be ahead of us. Turning around to walk backward, he gave me a comforting grin.
"It's easier to go along with it. Makes people uncomfortable."
"Ya, but won't that be a hassle if the administration finds out? What if they try and change our dorm placement?" I reasoned.
"Won't happen," Gabriel answered.
"Why not?" I questioned. "I'm sure Rick is one of the many who'd march to the office and practically demand the change, even if it doesn't affect him."
"We technically have to stay together," Keru revealed. "Remember the seal?"
"Yes?"
Westley spoke up, "Clover wants us remaining close to you to ensure there are no adverse effects."
"Really?" I looked at Keru and Gabriel as we came to a stop. The large golden board with all our semester one freshmen's names were only a few short steps away.
"She told us a few weeks ago just to keep an eye on you and we'd remain in our dorms for the year. Obviously when the time comes to switch, if we all get good grades, we can request to remain together."
"We can?" Now that was a relief. I personally was comfortable with them so far and didn't see the need for the switch or the drama a new set of roomies would ignite if I had to be partnered with a girl and two guys I had no clue about.
"Shouldn't be a problem," Westley assured us as his eyes were on the board. "Results are up."
Wait, seriously?! They never said it would be that fast.
My head darted over to the board; the commotion of chatter and laughter suddenly dimmed as everyone began to peer at the board to locate their names.
"Hope you saved a lot of mula for our outing tonight, Gabriel," Westley said with a smile, his arms hooking around my waist. "Find your name, Alice?"
"I...uh..." I was honestly struggling to find it, my eyes trying to go down each column in the middle of the board. "Not yet."
He chuckled, while Keru whistled. "Blazing Sweetheart, it's not hard to find," he reasoned.
"I can't see from this distance," I whined. "Let me concentrate."
"Did you even start at the top of the list?" Gabriel questioned in annoyance.
"No! Why would I start at the top?"
"Because that's where your name is," Gabriel dryly announced.
"Huh?" My eyes paused in their attempt to locate my name, only to swing over to the beginning list of names.
* * *
TOP FIVE STUDENTS:
1. ALICE BLAZE.
2. WESTLEY SIMMONS
3. GABRIEL SUNROSE
4. KERBERUS STONE
5. DAMON LEX
* * *
My heart froze, and I quickly looked around at the three of them to see their smug smiles.
"Someone's been studying." Keru winked at me.
"In other cases, I would have been upset not getting a perfect score, but I'll let it slide this time," Gabriel concluded, giving me a smirk as a reward.
My eyes landed on Westley to see his sleepy smile.
"Do we get a nap before we go out to celebrate?" he wondered. "Got to have all the energy to party."
"Yes!" I shrieked and put my hands up. "W-We got good grades!"
Keru laughed and reached out to ruffle my hair. "Jeez, Alice. We didn't just get good grades. We're the top five out of five thousand students."
Gabriel's smile widened, his gaze looking behind Westley and I as he agreed. "Top five and surprisingly in the top four of the school, which means we may have a chance to sit in those cozy flaming horsemen seats."
His deliberate increase in volume had Westley and I look behind us, noticing the four individuals staring at the board in disgust.
I looked back at the board, looking for the familiar names and their ranks.
* * *
6.CLARA RALMERA
25. ELIZA SATURN
67. RICK DELROSA
* * *
Damn! That drop.
"Looks like someone has been spending more time boasting themselves up than putting their head between a book," Westley quietly noted.
I heard other students near us pick up what Westley said and added, "More like he's been too busy with his head between all the ladies' legs to study books!"
"Wow, talk about mind blown. Looks like the whole horsemen crew gonna change this semester."
"I knew the rumors that she's sleeping with Rick were false. Can't get top spot when you're fucking guys left and right."
"Don't go giving her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she bribed one of the grade masters or something."
"Don't be a dick! You know cheating and bribery isn't allowed. Just admit she aced it and you're mad you're in the damn one hundred!"
"You do realize we're going down to only four thousand students next semester?"
"What?" a few students gasped.
Everyone