“Akari, it’s time for school!” My mom calls from the kitchen. Although, like always, I’ve had a lack of sleep, I know I have to get ready. So I slowly get out of bed, get dressed, brush my hair and teeth, then make my way down the stairs. I find Mom by the dining table, setting out breakfast. “Good morning, sweetheart!” she chirps, pouring a glass of whole milk for herself. “Morning, Mom.” I mumble. I take a seat at the table beside her and get myself a plate of waffles. I try not to act like I was up all night, but I know I was. I’m a secret spy agent, and only my other friends, who are also in the agency, know about it. We sneak around the shadows at night and try to solve secret missions our director gives us. The town crawls with criminals, yet nobody notices. Except us spies. They’re all depending on us, they just don’t know it. And it’s best we all keep it that way; it’s the most easy solution. “Remember, you have an exam in math today, so you better have been studying.” my mom reminds me. I look up from my pancakes with a yawn. “I studied last night and the night before that, so don’t worry. All the other nights I had too much homework. Plus, I’ve already been getting straight A’s, so you have nothing to worry about.” I explain with a small smile. When I’m not on one of my missions, I’m studying for school. I’ve always had the best grades, but school is kind of on the edge when I have true crime to sort out. “Just making sure,” Mom says with a smile. I smile back, and then finish my breakfast. Afterwards, I take a shower, stuff all my books and binders in my backpack, then get my shoes on. I say goodbye to Mom and get on the bus. “Hey, Misty!” I say to my best friend when I get to school. I head toward her. “Hii. I totally forgot to study for the quiz. Do you think I’ll still do alright?” She tells me, sorting the folders in her locker. “You’ll do great, as long as you try. I don’t even blame you, considering the agency, and how focused we have to be. I literally could just fall asleep on the spot.” I say with a yawn. I open my own locker as well, which is right by her’s. I grab my books that I had left there yesterday. “I guess you’re right,” Misty sighs, “I just wish that sometimes, life would just be easier. We’re always chasing criminals and solving mysteries that the police can’t.” “Well, I usually do all the studying I can when I’m not busy. I know that we usually are busy, but the second I get home, I head to my room and study. You’ve always got till 11:00 P.M before a new mission rolls out. We all have to work as hard as we can, if we want to keep the town in shape.” I explain. Before Misty can say something, the bell rings. I close my locker.“Welp, see you in gym class.” I smile and walk to first period. In the corner of my eye, I can see her just sitting there, thinking, looking at me walk down the hall with my books in my hands.
I’m throwing a ball at a dude when Misty joins me by the bleachers. “So, you hide here so somebody doesn’t get you out?” Misty chuckles. “It’s the easiest solution.” I shrug, ducking when a ball almost hits me in the head. I wait till the girl a couple yards away from me is distracted, before I grab a red ball on the ground and throw it at her shoulder. “Yess!” I say under my breath when it hits her. I do a little victory dance. “I think I might just sit out during dodgeball warm-ups…” Misty mumbles, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m not very good at sports, like—ever.” “That’s alright,” I say between breaths when jumping over a ball that almost touches me, “I’ll fill in for you.” ∙ ∙ ∙ After school, I’m in my bedroom, unpacking my backpack. I put on my headphones and listen to Conan Gray while I do my homework. I start to wonder, “What did I get on the quiz?” and, “What crime will happen tonight?” Then I begin to agree with Misty. I want more time to do things that I want, like going to the mall with my friends, or having parties like a normal teenager. But this is how life is; every moment is squished together with things you love and things you hate. A couple hours later, after I’ve eaten dinner and got ready for bed, I get a text on my phone. I know that before I even put in the password, that it’s from Madam Falware.
