Blog 7: Dialogue

      Callissa peeked around the corner, exhaling a sigh of relief as another corridor lay empty before her. Hope fluttered in her heart knowing that soon she would find the solace of the open skies.

     "Where do you think you're heading off to?" a familiar voice from a shadowy enclave asked. Callissa jumped and felt her heart drop before recognizing who it was. Wesley stepped out of the shadows, a smug smirk plastered on his face. "You have more of a rebellious streak than I thought. don't think you can top mine though," Wes said as Callissa felt the heat of embarrassment on her face.

     "Hey, you're out of bed as well, so don't act like you're catching me when you're probably up to even worse than I am," she huffed. 

     "You didn't answer my question."

     "It's none of your business."

     "C'mon Markroft," he said, calling her by her surname, "I know I can be a pain in the back, but we're pals, aren't we? Grumbling about Professors and standing up to all the bullies, and now I come to find out we both like to sneak around at night. We should start a secret club at this point, I know plenty of hidden passages in the school where we can meet up."

     "No thanks, Wesley, I'm fine," she said, dragging a hand down the side of her face. "How about I'll tell you what I'm doing if you promise not to speak about this to anyone, ever."

     Wesley clutched his chest as if he had been wounded. "You think I'm a rat? I would never stoop that low. Of course I'm not going to blabber to the disciplinary office," he said.

     Callissa couldn't help rolling her eyes, but she also slipped in a smirk. "Okay, I get your point, thank you. I was hoping to find a way outside to get some fresh air on the grounds," she muttered, shuffling her feet.

     "Well, if you're trying the main entrance, that's a one way ticket to 'disciplinary action'. Or as I like to call it: Professors getting away with torturing us under the guise of 'teaching them a lesson'," he said, sauntering a few steps closer, "You're sure to get caught, they always have watchers posted. Now, if you want to find a great way to get out of here, you happen to have found the right man for the task."

     Callissa hesitated, did she really want to let this scoundrel lead her off through hidden passageways in hopes of taking a brief escape? 

      "I'm not sur about this, Wesley."

     "Cal, you can trust me. I can even drag you back to the dormitory hall when it starts to get closer to dawn," he assured her.

     "What's in it for you?"

     He sighed, tugging on the rolled-up sleeves of his shirt, which happened to be a part of his normal school uniform, "I know this place has been cutthroat, but all this pestering I've been doing is to show you that you're my friend now. In case you've been wondering, I've had a bit of an easier time finding enemies here, so it's nice to have someone around who's a little like-minded, even if she gets all annoyed when I get cocky,

     "So, maybe I just want to have the chance to help my friend, and teach her the right way to get into trouble here," he said, grinning in a way that was both mischievous and genuine.

    "I think that would be nice- the whole friend thing, not really getting into trouble," Callissa said.

     "Cal, one thing you learn is that when you're friends with me, you'll start to love the thrill of doing things to bend the rules, especially in this corrupt place."

     "We'll see. Now, do you really know a hidden passage out of here?"

     "You can bet on it," he said, motioning her to follow, "And Markroft?"

     "What?"

     "My friends call me Wes."