Devilish Detective ✅

Talking To The Air Like A Simpleton

Chapter Two - Talking To The Air Like A Simpleton

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Startled, as I believed the parking lot to be empty, I look back in search for the person standing behind me, but find absolutely no one in the area.
Furrowing my brows, I get off the floor, inspecting the parking lot more carefully, but I still find no one close to me.

Will you look at that, Bells? The loneliness is catching up to you and you are losing your marbles. Great! Just great!

I chuckle in mild amusement at my predicament, hugging my belongings closer to myself and making way into the building of Northview High School.

However, I cannot shake off the feeling that someone is following me, watching me closely. I feel the hair on the back of my neck rise and my whole body tenses as I halt right in front of the open wooden doors. Reluctantly, I turn around, finding absolutely no one behind me.

I find it rather odd because none of my peers need to hide to watch and make fun of me. They usually do so in the open, with a camera to my face to they can record my flustered state and re-live the moment whenever it pleases them.

For this reason, it makes no sense that someone should follow me.
The sound of the bell is heard, bringing me out of my sudden paranoia, and not being one to be tardy, I hurry towards my class, not even stopping at my locker to sort out my books.

The morning passes in a blur, and soon, it is time for lunch break. My lunch break is usually spent in the library or mindlessly wandering the halls of the school, not wanting to go to the cafeteria where I will either be laughed at or avoided like a plague.

However, as I am packing my belongings into my backpack, I feel a shadow loom over me. Looking up, I catch Cherry Swift, the captain of the female's swim team smiling at me like we have been friends since forever.

Cherry has never really made fun of me. Instead, she tries to help me every now and then. She picks up my books for me when Trixie or Tiffany shoves me, she waves silently at me whenever she gets the chance, and is pretty much nice, but she has never exactly approached me.

"Do you need anything?" I ask, unsure of why she would be talking to me.

"Not really. Just wanted to say hi to you. It was rather unfair what Ben did to you this morning. Not to worry. I have a feeling things are going to get a lot better."

Cherry always has a warm smile on her face, her brown eyes shining with excitement and innocence, her brown curls styled upwards to perfection and her light brown skin radiating. She's pretty and she's super nice, loved by many for her happy-go-lucky attitude.

"I am aware of this. Things always get better." I nod, rising from my seat. "Now, I have to go."

I am more than eager to walk away from her, knowing that Ben could harm her for talking to me. Surprisingly though, she reaches out and engulfs me in a famous Cherry-embrace that warms my heart, but also feels awkward as I am not used to being hugged.

"Bye." She waves and turns on her heels, strutting out of the classroom and leaving me to wonder what just happened.

By the time the day is ended, I don't bother waiting for Ben to take me home as I know he has practices to attend. Moreover, I have to get to work.

Mere minutes later, I walk into Lina Pastries through the back door, smiling at the elderly woman who looks about ready to head out.

"Good day, Mrs. Lina," I warmly greet her and she looks up from rummaging through her bag, smiling a toothy smile at me, the corners of her warm brown eyes crinkling as she does so and her lips parting to reveal narrow and slightly worn out teeth.