Heartbreaking News
1015 Words
The sun's rays flickered through his blinds, casting a morning glow that enveloped his room. Aaron's eyes blinked open slowly—once, twice. He rubbed away the last remnants of sleep from his eyes and frowned visibly. "Damn... I've got school today," was his initial thought, causing his morning cheer to take a complete one-eighty. "I don't even have my car anymore," he lamented, a depressing realization that sank in as he remembered the events of the day before.
"I probably shouldn't tell anyone," Aaron muttered to himself, as if verbalizing the thought would compel him to keep it a secret.
"Tell anyone what?" Unexpectedly, his mother stood right by his door. Aaron sat up fully, meeting her gaze with dazed eyes.
"Ahh... umm... well... it's about one of my friends," Aaron stammered, hoping that his mother's built-in lie detector wouldn't catch on. "He passed away yesterday." In reality, "passed away" was a gentler phrase than the truth—"killed."
His mother's eyes widened, and she approached him with a worried expression. "Who was it?" Her voice carried both concern and apprehension.
"It was Bruce," Aaron replied, leaning back. "He was never much of a talker," he sighed.
"Well, I hope his loved ones are coping," his mother responded with a slightly reassuring smile.
"... so do I," Aaron murmured, getting up to prepare for school. As he entered the bathroom, his mother's concerned gaze lingered on the closed door.
An hour later...
Aaron left his house and began his journey to school. He already missed his car. A sudden car horn snapped his attention and startled him, leaving him still on edge from the previous day's events.
"Hey, Aaron! Need a ride?" Adam's voice came through the rolled-down window.
"Yeah, sure. Thanks," Aaron gratefully accepted, sliding into the car. 'Anything beats walking in the morning... even though...' His thoughts drifted back to the events of the previous night.
"So... did you get a good night's sleep?" Adam's question shattered the silence, disrupting the peace Aaron sought. The unspoken question hung in the air, asking whether Aaron had come to terms with everything.
"Not really," Aaron's gaze locked with Adam's eyes, which had turned into complete black orbs. Fear surged through Aaron's heart... fear of his friend? Could they even be considered true friends?
"You just need more time," Adam said, his eyes returning to their normal appearance.
Aaron's tension eased, and he shot a glare at Adam. "That was uncalled for," he retorted, avoiding Adam's gaze. "It's not just about accepting what happened... you're a Devil... and believe me, it's far from pleasant."
Adam placed a hand over his heart, feigning hurt as he shed fake tears. "Oh, my poor heart... torn apart by a human... you've wounded my feelings."
"Focus on driving!" Aaron exclaimed as the car veered dangerously close to the edge of the street.
Adam grinned and shrugged. "Fair enough." The school came into view, and Aaron felt relief bubbling up in his chest. "But fair warning... most of the supernatural creatures at school knew that Bruce was going to kill you. Apparently, he said he was going to eat you. No supernatural creature is expecting you at school, and they don't know that I killed him. So, for now, if a student attacks you while you're alone, it's because they think you somehow killed Bruce. Just say Jasmine's name with a clear intent that you want her to come. Her fox ears will hear you. Try to refrain from yelling unless you need her to come immediately," Adam explained almost nonchalantly. "My advice to you would be to pretend you didn't see Bruce at all yesterday. After all, there's no way you could have killed him."
Aaron looked at him as if he were crazy. "Why should I pretend I don't know who killed Bruce when it was you? It would take the target off my back if you tell everyone you killed Bruce." Adam laughed heartily, but Aaron felt somewhat bothered by the sound.
"They can't know I killed Bruce," Adam stated, traces of laughter still visible on his face.
"Why not?" Aaron's question came swiftly.
"Because I'll lose respect," Adam replied, locking eyes with Aaron before returning his gaze to the road just as quickly.
"Respect?" Aaron's annoyance was evident as he glanced at Adam. "Who cares about that?"
The car's tires screeched to a halt as Adam parked. He looked at Aaron with complete focus. "Aaron, you're entering a new world. If I don't have respect as a Devil, and other supernatural creatures think I care about a human, I won't be able to go back to Hell without becoming a laughing stock. And that reputation will last a long time. Lucifer would shun me as well."
Aaron wondered where Adam was leading with his explanation. "In my world, humans are at the very bottom. It's the same as caring for an ant. It would be a different story if you were supernatural too. Even if you were a Shape-shifter, things would go more smoothly. It would trigger a domino effect. My superiors, who protect me, would have to face Bruce's superiors. That's why I suggest pretending we have no idea what happened. Things should calm down after a few weeks."
"If I were an Angel, then it would be understandable for me to kill Bruce because, well, he's a demon."
"Everything follows an order, and no supernatural creature would respect me if they knew I was protecting a human. That includes my superiors, who shield me from creatures stronger than myself. Then, it would fall to Michelle and Jasmine to divert unnecessary attention away from us." Adam concluded and turned away before exiting the car. "Do you understand?"
Aaron took a moment to ponder. It made sense to him, but claiming he fully understood would be a stretch. "Kind of," he admitted with a pause. "But for now, I'll hold off on it." Aaron followed Adam into the school, deliberately ignoring the less-than-subtle astonished glances some students shot his way. 'Supernaturals...' his mind chimed in, unhelpfully.
- Writer
