5. The Prefect

“Come out.”

Theo had a hand over his mouth. 

This is it for me.

The rubber sandals squeaked once.

Then, laughter.

“I knew it. You really came out to smoke.”

Theo winced. The voice was unmistakable. 

“You’ve got guts,” Loren continued, “I’ll give you that.” 

The shower stall next to Theo opened, the sandals stepping away.

“Lucky you, I had a long day and I want to be in bed.” His voice echoed off the tiles. “The next time we meet, I want my cut.”

The sound of pipes groaned.

Water ran.

Loren started humming, carrying a light and careless tune.

Theo’s hand dropped. He unlocked the door and slipped past Loren’s stall, the smell of jasmine shampoo following him out.

Back in his room, Theo stripped fast. 

He poured Brian's shampoo all over his hoodie and pants. Then he shoved the pile in a laundry bag.

The half-burned cigarette was soaked. Unsalvageable. He crushed it in a tissue bundle, not knowing where to dump it.

Footsteps could be heard outside.

Theo stilled in the middle of the room.

A shadow paused under the door.

Theo’s pulse climbed into his throat. If Brian woke up to this shit—

The shadow moved on, followed by a door opening and shutting down the hall.

Theo waited, listening for anything. When there was nothing, he left the tissue bundle into his desk drawer.

He collapsed onto bed, lungs still tight. The smell of tobacco clung to him. 

They would know.

He had no idea what the punishment was for smoking. Loren had let him go tonight, but Theo didn’t trust that to last. 

Fear didn’t leave him that night, it just settled with Brian’s light snores.

*

Theo didn’t remember falling asleep. The room was lit when he jerked upright, his heart slamming against his ribs.

Brian was still asleep. Above him hung a wall clock. Theo had fifteen minutes to himself before the morning bell went off.

Outside his room, the corridor was lit and the showers were empty.

The water ran ice cold. He bit his tongue and scrubbed himself hard with Brian's shampoo, finishing in under two minutes. 

He brushed his teeth by the sinks while watching himself in the mirror. 

His mom had sent him here to be better, but he couldn't even make it one night before doing something stupid.

I tried.

He brushed his teeth a second time before heading back to his room. 

Theo changed into his uniform with five minutes to spare. They hung off him awkwardly, a size too big. He rolled up his sleeves and the hems of his pants like it was the least of his problems.

He fumbled through the steps of tying his tie, not that he remembered ever owning one in the first place. It stayed crooked when the bell rang. 

“You're up early.” Brian squinted from above the bunk.

“First day jitters,” Theo replied, smiling awkwardly.

When Theo heard the stairwell gates unlock, he left the room with an empty backpack. 

Shuffles of feet and low groans filled the corridor. Every voice sounded like they would say his name or what happened last night.

“What’s for breakfast on Tuesday?”

“If we’re lucky, not the leftover beans.”

“Morning, Loren.”

Theo kept walking, and he didn’t stop until he left the dorm building.

At the breezeway, the morning light was too bright. Theo had walked past the cafeteria, but he had no appetite for breakfast. He only wanted to find the teachers’ office and get the morning over with.

Brian had mentioned the night before his homeroom teacher would be Mr. Reed.

In the school hall, Theo drifted toward the smell of coffee and perfume. The teachers’ office door was closed. Next to it, a room looked out of place.

The walls inside were lined with wooden panels. Hummed noises came from a mini fridge beside memorabilia shelves. A long table ran through the middle, the sunlight pooled over the polished surface and leather chairs.

The plaque on the door read: Prefects’ Quarter. The thought of Loren coming here sent him leaving.

The notice boards down the hall were full of rules, regulations and warnings layered over each other.

2025 ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Term I — January to May
Summer Recess — June to August
Term II — September to December
Winter Recess — Late December to Early January
2026 Academic Year Begins — January

New school year in January. This place really did make up its own rules.

Uniform guidelines, chore assignments, tardiness, form submissions.

Nothing about smoking. 

Not yet.

There was a framed notice: Leadership Evaluation — Term Rankings.

Wesley — 1.

Terrence — 2. 

Loren — 3. 

Beside the rankings were their portraits. Loren was in a blazer smiling for the camera. 

“Theo Medina?”

Theo flinched. He turned to see someone with a full beard glancing at a clipboard. The same clipboard.

“I’m your homeroom teacher, Mr. Reed,” he said. “Follow me.”

Theo followed him to the second floor, all the while trying to catch a glimpse of his file. He stopped when Reed tucked it under his pit.

“Second term started three weeks ago, so you’ll have some catching up to do,” he said. “But they’re not as far ahead as you think.”

Theo passed Brian’s classroom in the corridor. A little disappointed they wouldn't be in the same sophomore class.

Reed stopped Theo before they entered the classroom.

“Hold on.” Reed’s hand reached out to straighten Theo’s tie.

Reed smelled faintly of mint mouthwash, barely masking the nicotine on his shirt.

“You should put in a request for a better uniform fit too.”

Theo nodded, embarrassed. 

Reed’s shoulders squared before he entered the classroom.

“Good morning,” he said as he strode in, his voice carrying four rows back.

Theo entered after the students had returned to their seats.

“Fresh meat?” Someone called from the back.

“Go on, introduce yourself.” Reed patted Theo on the shoulder.

Theo didn't smile for anyone. He kept his focus on the notice board in the back.

“Theo. Medina.”

The students looked at him like they were only interested in his charges. 

“Welcome, Theo.” Reed’s eyes narrowed when he didn’t see an empty seat in the middle row. Then he searched elsewhere.

“You can sit there.” He pointed to an empty seat beside the corridor windows. “In front of Andersen.”

Theo’s blood ran cold when he saw what was behind the empty seat. 

Loren lifted his head slowly. He wore the same easy smile from the ranking board. 

Theo dug his nails into his palms.

This isn't fucking happening. He thought as he walked towards him.