His World, not Mine

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I stepped into the principal’s office for the second time that day. It already felt like a place I didn’t belong. The air was heavier now.

Two detectives sat across from the desk, both watching me like I was something they needed to figure out.

“Sit down,” one of them said.

I obeyed.

My hands were trembling, but I kept them on my lap, trying to hide it.

“You’re Emma Fosh, right?” the man asked.

I nodded.

“I’m Detective Adam,” he continued. “And this is my partner, Detective Phoebe.”

She gave me a small, reassuring smile. “I know you’re scared,” she said gently. “We just want you to tell us exactly what happened.”

I glanced at Principal Clarke. She gave me a slight nod. It helped a little. I looked back at them and started talking. Telling them everything that I know from the moment I walked into detention to the argument to the coughing to the blood.

They wrote down what I said, occasionally nodding.

But my voice started shaking again when I got to the end. “…and then he just…”

I stopped because the words wouldn’t come out. I could still see it, feel it. The weight of him is still in my hands.

Detective Phoebe leaned forward slightly. “It’s okay,” she said softly.

I nodded, swallowing hard.

Silence filled the room for a moment. Detective Adam spoke again. “Why did you slap Adrian?”

My head snapped up.

“What?” I frowned, confused.

What did that have to do with anything?

He looked at me, serious. “Why. Did you slap him?”

“How is that related to John?” I asked. “Isn’t that why I’m here?”

Detective Phoebe cut in gently. “Just answer the question, Emma.”

Detective Adam leaned back slightly. “If you hadn’t slapped Adrian, you wouldn’t have been in detention. Which means you wouldn’t have been there when John died.”

A pause.

“So yes,” he added. “It’s relevant.”

I looked between them then at the principal.

“I didn’t slap him so I could end up in detention,” I said, my voice firmer now. “I’m new here. I didn’t even know how things worked.”

They glanced at Principal Clarke. “She is new,” she confirmed. “Scholarship student.”

Detective Adam’s eyes returned to me. “Then why would a new student slap someone like Adrian?”

I let out a small breath. “It’s… a long story,” I said. “And I didn’t know it would lead to this.”

Detective Adam leaned in, his shadow stretching over the desk. “People don’t slap Adrian King and walk away, Emma. Did someone pay you to do it?”

The room felt like it was shrinking. They were looking for a killer; they were looking for a scapegoat, and I was the scholarship girl, I could be the perfect fit.

“I… no one paid me. I… no… I didn’t…” I was getting scared already, I needed something, a change of conversation, I was tensed already.

Detective Phoebe asked, “Everything you told us… is it the truth?”

“Yes,” I said immediately. Detective Adam didn’t look at me when she asked; he looked at his notes, like he already knew the answer.

“Do you know what caused the argument between Matt and John?”

I shook my head, “No,” I said. “It just looked like… random conflict.” I kept my face neutral. I didn’t mention last night. I didn’t mention anything else. Because suddenly everything felt like it could be used against me.

And then a thought hit me. What if Matt killed him? I pushed it away immediately. That was too much, too far.

“That’s interesting,” Detective Adam said, flipping a page in his notebook, “Because someone said differently.”

My stomach dropped, did someone lie about me?

Detective Adam closed his notebook. “That’ll be all,” he said. “You can go.”

Relief hit me instantly. I stood up quickly, almost too quickly.

“I… thank you,” I muttered, already heading for the door.

I headed to my dorm for a change of clothes, the one I wore was still stained with blood, once I was done changing I needed air. I went out of the school building. Outside felt different. Too bright and too open. Too normal for a place where someone had just died.

Cars lined the parking lot, expensive, polished, untouched by any of this. I barely noticed them, I didn’t want to, this wasn’t the time to be admiring cars.

“Emma.”

I turned.

Michael was walking toward me, his expression soft. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“No,” I answered honestly.

He nodded, like he expected that. “It’ll pass,” he said quietly.

I wanted to believe him, but something about the way he said it, felt like he already knew it wouldn’t

He handed me a drink, and I was surprised by this gesture but then I thought again, this was the kind of guy I liked, a caring one who sees me, and yes Michael sees me.

I hesitated for a while but I took it and sipped slowly.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s walk.”

I followed him as we walked toward the football field. Away from everything, away from the noise, and for a moment It worked.

He talked, not too much but just enough. Easy things, normal things. He slipped in compliments so casually that it almost didn’t feel like he meant them but I knew he did and I liked it.

I liked him, maybe that was why he felt safe. Then everything shifted again.

Adrian was walking toward us with his friends beside him.

Michael’s hand found mine and held it firmly.

Adrian noticed of course he did but he only just smiled. But it wasn’t friendly.

“Ever since you got here…” he tilted his head “… things started going wrong,” he said casually.

“You know that, right?” He pointed at me.

Michael stepped forward. “Back off, Adrian.”

James laughed from behind him. “Look at that… the hero showed up.” Then his tone dropped, cruel. “You’re too expensive to be hanging around trash like this.”

My jaw tightened, I wanted to respond but Michael squeezed my hand slightly.

Adrian’s eyes stayed on me, it was cold and sharp, “You should start watching your steps,” he said, “… not everyone gets a second chance here.”

And something in me snapped.

“Are you the one sending me messages?” I asked suddenly.

There was silence, even his friends reacted slightly. Adrian leaned back a little, I could see the flicker of surprise in his eyes but it vanished just as fast.

“Say whatever you want,” he said calmly. “But whatever is coming for you…”

He stepped closer.

“…is bigger than some texts.”

My heart pounded, and I didn’t stop, I couldn’t.

“You killed John.”

The words came out before I could think, the moment they did everything froze, for a second no one breathed not even Adrian.

Michael’s grip on my hand tightened. Adrian didn’t speak nor did he move. He just stared at me, there was something different in his eyes. It wasn’t anger, not amusement but something darker. More dangerous.

Adrian stepped into my personal space. He didn’t look like a high schooler, he looked like a king deciding whether to behead a peasant, “Accusing me of murder in front of witnesses?” He whispered, his breath cold against my skin. “You really don’t understand where you are, you just made a very expensive mistake, Emma. One thing your scholarship won’t cover.”

My breath caught.

“Be careful who you accuse,” he added. “You might not like what answers you get.”

Then he stepped back, turned, and walked away. Like he hadn’t just shaken the ground beneath my feet.

My phone buzzed, and I froze, slowly I looked down at my phone. It was a message from an unknown number.