~~Ashley’s POV~~
The graceful atmosphere I scented when I stepped foot on the university’s premises wasn’t new. Its sophisticated interior and exterior designs, coupled with the high standard set IUC apart from average schools in America.
The scene was quite crowded for one on the first day. I just assumed a greater number were freshmen trying to find their way around campus. I subconsciously looked for subtle traits pointing to the murder case I read about online – a fuss or chaos. But all I could see were normal conversations with normal students loitering around the scene, nothing spectacular.
“I’ll be at the parking lot,” Maverick chorused from behind the side window before revving off.
I offhandedly adjusted my headphones before taking steps farther away from where I stood. I walked straight inside for Maverick had dropped me off just in front of my pre-destined building. There were stairs and elevators in each building to suit the individual needs of each student. I took the stairs as I neither was in a hurry nor was I excited for the morning.
The “subtle traits” I sought were soon handed to me on a platter when I could feel everyone’s eyes boring through my skin the moment I emerged from the hallway. Considering the floor was exclusively for students in my major, it was pretty obvious my identity wasn’t unknown to them. Makayla’s case also earned me a measure of fame being the “friend of the victim” that made headlines almost two months ago. Then shoved in the school’s near-perfect records was yet another case resembling that of Makayla, hence the scrutinizing eyes that greeted my presence. ‘News fly faster than rockets,’ they say. I’m sure it already made its way to the school’s social media platforms and gossip blogs. So much for a Monday.
I ignored them and went straight ahead to find my locker. Having stuffed all my notes and textbooks in my bag, I had some offloading and setting up to do before heading for class. Although, I wasn’t so sure the schedule was gonna run as planned anymore. The victim’s identity was still concealed, after all. May as well have been another victim from my major and level, who knows? I however was kept preoccupied with Carson’s coming to worry too much about the victim.
I spotted my locker and did as intended before heading to my class near the restroom area at the far end of the hallway.
“Hey Ash,” I saw Archer mouth with a wave the moment I stepped in. I brought down my headphones and hung them around my neck instead. “Hey Ash, did you see the news?” I heard him ask, walking out of his seat to meet me.
The other members present gave me the same treatment I ignored coming all the way there. Although it was our first meeting since Makayla’s incident, the majority of them who visited me in the hospital already knew of my new personality.
“The seats were reshuffled. We all met Jordan to pick slots,” he briefed, walking up the aisle with me to the back. I formerly enjoyed sitting in the middle row with Makayla but without her here, I wanted a seat to make me nonexistent.
“Is someone here already?” I asked leisurely, stopping in my tracks in front of a seat located near the window, at the back of the class.
“No, I don’t think so.”
“I’ll take this one.” Thanks to being a bit early, the class was still scanty. Although students were still strolling in as the morning was quite young.
“Did you see the news?”
“I didn’t,” I blurted, holding his gaze. “What happened?”
“Oh, you didn’t?” He looked flustered. I enjoyed it.” Alright then. Stay away from the internet from now, okay?”
Archer managed to win me and Makayla over with his humble and considerate attitude. Compared to the caliber of the students of IUC, we were pretty average but that was never a reason to look down on us for Archer. He was our tutor in courses we struggled with. He’d helped us on several occasions boost our scores, and set goals. Being the one who frequented my bedside the most, he was also the most concerned about my well-being even though my personality change didn’t allow me to reciprocate the favor.
“I’ve seen the news,” I disclosed then bent over my desk with my headphones on to avoid further talks. That was the first time in that environment without Makayla ever since we became friends. The feeling was overwhelming. Now here’s the shocker: I bent over to cry, unable to hold the tears back anymore. I didn’t want to draw undue attention to myself – especially from Archer – so it was going to be as silent as possible. I let out faint sobs and just let the tears stream down from the corner of my eyes without ado.
Thirty minutes into the first period the lecturer was nowhere to be seen. Lacking the strength to gather information from the gossip flying around, I remained in the dark, glued to my seat. I didn’t also check my phone to see if there were updates. I had switched it off to prevent calls from my mom. I waited patiently for Carson whilst drawing my time away. He knew just where to find me so I didn’t bother to put my phone back on.
Imaginative drawings usually required that I occasionally raise my head and stare into space for any sort of inspiration. Doing that for the umpteenth time, I caught sight of Jordan walking in with a guy in a black hoodie and nose mask behind him.
It felt like the weirdo I used to see on campus back then just walked in, and that had me awestruck for a second. I stared intently at him, paying no heed to Jordan’s presence. ‘Such resemblance!’ Understandably, the blue-eyed guy didn’t reveal much of his features but this one standing right in front of me looked just like the live adaptation of the painting I handed Carson. He was just as tall, with dominant and sweeping shoulders. ‘How could they bear so much resemblance in physique?’
He locked eyes with mine, revealing his slightly rounded amber eyes to me, complemented by his soft-angle brows. ‘They’re not blue.’ I swear I could have snapped if they turned out to be. All through the morning, I consciously avoided looking at people directly in the eye. And here I was fearlessly doing so like my phobia ebbed away overnight.
He held tightly onto my gaze as if he’d seen me somewhere in the past and was trying his hardest to recall where. ‘Son of a gun.’ At that point, I was no more staring out of sheer curiosity, but of unwillingness to back down from the supposed ‘contest.’
He tilted to Jordan who nudged him. Thanks to my volume tuned to the highest, I could only read their body movements, and couldn’t hear what they were saying. But as a result, he undipped his slender fingers – originally in his hoodie’s pocket – bearing his black-polished nails and sliding them below the mask’s band, he unmasked himself, revealing his button-nose and downward-turned lips sitting on his diamond-shaped face. His caramel brown ombre hair – flowing effortlessly to his shoulder blade – highlighted his pointed ears as it was tucked behind them on both sides.
I could tell at first glance he wasn’t a native of America. Although many Americans could have his Ivory skin tone, my hunch told me he was either a different breed or a crossbreed. I only needed to tune down my headphones to confirm that but I couldn’t care less either way.
By the way, the staring contest resumed shortly after unmasking himself to probably get the class’ attention. We weren’t freshmen, and he was new to the class so I assumed they stood in the spotlight to get him introduced formally. ‘Ugh, whatever. When’s Carson gonna be here?’ my inner voice whined and my eyes wandered a bit to see him already by the door. ‘Oof,’ my inner voice heaved a sigh of relief.
I stuffed the drawing materials lying on my desk in my bag before standing up to leave. I caught the newbie checking me out while I walked down the aisle so I stared right back until he raised his gaze to meet mine again. ‘The contest isn’t over, douchebag,’ my grim eyes told.
A few paces away from the door, right in front of the weirdo, I was compelled to halt, owing to my hand being held back. It wasn’t the new guy, I could see. It had to be Jordan – my latest worst enemy. I hated him with every fiber in my body and his voice, touch, and anything about him irked me to my bones.
“You should at least say hi,” the nuisance of a voice – to my soul – belonging to him spat. It took the grace of God to hold back from giving him a resounding slap for halting my movements indiscriminately.
I heaved a sigh to avoid overreacting before pulling myself from his grip and walking away without even sparing him a glance.
Dude literally tried to hit on me after Makayla’s death on my hospital bed! ‘Can you possibly imagine how fucking ridiculous Jordan could be?’ The idiot I thought to be madly infatuated with Makayla turned out to be a horny bastard originally after me, too cowardly to come directly and decided to cut corners. Only hearing Archer tell me I had to meet him for slots sent a crawling sensation under my skin.
I took off my headphones to entertain Carson.
“What’s with the shades?” I asked, acknowledging the black shades hanging on the placket – the third button precisely – of his red flannel shirt while trotting towards the stairs. “It’s autumn.”
“Just felt like it.” He chuckled. “I tried calling you.”
“Switched my phone off.”
“But are you sure you want to go there? The crime scene could be too much for you to handle.”
“A lead has appeared, Carson. I want to check things out for myself.”
“And your mom? She won’t be happy.”
“You intend to snitch?”
“Of course, not!” he refuted strongly.
“Problem solved then.”
Silence…
“Just so you know, I have a hired driver paid to keep his eyes on me so we’re going to move as cautiously as possible.”
“I’ll get the car to the second entrance. Wait for me there.” We parted ways. While he descended the stairs before us, I turned around to take the other one instead.