The news of the principal's death spread quickly through Blackthorn, sending shockwaves through the community. The once calm town was now abuzz with whispers and rumors, and the students at Blackthorn High were no exception.
Caius sat at the same table he had sat yesterday in the cafeteria, his mind racing with thoughts of his father's past and the unsettling news. His friends joined him one by one, each carrying their own burden of shock and confusion.
"Did you hear about the principal?" Grayson asked, his voice low. "It's all anyone's talking about."
"Yeah," Caius replied, his expression grim. "It's unbelievable."
Bianca, who managed to make it to school despite her grounding, joined them with a somber look. "Everyone's saying it was foul play. I heard the police found signs of a struggle."
Kial nodded. "My sister told me the same thing. It's scary to think something like this could happen here."
Penelope looked around the table, her eyes wide with concern. "Do you guys think It had something to do with gangs?"
"Possible. I heard he clashed with some Panthers." Kial replied.
Caius's mind was in overdrive, trying to connect the dots. The principal's death was a chilling reminder of the dangers that lurked beneath the surface of Blackthorn. He couldn't help but wonder if his father's past was somehow entangled in this tragedy.
"Why would the Panthers be involved with the principal?" Bianca asked, her voice hushed as she leaned in. "Panthers usually never care about school affairs."
Kial shrugged. "The principal was trying to get rid of all the South Siders. He had said before he only wanted North Siders at this school. Maybe he stepped on the wrong toes."
Grayson nodded thoughtfully. "If he was trying to change things, it could have made him a target. Some people don't like change, especially if it threatens their power."
Caius felt a knot of anxiety tighten in his stomach. He knew that he had to find out more, not just for himself, but for the safety of his friends and the town. "We need to be careful. If the Panthers are involved. The thing is I have to tell you something guys-"
"Hey, losers!" It was Antia who came.
"Shut up Antia"
"Yeah no thanks. I just wanted to say I'm having a party tonight and you... aren't invited, obvi. Oh, but Grayson you are invited. Just don't take your loser friends with you, especially the South Sider." Antia said.
"Such a bother," Kial said as he watched Antia's retrieving back.
"Agreed like we weren't dying to go to your party anyway!" Penelope agreed.
"What were you saying again, Kai?"
"It's about the Panthers. But let's not talk about It here."
"Moonlit Bistro then?" Kial asked.
Bianca was the first to reply "Can't, I'm grounded."
"Then I will tell you all later."
"Is It too important for you to not be able to tell It here?"
"Yes. No one else should hear It"
For Caius, It was like a gamble, a change he was taking. Even though his friends didn't care he is a Southie, they may not want to talk with him after learning his grandma and dad were gang leaders of the Panthers of South Side. But he was willing to take this change. It was better that he told them himself rather than them learning It later and feeling betrayed.
"Got an idea," Bianca said.
"Bi no!" Grayson replied.
"Please?"
"What's going on?" Caius asked.
"You don't know It, right? Our dearest Bi here is obsessed with murder mystery novels."
"Yep so let's find the murderer ourselves."
"There is no way we can find any kind of evidence let alone the killer," Kial replied.
"Come on each of us has unique characteristics and talents." Bianca insisted.
"Bi It's dangerous. I don't think It's just a casual murder." Caius said.
Bianca leaned in, her eyes shining with determination. "Exactly! That's why we need to do something. If it's dangerous, then we can't just sit around and wait for the next bad thing to happen. We have to be proactive."
Caius hesitated. He knew she had a point, but the idea of involving his friends in something so risky made him uneasy. "I get that, but we need to be smart about this. We can't just run into this without a plan."
Grayson nodded. "Caius is right. We need to gather as much information as we can first. And we need to be careful. We don't want to attract any unwanted attention."
Penelope looked thoughtful. "Maybe we should start by talking to people who knew the principal well. See if they noticed anything unusual."
"I can ask around at the library," Caius suggested. "Mrs. Thompson might have more information. She knew the principal pretty well."
"I'll check with some of the teachers," Bianca said. "Maybe they've heard something."
Grayson and Kial exchanged glances. "We can talk to some of the students," Grayson offered. "See if anyone noticed anything strange."
"Sounds like a plan," Penelope agreed. "Let's meet up after school and see what we find. "
"But I'm grounded."
"I know and you will be at home" Penelope smiled.
With a sense of purpose, the group dispersed, each heading off in different directions to gather information. Caius felt a mix of excitement and dread.
After school, they reconvened at Bianca's house, sneaking in through the back door to avoid her parents. They settled in her room, sharing the information they had gathered.
"Mrs. Thompson said the principal was working on a big project to get rid of South siders," Caius began. "She mentioned he had received some threatening letters, but she didn't know who they were from."
"The teachers I talked to said the same thing," Bianca added. "They knew he was facing resistance, but no one had any specific details."
Grayson leaned back in his chair. "Some of the students said they saw strange cars parked near the school at odd hours. Could be nothing, but it might be worth looking into."
Penelope frowned. "It's not much to go on, but it's a start."
Kial nodded. "We need to be careful. If the Panthers are involved, we could be getting into something way over our heads."
Caius looked around at his friends," I need to say something really important."
"We are all ears, Kai," Bianca replied.
"So yesterday I went to the Alley Cat."
"The Alley Cat?!" Grayson shouted.
"Shh shut up you idiot," Penelope said as she held her hand over Grayson's mouth.
"Yes. After we met up and I was going home I saw a man hit my dad. They were arguing, well more like he was shouting at my dad while he said nothing. I couldn't let that man just bully my dad so I tried to find him. Someone from our school, I honestly don't know who he is, suggested maybe I could find him at the Alley Cat. I don't know how he even knew I was looking for someone. But I did find the man."
"If the man was in the Alley Cat that means he is a Panther," Kial said.
"Yes, he is. And apparently, my dad and grandma were also panthers." Caius said. He wanted to continue to tell his friends they were the leaders but seeing his friend's expressions made him rethink his decision. They looked... uncomfortable.
The atmosphere in Bianca's room grew tense as her friends processed what Caius had just revealed. The weight of the information hung heavily in the air, and Caius could feel the unease radiating from his friends
"I think It's best If we end this here," Bianca said. "See you guys tomorrow."
Penelope nodded, looking around the room. "Yeah, maybe we should sleep on it. It's a lot to take in."
'I messed up'
Caius felt a pang of guilt as he watched his friends gather their things. He had hoped that telling them the truth would bring them closer, but now he feared it had only pushed them away.
When Caius returned home, he found his father waiting for him. Trevor's expression softened as he saw the troubled look on his son's face.
"Did something happen?" Trevor asked.
Caius shrugged, feeling the weight of the day's events. "It could have gone better. I told them about you and Grandma. They looked... uncomfortable."
Trevor sighed, placing a hand on Caius's shoulder. "They're your friends, Caius. Give them some time to process everything. It's not easy learning about this kind of stuff."
"I know," Caius said. 'But It's not easy for me too.'
"How did Panther stuff go for you?" Caius asked.
"How did you-?"
"I saw the motorcycle outside. You used to only clean It but never ride It. But It seems like It was ridden."
"You are one smart son aren't ya" Trevor laughed as he messed with Caius's hair. "It went surprisingly well."
"Did you fight again? Bonkin seemed angry at you"
"No, we didn't fight. Just talked."
"Is It time for me to learn things too then?"
"No"
"So fair(!)"
"Life ain't fair"
"Night"
"Night," Trevor replied with a smile. "Oh and... I am planning on joining a program to help with my addictions."
"Good for you" Caius smiled back at his dad.