Academy Murder Party

~:Chapter 32:~

"You caught me," Catherine said with a roll of her eyes, seemingly unbothered by it; she crossed her arms and scoffed, and the raised eyebrow from Eric. "What more do you want me to say?" She asked.

"Nothing! I... didn't expect you to admit it outright."

"I've got nothing to hide..." She shrugged. "As of right now, that is." She corrected herself with a slight smirk before returning her face to the emotionless blank slate that she usually had, staring at the caught off guard, Eric.

"Am I allowed to ask why you let me win?"

"No."

"Oh, okay." Eric sighed.

"Giving up that easy?" Catherine asked. "Shame."

"W-what did you want me to do?" He sputtered out, countering her question with yet another question. He stared at her, the girl looking smug yet, bored. He was frustrated, unable to keep up with the girl's mysteriousness and stubbornness.

Then again, he wasn't exactly sure what he expected. Even in the academy, Catherine had the reputation of being secretive. He was never friends with her, aside from playing cards occasionally. It was his girlfriend who was close to her. Catherine, originally, had been one of the few popular girls in Danielle's friend group. So, he had some insight into her character through his girlfriend and the rest of the group. Yet, strangely one day, they all broke apart. Eric still wasn't sure what happened, nor would he be given any explanation when he asked Danielle. Instead, she'd avoid the question, like he never asked it himself. He just gave up on it, respecting her privacy as he assumed it was nothing more than the petty drama that spiraled into something much bigger than it needed to be.

"Alright, enough games," Catherine spoke up.

"But... you started this...?" Eric chimed in, completely confused as to what was going on.

"Shut up." She snapped back. "The point is I spared you for a reason. I thought you would've figured as much, seeing as how you found out I let you win. How you managed to do that without finding a clue I purposely threw the game is beyond me."

"Your singular card was an eight." Eric sighed.

"I stand corrected." Catherine nodded in the sense of respect. "You could figure out how I did it but not why. Not bad. Not bad at all." She muttered, nodding along.

"Can you get on with it?"

"Jesus. Rush me, why don't you! What's the big hurry? You got a date?" She asked. Eric rolled his eyes as he shook his head in disappointment.

"Fine." She finally said. "You're alive because I need you for something." She said, slipping her packet of cards into a pocket on her jacket. 

"Need me... but why... and for what?"  Eric looked at her, his confusion visible on his face in the form of a raised eyebrow as he stared at her. She folded her hands together down on the desk as she smirked.

"I want Vanessa dead before this game ends." She stared into his eyes; her face was just as serious as the tone of her voice at which the words left.

* * * 

"You... I recognize you..." The girl spoke, drifting forward gracefully like a spirit towards the terrified Yuki, who backed up against the desk. Her hands reached behind her as the girl stepped towards her, pressing onto the keyboard. "Ah, it is you! The new girl." The girl spoke; her crimson veil, adorned with intricate designs of roses, obstructed her face. Yuki watched as she grabbed onto her blanket, swiftly lifting it over her head, along with the many roses on her headband as she revealed her face.