As they finished unloading the last of the crates into the kitchen storage room, Kevin wiped the sweat from his brow.

“That should be the last one, right?” he asked, turning to Diane, who nodded in confirmation.

Before anyone could relax, the sharp sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway, like someone in heels briskly approaching.

The cadence quickened, and a young woman’s voice cut through the air, sounding both annoyed and furious.

“Why is the kitchen storage room door wide open? Did Kevin leave it like that again? What if the rats get in and ruin the ingredients—ugh, that idiot always does something stupid!”

Mark glanced at Kevin, who suddenly looked like he was sweating bullets.

Kevin stood frozen, scanning for somewhere to hide as the footsteps neared. Tension hung thick in the air.

A figure appeared at the doorway—a young woman with titian hair styled in a broad French braid, dressed in a burgundy-and-yellow school jacket over a cream-colored shirt and a blue skirt.

She stood tall, her presence radiating authority as her sharp brown eyes scanned the room, locking onto Kevin first.

“What’s going on here?” she demanded, her voice icy. “Kevin, weren’t you supposed to take out the garbage? And why are there strangers in the storage room? Do you want the cafeteria infested with rats because of your negligence?”

Kevin, practically shrinking behind Mark, stammered, “Uh… I already took the garbage out, Annie. And, um, this is Ms. Diane—you know, the one who delivers the vegetables and milk.”

Annie raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Yes, I can see that’s Ms. Diane,” she said with a sharp edge to her voice. “But who is he?” she asked, focusing her gaze on Mark. “And wasn’t the delivery supposed to be in the afternoon? Why are you all here now?”

Kevin fidgeted under her piercing stare, his trembling hands betraying his nerves. Diane, sensing Kevin was about to unravel completely, quickly stepped in to defuse the situation.

“Actually, it’s kind of my fault,” Diane explained with a calm smile. “I had to make the delivery earlier than planned, but I did inform Mrs. Smith about it last night. She gave me the green light. However, it seems like the message didn’t get passed along. We ran into Kevin outside, and after he finished taking out the trash, he kindly offered to help us with the crates. So, don’t be too hard on him.”

Annie’s eyes narrowed on Kevin. Her lips pressed into a tight line, clearly displeased, but she held back from immediately reprimanding him. She crossed her arms. “Fine,” she said at last, though her tone didn’t soften. “But Kevin, make sure the door isn’t left wide open. Next time, we might not be so lucky.”

Kevin nodded vigorously, relieved. “Yeah, yeah, I got it! Won’t happen again, I promise.”

Just when it seemed like the situation was cooling down, Annie’s gaze sharpened. “Wait a second, Kevin, where did you get the keys to the storage room?”

Kevin froze, his expression shifting to sheer panic. “Uh… from Mr. Glenn’s office,” he answered quickly, “I needed to open the storage room for them to store the crates.”

Annie’s frown deepened. “I didn’t see Mr. Glenn today. When did you get his permission?”

Kevin’s face drained of color as he nervously fumbled with his words. “Um... well, he wasn’t in his office, so I... I just took the keys to open the door. I-I was going to return them right after!”

Annie’s eyes widened in disbelief. “So, let me get this straight,” she said, her tone dangerously calm. “You didn’t get his permission to borrow the keys?”

Kevin gulped, panic flooding his features. “I’m so sorry, Annie! Please don’t report me to Mrs. Smith! I didn’t mean to... I just— I thought it’d be okay since we needed the storage open for the delivery. Please, don’t tell her!” He practically begged, looking like a man on the verge of collapse.

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Annie stared at him for a long moment, her face impassive. She knew Kevin’s situation—he was a working scholar, constantly balancing his duties with his studies. The principal valued strict discipline, but Annie was aware of how difficult Kevin's life already was. After what felt like an eternity, she sighed deeply, but her voice remained stern.

“Fine,” she said, though her tone was clipped. “But this is the last time, Kevin. Don’t make things harder for me by breaking the rules, okay? If you can’t find Mr. Glenn next time, come to me. Don’t just take matters into your own hands.”

Kevin immediately straightened up like a soldier at attention. “Yes, ma’am!” he replied, clearly relieved but too terrified to show it.

Annie studied him for a moment, her gaze softening ever so slightly. “I get that you’ve got a lot on your plate,” she said, her voice quieter now, “but don’t make it more difficult for the both of us by acting out of line, okay?”

Kevin nodded fervently, grateful beyond words. “Thank you, Annie,” he mumbled, sincerity dripping from his voice.

Annie rolled her eyes but didn’t comment further, turning her attention to Diane and Mark. “You two need to leave now. We need to lock the room, and the delivery’s already done.”

Diane, unfazed, smiled warmly. “Okay,” she agreed. Annie, meanwhile, side-eyed Kevin as she added, “After you lock the door, give me the key. And remember, Kevin... last chance.”

Kevin nodded vigorously, visibly shaken but relieved. “Yes, ma’am,” he repeated, his voice a little shakier this time.

The trio followed Annie as she led them out of the storage room. Kevin, looking miserable, dragged his feet behind, his face clouded with dread. He muttered under his breath, “Sorry, guys. I can’t see you off—I’ve got to help Annie now.” His shoulders slumped in defeat as though the weight of the entire kitchen had landed on him.

Mark, noticing the despair etched on Kevin’s face, gave him a sympathetic smile and tapped his shoulder. “Good luck, buddy,” he said, his voice both encouraging and teasing, as if trying to lift the gloomy mood.

Kevin, already on the verge of tears, looked up at Mark, gratitude shimmering in his eyes. “Thanks, man... I needed that.”

Diane, observing their dramatic exchange with amusement, snorted lightly. “Oh, come on, it’s not like Annie’s gonna chew your head off,” she remarked, waving her hand dismissively.

Mark and Kevin turned to her, their faces scrunched with doubt, as if she had just said something utterly impossible. It was a synchronized expression of disbelief.

Diane, feeling their eyes bore into her, blinked in confusion. “I mean, didn’t Annie forgive you earlier?” she stammered, backpedaling slightly. “You’ll probably be fine.”

The two boys sighed in perfect harmony, a theatrical display of hopelessness. “You don’t know nothing at all,” they muttered in unison, their voices low and filled with exaggerated despair.

Kevin, more than anyone, knew this truth. He had tangled with Annie before, and each time, he felt like a helpless mouse caught under the paw of a lioness.

Mark, on the other hand, was reminded of someone from his past—a woman just as strict, with no patience for slip-ups. The way Annie carried herself, the tone in her voice, it was all too familiar.

Her no-nonsense attitude stirred up memories he hadn’t revisited in years, making him feel a strange sense of déjà vu.

Diane, half-amused and half-exasperated by their theatrics, rolled her eyes. “Men are so dramatic,” she muttered, shaking her head.

Her tone was light, but there was a fondness beneath the teasing. “We know the way out, Kevin. No need to worry about escorting us.”

She glanced down the hall just in time to spot Annie standing at the corner, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. The look on her face screamed, Kevin’s in deep trouble.

“Besides,” Diane added, raising an eyebrow, “it looks like Annie’s mad at you now.”

Both Mark and Kevin snapped their heads toward Annie, the realization dawning on Kevin was like a bolt of lightning.

“Oh shit,” Kevin cursed under his breath, his face paling in an instant. Without another word, he shot forward as if his life depended on it.

“See you guys later!” he called over his shoulder, sprinting down the hallway toward Annie, who remained fixed in place, her stern gaze following his every move.

Mark and Diane, watching Kevin dash off, lazily waved after him, their gestures more of habit than genuine farewell.

“Yeah... bye,” Mark drawled, a smirk tugging at his lips as he watched the poor guy brace for whatever awaited him.

As Kevin reached Annie, he straightened up, standing at attention as though reporting to a superior officer.

Annie, still tapping her foot, met him with that same stern expression, but if you looked close enough, there was a glint of something softer in her eyes—a knowing understanding of the burden Kevin carried as a working scholar.

She had been hard on him, yes, but never unfair. Her strictness was tempered by the knowledge that Kevin’s life was already difficult enough. Still, rules were rules, and Kevin had a knack for bending them just a bit too far.

Disclaimer:

The characters, settings, and elements in this fanfiction are the intellectual property of their respective owners. New Life, New Saga is inspired by Summertime Saga, which is owned by Kompas Productions. This fanfiction is created purely for fun and non-commercial purposes, and I do not claim any ownership of the original works. All rights to the original material belong to their creators. If you appreciate my work and would like to support my writing, consider making a donation on my Patreon. Thank you for your support and for reading!