- "Life is one of the most unpredictable games where you could be alive and happy today and then depressed or dead tomorrow" -
~ Kakez
The title of being the new boy slowly disintegrated into bits of ash with each passing day as he was integrated into the system more and more. Encounters with Francesca became an everyday expectation, sporadic interruptions from Ian, the football captain, became the usual and like promised, he gained status as a temporary class representative assistant and librarian assistant. Each lunch time since that day, Liam sat with Emma at her table, regardless of the glances students threw at them every now and then. One bought-lunch and one sponsored, awaiting patiently the journey of the human alimentary canal, would decorate the table and his insides would cramp up with the feeling of awkwardness from being treated by a girl instead of it being the other way around.
"Eat up," she'd say whilst penetrating his soul with a death stare so powerful that he felt guilty for eating, "and don't be such an idiot!"
Her eyes would remain glued on him for an eternity until she noticed that the meal had disappeared. Then she'd shoo him away with one gesture and other students from higher classes who made up the student council would replace the company he had provided. He'd watch them from the distance as their lips moved endlessly, diverting into long conversations. Sometimes they seemed to be talking about something casual and other times, something serious. It was only on rare occasions that she ate along with him.
As for Misaki, the moment he brought her home, his mother yelped and held her chest as though her heart was about to fall out. Although it had taken a lot more convincing than the cute face of the cat, it was worth it when he observed the amount of happiness it brought to Derek's face. He just couldn't stop smiling inside at the sight of it. To make things even better, the moment he heard a girl named the cat, his eyes sparkled and he gazed at it as if it was the most special creature in the whole wide world. The number of questions he summoned the moment he found out... one could not count them on even two hands.
"Is that the one who teaches you Math? You mean the mean zombie girl? I bet she's cute! Don't you have a picture of her? Can I meet her" and he went on and on.
Although it did pain him to see a pained dismal expression remain plastered to his mother's face even after seeing Misaki, he still smiled it off and reminded himself of the goal he had to achieve. No matter what, he had to save his family.
"Oi, oi, oi!!!!" came a wretched yelp, "What the hell are you even? A snail? I said get on with it!"
Before Liam could even notice, a hot cheeseball quickly flew from the box on the table to his forehead, bringing along with it wooden chopsticks.
"Arghhhhhhh!!" unknown demonic sounds escaped his lips as he wailed like an old man who had got his foot stuck in a pail of sand. His face twisted and contorted into more than a million pained expressions.
"There's more where that came from so you better suck it up and GET ON WITH IT!!"
Emma folded her arms and kept her eyes on the boy who continuously massaged his forehead. His hands became buttery the moment he tried to quickly grasp the pencil and it only triggered more insults from Emma.
"Slow and lazy brat! Think I didn't see you today! The way Francesca had her arm on your shoulder; a simple gesture like that and you looked turned on!"
Liam's pupils dilated in shock. "Whaaaaaaat???"
"You idiot! You pervert! Get to work! Hmpf!"
They were having their session at Rooney's house from since the day they found Misaki. As she had informed him, Rooney was absent for a while as he had gone abroad.
"Not that you care or that I want you to care, as it's really none of your business but just so that you are aware, our sessions will be housed here, at Rooney's house, from now on. He is representing the school in a tennis tournament abroad and his parents are on a business trip. We'll be using this old room here for now," is what she had said.
She had pointed to the room that extended from the house at a corner, the room responsible for contributing to the house's 'L' shape.
"It's like a classroom so you'll be fine. Now hurry; we've a lot of catching up to do."
He was certain there were more things she had said pertaining to the room but he couldn't register it then. Not when he was busy admiring the façade of the house. Certainly there was more to the friendship both Rooney and Emma shared that he would never understand no matter how much or how long it was explained. After all, no one would ever trust their entire house with their child's best friend while they were gone.
"Hmm," Emma trailed off into thought as her eyes scanned through the figures in his notebook in a flash, "Alright. We can move on; you seemed to have mastered the concept. Just make sure to practice so that you don't forget."
Liam's shoulders slummed in relief. After their sessions, he always felt burnt out and like his brain was going to explode with information. Finally, he thought to himself, after thousands of sums, he could finally rest. It was drawing closer to 6p.m and the sky was slowly transitioning into a blanket of pink.
"That's a wrap for the day, right?" he interrogated.
"For pathetic weaklings like yourself, yes," she replied nonchalantly, cleaning the blackboard with a bunch of paper towels.
He rolled his eyes. It didn't take him more than three minutes to have his bag packed. Once he was finished, he threw it unto his back and was ready to leave when a thought struck him in the head; he had forgotten to tell Emma about the test!
"Damn..." he swore internally. Just when he was relaxed and proud of himself for once.
"Hey Emma..." he began.
She made no reply but laid her eyes on him while wiping up the layer of chalk dust that had managed to find its way to the table. It sent a chill down his spine.
"Um... I forgot to tell you about this- this test that Ms.-"
"...Ms. Olive wishes to give you ?" she finished off questioningly.
Liam was astonished. "H-how did you know?"
"Hmm... I suppose it was just expected."
A moment of silence prevailed before she glanced at her watch and hurriedly tossed files, textbooks and math sheets into her briefcase.
"Well, that's it for today. Make sure to practice, that's part of the deal,"
Liam scrunched up his nose in confusion. "What about the test?"
"Just ignore whatever she said and ensure that you fulfill the deal and you will be fine," she stated, throwing a glare of murderous intent his way.
He felt a bubble of hope pop in his stomach. Clearly, as it seemed, he was on his own in this. He watched her clean and tidy everything up, scoop the trash out of the bin and draw the curtains so that the pleasant sunset that was visible through the sliding glass door was now hidden.
"Do you have everything?" she questioned once they had packed up and were already out of the house.
"I guess."
"Good."
It was chilly that evening. The coldness crawled up his arms and left behind goosebumps; he could feel himself close to shivering. Emma was cold too but couldn't relieve herself while both arms were occupied. The briefcase grumbled with each step she took as the things inside it collided with each other. Liam could feel his heart begin to palpitate. What would be the most gentleman move to make, he asked himself. Maybe he should throw his blazer over her shoulders, he wondered to himself. But how would she react? Maybe she would misinterpret it as flirting? What if she spun around and gouged his eyes out with her nails? There was only one way to find out. He wriggled his arms out of his blazer with bated breath. All he could hear as he did so was his heart pulsating with life and his lungs heaving with a mixture of anxiety and nervousness. His fingers were on the brink of trembling but he was almost there. Then, just as he was about to slip the blazer over her delicate shoulders, he collided into the shoulder of a passerby along the sidewalk.
"Ahhhh," he almost stumbled but steadied himself, fluttering his arms in mid air.
"Watch where you're going, kid!" he heard a deep voice utter, the voice of the person he had bumped into.
His head spun around in the direction of the voice and he locked eyes with a slim yet brawny man dressed in a black suit. A fedora hat swallowed the thick bundles of locks on his head, a color he could not distinguish against the darkness of the evening. The man's gaze was hard and long, long enough to trigger paralysis. Liam froze where he was and his pupils dilated.
Those eyes- he remembered them from somewhere.
Those eyes- it made his heartbeat off and spiked his adrenaline. He felt that before.
Those eyes- he held his chest and his jaws dropped in terror.
The killer had returned.