From The Corner Of The Oval Novels & Stories

Finding an isolated corner, I quietly sat down and watched the gathering from afar. Girls dressed in luxurious gowns moved elegantly through the ballroom. Many openly displayed their beauty and figures. The unmated males watched them with poorly concealed admiration. Laughter, music, and conversation blended together into a lively atmosphere. For a brief moment, it almost felt normal. Peaceful. Then I noticed three familiar figures approaching. My stomach immediately tightened. I rose from my seat, intending to leave before they reached me. Unfortunately— I was too late. “Where are you going, Olivia?”

"What is this place called again?" Cora asked as she settled herself into one of the old stone benches that seemed to be carved out of the ground. The entire area was filled with stone sculptures as centrepieces and stone benches. It was eery and at the same time creative. "It's called the Quadrangle. A lot of students come here to relax." Everett replied as he sat across Cora. She seemed unnerved and oblivious about every single thing that was happening around her. She was free.

Leo cocked an eyebrow at me but continued to lead me further. In the corner of my eye, I could see a large slab of concrete that laid in the very center. I walked over towards it immediately, realizing that it was huge. The way it laid, flowers surrounding its edge, could only mean that it was used for events that happened in the backyard.

So on the wheel, his fingers stayed, tapping out the minute till they arrived at the restaurant. "Wow." Madeline whispered, her eyes on the restaurant. Allister's Corner was a sight to behold. It was shaped in the form of a trapezium. A glass trapezium lit up with the brightest lights. Even in the dark, one could spot its famous rose garden that surrounded the equally famous crystal fountain right in the center of the yard. The fountain was lit up such that the stones at the base sparkled like gems. The balcony directly above the entrance proudly showed off an orchestra playing beautiful music.

A future that may or may not include Elijah, and that was okay. As for Olivia, she didn’t take part in the discussion. She just sat in the corner, arms and legs both tightly crossed, tapping her foot impatiently. The scowl she wore seemed etched into every line of her face as she glared at me for stealing her thunder, but I barely looked at her.

Finally I reached the end of the hall and what would probably be one of the corners—it had way more than four—of the sprawling building, on the southeast side. Yep, definitely the corner. The huge office had a desk for a secretary outside it, although it didn’t have anyone sitting at it right then, and through the big interior window I could see through the office to its exterior windows: a view of the Strip on one side and the expanse of off-strip Vegas on the other.

"Corner one: Potted palm. Corner two: Camera crew. Corner three: Empty." "Corner four?" "Corner four is the kitchen door. It's swinging." "Who is coming out?" Elion watched. A waiter emerged with a tray of coffee. "Waiter," Elion said. "Carrying hot liquid. Vector is... crossing our path." "Stop," Cale said. Elion stopped the chair. The waiter walked past them, five feet away. If they had kept moving, they might have collided. "Clear," Elion said. "Proceed."

"We’ll take the corner terrace. Do not serve until I signal." "Understood, sir." I slid my hand into the small of Olivia’s back, guiding her through the empty, cavernous dining room toward the private, glass-enclosed terrace at the rear. The space overlooked a secluded, dimly lit courtyard garden, the glass panels reflecting the flickering candlelight like stars trapped in ice.

“Spin the bottle.” “Huh?” Ivella raised her brow, hands still clasping Kai who paid no attention whatsoever to her. There was a band-aid on her inner wrist. I had seen it on some students too since I arrived at Oakblood. “Isn’t that a game for kids?” “Not exactly.” Ophelia from Ward three rubbed the back of her neck. “We could do a more mature one.” “I don’t think I can—” Naz began but was cut off instantly.

She needed to be in clean air before that corner. Not ahead of everyone. Just clean. Not caught inside someone else's mistake. The system appeared. [RACE BEGINS IN: 10 MINUTES] The paddock had emptied to the barriers. The crowd sound was building in the stands in the specific way it built before a race, layered and directional, coming from everywhere at once and somehow still managing to feel like it was aimed somewhere specific. Evelyn was visible in the team area above the grid. She was looking at Alina.