It began on a restless afternoon, when the air was thick with the scent of dust and jacaranda blossoms. Kim, clutching a folded note in her palm, hesitated at the edge of the wall where the bougainvillea grew wild and tangled—a riot of green and magenta that masked secrets in its thorns.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKq1eLyHslb
The Order’s code had been clear: blue for urgent, tucked deep in the roots. She glanced around—no prefects, no teachers, only the distant shouts from the boys’ field. Her heart hammered as she knelt, searching for the hollow described in whispers and half-remembered maps.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCj6I6Wmal
Her fingers brushed something smooth: a tiny glass bead, blue as the lake at dawn. Beneath it, a gap in the roots. Kim slid her note inside, careful not to snag it on the thorns. She pressed the bead atop the hollow—a silent signal, visible only to those who knew what to seek.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxiO6IPKvdV
She lingered just a moment, listening to the hush of the grounds and the distant, careless laughter from the far side of the wall. The glass bead caught a slant of sunlight, glinting like a secret eye. Kim wiped her hand on her skirt, nerves prickling as she glanced around once more.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSXvEu8zUJ
She was about to stand when her fingers brushed something else—paper, but not the note she’d just hidden. It was wedged deeper in the roots, folded small and bound with a second sliver of blue thread. Kim’s breath caught. This hadn’t been there before.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WFRH6LtC6
She hesitated, then carefully worked the scrap free. The handwriting was unfamiliar, the ink hurried and smudged:49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Udv2gr49K
Trust the blue.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoTLiaFyE8
Tonight, after lights out.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTi5nZ3oOVj
Alone.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6uYwACLwX
A shiver ran through her. The message wasn’t signed, and there was no hint of who had left it or what they wanted. Was it a warning? An invitation? Or a trap? She looked at the bead, now sitting atop two hidden notes—a silent signal, suddenly layered with meaning and risk.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zrkVFZIx3
Kim tucked both messages into her pocket, heart racing. For a moment, she pressed her palm to the rough bark, feeling the thorns and the pulse of something older—an unbroken chain of secrets, stretching back through years of girls who had risked everything for a chance to reach across the silence.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsZ9p3S9i5
As she slipped away, the bougainvillea’s blossoms trembled in the breeze, scattering petals at her feet—blue, magenta, and white. Kim didn’t look back. The code had changed. The game had begun again.
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Shiko lingered by the edge of the courtyard, watching Kim disappear toward the bougainvillea. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for—maybe just proof that her friend was hiding something, maybe a sign that secrets weren’t as safe as everyone believed.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPcg9UWEV4
After Kim left, Shiko circled back, heart pounding. She scanned the roots and branches for any sign of blue. Instead, she found nothing odd: a torn corner of notebook paper, snagged on a thorn and half-hidden by fallen petals. 49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyWOjxCjEZ
Shiko cornered Kim near the washrooms, her voice low but sharp. “You’ve been sneaking around, Kim. I saw you by the bougainvillea. What are you hiding?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypTiA6CRWv
Kim stiffened, annoyance flaring. “Since when did you start following me?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklrUAT1vq1
Shiko crossed her arms. “Since you started acting like you’re the only one with secrets to keep.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIz8b8XfUro
Kim’s jaw tightened. She hated being trailed—hated even more that Shiko, of all people, was the one doing it. But Shiko’s eyes held something more than accusation: worry, maybe even fear.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04xB8yr8UR
After a tense silence, Kim sighed and pulled the folded note from her pocket. “Fine. I found this. Someone left it for me. I don’t know who.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhe96roDhNb
Shiko hesitated, then produced her own scrap—the torn corner she’d found snagged on the bougainvillea’s thorns. “I found this after you left. I thought… I thought maybe it was a set-up. Or a warning.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPffHW06E9
They laid the two pieces side by side on the sun-warmed concrete. The torn edges fit perfectly. Together, the message read:49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1V8nnmOsHD
Make sure she gets this. Blue at dusk. Use the old code. Don’t sign your name.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnM8sytIdko
Trust the blue. Tonight, after lights out. Alone.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyssqdM809
Kim frowned, tracing a finger over the writing. “Whoever sent this knew both of us might find it. Sedately. Or wanted to test if we’d talk.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BYxeXhXlo
Shiko nodded, more thoughtful now. “Look at this—” She pointed to a flourish on the letter “M,” and a faint blue fingerprint at the bottom. “That’s Mary’s handwriting, isn’t it? And she’s always got ink on her hands.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uFPNmhfyQ
Kim’s annoyance faded, replaced by a chill. “So, Mary’s involved. Or someone wants us to think she is.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAFv6SQF3o
They exchanged a wary glance, the old tension softening into uneasy alliance. “We need to watch her,” Kim said quietly. “And not just her. This code… it’s not just for us.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbAMCTq3x7
Shiko nodded. “We’ll keep eyes open. Together this time.”
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The news spread through the dorms like a spark in dry grass: Mercy was coming back.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSKXaopOCc
She arrived in the late afternoon, escorted by her parents and the Deputy Principal himself. Her uniform was crisp, but her eyes held the wary defiance of someone who’d seen too much in too little time away. The girls gathered in doorways and along the verandah, some craning for a glimpse, others shrinking back as if Mercy’s shadow might bring trouble with it.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLl7M5OGmyn
Principal Kiaye’s voice had echoed in the morning assembly hall: “Mercy is returning under strict probation. She will be watched. She will be given a chance to prove she belongs.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5f1ot8Dc53
Some students exchanged nervous glances. For weeks, rumors had swirled about why Mercy was expelled—some said she’d betrayed the Order, others whispered she’d taken the fall for someone else. Now, her presence was both a threat and a promise.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLwMxOgaPa
Kim felt her stomach twist. She remembered Mercy’s old confidence, the way she could command a room with a glance, the way she’d once seemed untouchable. But now, the Order was had split: a few girls, especially the younger ones, looked at Mercy with awe, desperate for her leadership to return. Others—Seline included—watched her with suspicion, remembering the chaos that followed her last mistake.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonhBpo3TwT
Mercy’s first words were quiet, but they carried: “I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to finish what I started.” Her gaze swept the crowd, daring anyone to challenge her.
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Seline stood at the edge of the corridor, arms folded, watching the commotion ripple down the hall. Mercy was back—she could feel it in the way the whispers sharpened, the way girls clustered in doorways, eyes wide with a mix of hope and dread.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnTqfFRQx8K
She remembered Mercy’s last day: the slammed doors, the accusations, the silence that settled over the Order like a shroud. Seline had never quite forgiven her—not for the mistake, but for the way Mercy had looked at them all, defiant and unrepentant, as if she alone understood the rules of the game.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPDKvuHk6A
Now, as Mercy walked between the prefects, Seline studied her closely. She looked older, somehow—her uniform perfect, her chin lifted, but her eyes darting, always measuring. Some girls shrank away, but others edged closer, hungry for the old spark of leadership Mercy used to bring.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRATldMNyMV
Seline’s stomach twisted. She knew what it was to want someone to take charge, to make the choices no one else dared. But she also remembered the chaos Mercy left behind, the way trust in the Order had shattered, the way Kim had grown quiet and Shiko had started keeping secrets.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVG2IJvt6JS
When Principal Kiaye announced Mercy’s probation, Seline caught Kim’s eye across the crowd. Kim looked unsettled, but Seline couldn’t read her—couldn’t tell if she was relieved or afraid.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKui1R0Gs2s
As Mercy spoke—“I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to finish what I started.”—Seline felt a chill. Was that a promise, or a threat?49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtWuosLCDM
That night, as the dorm buzzed with speculation, Was Mercy here to reclaim her place—or to settle old scores? Would her return unite the Order, or tear it apart for good? Seline sat by the window, knees hugged to her chest. She watched the moonlight spill across the wall outside, wondered what secrets Mercy had brought back with her, and whether the Order could survive another storm.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgEurX2k49
And she was not the only one.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypbz7pXepY
Mary kept to the back of the crowd as Mercy stepped onto the compound, her heart pounding in her chest. She remembered too well the night she and June had helped Kim and Seline expose Mercy’s secret—how her hands had trembled as she passed on the evidence, how she’d told herself it was for the good of the Order. But now, as Mercy’s gaze swept the hall, Mary felt exposed, as if Mercy could see right through her.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC04I8kyhbW
She caught June’s eye across the room; both looked away quickly. The guilt was still there, heavy and sour. But there was something else too: fear. Mercy had never been the forgiving type, and Mary knew what she herself would do in Mercy’s place.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EdgcbyNP1
Yet, Mary’s ambition burned just beneath her nerves. Naomi’s grip on the Order was tight—stricter rules, fewer chances for mistakes, and no tolerance for divided loyalties. If Mary wanted back in, she’d have to prove herself all over again. She’d have to show Naomi she was loyal, resourceful, and above suspicion. That meant watching Mercy closely, reporting anything suspicious, and never letting her own fear show.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡob15FMiOZQ
But as Mercy passed by, eyes hard and unreadable, Mary couldn’t help but wonder: was it possible to serve two masters—her own ambition and her conscience? Or would the cracks in her loyalty finally split her apart?49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnMYdTiwnI
June pressed herself against the wall, trying to blend in as Mercy returned. The memory of last term’s betrayal gnawed at her—she’d been the one to tip Seline off, the one who’d whispered secrets in the dark. She’d told herself it was for the Order, for the greater good. But now, with Mercy back, June felt hunted.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsf6OKc5kjA
She was sure Mercy hadn’t forgotten. The way Mercy’s eyes lingered on her for just a second too long made June’s skin prickle. Retaliation was a real possibility, and June’s nerves were stretched thin.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqi79EVZyQ
But June also saw an opportunity. Naomi’s leadership was nothing like Mercy’s—cold, efficient, unyielding. June wanted back into the Order, wanted to matter again. She’d been on the outside too long, and she knew that helping Naomi keep tabs on Mercy could be her ticket in. If she could improve her loyalty now, maybe the past would be forgiven.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbz8Ew952O4
Still, every time June caught Mercy watching her, she wondered if she’d made a terrible mistake. Was survival worth the price of trust? And if Mercy decided to strike back, would June have the courage to face her—or would she betray someone else, just to stay safe?49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnTOZkQfuh
Seline lay awake, with Mercy back, every secret felt heavier. Every alliance, more fragile. And somewhere in the shadows, the wall seemed to listen, waiting for the next crack to appear. She wanted to believe in second chances. But as the shadows deepened, Seline couldn’t shake the feeling that Mercy’s return was just the beginning—and that this time, the cracks in their foundation might be too deep to mend.
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As soon as Naomi heard the prefects had escorted Mercy back through the main gate, the memory surged—sharp and unwelcome. She gripped the edge of her desk, letting herself fall back into that night months ago, when the Order’s fate had hung by a thread.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmb6yXGTYU
It was after midnight, the old laundry room thick with the smell of soap and secrets. Only the core members had come—no Kim, no Seline, no outsiders. Naomi remembered the way her own heart had hammered as she faced Mercy, the legendary leader whose mistakes had almost destroyed them.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6snd9cIYqs
Mercy’s voice had been low but unyielding. “You want me out, Naomi? Say it.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9Is7TmYiR
Naomi had kept her own voice steady, though her palms were slick. “We can’t survive another mistake. The prefects are watching us. We need discipline, not drama.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3L6QrwqaF
Mary and June, eyes darting, had produced the evidence—coded notes gone astray, a list of names nearly exposed. They’d hesitated, but Naomi had promised them a place in the new Order if they stood with her. Ruth, always the quietest, had spoken up: “We need to be invisible again. If we’re caught, it’s over.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodQRzF2w0U
Mercy had looked around the circle, reading the fear and resolve. “You think you can do better?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAOXOQ1MLw
Naomi had met her gaze. “I can do what needs to be done.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOvDrjJQvN
The vote was close, but when the hands were counted, Mercy was out. She’d stood, jaw tight, pride intact. “You’ll regret this,” she’d said, but there was no fire—only exhaustion.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKw4nZfr9gT
After Mercy left, Naomi had set new rules: stricter codes, no more solo missions, absolute secrecy. Mary and June had pledged loyalty, eager for a second chance. Naomi knew she wasn’t loved the way Mercy had been, but she didn’t need love—she needed control.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcq9xHmuAM5
Now, as the news of Mercy’s return spread, Naomi felt the old anxiety clawing at her. Mercy had promised they’d regret it. Was this the moment that promise would be kept?49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDU5gfJJ7lG
She straightened her back, forcing herself to breathe. She was the leader now. She would not let the Order fall—not again.
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Jabari heard about Mercy’s return before the afternoon bell had even rung. News moved fast across the wall—faster than any official announcement, faster than the prefects could hope to contain. By the time he reached the old mango tree, two of their informers from the girls’ side had already confirmed it: Mercy was back, under probation, her arrival watched by the entire school.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5f0DYLszY
He leaned against the rough bark, trying to read between the lines. Mercy’s name still carried weight, even after last term’s scandal. Some said she’d been betrayed by her own. Others whispered she was the only one bold enough to challenge Naomi’s iron grip on the Order. Jabari knew better than to trust the rumors, but he couldn’t ignore the ripple of unease running through their own ranks.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZS5LfSy5lA
He wondered what Mercy’s return meant for the delicate balance they’d managed to keep. Would she try to reclaim her old power? Would the Order fracture again, giving them an opening—or closing every door for good? Jabari signaled to Juma, who was already scanning the wall for any unusual movement. Whatever happened next, they’d need to be ready.
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Juma had always prided himself on knowing things before they became common knowledge. The girls’ network was impressive, but the boys had their own ways of listening—quiet exchanges at the canteen, coded glances during assembly, a note slipped through a crack in the wall.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxieHGnGRRc
When word of Mercy’s return reached him, Juma felt a mix of excitement and dread. Mercy’s reputation was legendary, her mistakes even more so. He remembered last term’s chaos—the sudden silences, the looks exchanged in the corridors, the sense that something big was always about to break.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEXeFi4Vez
Now, with Mercy back, Juma sensed opportunity. If the Order was distracted by old grudges and new power struggles, maybe the boys could finally get answers to the questions that had haunted them for months: Who really controlled the blue signals? And most of all, who could be trusted when alliances shifted with every rumor?49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1QyM7qem2
He caught Jabari’s eye and nodded. Whatever Mercy’s return unleashed, they would watch, listen, and be ready to move—because in the shadow of the wall, information was power, and the game had just changed again.
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