Mysterious Awakening

As Miles and Coral approached the ornate front gate of an affluent residential district, a sophisticated middle-aged woman advanced toward them. Her face contorted with a mix of relief and annoyance at Coral’s arrival.

“Coral,” she sighed, her irritation softening into joy, “you remember how to come home?”

She laid into Coral about being unreachable all night, their fear and worry. Threatening to report her missing, Coral’s mother, Mrs. Ocean, reproached her.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” Coral apologized, her head lowered, “there was a situation at school.”

Coral’s mother nods in understanding, shifting her attention now to Miles. “And who might this be?” she asked, with a hint of suspicion.

“This is Miles, Mom, my classmate,” Coral responded, reminding her mother of their previous encounter.

With a dismissive wave, Mrs. Ocean claimed she couldn’t possibly remember all of Coral’s classmates, her eyes scrutinizing Miles.

Miles greeted her, politely suggesting that he would now take his leave and perhaps return for a visit later, eager to defuse the situation and move on.

“Hold on,” Mrs. Ocean interjected, halting him, her suspicions still piqued. She wanted to know why Coral was only just returning home and if Miles had anything to do with it.

Miles quickly explained the unusual circumstances at the school the previous night and his concern for Coral’s safety, leading to his decision to escort her home.

Unexpectedly, Mrs. Ocean revealed she had attempted to call the school and found no such incident had occurred. Miles merely laughed, pointing out the unavailability of the teacher’s phone, an information Mrs. Ocean was already privy to. She was merely testing Miles.

Finally accepting Miles’ account, Mrs. Ocean thanked him for ensuring Coral’s safe return. However, she sternly reminded him of Coral’s disciplined upbringing and academic commitments. The subtle message was unmistakable: Miles needed to maintain a safe distance.

Expressing gratitude for his efforts, Mrs. Ocean reached into her purse and handed Miles two hundred dollars for his breakfast. The interaction was uncomfortable because the money was almost a payoff, but Miles accepted it graciously and turned to leave.

Coral watched Miles’ departure, her eyes welling with tears. “You’re being too harsh, Mom,” she chided, defending Miles. She couldn’t understand her mother’s abrasive treatment of a good person, insisting that her mother’s actions were tantamount to an insult.

“You misunderstand, Coral,” Mrs. Ocean defended her actions. “I was testing his character. Look how quickly he accepted the 200 yuan. It suggests he’s not aspirational but opportunistic. I’d advise you to steer clear of such individuals, don’t be swayed by empty words.”

Coral fired back, “You’re the one who doesn’t understand! You have no idea what happened at school last night. Miles saved my life, and I asked him to bring me home. How do you expect me to face him after your behavior?”

Mrs. Ocean icily responded, “This boy lacks self-respect so it’s better if you keep your distance. Our family has standards.”

Coral’s tears flowed freely as she turned on her heel and retreated inside.

Miles, meanwhile, sat on the bus with the 200 dollars in hand, fully comprehending the motive behind Mrs. Ocean’s actions. Although it stirred a cocktail of disdain and humiliation within him, he maintained his cool. Anger would serve no purpose.

As an average boy, he interacted little with the affluent and attractive Coral. It was understandable that her parents would be wary of his sudden presence and would try to push him away.

Raging publicly over the incident would only bring more embarrassment, and retaliation over such a trivial sum was beneath him. Miles had aided Coral without expecting anything in return.

“Doing the right thing can be tough,” he mumbled, putting away the money before making his way home to collapse into a much-needed sleep.

As the day progressed, the other students also returned home. Despite the night’s turmoil, they all had homes to return to, didn’t they?

At this juncture, William arrived back at his plush villa. As he had previously claimed, he was indeed a wealthy young man, albeit one who kept a low profile and wasn’t prone to extravagance.

“You’ve come back quite late. And your phone was switched off too. Where have you been all night?” William’s father, Mr. Noble, queried with concern as his son walked in.

“Just out with some friends,” William mumbled in response. He wanted to relay the strange happenings at school but thought better of it, settling instead for a lie.

“You can’t keep doing this,” Mr. Noble admonished him. “Get something to eat and make sure you’re not late for school tomorrow.”

School? The mention of the word made William’s eyes go wide. “No, I can’t go back to school.”

Mr. Noble looked taken aback, “If you’re not going to school, what will you do?”

“I could do anything but that,” William asserted.

Returning to No.7 High School was out of the question for him. The place was haunted, and he had barely escaped earlier. Going back was unthinkable. Even if his life depended on it, he was determined not to return.

“You dare to skip school, especially with the college entrance exams looming?” Mr. Noble retorted, a harsh glare in his eyes. “Are you telling me you’re ready to give up on university?”

“Dad, I need to be honest with you. That school is haunted. I can’t go back,” William finally confessed.

“Haunted?” Mr. Noble scoffed. “I believe you’ve lost your mind. Let’s go. I’ll escort you to school. I’m curious to see these so-called ghosts, I’ve never encountered one in my life.” With that, he reached out and took hold of William’s hand.

William jerked his hand free from his father’s grasp, fear and anger tinging his voice. “Stop it! I won’t return to school, I just won’t. I’d rather face any danger out here, even fall from a height or stare down the barrel of a gun. I promise you, I’ll never set foot in No.7 High School again.”

“I mean it, Dad. Test me if you doubt it.”

“Alright, you can stay out of school. But don’t expect any allowance from me. You can fend for yourself,” Mr. Noble retorted, visibly irked.

Following the terse exchange, William retreated to his room in silence.

“Very brave of you, locking yourself in your room!” Mr. Noble’s voice carried a sarcastic note.

But a few moments later, William emerged from his room with two books in hand. “I’m going to school, Dad.”

“Humph,” Mr. Noble huffed a nod, finally appeased.

As he exited his home, William couldn’t help but smirk to himself.

Going to school? Not in this lifetime, or the next. Who said carrying books implied going to school? Couldn’t he simply head to the internet cafe instead?

“Today, I, William, will secure twenty victories at the internet cafe,” he declared, sauntering off to his intended destination.

However, his online pursuits were abruptly interrupted when two agents turned up looking for him.

“Are you William, the student from No.7 High School?” one of them inquired.

Caught off guard, William quickly composed himself. “Sorry, mate, you’ve got the wrong guy. I’m Miles. William is my classmate.”

“Your ID details at the reception desk match your description. We are certain about your identity. We need your assistance in an investigation,” the agent replied firmly.

Despite his initial surprise, William was promptly escorted away by the agents.