our steps were very careful. Aisha tried to convince me to go to the infirmary first, but the rooftop was a priority.

  "By the way, how did you manage to leave without your dad noticing?"

  “I waited until he went to the bathroom, the distance does not allow to hear the entrance, so I used that...”

  “He didn’t close the door?”

  “He did.”

  “How did you close it again from outside?”

  “I didn’t, I just used the window.”

  “...You will be scolded some day.”

  “How did you do it?”

  “My aunt was taking a nap.”

  “She didn’t hear you?”

  “Her work sometimes can be too tiring. her naps are difficult to interrupt.”

  “What kind of job does she have?”

  “She’s a psychologist.”

  “I see.”

  Aisha seemed interested, so I told her some anecdotes about my aunt. That made our way a lot funnier.

  “The best part is when she wants to buy something new.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She loves collecting things: trading cards, stones, music players, and CDs. When I moved into her house, I helped her a lot to reorganize her things so I could use a room."

  “That makes sense…”

  “What are you thinking?”

  “Nothing…”

  She obviously was thinking about something.

  “What is it?”

  “...I don't want to bother you with questions about your life.”

  “...I see.”

  At first I thought that was okay. But after what she did when we got in here…I think she deserves to know a little.

  “You can ask.”

  “...Are you sure?”

  “Yeah, I know it's not going to be a bad thing."

  “Well, why do you live with your aunt?”

  “...That…”

  “You don’t-”

  “I had some problems at my previous school. The distance between the new school and my aunt's house was convenient, so she offered me a place to live.”

  “Was that difficult?”

  “Of course it was. Leaving behind my family, my dog, my friends. This was my first time moving to another school, so it was really shocking”

  “Was it worth it?”

  “Totally, I’m even doing some things I never did before, so this was the best.”

  “What kind of things?”

  “Breaking into the school at night.”

  “Right.”

  “And…maybe-”

  SHRR

  I jumped when I heard a door open. Aisha was also surprised, but somehow remained calm.

  “Maybe it was the wind…”

  “R-Right, the wind.”

  “...”

  “...The wind doesn’t make wood sounds!”

  “Please be quiet.”

  I covered my mouth when I remembered the nightguard. Thankfully, my voice wasn’t enough to reach him.

  “Maybe…a rat...”

  “I don’t know if that is better or worse.”

  “If we hurry we won’t need to worry.”

  “Right.”

  Now in more of a hurry than before, I grabbed Aisha's hand and headed for the stairs.

  “This is stressful.”

  “Yeah…”

  “You don’t sound stressed.”

  “Well, I know that being stressed isn't going to help us.”

  “In moments like this I feel grateful to be your friend.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Don't let me go. I don't want to fight a rat alone.”

  “Don’t worry, I couldn’t leave you.”

  “Hehe, sounds a little weird when you say it with that tone.”

  “It's my only-”

  Suddenly, Aisha stopped and crouched before getting up again.

  “Why did you do that?”

  “I found this.”

  Aisha showed me a keychain. The design was a white robot with butterfly wings and a mustache.

  “It was on the floor…”

  “It’s cute, maybe a teacher lost it.”

  “You can have it.”

  “Thanks.”

  We were going a bit slowly, but after a while we finally reached the door that led to the rooftop. We tried to open it...but, of course, it was locked.

  “Dang it.”

  “That's weird, the other doors seemed open…”

  “Maybe is to prevent some students from doing bad things.”

  “What things?”

  “You know…dropping water from a high altitude."

  “That sounds painful.”

  “It is.”

  Trying to not continue with that conversation, we headed very dsappointed to the infirmary to have my leg treated. I know what everyone is thinking, but technically we’re not stealing anything. The things in the infirmary exist precisely for being used with an injured student, and I’m an injured student, so TECHNICALLY we’re just using the objects in a responsible way.

  “So this was a waste…”

  “Yes, actually, your idea was a bit bad from the beginning.”

  “Then why did you accept it?”

  “It sounded fun, and it was, a little bit.”

  “But now we need something else…”

  “...If the problem is that we live in an urbanized area, then we simply need not to be in an urbanized area.”

  “What-”

  CLIC CLIC

  When I was about to explain my idea, I heard that sound. That was obviously a door knob moving. In any other context, that wouldn’t be weird, but in our context, that caused panic (mostly mine.)

  “...Aisha?”

  “Yes?”

  “A rat can’t reach a knob, right?”

  “Just if it's a giant rat.”

  “...”

  CLIC CLIC

  “Gya-”

  Aisha quickly covered my mouth again, and before things could get any worse, she grabbed my hand and ran off.

  “W-Where are we going?”

  “Infirmary, we were going there anyways so we can go and use it as a shelter from whatever is making the noise.”

  “Good idea, you’re a genius!”

  “I think that's common sense.”

  After arriving at the infirmary, Aisha stuck the door with her coat. When it was totally locked, she pointed to the stretcher, so I obediently sat there.

  “Well, show me your leg…”

  “That was a quick change.”

  “What is a major priority, the ghost or your leg?”

  “Considering what are the things a ghost can do, I choose that”.

  Despite my response, I lifted my pants slightly, letting her look at my legs.

  “Hmm…”

  “What is the diagnosis doctor Aisha?”

  “...”

  “I’m gonna live? Or-”

  "I'm gonna grab."

  GAF

  “That’s cold!”

  When Aisha grabbed my leg I was a little surprised. I mean, she needed to do that for a good diagnosis, but it was too sudden. Her cold hands didn’t help.

  "At least you warned."

  “I’m not a doctor, but probably you will have a bruise, also, you have some cuts. Maybe some bandages and disinfectant will help.”

  “Please add a lollypop.”

  “I don’t think they have that here.”

  Aisha took the disinfectant and bandages to begin the "treatment". First, she carefully applied the disinfectant to the damaged area. When she was satisfied with the amount, she proceeded to bandage it. Apparently, she had no experience, as the result was utterly disastrous.

  “Need a hand?”

  ‘Hmm…”

  "I'm not the best with bandages, but I can try."

  "..."

  “...Soo…my idea was camping. This weekend we can go to a good place in train.”

  “...”

  “I have experience, so you're in good hands…well, Camila too. Being three would be good.”

  “...Okay, now it shouldn’t fall off.”

  “You were even-”

  KNOCK KNOCK

  My heart skipped a beat when the door was suddenly knocked, and if that wasn’t enough, it was moving.

  “Our father, who art in heaven!”

  “It's a ghost, not a demon...”

  “What should we do?”

  “Dunno…”

  Slowly, the handmaded lock was falling off, so I tried to find something I could use as a weapon. Without anything better, I grabbed the bandages and, when the door opened, I threw them away.

  PLAF

  A black figure collapsed in front of us when the bandages reached what apparently was their head. The euphoria of defeating a ghost was so much that I almost screamed, thank god Aisha covered my mouth.

  “I did it!”

  “You’re a hero.”

  “Thanks, thanks.”

  “...By the way, a bandage can hit a ghost?”

  “...Huh?”

  She was right. A ghost is supposed to be incorporeal. Unless it was some kind of possessed object, it should be impossible what I did.

  Now very concerned I looked at what I hit…It was a girl.

  “...”

  “So…where are we gonna camp?”

  “We can’t just act like nothing happened!”

  Aisha helped me to put the girl on the stretcher. After doing it we tried to recognize her.

  Her hair was long and blonde. Her health seemed ‘decent’ (Without counting the hit), and her ears had two tiny holes. Her height wasn’t something impressive, actually, she probably was only a few centimeters taller than Aisha.

  “You recognize her?”

  “No…”

  “I guess we can only wait.”

  “I wonder what these bandages are made of…”

  “Guh…”

  Suddenly, the girl started to move, so we took a step back and tried not to scare her.

  “Hello…”

  “Sorry for-”

  We couldn’t even finish before the girl suddenly got off from the stretcher and hided behind it.

  “I thinks she’s scared.”

  “Look, we’re not-”

  I approached and tried to explain what was happening, but the girl seemed even more scared.

  “What should we do?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Seeing our confusion, the girl moved her trembling hand and pointed to a notebook on a desk. Trying to guess what she wanted, I picked it up and placed it on the stretcher. The girl quickly grabbed it and began to write something.

  “...”

  “...”

  “...”

  Finally, the girl left the notebook on the stretcher, so we picked it, noticing that the thing she was writing was a phone number.

  “Huh?”

  “I think we should call…”

  Not knowing what to expect, I pulled out my phone and called that number. Immediately, an anime song played on the girl's phone before she answered. Even though it was very soft, we heard her voice.

  “What happened?”

  “Umm…I hit you with some bandages.”

  “I see…”

  “...You’re not angry?”

  “We’re in school during the night. Using violence against something unknown is a normal reaction.”

  “I-I guess you’re right...It's just...I thought you were scared for the hit.”

  "No no, I don't like people, that's all. I admit I was being too aggressive with the door."

  Her personality was completely different from before. She was relaxed and understanding. I didn't have time to process what was happening because she started talking again.

  “Why are you both here?”

  “We wanted to go to the rooftop.”

  “That isn't closed?”

  “Unfortunately, yes.”

  “That’s a shame.”

  “Why are you here? Actually, are you even from here?”

  “I attend this school, but only online.”

  “I didn’t know this school had that.”

  “Yeah, it also surprised me.”

  “About my first question…”

  “I came here a few days ago because of a problem with my documents. During my visit, I lost a keychain.”

  “And you didn’t come during the day?”

  “I think you can tell how badly I get along with people.”

  The fact we were on a phone call literally two meters away from each other was enough to make us realize, but I guess it was good to confirm it.

  “You need help?”

  “No, I already tried to open the teachers room. There’s no other place where they could leave my keychain…”

  While she was depressed about that, I remembered something.

  “Maybe…this is your keychain?”

  I put the keychain that Aisha gave to me in the stretcher, and she quickly picked it.

  “It is!”

  “Probably a teacher was using it.”

  “How did you find it?”

  “Aisha founded it on the floor.”

  "I see."

  Suddenly, the girl stood up and approached really scared.

  “Huh…”

  “Hmm….?”

  “...T-Thanks…”

  “It’s nothing…huh…”

  “...C-C-Charlotte…”

  After saying her name, Charlotte fled from us.

  “I’ll take the phone number. We can’t leave evidence…”

  “Right.”

  “That was weird…”

  “Totally.”

  “So…when are we gonna do that camping thing?”

  Maybe it wasn't what we expected, but we already had our next, and hopefully, final objective. Tomorrow I'll contact Camila to prepare for camping. Somehow, even though we failed again, this overnight visit was productive.

  At the same time, Aisha got a phone number that she didn't know when she would use.