Just outside the Home Ec classroom, we’re all standing in the hallway ready to cook up some plan. “Okay, any suggestions?” Chris speaks up and we all turn to Max, almost instinctively. (That leader act has really grown on everybody…) She looks around but quickly breaks her silence. “The only option we have is to split up actually.” She suggests and I immediately feel opposed to the plan. “I can’t protect everyone if we split up…” Anette is the first to protest. “I know but if we go slow enough to look out for traps we’ll be able to work faster. With the rate in which rooms shift places our search will keep resetting if we don’t do something.” She explains to us as I gradually see the reasoning behind it. “We’re a total of 6. Which means we could split in 3 groups of 2 people in each one. That way we’ll be able to mark all the rooms in every floor at once.” Max continues and I feel myself nodding before I can even verbally give my consent. “Makes sense. As long as we don’t run around carelessly triggering traps and carefully assess the situation from afar instead, it will work out.” I reply and I can feel that everybody agrees with Max as well. “Well if you all believe that’s the best way to do this, then I’m in.” Sarah gives her consent and Chris nods in unison with her. “There’s no time to waste, so I’m in too.” He verbally agrees and soon everybody is on board. “Now it’s time to work out the pairs. Chris and Sarah, you two worked well together before you joined up with us so I think you’ll be okay…” Max suggests and the two have no objections. “So, for the rest… April goes with Anette and I go with Jack.” She voices immediately after and I’m instantly surprised. I turn to look at Max who looks at me and then at April, before smirking. “If I put you two together you’d be flirting the whole time and the search would come in second, right?” She states and I feel myself agreeing with her. “That’s a good point.” I shrug as April looks at me with raised brows. “We wouldn’t really flirt… but still. It’s okay by me.” She replies while nudging me. “Okay now that the pairs are settled… Anette and April you take the 1st floor along the few rooms on the ground floor. Me and Jack take the 2nd and the Chris-Sarah team takes the 3rd. We’ll meet up in the school building entrance in 2 hours.” Our leader announces and we all nod before setting off in the said pairings.

A few minutes later, I’m walking with Max on the 2nd floor hallway as we open each door and check behind the threshold for any traps. (It feels weird walking in the hallway alone with Max...) I think to myself as our footsteps echo through the empty school grounds. “Oh look, that's the music room!” Max announces excitedly as she opens the door. “Oh you’re right. It’s weird seeing it up here though.” I reply as I throw a crumbled piece of paper inside. We look at it intently, but thankfully nothing happens. “Wanna take a look?” Max suggests and I nod as we both step inside. “Be on the lookout okay?” She warns me as we walk inside and halt our movements as I scan the room with my eyes. It looks exactly like it always did. Even chairs are set up in the usual way, like class is about to start at any moment. All the instruments look like they’re in perfect condition and there’s even a melody written up on the whiteboard. (I could almost relax in here if not for what happened to Chloe...) I think to myself as I cautiously start walking around the room. “No sign of the key here…” I hear Max’s voice from the corner of the room. “Yep, nothing here either.” I reply as I turn back to her. She stares all around the room we’re in, but not like she’s searching for something. It’s more in a nostalgic way, as a small smile plays on her lips. “Everything okay?” I ask as she turns to me, having being cut off from her thoughts. “Oh yeah, I just remembered that group project we did in this classroom together...” She replies as her voice trails off. “Oh yeah, I remember. It wasn’t about music though, was it?” I say as I think back to the past. “Yeah, it was about history actually! We always did our group or pair stuff together. Even in elementary school!” She happily voices but her expression suddenly turns melancholic. “Those days were so fun… I miss them.” She sighs and looks around the room. “We had a lot of fun together back then…” She starts to walk around the room slowly, making a complete circuit before she reaches my side again. “Do you ever think back to those days, Jack?” She asks while looking at me. “Yeah, sometimes.” I say in a soft voice, as my lips form a smile. “I think about them all the time. Especially now.” She replies and I raise my eyebrows. “Really? Why now of all times?” I ask, genuinely curious. “Focusing on good memories helps drive back the horror of our situation. And we have so many good memories… Our lives are in danger, but when I remember things like that group project, it makes me think we’ll be okay after all.” She explains and I’m left speechless for a moment. (Good memories, huh…) Suddenly I’m in the mood to reminisce and before I know I’m already talking. “I still can’t believe we did a musical presentation for a history project!” I say and she nods with a smile. “I know! The other group members didn’t know what to do with us! You were insistent that a musical was a fun way to do our presentation.” She teases me as she hops around holding an imaginary mic. “Me?! Oh no, you were the one saying that we had to sing our information to the class!” I protest with a chuckle. “No it was definitely you!” She argues back folding her arms comically. “Nope! I was just the one that presented the idea to the rest of our group, but only because you asked me to do it!” I explain and she cocks her head to the side. “I did…?” She asks, bringing her index finger to her chin. “Yeah you were afraid that they wouldn’t like it if you took charge of the group. So you made me suggest your idea.” I remember the events of that day as clearly as yesterday. “Wow. I can hardly even imagine feeling like that...” She states while she thinks to herself. (That was a rough time for Max. Not everyone in our class appreciated her, as she always wanted to be involved in everything, and she took it personally more often than not.) I recall those times and the events of the group project more clearly. “But eventually they agreed. Nobody could sing though and the instruments weren’t enough to carry the melody…” I reminisce further while Max nods and joins in. “Yeah but it worked out in the end! We got full points and I think we impressed the teacher too! Although the other group members were kinda annoyed they had to go through all that…” She states and I nod as I remember myself. “I can’t believe I actually sung information about history if I’m being honest…” I cringe while thinking back on that. “…But you know, I think that was the turning point.” I blurt out without filtering out my thoughts. “What do you mean?” Max looks quizzically at me. “That’s when you stopped caring so much about what other people would think if you took charge. And now look at you, you’re a true leader.” I explain the part about her that I actually admire. “Well that’s only thanks to you, you know.” She smiles and I raise a brow. “How the hell does that make any sense?” I reply and she nods enthusiastically. “It’s true. My best friend was back after SOOO many years! I thought “why should I care about what they say?” when I realized that you would always have my back.” She explains and I instinctively chuckle. “Oh really? Even when I was acting like an asshole?” I ask and she instantly elbows me in the ribs. “Ow! What was that for!?” I cry out holding my sides. “That was for saying something dumb!” She waves her finger at me. “You did act kinda weird sometimes, but you never were an asshole. I knew that from the start. And I always knew you’d be there for me when I needed you.” She flashes me a smile and I immediately smile in return. “That’s why I stuck with you. And I’m happy that you’re slowly turning into the real Jack. Although I’m kinda jealous I wasn’t the one who ensued the change in the end.” She explains, giving me a sincere and happy smile. “You might not be the one who gave me that push, but without you I wouldn’t be who I am today, Max.” I can only reply as sincerely as possible in return. “Thanks for sticking with me, partner.” I say with a soft tone as I give her the biggest and warmest smile I can muster. She chuckles and grins at me in return. “Oh, aren’t you the flatterer!” She teases me while wearing her usual cheeky smirk. “…Also, do you remember 2 days ago when you tried to smile at me and I told you it was creepy?” She asks me and I think back to the event. “Uhm… yeah.” I hesitantly reply. “You’ve gotten better at it. Good job!” She states while lightly punching my shoulder and I raise my brows in surprise. (I’ve gotten better at smiling?) “…Really?” I ask and she nods solemnly. A silence feels the room, but instead of being awkward, it feels… peaceful. We look around at this nostalgic scene that could have been pulled straight from our happy memories. “Oh, one more thing!” Max jumps up after remembering something and walks closer to the whiteboard. She looks at it, then sits down at the piano in front of her and plays a short melody. After a few seconds, I realize she’s playing the notes written on the board. Unfortunately though, nothing happens. “Oh well, it was worth a try at least.” She says while getting up. “You thought that would have shown us the key? No trap, no monster?” I ask and she elbows me lightly. “Maybe! If I didn’t try I would have been thinking about it for the rest of the day.” She explains and I nod in understanding. “Fair enough. At least, we can cross off the music room on your map, right?” I state, while trying to look on the bright side and Max nods.