Chapter 26

Alaris

***

"Do you really have to go?"

I couldn't help the frown that made its way to my forehead.

"I do. They count these things in the internal evaluation." I heard her reply as she bobbed her head up and down in contemplation.

We were both standing by the entrance of Sera's college where two buses were parked one behind the other, all prepared to leave the town with the final year students, including Seraphine herself too.

"Can you not make an excuse for your absence? There could always be a family emergency back at home." My mind was spouting nonsensical ideas by now, all in hopes that I might be able to persuade her to stay back and not go on this stupid trip. What happened to studying for hours and finishing assignments on time? What was the point of taking a bus full of students, who were barely interested, to a heritage site.

"You know, I can't do that, Alaris." She rolled her eyes in the manner she usually does when she would get frustrated with something. That was my c