••••••
There was total silence in the cafeteria,the students eyes on the trio,some are even making videos already.
"Let me go" Vanessa said in a low voice,not facing anyone in particular
"Let her go" Giovanni said to Valentino and he glanced at her
"I'm talking about the both of you!!!!" Vanessa yelled angrily and they released her hands immediately
Vanessa glared at Giovanni and then Valentino before storming out of the cafeteria
"Pumpkin" Gigi immediately called as she packed Vanessa's stuffs and went after her,Quinn,Erica and Angelique also followed.
Valentino and Giovanni glared at each other but Valentino broke it first,he turned to Becky and grabbed her hand,dragging her out of the cafeteria.
"Tino wait" Becky called as he continue dragging her but he didn't stop,he was looking so angry that he was pressing her wrist so hard as he dragged her
"You're hurting me!" Becky yelled and Valentino released her roughly,she almost fell
"Can you tell me what the f**k is your problem?!! Tell me!" He yelled
"My problem is you!! I hate the fact that you're getting close to that bitch!" Becky yelled back
Valentino grabbed her neck and pushed her against the wall
"Ahh!" She winced,looking at Valentino shockingly
"Call her that once again and I will kill you" He said
Becky's eyes widened
"You need to get this straight right now,you and I are nothing but f**kmates,I have no damn feelings for you,when I say it's over then take it that way,so stay the heck away from me!! Do you understand?!!" He yelled
Becky coughed out
"Valentino" His friends called from the back
"That's enough" Reed pushed Valentino from Becky who staggered immediately
Valentino snapped Reed's hand off and walked away
"Never knew it's up to this" Terence muttered
"I think I'm right,He's in love with her" Virgil muttered
"Complicated" Reed said
••
The girls caught up with Vanessa finally In the library
"Hey babe,are you okay?" Quinn asked
Vanessa sat down and sighed
"I'm fine" She muttered
"Gosh that Becky,I don't understand why you stopped me,I would have taught her a great lesson" Gigi hissed and Erica chuckled
"Now I'm scared of you" Angelique touched her chest
"But honestly I was eagerly waiting for you to choose Valentino so she can die for all I care" Quinn said and Vanessa looked up
"Valentino? The f**k" she Scoffed
"So you would have chosen Giovanni....."
"I'm not choosing anyone,none of them own me,they are just annoying to bring that up" Vanessa snapped
"Right I know" Gigi muttered
Their phones suddenly buzzed all at once and they checked at a time
"Class? We still have like one hour left right?" Erica spoke up
"I think it's an emergency,Prof Kelly wouldn't call a class for nothing you know?" Gigi said and Vanessa sighed before getting up. They walked out of the library and their eyes caught with the S3 girls who were chatting so happily
"I bet they are behind everything" Quinn said
"Me too,they obviously did it" Erica muttered
"Don't worry,I don't really blame them,they are all in a one sided love right now" Angelique said and Gigi laughed
"For real? One sided?" Vanessa asked
"Of course,Sasha is crushing on Finn,Soraya loves Reed and Shirley can die to gain Giovanni's attention,don't ask me how I got the news" Angelique flaunt her hair and they laughed
"That's crazy" Quinn said
"Trust me" Angelique chuckled
"Hey Vanessa!" The S3 waved at Vanessa as they got closer,smiles playing on their lips
Angelique and Gigi passed their middle,pushing them out of the way,Soraya almost fell but Sasha caught her
"Are you crazy!!" Shirley yelled
"What did you say again?" Vanessa asked and they faced her
"We were just..."
"I guess you don't have time to think about your life,reason why your crushes will never look at you,dumbest trio I've ever seen" Erica hissed
"Stay away from my brother" Quinn smirked at Sasha
Vanessa only glared at them and they walked away,leaving the S3 speechless
"Did they just said all that to us?" Sasha asked,folding her fist
"Did Vanessa charmed them or something?!!" Shirley screamed
"Don't worry babes,let's go to class first....."
"You three are really dumb like she said" They heard a voice from the back and they turned to see Finn and Otto
"I don't understand why you're blaming us,blame Becky not us" Soraya scoffed
"Well sorry I saw you showing Becky the picture,what else do you have to say?" Otto asked and they kept quiet
"Gosh" Finn muttered,walking away.
"Finn wait" Sasha immediately grabbed his hand
"I can explain....."
"I don't understand,why would you explain to me? I don't think we are even friends to begin with,don't be blinded by the kiss,it was a mistake so come off it" Finn throw her hand off and left with Otto
"You kissed her?" Otto asked
"It wasn't even a nice one" Finn scoffed
"Well....I think she likes you for real" Otto muttered
"Her headache,not like I care" Finn said
••••
The hall was filled already,the students chatting as they waited for Mr Kelly
Becky came in with Channel and Jessica,she still have the angry look on her face but she didn't even spare Vanessa a glance as usual,she only found a place to sit with her friends.
Valentino and his friends walked in last and his eyes met with Vanessa's own,unlike before,she didn't look away and Valentino gave her his most charming smile before going to the back.
"Vanessa watch this" Angelique handed her phone to Vanessa
It's a video of how Valentino had got angry with Becky earlier and how he had shouted at her. It's all over the school site already
Seriously,I thought they are dating
F**k mate,hilarious
So shameless
This is crazy
So Valentino is single now??
He's defending Vanessa,does that mean he's in love with her?
Becky got up immediately and walked out of the hall angrily,Channel and Jessica followed
"Who uploaded this?" Vanessa asked
"Just a random student" Erica replied
Vanessa turned back and once again her eyes met with Valentino's own but she quickly looked away
'Why did he do that?' She thought but then ignored it
Soon after,Professor Kelly walked into the hall and it was more silent than before
"Morning everyone" He said bluntly and didn't bother waiting for the students response before switching on the projector.
"Do you all know what's going on right now?" He asked and the students were silent
"It's so disappointing" Professor Kelly said
"You should know you are not ordinary students here,this is a law school and you have to be mindful and careful of whatever is going on,be watchful too,how can you all stay here without getting a single news about the popular killer who just came into the light?" He asked and the murmurs started
"Silence" He said and began displaying some pictures on the projector. It consists of numbers of dead bodies,their necks separated from their bodies
The students watched while whispering to themselves but Vanessa was quiet,she couldn't help but remember her nightmares,this was the same way that woman was killed,her head chopped off.
"Ahh" She groaned and held her head
Gigi and Quinn immediately turned to her since she's sitting between them
"Are you okay?" Gigi asked and Vanessa nodded
"I'm fine" She muttered and looked up again
"The investigation is ongoing and it was said that this murderer has existed for about 15 years now,he suddenly left after committing numbers of crimes but now he's back" Prof Kelly said
A boy raised his hand
"Yes?"
"So....are you saying for the past fifteen years,he was not caught...not even once? And maybe probably got released again?" He asked
"Not at all,never" Professor Kelly said
"But the reason for the sudden call is....We've been given the chance to take part in the investigation" Professor Kelly said and everyone gasped
What?!!
How can we take part in this?!
He's a murderer.
Prof Kelly hit his hand on a table and there was silence
"Are you all here at all? If you can't face a little challenge like this how are you gonna take care of a criminal case? You think we are here to joke?!" He snapped
"Oh wow" Gigi muttered
"I've never seen him so mad" Quinn also muttered
"Listen up,this is just gonna be like a test okay? I'm not telling you to go into the city and look for the killer,all I'm saying is....Investigation,it's part of your work as a prosecutor,Lawyer or whatever,so stop acting like puppies. Anyway,I got the names ready" Professor Kelly said and the students shifted on their seats,praying that their names wouldn't come out
"I personally want my name there" Gigi muttered
Vanessa was only quiet all these while
"So,we are gonna be having two teams. You will be given some information and you will work on them,the winning team will be rewarded" Professor Kelly said
"But what about the case we are working on?" Otto asked
"Yeah right,the rape case" Angelique said
"It has been suspended" Professor Kelly answered
"What?!!!" The students screamed
"Oh no,I wanna be a judge!" Gigi cried out and everyone laughed
"I never said it was cancelled,Suspended until this is over" Professor Kelly said and Gigi pouted
"Sorry baby" Erica roughed her hair mockingly and Gigi chuckled
Finally the team lists appeared on the projector
"Some of the senior students are there" Professor Kelly said as the students stared,checking their names
TEAM A....Giovanni,Valentino,Gigi,Terence,Channel,Becky, Vanesaa and Erica
TEAM B...Quinn,Otto,,Sasha,Finn,Reed,Virgil,Angelique,and Toby
The students started whispering among themselves
••••
"Mom please,trust me it's a teamwork,I'm not doing it all alone" Vanessa said on phone as she got to the rooftop
"I Can call Kelly to erase your name....."
"No mom,I'm doing this okay? I told you I will be fine,I'm really interested in the case and I wanna enjoy what it's like to work on things like this mom,trust me just this once" She pleaded
"Fine,I will trust you,please be careful" Ava said
"I will" Vanessa smiled
"I love you baby"
"I love you too mom" Vanessa said and hanged up with a sigh,she suddenly perceived a smoke
That was when she looked up and there was Valentino smoking,he also turned and their eyes met. She almost turned back and walk away but then she moved closer to him.
"Hey" She called
Vanessa looked at the weed in his hand
"So you really do smoke" She muttered
"It's like my calming pill" Valentino said
"Why would you need this to calm down?" She grabbed the weed from his hand
"Hey..." Before he could finish,she dropped it on the floor and stepped on it
"Try something else,I don't like smokers" Vanessa said and Valentino looked at her
There was silence after that
"Your mom is against the idea of the investigation?" Valentino asked
"She's just worried,it's tiring" Vanessa replied and Valentino smiled
"I'm jealous of you then" he muttered and Vanessa looked at him again
"At least your mom is worried about you" He said,looking down
Vanessa said no word until he suddenly looked up
"Wanna go somewhere with me?" He asked
"Where?" Vanessa asked
"You won't regret it" He winked and grabbed her hand
"You don't really have to hold my hand" Vanessa muttered but he didn't hear her,he increased his pace
"We should hurry up before it's closed" he said and they both ran toward his car
"I swear I will kill you if It's not nice" Vanessa said and Valentino chuckled
"Just trust this hot dude okay?" He said and opened the car for her
"Hot indeed" Vanessa rolled her eyes and entered
Valentino smiled and also joined him in the car then he drove off
"Is that not Vanessa and Valentino?" Ace asked,turning to Giovanni. They are just coming from the basketball field
"I didn't know they became close already" Pierce muttered
Giovanni said no word as he stared at the car till it was out of sight then he continue walking
Pierce and Ace exchanged glances before following him.
••
After driving for almost one hour,Valentino finally stopped in front of the Crystal Building.
"Here we are" Valentino smiled and Vanessa gasped
"Crystal Building!" She screamed and rushed out of the car
"I knew you will love it" Valentino smiled
"Of course,I've always wanted to come here" she said immediately,looking up at the tall building,it's literally the tallest building in America.
"But....I heard we need to pay before getting to the rooftop right?" Vanessa faced Valentino and he scoffed
"Pay my foot,just follow me" he grabbed her hand
"But what if we get caught?" Vanessa asked
"Isn't that what makes it more fun?" Valentino smirked and Vanessa grinned
"Cool" she said and Valentino chuckled
He held her wrist tightly as they walked into the building secretly,it was already late so it was so empty aside the securities walking up and down.
They Walked past a sleeping security but as soon as they passed,he woke up
"Who's there?" He asked,looking around
Vanessa's eyes widened and Valentino immediately pulled her into a room
"Shhh" he placed a finger on her lips
Soon it was all silent
"He's gone" Vanessa said and Valentino nodded
They left the room and proceeded to the elevator
"I don't think it's your first time here" Vanessa said when the elevator finally started
"I always come here whenever I want to cause trouble" Valentino said
"Trouble? Why?" Vanessa asked
"Cause it's the only way I can get my mom's attention" Valentino replied and Vanessa looked up,their eyes met but she didn't say a word.
Finally they got to the last floor, and the elevator stopped
"We are here" Valentino held her hand again and they walked to the rooftop
"Wow" Vanessa said excitedly
It was as if they were really in the dark sky,the stars were shinning brightly up there.
"Whoa!!" Vanessa said,running around as she stared at the stars
"Wanna have more fun?" Valentino asked and she turned
"How?" She asked and he walked closer to her
"Come here" He said and pulled her to the cliff
"Wait" She stopped and faced him
"Honestly.....I'm scared of height" She muttered
"I'm gonna hold you tight,just trust me" He whispers and Vanessa bite her lips before nodding
They moved close to the cliff while Valentino stayed behind her.
Soon,the cold wind started blowing
"Wow,I feel like I'm one of the stars right now" Vanessa said and Valentino chuckled,her long hair was slapping his face but he didn't move away from her
"I'm getting scared,you promised to hold me!" Vanessa screamed
"Can I?" Valentino asked and Vanessa turned to face him,they were really close to each other right now,Valentino's eyes down while she looked up since he's taller than her.
"What were you thinking when you promised?" She asked
"I just.....don't want you to get mad If I hold you all of a sudden" Valentino said,his eyes piercing into hers.
There was silence as they both stared at each other,only the sound of the blowing breeze blowing their hair could be heard.
"You don't even know how happy I was when you agreed to be my friend" Valentino added
"Not like I'm that important" Vanessa muttered
"You are...to me" Valentino said
"Looks like a dream" Vanessa chuckled and looked away
"What?"
"You and I.....I never imagined us even talking to each other" Vanessa said
"I want more than this tho" Valentino smiled
"Stop dreaming" Vanessa scoffed and turned her back on him again
"The stars are so beautiful watching them this close" Vanessa said
"But you're more beautiful" Valentino said and Vanessa looked at him,his eyes also not leaving hers,so close.
Strangely for the first time,she could almost hear her own heartbeats,racing loudly in her chest.
He let out a handsome smile and Vanessa blushed,looking away from him.
To Be Continued.