No need to thank me
1923 Words
"What?" I looked at my dad with a furrowed brow.
"He was found dead in one of the toilets in a bar in town." Dad explained briefly.
"The investigation is still ongoing. We haven't found out anything yet." Fin laid out the details.
"I can't believe it." Lucy hugged me tighter.
"I won't be home today, I'll be helping Fin with the case." Dad looked at me.
I saw him get up from the sofa and walk towards the kitchen. Finn followed him in for a bite. Finally, it was just Lucy and me in the room. We sat hugging for a while.
"I'll be in my room." Lucy's faint voice sounded in my ear.
I couldn't say anything back, I just stared at the wall in front of me. I couldn't believe that a person in this town was dead. Not wanting to dwell on this terrible event any longer, I climbed the stairs and closed the door to the room. I got on the bed and dialled Chloe's number.
"Hi, did you know about Leo?" I looked out the window.
"I just heard so on the news. Doesn't that seem strange to you? Chloe's voice sounded intense.
"Weird what? I wrinkled my forehead.
"The news says it was a suicide." I could hear the annoyance in Chloe's voice.
"I don't think he could have done it to himself." My eyes went to the clock on the wall.
"Let's drop the subject. Tell me, how did it go with Dillan?" Chloe changed the subject.
"I hate you for leaving me there." I muttered angrily.
"You need to get away from it all, I didn't think male company was bad." Chloe laughed.
"We spent the afternoon together." I smiled widely.
"Well, girl, tell me the details." Chloe was curious.
"There's nothing to tell." I rolled my eyes.
"Okay then, you'll tell me when I meet you at school." Chloe said.
"Sure." I replied calmly.
I spent the rest of the evening listening to music until I fell asleep. The loud ringing of the alarm clock reached my ears. My hand reached to turn it off, but I fell out of bed without keeping my composure.
"Girls get up you'll be late for school." Dad shouted loudly from the first floor.
I quickly made my bed and came out of the bathroom and put on a pair of dark jeans and a matching sweatshirt. I threw my backpack over my shoulder and looked in the mirror. Slightly messy hair, greenish eyes and pink lips. I smiled and headed for the door of the room.
"Good morning, my love." Lucy stepped out of her room.
She didn't look very sleepy, or at least she wouldn't have slept at all. Her droopy eyes and red cheeks were a sign of her rough night. Although she tried to hide everything under make-up, it was unsuccessful.
"Good morning." I walked up the stairs to the first floor.
"Your coffee." Dad held out the coffee cups.
I saw him standing in the doorway with two large cups of coffee. His rather cheerful face looked at my sister and me. He was looking impatiently at the watch that adorned the wrist of his right hand.
"Good morning, Dad." Lucy and I said together.
I picked up my coffee cup and sat in the front seat of the car. Soon we were on a road that was familiar to the bone. I looked out of the car window and finally my eyes met Chloe who was waiting for me at school in the park.
"All the best Dad." I opened the car door.
Dad waved as he drove off and I was already walking quickly towards Chloe.
"Hi." She fell into my arms.
"Hi." I smiled.
"What's the first lesson? Chloe turned towards the school building.
"History." I walked alongside Chloe.
We slowly walked towards the school entrance. The weather wasn't very warm, and looking at the nature you could tell spring was coming. Bird calls could be heard from the nearby park. We walked in silence for a few minutes until we finally reached the school door. I gently pushed the door open and was greeted by the familiar school hall. Soon we entered the history classroom. I scanned the classroom and the sight made me a little nervous. The other girls were seated in my desk.
"This is my seat." I walked to my back desk.
"Now mine." A blonde girl sneered at me.
"Sarah let's go, we'll find a seat elsewhere." Chloe tugged on my sleeve.
"Get out of here. "I glared angrily into the girl's eyes.
"Make me." She retorted angrily
I closed my eyes and everything around me went silent. All I could hear was my own heartbeat, which made me feel strange. I sighed and pushed the chair where the girl was sitting with all my might. I opened my eyes and the girl was lying half a metre away from me.
"Sarah, what's wrong with you?" Chloe waved in front of me.
I clenched my fists and felt every inch of my body heat up. I looked straight into the eyes of the girl who was lying there and looking at me in fear.
"I'm so sorry for the interruption. I would like to start the lesson." The teacher's voice reached my ears.
His voice made me sit up and realise the situation I was in. All the students were seated neatly, but I was still standing in a trance-like state.
"Excuse me." I squirmed in my chair.
"Since I have an important seminar today, my nephew will be filling in for me." The history teacher explained curtly.
"What happened there?" Chloe whispered softly.
"Nothing." I sneered.
"Meet Dillan." The history teacher's voice caught my attention.
At those words, he held out his hand and Dillan walked through the door. I could have sworn my jaw reached my desk. My eyes followed Dillan who was wearing a black shirt and black jeans. He had a little smile on his face. His dark, messy hair was stylishly 'rolled' and his brown eyes sparkled.
"Isn't he too young to teach us?" A boy's voice came from the classroom.
"Just so you don't have any questions. Today's topic...." The teacher looked at Dillan.
"History of the town." Dillan rolled her eyes at the whole class.
"You have to write a report on this topic and gather as many interesting facts as you can. By the end of the week." The history teacher looked at the flushed young man.
"What nonsense." Some girl stirred in class.
"I can't believe he's here." Chloe fisted my shoulder.
"Just so the lesson isn't boring my nephew Dillan will tell you a story." The history teacher's eyes locked on Dillan.
"I'll take over from here." Dillan's rich voice carried through the classroom.
The history teacher picked up his suitcase and left the classroom. My eyes went back to Dillan who was walking slowly around the classroom.
"Who knows the story of our town's castle?" Dillan looked at the hands raised in class.
"I do." A girl spoke up.
"A shortened version of it?" Dillan paused at the girl's desk.
"About the two brothers who fought for the castle." The girl looked at Dillan.
"What year did these brothers fight?" Dillan looked at the class.
"1887." Said a boy in the class.
"Wrong." Dillan's confident tone rang through the class.
"1880." A girl exclaimed sitting near me.
"Right. Who can tell you why they fought?" Dillan furrowed her brow.
"They were twins - so they had to fight over who got the castle." The guy up front suddenly spoke up.
"Who won the fight?" Dillan took a seat in front of the class.
"Legend says the dark brother won." Chloe uttered confidently.
"The dark one?" Dillan glared at Chloe.
"Yes." Chloe's voice sounded confident.
"Well done. "Dillan clapped his hands together.
He scanned all the students who were listening attentively with his eyes again and stopped at my eyes. He ran a hand through his hair and turned and walked over to sit in the teacher's chair. He looked out of the window and spoke:
"There is a legend. Let's go back to the spring of 1855. On a rainy evening, two long-awaited sons were born in the castle. Despite the mother's great happiness, pain followed. She sacrificed her son for the sake of another son. One was nicknamed the dark one and the other the light one. They are described as two complete opposites - even though they were blood brothers. When the time came, they fought for their lives and honour." Dillan said, looking out of the window.
The school bell rang in my ears to signal the end of the lesson.
"Thank you for your attention and have a good day." Dillan's eyes returned to the classroom.
I heard a few girls saying goodbye to the temporary teacher. Still other girls were talking about how handsome their teacher was. I shook my head and smiled and got up from my desk.
"Miss Willow, can we talk for a moment?" Dillan glared at me.
"Sure." I sit on the class table.
"I'll meet you outside the math room." Chloe waved.
We waited until all the students had left the classroom, then I looked at Dillan questioningly.
"Let's pretend I didn't see what happened at the beginning of class." Dillan looked at me calmly.
"You're going to lecture me about my behaviour when you're my peer? I sat down on the bench.
"Where does that arrogance come from, Miss Willow?." Dillan furrowed her brow.
He rose from the teacher's chair and took a few steps closer to me. There was now enough between us that I could smell his perfume. Suddenly, he leaned over me and whispered close to my ear:
"We're not peers, Miss Willow. I'm older than I look" Dillan's rich voice sounded stern.
"Sarah." I rolled my eyes at Dillan.
"Of course." Dillan pulled away from me.
Letting me know I could go. I stood up from the bench and walked towards the door with a quick step.
"Sarah?" Dillan's voice sounded behind me.
"Yes?" I stopped in the doorway.
"You believe in legends?" Dillan looked me in the eye.
"I believe them if they have real proof. And you?" The corner of my lips lifted.
Dillan said nothing. I could see him smiling as he looked out the window. I didn't say anything either. Soon I was walking briskly down the corridor towards my next class.
"What did the charming teacher want?" Chloe was already walking alongside.
"He's not a teacher." I smiled.
"Whatever, what he want?" Chloe was curious.
"He asked if I believed in legends." I shrugged.
"Any idea why he asked you that in isolation from everyone else?" Chloe walked into the next classroom.
"No idea." I followed behind Chloe.
Chloe and I were already sitting in the classroom. The teacher entered the classroom and silenced all the students. Suddenly he came up to me and put a white envelope on my desk.
"One person asked you to pass this on." The teacher announced in a calm voice
"Thank you." I tried to remain confidential.
"Since when did a math teacher become someone's messenger?" Chloe giggled quietly.
I ignored her jokes and slowly opened envelope. I pulled out a piece of paper folded in half. I folded it over and it said in fine print:
"I have removed Leo.
No need to thank me.
-Cassian"
- Writer
