"Do you think that Zakhrov boy is a part of the Russian mob?" asked Emily Clarke.
Daisy Eddington shook her head, her long blonde ponytail bouncing from side to side.
"How am I supposed to know Emily?" she asked.
Emily tucked her brown hair behind her ear. "I think he is. And I'm going to get Mommy to investigate him. Get me his school ID, will you?" she told Daisy.
"Why me?" asked Daisy.
"Because you sit next to the twerp," said Emily.
"E-Emily I don't think I can do that. What if he really is Mafia and orders a hit on me?" asked Daisy.
"He's not going to be able to do that you useless bimbo!" snapped Emily.
Daisy screamed and cowered behind Emily as a loud, menacing rumble echoed through the parking lot.
"Daisy! Get off me!" shouted Emily, struggling to maintain balance as Daisy clung to her for dear life.
"He's here!" shrieked Daisy as a black BMW M5 pulled into the parking lot.
It turned slowly, like a predator encircling its prey, and reversed into a parking spot just a few feet from where Emily and Daisy stood.
"D-Daisy you're hurting me!" said Emily wincing as Daisy's long fingernails dug into her sleeve.
The tinted window of the BMW rolled down to reveal the object of their discussion, Aaron Zakhrov.
"Is something the matter Ms. Eddington and Ms Clarke?" he asked.
"What? Are you going to try and ram into us as well?" snarled Emily.
"Would you perhaps happen to have a baseball bat to vandalize my car?" countered Aaron.
"W-What? Of course not, why would I do that?" demanded Emily.
"Well then ask Ms. Davis, she brought a bat, so I had to improvise," snapped Aaron.
Daisy poked her head out from behind Emily. "I-Is that what happened?" she asked.
"Yes, that is what happened, which is why I'm here and Ms. Davis is not." said Aaron, as he and Ivan got out of the car.
"Don't worry girls, Aaron's quite the gentleman," chuckled Ivan, ruffling Aaron's hair.
"Later, Dad," said Aaron, and left for the main entrance without another glance at the girls.
Ivan chuckled as Aaron left. "I take it that you two are his classmates?" he asked.
Daisy blushed and nodded, while Emily's lips curled unpleasantly.
"Come along Daisy, we'll be late for class," she said, pulling Daisy behind her.
Daisy gave Ivan an apologetic wave as she was dragged away.
Ivan shrugged, and got back in the car to drive to MIT.
Emily glared at Viola's empty seat, and then back at Aaron, who was sitting near the middle of the classroom, hidden behind a black plastic behemoth of a laptop. Her hands shook as she recalled the fallout of the "incident" between Aaron and Viola.
"You're going down Zakhrov, one way or another," she silently vowed to herself.
Aaron stared at his laptop screen thoughtfully, replaying an earlier conversation he had with Father Abel about safe outlets.
"U-um Aaron?" said a timid voice next to him. He looked up from the tutorial program code to see Daisy Eddington standing next to his seat.
"What is it Ms. Eddington?" he asked her.
Daisy fidgeted nervously with the hem of her uniform skirt.
"I-I'm sorry I thought you were part of the Russian mob," she whispered.
"And why would you make that assumption?" asked Aaron raising an eyebrow.
"U-um well, Viola left school right after that incident with you for medical reasons, and you didn't get any punishment, so everyone thinks it is because you have mob connections, and are forcing Father Joseph to keep you," mumbled Daisy, realizing how silly it sounded.
"Ms. Eddington, does Father Joseph strike you as someone who would be intimidated by a 13-year-old member of organized crime?" asked Aaron.
Daisy stared at him for a few seconds and then burst into a fit of giggles.
"No, I suppose not," she said. "Wait, are you only 13?" she asked him as the full extent of what Aaron said crystallized.
"Yes, I am," said Aaron.
"I see. W-well sorry again," said Daisy.
Aaron gave her a nonchalant wave as she returned to her desk.
----
"Do you have a girlfriend Aaron?" asked Daisy a few days before their midterm tests.
"I asked a girl out on a date before school started, but she said I was too young," said Aaron as he copied down a circuit diagram.
"I see," said Daisy, returning to her own assignment, a blush creeping into her cheeks.
They worked in silence until the bell rang, signaling the end of day.
Emily cornered Daisy as she exited the library. "Well? You've been getting closer to him for the better part of the semester. What have you found out?" she demanded.
"I-I don't know what you mean," said Daisy somewhat taken aback by Emily's sudden demand.
Emily rolled her eyes. "Have you found any dirt on him, Daisy? Anything that I can use on him?" she asked slowly, as if talking to a child.
"No I haven't, and I suggest you drop it, Emily. You know what happened now," replied Daisy.
Emily seized Daisy by her tie and pulled her close.
"Listen up you dumb bimbo. The only reason I let you associate with that piece of trash is so that you can come up with something I can use against him. Now either do that, or your life is over. You got that?" she whispered.
Daisy looked away, her eyes starting to leak tears. "Y-Yes Emily," she whimpered.
Emily released her and sauntered off.
Vision blurring, Daisy ran for the guidance counselor's office.