Slam Ducklings

Scene – T

s of La Rose Académie d'Hiver. A black SUV

His new uniform felt like a costume. The Alpine sil

ts ivy-choked stone and stained-glass

another school," he muttered. "Ex

the door open, and the glac

Designer coats, polished boots, posh accents. They laughed

vy duffel bag. It was his ghost, the onl

arshi

n anomaly here. He lifted his chin and strode toward the m

Diaz – Debate Q

chocolate. Petite, with warm skin and dark curls under a white beret, she lo

reak another rule. Yet," she whis

and dragging his duffel,

arly, splashing across her cr

jumping back. The stain bloo

oot. I am so sorry,

, taking in the nervousness, the new uniform, the old bag. "What are you, blind or just

rippled from the

i's panic into a spark. A faint d

eakfast, your majesty," he retorted, h

, thrown o

for your scholarship requirement," she sh

s eyes, the color of ric

spar

– The Hal

ll of Honour, a cavernous room lit by chandelie

a severe woman in a granite-s

race, intellect, and-

from the back. He found Sofia instantly. She sat two rows ahead, a p

Their eyes locked. She held his gaz

ough Dami. It was

is nervousness replaced b

– Basketbal

He played like a storm-raw, athletic grace from Lagos playgrounds

h a jaw of granite, wat

like you've got s

pinning on his fingerti

fia was in her element. She annihilated a

ssumption that emotion equates to ethics. If your argument were a ship, Mr. Dubois, it wou

aughter. She offered a

overlooking the sports complex. She saw Dami on the court, his back mu

udged her. "He's... d

ned. "He's cocky. And a

re smilin

fted back down. She watched Dami sink a beautiful, effo

– The Cafete

their prime table. Dami walked in, tray in hand. Every tab

of provocatio

ork, laden with a micro-salad, froze mid-a

her voice low and smooth. "Sitting h

throne room, Diaz," he count

a mask of cool annoyance. "I

bite. "Then consider this an act of rebellion. Maybe

hem. He noticed her lips, the way she bit the bottom one

aking the moment. Laughter

spite herself, felt a twitch

was esc

he First Class:

nto the back row. Dr. Elms, the eccentr

deyemi? Up front

fia, who was already leaning back, a l

into a discussio

ughts on the impact

litically, it created an unsustainable empire that collapsed under its

ed, impressed. S

centric analysis. Adeyemi, you're from Nigeria. Te

. Dami gripped his pe

, "but it sanitizes the human cost. Calling it 'reallocation' is polite, Europe

directly

the act of violence itself. The impact on the Crown was a fluctuating stock market. The imp

om was

ft thud. She looked at him, not with a

her voice a whisper. "Rhetorically powerful. Emoti

ot just a scholarship kid. I'm

– The Gos

The Roche Chronicle, posted its

NDAL: CHOCOLATE-C

messy-first meeting. Witnesses say it was a war of words. He later sealed his fate by sitt

silk-quilted duvet, rea

g to be talking ab

ory class-the gravity he'd used.

sparse room, Dami read

watch," he

l, blanketing the

e – The Whisp

ornate stone balcony. The air wa

k cloak, leaned against the balustr

pping close enough for her

out here,

er breath frosting. "Wh

flashing. He gave her a quick, arroga

ind whipping around her, her heart cau

had only