Chapter 2 A WAY OUT

The faint thud echoed again, this time closer, making Alex's pulse quicken. He hesitated, torn between staying put as Mia had instructed and following her into the dimly lit rows of bookshelves.

He heard her footsteps shuffling ahead, the beam of her phone's flashlight cutting through the darkness. "Mia," he called softly, trying to keep his voice steady. "Did you see anything?"

"No," she replied sharply from somewhere deeper in the library. "Stay where you are, Alex. Don't make this harder than it already is."

Alex sighed, leaning against the table as he ran a hand through his hair. Her rejection still stung, but the tension of their strange situation kept him from dwelling on it for too long.

A moment later, Mia's voice rang out again, but this time it wasn't directed at him.

"Hey!" she shouted. "There's someone outside."

Alex jumped to his feet, hurrying toward her voice. He found Mia standing by one of the large glass windows that lined the library's east wall. She was staring out into the courtyard, her phone pressed against the glass as its flashlight illuminated the space beyond.

Sure enough, there was a figure moving near the school gate. A flashlight in the person's hand bobbed up and down as they walked, casting fleeting shadows.

"It's the night guard," Mia said, her tone clipped but relieved.

Alex stepped closer, peering over her shoulder. "You think he'll hear us if we yell?"

"Doubt it," Mia muttered. She lowered her phone, glancing around the library until her eyes landed on a stack of books nearby. She grabbed one and walked briskly back to the window.

"Whoa, wait," Alex said, alarmed. "What are you doing?"

"Getting his attention," Mia replied flatly. Before Alex could protest, she tapped the book against the glass, creating a loud thud, thud, thud.

The guard paused mid-step, his flashlight swinging toward the library.

"It's working!" Alex exclaimed, his voice tinged with excitement.

Mia didn't respond. Instead, she waved her flashlight through the window in deliberate, sweeping motions. The guard hesitated, then began walking toward the building.

"He sees us," she said, her tone neutral.

They both watched as the guard approached the library door. It took a few agonizing minutes before he finally reached it. From inside, they could hear the jingling of keys as he unlocked the heavy door.

When the door creaked open, the guard stepped inside, his brows furrowed in confusion. "What on earth are you kids doing in here?" he asked, his gruff voice echoing in the now-open space.

"We fell asleep," Mia explained curtly, lowering her flashlight. "And you locked the door without checking."

The guard frowned, clearly unimpressed. "Library's supposed to close at 5 PM. What were you still doing in here?"

Mia crossed her arms, her expression hardening. "Studying. Isn't that what a library is for?"

The guard's frown deepened, but he didn't argue. He turned to Alex, who shifted awkwardly under the man's gaze.

"Same story for you?" the guard asked.

"Y-yeah," Alex stammered.

The guard shook his head, muttering something under his breath before stepping aside to let them through. "Go on. And next time, try not to fall asleep in places you're not supposed to be."

Mia didn't wait for further instruction. She strode out of the library, her posture rigid, leaving Alex to follow her.

As they walked across the dimly lit courtyard, Alex tried to fill the silence. "Well... that was lucky. I thought we'd be stuck in there all night."

Mia didn't respond, her focus fixed straight ahead.

"Uh, Mia?" he tried again. "Thanks for getting his attention. You handled that pretty well."

Finally, she glanced at him, her expression unreadable. "It wasn't luck. It was common sense."

Alex opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off. "And don't think this changes anything, Alex. What you said earlier... just forget it."

Her words stung, but Alex managed a weak smile. "Got it," he said softly.

They walked in silence after that, the tension between them heavier than before.

As they reached the main gate, the guard waved them off, still grumbling about students who couldn't follow the rules. Mia didn't even glance back as she disappeared into the night, leaving Alex standing alone, watching her retreating figure.

He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I don't think I'll be forgetting it anytime soon," he muttered under his breath before turning to head home..