บท 2: Chap 2: Mysterious Alliance

Thomas raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'off?'" He knew he couldn't get much out of his father when he was in his work mode, but he couldn't help but feel curious.

Mr. Thompson rubbed his chin, seemingly deep in thought. "Well, for one, the security measures at the school are a joke. It's practically an open invitation for trouble. And the students and faculty members, they all seem oddly tight-lipped about everything."

Thomas furrowed his brow. He couldn't imagine why the school would have such lax security measures."It's frustrating," Mr. Thompson continued. He stood up, his brow furrowed, and started pacing around the living room. "I can't shake the feeling that the administration is hiding something.

"Thomas nodded, understanding his father's frustration. He knew his father was a dedicated and thorough detective, always looking for the truth. If his instincts were telling him something was off, it probably meant there was something to look into.

Thomas glanced at his watch and his eyes widened. "Crap, I'm getting late," He said, realizing he had to get to Victoria's for the project. He rushed out of the room to grab his bag.

He could hear his father calling out after him but didn't have time to stop and explain. He was already late for meeting up with Victoria for the project. He quickly grabbed his bag and hurried out the door.

As he walked down the street, the sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow over everything. Thomas couldn't help but feel a mix of curiosity and apprehension about going to Victoria's house. They had only just met, but there was something about her that intrigued him.

As he continued walking, Thomas's mind began to ponder the upcoming project encounter with Victoria. Would she even take the assignment seriously? Or would it just be another instance of her carefree behavior? She seemed unpredictable, and that made him a combination of annoyed and fascinated.

He couldn't deny however that there was a tiny bit of anticipation mixed in with his apprehensiveness. As much as he wanted to remain focused and objective, a part of him couldn't shake off the intrigue he had about her.

Thomas reached Victoria's home, his hands slightly clammy, as he stood at the front door. He took a deep breath to compose himself and reminded himself to stay focused. He wasn't here for anything else, just the project.

He pushed the thoughts of her carefree attitude to the back of his mind, replaced it with a calm determination. He quickly composed himself and knocked on the front door.There was a moment of silence, and Thomas waited for someone to answer the door. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, feeling a strange mix of anticipation and uncertainty in his stomach.

The door swung open, revealing Victoria, her hair tied up in a messy bun and wearing casual attire of shorts and a hoodie, glasses perched on her nose. She regarded him with a slight smirk, almost as if knowing he wasn't expecting her to greet him in such a casual manner.

She leaned against the door, looking him up and down. There was a hint of amusement in her eyes as she said, "You're late," her tone lacking any sincerity or apology. Her attitude immediately set off Thomas's annoyed side, reminding him of her carefree nature.

He clenched his jaw, trying to hold back an irritated retort. He glanced at his watch, noting that he was only a few minutes late. This wasn't the impression he wanted to make, but he couldn't deny that she had a knack for pushing his buttons.

"I was only a few minutes late," Thomas said coolly, not wanting to let her get a rise out of him. He glanced over her casual attire, somewhat taken aback by how relaxed she looked. "Can we get to work now?"

Victoria smirked, seemingly unbothered by his tone and focused more on his expression when he took in her casual attire. She tilted her head, still leaning against the doorway. "Sure, but what's wrong? You look a little off-balance there Thomas," she teased, her eyes glinting slyly.

Thomas tried to maintain his composure but couldn't hide his slight annoyance at her lackadaisical attitude. "Can you just take this seriously for once? Our assignment is important," he said, trying to maintain his calm demeanor. But the way she was leaning there, with that smirk on her face, made it hard for him to suppress the feeling that she was enjoying pushing his buttons.