The Bewitched Knights

ACE

My phone buzzed, pulling me from my thoughts. I sat up on my bed and checked the caller ID. It was Dad.

A smile spread across my face as I grabbed the phone and headed to the balcony for some privacy.

“Hey, Dad,” I greeted, my voice full of warmth. His calls were rare due to his demanding schedule, but he always made an effort to check in on me late at night.

I knew he was well-informed about my activities from the school guards, but it still meant a lot when he took time out to call or visit.

“Hey, buddy. What’s going on?” His voice came through the phone, followed by the distant chatter of Mom and Amelia in the background. Amelia, my younger sister, was still in sixth grade.

She was a stubborn kid but had a heart of gold. She was Dad’s little princess, and he would move mountains to fulfill her every wish, much to Mom’s chagrin.

And Gramps was no better. He spoiled her rotten. It was only because of Mom’s firm hand that Amelia remained disciplined.

As she grew older, she developed a fiery temper, just like Dad. Thankfully, it didn’t affect her academic performance.

“Not much. I was reading an astronomy book but dozed off. Your call woke me up,” I said, grinning at his sigh of exasperation.

“You need to sleep, Ace. It’s…” He paused, probably checking the time, then continued, “Two in the morning. Give your brain a break, bud.”

“I’m good, don’t worry,” I reassured him. As we chatted, I noticed a shadow moving under the streetlight on the road below.

At first, I thought it was a security guard or warden on patrol, but then I recognized her. Veronica.

She was strolling back from the entry gate towards her dorm, passing my wing without a care in the world. It was two in the morning, and she was out and about as if there were no consequences if she got caught—or worse.

Despite the CCTV cameras, security guards, and wardens, it wasn’t safe for a girl to be out this late.

I wanted to call out to her, but I held back. It wasn’t my place to tell her what to do.

But still, her audacity baffled me. I watched her from my balcony, her hands tucked into her hoodie pockets, wearing track pants and slippers.

Is she sleepwalking or something?

I dashed inside to grab my glasses. Once I put them on, I could see she was fully aware of her surroundings. She stopped under my wing, looking bored.

What the…

“Dad, I gotta go. I’ll call you back tomorrow, okay?” I hung up before he could respond and shoved my phone into my pocket.

I sprinted out of my dorm room and across the building towards the entry gate. The security guard was fast asleep in his chair, a baton clutched in his hand.

My heart pounded in my chest as I tiptoed past him, breaking the “no going outside at night without permission” rule. I held my breath as I slipped out the gate.

Once I was outside, I let out a sigh of relief and bent over, my knees shaking.

Ace Knights, the rule-abiding student, has finally broken a rule.

I didn’t like breaking rules, but a part of me felt a thrill at the rebellion. I’d never broken a rule before, and the fact that I’d gotten away with it made me feel giddy.

I spotted Veronica where I’d last seen her. She was swaying slightly, looking bored as she stared at her feet.

Now that I was closer, I could see she had earphones in and seemed to be talking to someone. I stayed put, watching her.

For the next fifteen minutes, she stood there, quietly chatting on her phone. Then she turned and started walking back towards her dorm.

Finally!

I turned to head back to my room, but then I glanced back at her retreating figure. I sighed, deciding to follow her until she reached her dorm safely.

I trailed behind her, scowling at my own actions. I felt like a stalker.

Why am I doing this for a girl I barely know? Why do I care if she gets back safely?

Why am I breaking rules and following her in the shadows?

What’s in it for me?

As I followed her, my mind was filled with paranoid thoughts. What if I get caught?

Will they think I’m a stalker? Will they punish a fifteen-year-old kid for following a fifteen-year-old girl late at night?

Despite my fears, I continued to follow her.

We reached her dorm, and I stopped, keeping a safe distance. She skirted the boundary, avoiding the front gate, and effortlessly climbed the ten-foot wall.

“Who is this girl?” I muttered to myself, shocked.

She’d been at the school for only three days, and I’d already seen her fight off Elliot, roam around late at night, and scale walls.

I turned to leave, glancing back occasionally, half-expecting her to jump back over the wall. But she didn’t reappear, much to my relief.

Walking back, I made a mental note not to get involved the next time she pulled a stunt like this.

I would have been better off hitting the books or getting lost in a novel, rather than trailing after a girl like some late-night creep.

Keep your nose clean, Ace. You've only got one more year until graduation. Just one more year.