Be Friends (1)

Oxy went back to her world before midnight. She was still confused after returning from Cerebra.

It was not only news about Mr. Dome being arrested by the police without explanation, Helio who didn't return to Cerebra, and Mr. Dome's warning of the dangers of brain fog in the future. Everything was chaotic for her.

Oxy put her head back on the pillow. She looked up at the ceiling with her brain processing.

If she sleeps, she will return to Cerebra. What's the point of going back there if Helio and Mr. Dome aren't there. Also, the brain fog had been resolved.

But what if brain fog starts again?

Did she have to be in Cerebra to do Helio's job as a gatekeeper?

Unfortunately, Oxy did not believe she could do that alone.

"What should I do?" She muttered, frustrated. Maybe she just take the green pill so she could fall asleep.

Oxy remembered Mr. Dome's request for her to take the flash drive that was in the principal's office. The principal said that the flash drive was very important and related to Cerebra. There was any information inside that thing that she might need to know.

She glanced at the clock on the wall, she couldn't go to school at midnight. She didn't want to get into trouble on the first day after the brain fog closed their city for a week.

"I'll find it tomorrow morning," she said to herself as if to convince her to stay calm.

Oxy took the white bottle given by Mr. Dome. This was the only way not to enter Cerebra, so she took out a green pill and swallowed it.

She'd better sleep tonight. Let's think about those matters tomorrow.

--

Oxy planned to school early this morning. Even Darren's room looked still dark, which indicated the boy was still not awake.

Grace came out of her room, quite surprised to see Oxy looked so ready in the kitchen.

"Oxy, what time is it?" asked Grace in surprise.

Oxy smiled, she had just finished making her breakfast and then put it in the lunch box.

"I want to exercise first before going to school, Ma," Oxy reasoned. "I'll eat my breakfast at school."

Grace shook her head at Oxy's unpredictable behavior.

"Fine, do as you please. But please don't make any trouble."

"I'm a good kid, Ma," Oxy said.

"Oh yes, of course. You are a good kid, Oxy."

Grace embraced her tightly. Grace was very easily moved by the little things.

"Oxy. I'm so glad you became a member of our family. You will always be my daughter." Said Grace.

Oxy smiled happily after hearing that. She could feel how sincere Grace's love for her was. She was lucky that Grace was her adoptive mother.

"And now that you're sixteen, time was unfair to change my little daughter!" Grace patted Oxy's cheeks in disbelief.

Oxy just laughed.

"Well, be careful, hon."

Oxy nodded. "Have a nice day, Ma."

"You too, honey."

Oxy walked out of the house. She paused for taking a breath of morning fresh air. She glanced back at the house. She could hear someone turn on music inside. Darren might have been awake and playing his noisy playlist.

Oxy started walking towards school as fast as she could.

She easily passed the sleepy school guard by using her teleportation. Suddenly she was already in the schoolyard. She jogged a little up the terrace steps, then entered the building which was still very empty and also quiet. The emptiness of the building reminded Oxy of Riverwaze High School in Cerebra.

Until now Oxy still could not understand why Riverwaze High School in Cerebra and this world look the same.

Oxy immediately headed to the principal's office. She didn't have to knock because there was no one inside.

ZAP!

Once again she used her ability. Instantly in a weird way, of course, she was already inside the principal's office.

For a moment Oxy just looked around in confusion.

"Okay, flash drive, maybe it's in the computer," Oxy immediately approached the computer. But she did not find a single flash drive around the desk. She opened the drawers and checked everywhere. She didn't like doing this. But Mr. Dome had permitted her to enter the office, right?

Oxy had to find the flash drive as soon as possible before the class started.

Had the flash drive been taken by someone? Maybe it was true that many people had bad intentions around the principal.

If so, then Oxy had failed. What should she tell to Mr. Dome if she had failed?

The phenomenon of Brain Fog had stopped. Bill and the scientists were very sure that they had found a cure. So maybe she no needs to deal with Cerebra and another dimension anymore.

That meant, she no longer needed to go to Cerebra. Maybe the gate would stay closed even though Helio wasn't living there. How about Urons? Don't know what the monsters would do. Though Oxy had that crazy idea to get rid of the Urons. But she could not do that alone, right? And the monster would not go outside if the gate was still closed right?

Maybe it's time to stop.

Already gave up?

Oxy glanced at her watch, ten minutes again the class started and she still hadn't found Mr. Dome's flash drive. Where did the old man put it? Why not tell her in detail where it was?

Oxy sat on the sofa. She sighed as she looked around. She glanced at her watch again, uneasy. Time goes on, but she has not found the flash drive.

Suddenly Oxy's attention was drawn to the sofa she was sitting on. At first, she hesitated but finally, she decided to check each side of the edge of the sofa seat. And Yup! She found something!

Oxy took the object that was tucked inside the edge of the seat.

"Seriously," said Oxy when she managed to take the flash drive. "Who will think this thing put in here," she complained and immediately hid the flash drive inside her pocket. She stood just as the office doorknob moved.

She quickly hid behind the sofa when the door opened.

Who was that? Mr. Dome?

Oxy peeked from the edge of the sofa. The man who entered the room was not a tall man with pale skin and a long coat she knew. He was not Mr. Dome. Oxy waited until the person's appearance was visible in her eyes.

She frowned in surprise.

That person was Mr. Dallas. The man in his mid-thirties crept toward the principal's desk, then seemed to be looking around.

What was Mr. Dallas looking for?

Did he want to find the flash drive too?

Oxy glanced at the door. It seemed she had no chance of reaching the door unnoticed by the teacher. And of course, she didn't need a door to escape from here.

ZAP!

Oxy straightened her uniform after teleporting. She glanced at the door of the principal's office, still curious why Mr. Dallas sneak inside the office. Was Mr. Dallas one of the bad people Mr. Dome said?

Honestly, Oxy was still confused about her situation. Nor could she trust Mr. Dome and Helio. They just knew not that long. Around a week right?

The bell rang. She rushed to the corner. She moved too fast and didn't expect anyone would come toward her.

Brugh!

They collided, Oxy falling backward and the flash drive fell from her uniform pocket.

"Are you okay?" the other person still stood up in front of her.

She looked up, more surprised.

Argen was looking worriedly. The boy gave his hand to her.

Oxy became nervous, doubting whether she would be able to accept the boy's hand in helping her.

Oxy picked up the flash drive, then immediately stood up without accepting Argen's hand.

"Sorry," said Argen, taking back his hand, knowing Oxy didn't take his help. "I didn't expect someone would walk toward me from there."

Oxy gasped. That was true. The only office in this direction was the principal's office. There was no reason for students to be in this corridor unless called by the principal.

"Do you want to meet Mr. Dome?" asked Argen. "Unfortunately he still hasn't back. And no one knows what's going on with him yet."

Oxy nodded nervously. "Yeah," she said. "I just stopped by, but immediately remembered that he wasn't there."

Argen nodded. "I hope he will be back."

Oxy nodded in agreement. Then she heard the door open behind her. It might be the principal's door. Mr. Dallas was going out.

Reflex, she pulled Argen's hand.

"What...?"

Oxy immediately put her finger to her lips, a sign for Argen to not make a sound. She opened the door that she could find in that corridor, then went inside pulling Argen along with her.

Oxy didn't understand what she did, but she didn't want Mr. Dallas to see her in here. Also, she couldn't do her ability in front of Argen.[]