Foxes (lie)

The morning dawned gray and windy. The fog hadn't yet completely cleared from the campus, clinging to trees and lampposts.

Neil stood by the living room window, looking out onto the driveway. He knew the bus wouldn't arrive for at least an hour, but he still couldn't sit still.

"Relax," Andrew said, lounging on the couch with a cup of coffee. "They're not here yet."

“I know,” Neil answered shortly.

Kevin, sitting at the table, looked up from his notepad. “We discussed everything yesterday,” he said firmly. “We have a plan. Everyone knows what to do.”

Nicky, who was checking for the tenth time that the chairs in the living room were level, turned around:

— What if they're not what we expected? What if they're... well, not right?

Dan, standing at the stove and stirring oatmeal, snorted:

"Nicky, they haven't even arrived yet. Let's just look at them first and then we'll judge." Aaron, who was leafing through his textbook, looked up.

"The main thing is that they understand the rules. No secrets. No playing behind their backs."

Matt clapped him on the shoulder:

— Exactly. We're a team. And if they want to be part of it, let them learn to play by our rules.

Renee, who had been silently watching everyone, walked over to the window next to Neil.

"They'll be here in a few minutes," she said quietly. "And whatever happens, we'll get through it. Together."

Neil nodded. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the strange feeling in his chest—not anxiety, but rather a wary anticipation. At that moment, Kevin's phone rang. He glanced at the screen, then looked up at the others.

— The bus is just around the corner. They'll be here in five minutes.