Her clap rang in my ears. She had this amazed gawk that I most certainly find repulsive.
She then stepped in front of me with her jaw wide open, "You… Joaquin, a very selfish kid, doesn't want to disrupt an on-going class? Wow! I'm beginning to see some change here."
I gave her a side-eye and lifted my brows. "You're taking things the wrong way again."
"Well, you're rubbing me the right way."
I hemmed, "That doesn't sound right."
"To a perv like you, it doesn't," she replied and made her way towards the railings, looking at me with her back against the mountain. The whooshing of the wind caused her hair to loosen, but since her cap remained intact, only the ends of her strands swung in the air. It gave me a proper view of her face, and I can admit that I was mesmerized for a while.
Until she opened her mouth…
"Pack it up, bud. I'm not interested! Eyes up here," she says as she points in her dead eyes. I looked away. She's not even my type. I've never met someone so confident despite their oddity. "Joaquin!" She called again and gestured to me to come closer.
I shook my head and answered, "No, I'm not interested either."
"I want to show you something," she told me and hopped on the railing. My heart skipped a bit when I saw her legs crossing to the other side.
"What the fuck are you doing?!" I asked and ran over to grab her or something. I thought she's just nosy, but as it turns out, she's pretty fucking stupid too! What if she falls and blame is pinned on me? I can't let that happen, not again!
The moment she crossed her other leg to the latter side and nestled her palms away the railings, my mind went hazy. "Relax… I won't—"
"Fuck!" I yelled when I got close to her because she seemed to slip on the edge of the cornice but instead of successfully grabbing her dusty coat, I accidentally tipped her back off.
I'm not sure why her hands chose to loosen from holding the bars, but she somehow did! Avery's body was lunged away from me as if she jumped. My world stopped as I watched her fearful face descend. Not even a second later, a crisp thwack coming ensued, causing birds to screech and fly away.
The stream of the river was no longer calming, and the lucid wind decided that it's past their bedtime. A deafening thunder road nearby and it brought me to my consciousness. I was drenched all over and hurriedly stepped towards the cornice after the railings. Slowly and with shaking hands, I took a quick peek…
"N—no… No… This can't be…"
Avery's body… it's on the grassy ground, twisted and sitting on a pool of blood. It soaked her coat, blouse, skirt, and sweatpants… Her cap was no longer in her head, it was sitting a few meters away from her with one of her… limbs.
"H…. Help…" I said but no voice came out of me. I didn't know how to feel, but I knew what to do. As quickly as I could, I hoisted myself back to the rooftop and ran for the steel door. By this time, my horrid sweat has completely claimed my face.
When I reached the hatch, my flooded head halted with the sight that bore before me upon opening it up.
"So, you're here," Principal Gourd said in a cold voice, I felt my world shattering as he marched towards me. "Why aren't you in your class?" He asked, but I just heaved repeatedly and found myself struggling to talk. Thankfully, he noticed that something's wrong. "What's your problem?"
I swallowed repeatedly and put my hands on his shoulder. "A student fell on the building… right there!" I said in extreme panic.
His face contorted to a frown, or rather, his frown contorted to an even more profound frown.
"What are you saying?" He asked with genuine bafflement. I got so carried away by my emotions that I ended up grabbing him by the collar.
"Avery…" I muttered, and his confused eyes widened. "She fell… right there!" I pointed to the spot where Avery fell, but instead of seeing him worriedly hurrying to rescue Avery on the ground, he pushed me away like a giant pile of shit.
"Enough with your made up story! You can't escape detention!"
I was taken aback by his blunt yell and found myself gritting my teeth. I didn't know what's wrong with him, so I pulled him by the arm despite his protest. "What are you doing, Astley? Stop it this instant!"
I'm stronger than him, that's a given, but the adrenaline rush must've piled in too because I could easily drag him towards the spot. Using my remaining strength, I lunged his old and broad body forward so he could take a hefty peek on the ground. I can't fathom seeing Avery's dead eyes actually being deceased once again. "There! Are you happy now? Let's call an ambulance!"
I screamed at him as I kept my eye on the ground, clenching my jaw in fear, guilt, and every negative emotion to ever exist.
My heedful breathing soared louder and louder before my tears rolled down. But even that didn't budge this bastard next to me. It took him an awfully long time to speak, and he just said, "Astley… Are you playing with me? Do you really want to get expelled?"
"What?" I threw my head back towards him as fast as I could. I was in utter disbelief, but he held my wrist and pushed me away one more using brute force and with his face brimming in rage.
"There's nothing there, and there's no student named Avery studying here!" He suddenly said to me. Despite my anger, his seriousness further affected my stubbornness. I inhaled and pulled myself over the ledge to take a look and without a doubt, Avery's body was nowhere to be found.
"Haa…" I exhaled in disbelief.
"Detention, Astley, now!" Principal Gourd's words echoed behind me, dancing along the hefty wind before the rain started to patter.
…
"I'm telling the truth! I saw her!"
"I did a room check and every single student is in their respective class" he said then paused "except you!" he then pointed at me putting emphasis on the last word.
I don't know if I should feel sad, offended or down right confused but what he just said left my head in shambles.
He turned around and walked again "follow me!" he yelled even louder. I wanted to convince him to check but I can't bring myself to. Fuck it, I'll get her some other time. We walked on the hallway, our footsteps echoed and it sent chills down my spine.
Fuck, first day of school and I've already caused trouble. But whatever, it's just detention, it can't be that bad…right?
We got to the steel door that had the detention sign plastered on it. I held my breath as I stood behind him. He took a key out of his side pocket and unlocked it. The heavy click it made intrigued me. Why does it have to be locked?
I snickered lightly when I saw him struggling to open the door. Yeah, good luck on opening that old man. I stopped and quickly poised myself when he looked back and glared. Geez, grumpy old man.
He slid it open, and I immediately dropped my jaw.
I've existed for quite a while, but I've never seen a room as rugged as this one. This is just an abandoned room where you put the old school materials that have been replaced. It had three chairs aligned at the center, but behind it is a pile of broken wooden chairs that is covered with thick dust.
I furrowed my brows as he gestured his hand to tell me to come inside. Fuck it! If it weren't for her I wouldn't be here, this is downright creepy!
"Now!" his sudden yell made me jolt. Damn! Is he in a fucking hurry? I quickly stepped inside and was bombarded by the absence of life. There's only one window and that isn't enough to reflect the sunlight inside. "C-can we turn the lights on?" I asked, eyeing the switch beside him.
"I'ts not working." he said with a poker face. My eyes widened. So he meant to tell me that I'll be staying here with no lights on? "You'll be staying here until dismissal, don't touch anything." he said that as if he's certain that I'll touch something. Like excuse me, Sir? What the fuck is worthy of touching here? The smog forming in the window like what the fuck?
"yes, Sir" was all I could say because he immediately marched outside. I rolled my eyes as I watch him slam the door, I was about to turn around but I heard a click coming from the door. I raised my brows and halted, then it hit me.
I trudge towards the steel door and held the handle. I nudge it, but to no avail.
"What the hell..." I gasped.
He locked it.