Nethania

Chapter 9: The Headline

AVIA

UGH.. I rolled my eyes and flipped my hair. I leaned in my chair and rested my head on my palm while doodling on my notebook. Our lesson for today is Mathematics. Now how dull is that? Since our professor entered the class I didn't understand anything except that he was so tedious in explaining numbers.

I looked around the classroom. Only one student was absent from the class. No one other than the suspected killer of Margaret, Tyrone Fyle. Austin and Nico were only hanging out with each other since their murderer friend was facing a difficult time now. Sometimes I wonder if these two were involved in such a crime. Of course, I've come to think that because they were friends with Tyrone and they probably knew about it.

"Darn! It's so hot," Hannah complained while holding her collar and moving it up and down rapidly to produce air.

I smirked and flipped my hair. If she was complaining about the cooling system of the academy, then she should have donated another air conditioner to make this room cooler than ever.

My phone vibrated. I sighed. I wasn't expecting a call from someone except... My eyes widened when I remembered what happened yesterday and I immediately thought of someone who would call me in the middle of class.

"Excuse me, Sir, I have to answer this call," I permitted. He nodded, so I strode straight to the door and closed it. I placed my arms on the railing and answered the call.

[Hi, Honey.]

I flipped my hair. Oh, it was Mom. She surprised me, huh.

"Hi, Mom, how's your trip?" I leaned my back against the railing and folded my left arm across my chest while the right hand was holding my phone.

[Somehow, we are having fun. By the way, how was your stay there?]

"I'm having great fun with Hilary and Hannah. Nothing to worry."

[Give me that... Hey! I was still talking to her! It's your mulish Dad...]

"Uh-huh," I replied.

[Avia.]

I unconsciously stood up straight when a hoarse voice hit my ear. My system became alerted when he took over the phone. I heard uncleared rumblings from the other line.

[I'll give you choices, Avia.]

"What choices?" I questioned. This time, I was facing the open field in front of me. My brows were furrowing and my mouth was parted a bit while waiting for his answer.

[Go back home and stay there or you'll stay in the dormitory—]

"I'll stay in the dormitory! And that's final!" I raised my voice, cutting off his words. I tucked my loose hair behind my ear.

[Okay, but under one condition.]

"What is it?" Oh hell, and what kind of condition is that?

[You will be with Austin until your graduation—"

"What? That's absurd!" I blurted out, facing the wall, and moving my hand to my waist. "You wouldn't let me enjoy my life peacefully, would you? You know, I hate him so much—"

[I'll have your Butler take you there later—]

"No! I won't leave this place," I interjected, pointing my index finger below. "Why are you doing this?" I asked and paced back and forth.

[It's for your safety.]

"My safety?" I echoed, looking upwards and heaving a sigh. "Staying with that jerk might cause my sudden death! Haven't you realized it?" I even pointed at the classroom, even though he couldn't see it.

[He's the one I trusted.]

I flipped my hair and clicked my tongue. "How about Jamsen? I'd rather choose him over Austin!"

[Hmm... I already appointed Austin to guard you.]

"What? So he agreed with this?" I shook my head. "Ugh! I'm going to blow up!" I exclaimed.

[Because of the murder happened there, I'm securing your safety since you won't leave the dormitory. That's the only thing I can do to not ruin your happiness and secure your safety. I'm hanging up.]

"Dad? Dad?" I listened for a response. "We aren't finished talking yet!" I spoke above my normal voice, but got no response. He really hung up the phone.

I pocketed my phone. I stomped my feet and slammed my hand on the railing. Austin? For my safety? How ridiculous? Geez! What the hell is happening to my world? I placed my elbows on the banister and covered my face with both of my hands.

"Hey, you ok?" A silvery voice echoed in my ears. My hands still didn't leave my face. My eyes felt teary and anytime now they might burst.

"Yes, I'm fine," I replied.

I felt him leaning against the railing beside me. Why is he here? Was the class through?

"No, you're not. What happened?" He asked. I could feel his breath on my skin. He was probably facing me right now.

I unveiled my face and gazed at him. My mouth gaped when I saw something mesmerizing before me. I saw Jamsen's face in sideview while he was combing his hair with his fingers and leaning on the railing like a model.

"Oh, don't stare at me like that, you make me melt." I came back to my senses when he talked. I diverted my gaze away from him and bit my lower lip.

"Why are you here? You should be in class. I'm going in now," I said, facing the door.

"Wait." He held my arm to stop me. "Our teacher was giving an exit oral recitation. Whoever can answer his question will go out first, but don't worry, it isn't recorded," he informed me and let go of my hand.

I inhaled deeply. I felt relieved when I heard it wasn't recorded. I couldn't afford to lose a point from an oral recitation.

I leaned my abdomen against the railing. We were both facing the open field below while our elbows were on top of the banister.

"Are you frightened by what you saw yesterday? I knew many students who fainted after seeing the gruesome scene," he opened up. He faced me while his fingers were interlaced together.

I shook my head. "No, not that frightened to the extent that I would faint in the middle of the crowd," I replied. "I was just disgusted by it."

"Yes," he chuckled. "I wouldn't believe you if you actually fainted, but it's just terrifying to think that someone has been murdered." He ran his fingers through his hair. "What she got was brutal. I wonder what her sin was to receive that kind of punishment. What do you think?" He asked, glancing at me.

I shrugged. "Perhaps, we simply don't know that she has an enemy outside the campus and he disguised himself as a student to kill her. There are so many possible reasons, you know."

"Yah," he nodded. "And we can't blame random people, right. We'll just wait for further announcements regarding the case."

I breathe deeply. I hope the killer will be caught as soon as possible. What he did was unforgettable and unforgivable.

"I felt pity for Margaret. She just wanted to be loved and valued," he spoke again when silence came in between us.

"Oh really? Then why did you leave her?" I said, facing him and narrowing my eyes. "You left her because we said so?"

"No, not because you didn't like her or because you told me so. I felt our relationship wouldn't work out. We're too different and sometimes love won't blossom between two different people," he replied.

Geez! I remembered us. We were too different.

"Darn! It should be me who exited first if Jamsen didn't seduce our teacher," the shrill voice of Hannah echoed across the hallway as she got out.

Students flooded the hallways as the bell rang. It's three in the afternoon and we don't have a class for the third subject, so it's our time to chill, but we still have our fourth subject to attend to.

Jamsen laughed. "No, I didn't do it. My hand was simply fast and active. Don't blame me if you're sluggish."

Hannah frowned and twisted her lips in annoyance. She took out her foundation, mirror, and lipstick and began retouching her makeup. I rolled my eyes. Even in the hallway, she would do makeup touch-ups.

"Let's go somewhere else!" Vino cheered. My friends gathered around me. I twirled my hair while eyeing them.

"Where?" Hannah raised her eyebrows while holding a lipstick. "Of course, in the elite chamber, we don't have any places to go, do we?" she mumbled sarcastically.

"What about the library?" Hilary whispered.

"Hilary, what kind of suggestion is that? Do you want us to rot in our seats while doing nothing?" Vino objected with an open palm toward Hilary.

She fixed her hair. "You can read books there."

"No thanks, I prefer electronic books," Vino replied, waving his fingers rapidly.

"She just wanted a silent place, that's all," Jamsen came in Hilary's defense with a low voice.

I bet this guy will sleep when we get into the chamber. His eyes were dropping and he just yawned by now. What a sleepyhead.

"Maybe we should head to the Elite Chamber now, the time is running out," I snapped.

"Ok, at least it's cold there," Hannah said, keeping her makeup inside her bag.

They walked first, leaving me behind. I was rummaging through my bag to find a piece of paper which I kept for days. I finally remembered that I must share this with to them since I wanted to know who put this inside my bag and where it came from.

I grunted. It should be here. I slipped my hand under my notebooks and scrabbled beneath. I got nothing, so I'd just rummage through my bag again when I settled into the chamber.

My foot stepped forward and suddenly I felt a high voltage of electricity crawling onto my skin.

"Can we talk?" a husky voice whispered in my ears. I felt creeps when I heard his voice. Austin was holding my arm from behind.

"No," I snarled, without exerting an effort to face him.

"Then tell me when you're ready," he muttered and gradually let go of my arm. He sighed and then I heard footsteps echoing behind me. I didn't move, I stood still, but there was something which urged me to turn around.

"Hey, Avia! Let's go!"

Then I realized that I was facing his back right now without even stopping myself from doing it. He was walking away from my spot.

I spun around and smiled at them. Their distinct gazes were on me, but Jamsen's eyes were focused over my shoulders. I knew what he was looking at. I walked toward them and we headed to the chamber.

Vino opened the door and we entered. We went straight to our permanent spot and settled on the couch. I put my handbag on the table and rested my chin on it. Then I remembered that I had something to find inside my bag and I needed answers from them.

"I brought snacks for all of us guys! Here, help yourself," Hannah sang, placing some bags of chips on the table, making a loud crackling sound.

Vino laughed, grabbing two bags of chips. "Sometimes you're useful, Hannah."

"Hey! Just pick one! Your food monster!"

I rummaged through my bag beneath the notebooks. It should be here. It was folded in a medium size, so it was quite easy to find. "Ouch.." I groaned. A pin pricked my finger while holding the folded paper. I finally got it, but it was stained with blood.

I took it out and placed it on the table. I pinched my finger to ooze blood from it.

"What's that?" Jamsen peered at my hand.

"Nothing," I replied, smiling. I quickly hid my hand behind my bag for him not to see it, especially Hilary.

"Hey!" I gasped when he pulled my hand away from the bag and stared directly at it. "Where did you get this?" He asked, eyeing me with squinted eyes.

"A pin pricked it, but it's just a little wound, and it's far from my liver, so no worries," I nonchalantly uttered and withdrew my hand from him. I brushed my hand with a handkerchief to wipe off the blood.

"Did I hear wound?" Hilary asked, about to bite a chip.

"No, no. You heard nothing. By the way, I have something to tell you," I began. I was throwing glances at Jamsen, who seemed curious while looking at me.

"What is it?" Hannah asked, munching chips while her hand was reaching for another chip in the bag.

Vino's gaze went deep and intimidating and his lips curved upwards menacingly. "Are you going to talk about your comeback with Austin?" he asked.

I cringed and my hands jolted, grabbing a bag of chips and throwing them directly at his face. He was still smiling and unready to swerve the incoming attack, so it landed badly with a crackling sound on his face and he almost fell off the chair.

"Geez. I'm not kidding, Vino," I muttered, flipping my hair.

"Yeah! One more, Avia! Avenge me!" Hannah exclaimed, raising both of her hands in the air.

"Stop it guys, please respect the food," Hilary snapped.

"You heard Hilary, so, Avia, continue," Jamsen said, looking at me.

I sighed. "As we were walking down the hallway from the clinic—the time when Austin, the son of a gun, brought me there—I rummaged through my bag to find my perfume, but I found this," I explained and placed the folded paper in the center of the table.

They stopped munching and their eyes peered at the paper. Hilary was the closest. "Is that blood?" Hilary asked, with squeezed eyes.

I grabbed the paper. "Yes and it's just a drop..." I mumbled while unfolding it.

Jamsen pulled the paper from my hand and stared at it. "Headline: A student committed suicide," he recited with furrowed eyebrows.

We eyed each other and Hannah took the paper from Jamsen's hand. "A student was found dead in an abandoned room. A rope was tied around her neck and held her body still at the center of the ceiling. A ball point pen remained pierced into her chest and thick blood was ozzing from it..." Hannah stopped reading and flipped the paper over. "Wait, only this? Where's the continuation?" Hannah eyed us.

I grabbed the paper and checked it to see if there was a continuation, but no words came out. The information is not enough, something is missing.

Hannah slammed the table with her hand. "How can we know the whole story if it isn't complete? That's interesting, huh," she complained, and folded her arms across her chest.

"I felt it was intriguing," Hilary said, putting the potato chip back on the table. "Prior to the murder case, there was a girl who committed suicide. Does the excerpt mention her name?"

I shook my head while looking at the paper. "No, there's no name mentioned nor a picture pasted on it." I glanced at them with knitted brows. "What kind of news is this?"

"Does it have a date?" Vino queried, opening another bag of chips.

"No."

"The name of the school publication?" he added, munching potato chips.

I nodded. "Yes. Alviana Academy Publication."

"The paper seems old, right?" Hannah pointed out the paper. "And it got creepier when you stained it with blood."

"Then how come it went there, inside your bag?" Jamsen asked, combing his hair backwards.

I shrugged. "I don't know. It just got here," I hesitated. "I don't even know who put this inside my bag."

Vino shrugged. "Maybe it's nothing, or someone played a prank on you, so don't worry about it. But I got something that is worth our time. Who among you saw the scribbled bloody words on the wall where Margaret died?"

The same question I am about to ask.