Academy Murder Party

~:Chapter 54:~

"Interesting." Jake raised an eyebrow.

Catherine stared silently with widened eyes.

"H-Huh?! Who?" Yuki asked. 

"Wait... What?" Claire raised an eyebrow. "You mean... another staff member...?"

"No." Nurse Isabelle clarified. "Not at all..." She sighed. "It's up to them if they wish to reveal their identity." Nurse Isabelle smirked.

"Wait... why would it matter if..." Claire muttered, pausing for a moment before her eyes widened at the sudden epiphany. "They weren't here."

"You mean... one of us was tasked to kill Vanessa by President Lane?" Yuki asked, glancing around at the others.

"It's Catherine..." Eric muttered. "Figured as much." He whispered.

Yuki and Claire turned to stare at the girl. She stood there in silence, her gaze fixated on the floor beneath them as if she were avoiding eye contact.

"Cath-." Yuki opened her mouth to speak.

"Okay, yeah, fine, it's me, whatever," Catherine grunted. "I still hate her, don't get me wrong. I'd kill her even if I wasn't asked to do this." She rolled her eyes.

"No wonder the only other person we've seen with a gun was Elle

"You're... working with Elle?!"

"No, you idiot." Catherine hissed. "Sorry." She quickly apologized for her sudden aggressiveness. "I'm not. I decided to leave it up to fate on the exam and take a chance, which screwed me over. So, I joined the game out of my own free will." She sighed. "I got called down to Elle's office two days later where we made the deal... don't ask me how or why she knows I despise Vanessa, yet, she somehow did." Catherine sighed.

"What would you get in exchange?"

"I'd get to live." She whispered. 

"You were using me," Eric grunted. "You were fucking using me just to survive."

"What? T-That's not at all true." Catherine turned to him. "I wanted to help you. I wanted you to find Danielle before you left..." She said, sighing. "Well, you did... but..."

"Shut the hell up!" He hissed. "Why didn't you tell me?! Why would you lie to me?!" His voice quivered as he stood up, staring directly into her face as he screamed.

"I COULDN'T. I was forced into silence. It's not something I wanted!" Catherine hissed.

"I can confirm that." Nurse Isabelle said.

"You were just going to leave me behind." He grunted.

"Not alone," Catherine muttered. "And you know what, screw you for putting me on blast like that." She grunted, turning to Nurse Isabelle, who shrugged in response before groaning in pain at the movement.

"Can we all calm down... and try to figure something out."

"I agree... because there's something I need you all to do." Nurse Isabelle whispered.

"Fuck this," Eric grunted, walking away from the group. Amelia followed behind him as he sat down with his back against a chair, putting his hands in his face as he sobbed into them. Amelia frowned at the sight, taking a seat next to him.

"I know how it feels." She whispered.

"No... You don't..." He hissed back. "Just... go away..." He grunted. 

"I lost Adam." She whispered, surpassing the lump in her throat upon saying that. 

Eric paused before he put his hands on his lap and stared at the floor.