Bonus Chapter: Naomi's Surprise
A gentle coolness permeated the February air, whispering through the extensive grounds of Blackridge Academy, where students ambled between their various classes. For several weeks now, a palpable tension had been subtly influencing the thoughts and actions of Jordan, Amara, and Naomi. This underlying stress stemmed from a confluence of significant events: the imminent elite hand over ceremony, scheduled for the Monday of the following week; the pressure of the approaching midterms, looming large in their academic schedules; and the clandestine investigations they were undertaking, driven by a shared urgency to unravel the mysteries unfolding around them and ascertain the true nature of the perplexing occurrences at their esteemed institution.
But today, Jordan's mind was occupied by something else entirely.
"Wait. Naomi's birthday is this Saturday?" Jordan muttered, staring at his phone screen with wide eyes like it had just told him the apocalypse was scheduled for the weekend.
"Uh, yeah?" Amara said, raising an eyebrow as she leaned against her locker, twirling a pen between her fingers like a dagger. "You just figured that out?"
Jordan looked up, still processing. "Did you know?"
Amara scoffed. "Of course. I'm observant like that."
Jordan squinted. "You hacked the student records, didn't you?"
Amara smirked. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just a good friend who pays attention."
"Lies," Jordan muttered, slamming his locker shut. "Whatever. The real question is—does Naomi even celebrate her birthday?"
Amara sighed and rolled her eyes. "You know her. She's all, 'It's just another day' and 'I have more important things to worry about,' like she's a forty-year-old samurai with taxes to file."
"Yeah, well, screw that," Jordan said, crossing his arms. "She deserves something fun for once. I mean, girl spends more time brooding than actually living."
Amara grinned, a spark of mischief lighting up her eyes. "Glad you said that, 'cause I was already thinking of throwing her a little surprise."
Jordan blinked. "Wait, you planned something? You, Amara Evans, who thinks planning is a form of government control?"
"First of all, rude. Second, it's less of a plan and more of an... improvised masterpiece," she said with a mock bow.
Jordan raised an eyebrow. "Okay, let's hear it."
Amara leaned in, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "We ditch school—"
"Off to a great start," Jordan deadpanned.
"—and take Naomi out for a day she won't forget. Arcade, food, maybe even a sunset view at that cliffside behind NYC. The usual rebellious-yet-touching friendship stuff."
Jordan paused. As chaotic as Amara's ideas usually were, this one... wasn't bad. Naomi rarely did anything for herself, cause of her whole 'duty before self' aesthetic. A day off might actually do her some good.
"I'm in," he said. "But how do we get her to agree without her flipping into full 'mission mode' and dragging us back by our ears?"
Amara's grin widened. "Leave that to me."
The Day of the Surprise
Naomi had a suspicion something was up.
Jordan and Amara were acting… weird. Jordan kept looking at her like he was hiding a birthday cake behind his back, and Amara—well, Amara was being extra Amara, which usually meant chaos was imminent.
"You two are up to something," Naomi finally said as they walked out of their last class. Her tone was calm, but her eyes were sharp.
Amara threw an arm around her shoulder. "Naomi, Naomi, Naomi. Why so suspicious, huh? Can't a girl just enjoy the company of her favorite samurai-in-training?"
"Im a Shrine Mistress in training and No, Because it's you," Naomi said flatly.
Jordan chuckled. "Okay, fair. But we actually have something planned for you."
Naomi sighed, long and dramatic. "Is this about my birthday?"
Amara gasped like she'd been shot. "She knows!"
Naomi raised an eyebrow. "I don't want a party."
Jordan held up his hands, surrender-style. "Good, 'cause it's not a party. No balloons. No confetti. No clowns—unless Amara counts."
Amara shoved him lightly. "Watch yourself, Carter."
"Just... trust us, okay?" Jordan said, eyes sincere behind his sarcasm.
Naomi hesitated, her expression unreadable. Then, with a sigh, she nodded. "Fine. What's the plan?"
The Escape & Naomi's Best Day Off
Getting out of Blackridge was surprisingly easy when you had Amara's phasing, Jordan's energy constructs, and Naomi's teleportation ability—though limited to once a month unless she wanted to pass out for three hours.
They slipped past campus security like pros. Even with Mr. Bond on high alert to catch Jordan lacking and get him expelled. One of the hallway cameras briefly showed a static screen while Jordan manipulated the energy field. Amara phased through the back gate like a ghost. Naomi, with one touch on their shoulders, teleported them into town—leaving a slight scent of burnt ozone in the air.
"Okay, teleporting? Still not over how cool that is," Jordan said as they landed in an alleyway.
"Your used to that? Ugh, I feel like I left my stomach behind," Amara groaned, steadying herself. "Next time I'm walking."
"No you're not," Naomi said dryly, dusting off her modern kimono style dress. "You'd rather walk through a wall than use your legs."
"Facts," Amara replied.
Their first stop? The arcade.
Naomi was hesitant, arms crossed as she scanned the neon-lit room filled with teenagers yelling over games and prize machines.
"I don't think I belong here," she said. "This is chaos."
Jordan grinned. "Perfect. You'll fit right in."
He challenged her to a fighting game street fighter 5 to be exact—one she'd never played before. Or so she claimed.
Naomi picked Menat one of the quietest, most unassuming characters in the game and then proceeded to decimate him. Flawless victory after flawless victory.
"I let you win," Jordan grumbled after the fifth loss, dropping his controller like it had betrayed him.
"Right," Naomi said, smirking as she collected her prize tickets. "Clearly."
Amara cackled so hard she had to sit down. "Damn, Jordan, you got humbled like a freshman in sparring class."
"You all enjoy my suffering too much," Jordan muttered.
"You make it easy," Naomi replied, hiding a smile.
Next, they grabbed food—Naomi's pick. She chose a small ramen shop tucked away in a quiet alley near the edge of town. The kind of place you had to know existed to even find it.
To their surprise, the elderly owner looked up and immediately lit up.
"Naomi-chan!" he said warmly, bowing from behind the counter. "It's been a long time."
Naomi bowed back. "Yes, it has. Your ramen is still the best in town."
Jordan and Amara exchanged wide-eyed glances.
"Since when does Naomi have a secret ramen spot?" Jordan whispered.
"She's been holding out on us," Amara replied, mock-offended.
They ate in a cozy booth near the window. The broth was rich, the noodles perfect. Naomi was unusually talkative, even laughing at one of Jordan's terrible puns about "ramen-tic dinners."
Jordan nearly choked on his drink when she laughed.
"Was that... an actual laugh?" he asked, pretending to look around for a sign of the apocalypse.
Naomi rolled her eyes, but there was a warmth in them. "Don't get used to it."
After lunch, they wandered through town, popping into random stores, trying on ridiculous hats, and arguing over which candy was superior.
Amara, of course, declared war on Jordan over sour gummies vs. chocolate.
"Chocolate is boring," she said, holding up a bag of neon worms like a trophy.
"Sour gummies are punishment disguised as candy," Jordan retorted.
Naomi stood between them, arms crossed. "You're both wrong. Matcha candy is the superior choice."
They both groaned in unison.
Finally, as the sun began to set, Amara led them to the final stop—the palisade cliffside on the west side if the Hudson river, overlooking the city.
They climbed the hill in silence. The horizon stretched out before them, the sky painted in streaks of gold and orange.
"This view never gets old," Amara said, stretching her arms behind her head.
Naomi was quiet, standing at the edge of the cliff, the wind gently brushing strands of hair across her face.
Jordan walked up beside her and tossed a rock into the air before letting it fall. "You okay?"
Naomi nodded slowly. "I… didn't think I needed this. But I did."
"Damn right you did," Amara said, dropping into the grass and leaning back on her elbows. "You walk around like a one-woman SWAT team most days. Chill out for once."
Naomi looked down, her voice soft. "I guess I forgot what that felt like."
Jordan gave her a small nudge with his shoulder. "Well, now you remember. And next year, we're doing this again. Bigger. Better. Maybe with fireworks. Maybe with a petting zoo. I'm thinking giraffes."
Naomi actually smiled. "You're ridiculous."
"And you love it," he shot back.
Amara kicked her feet up. "Welcome to Team Chaos, birthday girl. No refunds, no exchanges."
Naomi sat down next to them, letting herself relax completely for the first time in weeks.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "Both of you. I mean it."
Jordan smirked. "Anytime. Just don't expect me to let you win at the arcade next time."
Naomi chuckled, leaning back against the grass. "We'll see."
And for the first time in a long while, everything felt right.