6
The security footage was crystal clear. After lunch, she had returned to the classroom, picked up her bag with the materials inside, and left. She
still had them when she reached the academy gates.
The Dean, a man of impressive resources, had even managed to obtain the public surveillance footage from outside the school.
Seraphina boarded a hover–train and traveled to a mech parts factory where she worked part–time. At the factory gate, she met a gray–haired man who was wiping tears from his eyes. He was a worker there who had lost a set of materials he’d taken home to assemble. The parts were expen-
sive, and he was terrified of having to pay for them and losing his job.
When Seraphina learned the missing set was Part Six, her charitable spirit took over, and she gave him hers.
With the truth revealed, Seraphina ducked her head in embarrassment. After a moment, she looked up, forcing a pained smile. “If I miss one assi- gnment, the worst that can happen is a failing grade. But that man has a family to support. If he lost his job, how would they survive?”
I admit I shouldn’t have given away the materials,” she said, tears streaming down her face, “but when I saw him like that, I just couldn’t bear it…”
I snorted. “I have no problem with you doing a good deed. But you shouldn’t use things that don’t belong to you to do it. And you shouldn’t have lied and said they were stolen. Without this video, every single student in this class would have been branded a potential thief because of your lie.”
“You couldn’t bear to see that man get fired, but you could bear to see us carry the weight of a crime we didn’t commit?”
Seraphina sobbed and apologized. “It’s my fault. I have no excuse. I’ll pay for the materials myself, as compensation to the school.”
I scoffed. “You should pay for them. They were-”
“Sera was just being kind!” Pierce cut me off, his voice sharp. “Is it a crime to do a good deed now? That’s enough, Luna. Stop wasting everyone’s
time.”
His hypocrisy made me laugh. “The ones wasting everyone’s time are you and Seraphina, aren’t they? One of you lies about being robbed, and the other stops class to play detective for her. Now you’re trying to pin the blame on me? Professor, try not to be such a staggering hypocrite.”
My words left him with a face as dark as a thundercloud and her with a face as white as a sheet.
Whatever lingering admiration I had for him completely evaporated in that moment.
I had planned to stay for the rest of the class, but now I couldn’t stand to be in that room for another second. I gathered my things and walked
toward the door.
“Class is in session! Where do you think you’re going?” Pierce demanded.
