St. Văduva's School for Prestigious Girls

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖞-𝕱𝖔𝖚𝖗

(TW: Suicidal thoughts.)

The bathroom floor was cold and welcoming against her skin as she leaned against the stall door, remnants of her lunch swirling in the toilet. At least her nausea was gone now. But her headache was brutal.

"Fuckin' tired of this," she huffed out. If she were not attempting to solve a murder and clear her name, the idea of a noose sounded charming, if only to escape this torture of her body turning against her. She wiped the sick from her mouth and discarded her vomit down the pipes before she reluctantly got to her feet, the fleeting sensation of the coldness of the tiles vanishing all too soon. She had to get going if she were to make the committee meeting.

As per Florida's email — which took her a century to get to open on those ancient computers in the library — the committee meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the dance studio on the far western side of the school, and she was in the lower level bathroom washing her hands and straightening out her uniform. Three uniforms would just not cut it — she would need at least two more, and she was really trying to hold back on spending money so Constance would have all she needed once the elder sister inevitably passed. But it was the second round of wearing this sweater vest this week, and the laundry room was still closed off. It had been nearly three weeks since Ji-Yeong's murder, and there were no new leads, much to Kanani's explosive chagrin. She had been quiet for weeks, stewing in her mourning.

Temperance was no closer to finding any other suspects. After all, how do you go about questioning people who did not even know that someone was dead? A tricky situation, to be certain. She had hit a brick wall in the case.

Trekking up the stairs, she was pulled from her thoughts at the sight of the front door opening. A foot held the massive wood open, struggling to catch their heel around it to pull it open. Temperance strode forth, helping whoever it was on the other side of the door.

Instead of a face, she was met with box upon box, stacked messily and filled to the brim with festive Halloween decor. As soon as the obstacle was removed, the man holding the precariously towering boxes sighed.

"Mulțumesc foarte mult!" The man exhaled, thoroughly pleased. He wore a dark brown leather jacket, and black fingerless gloves, showcasing the cold weather that lie behind the now-closed front door.

She recognized the voice straight away. Dmitri. She had not forgotten him nor had she forgotten she had promised him a painting, and she was a woman of her word.

"Need some help?" she offered, holding the door open while he wormed his way inside.

He peered out the corner of his eye and grinned widely, placing the horde of boxes on the floor. "You! Nice girl! Been long time, yes?"

"Yeah, it has," she smiles. "Where are you headed to, Dmitri?"

"I go to dance studio — girls want things for party, I go and get."

She bent down and picked up two of the four boxes. "I'll go with. I'm headed there myself."

"Good, good!" he clapped. "Come, we bring party things!"

He fetched the remaining items and began their assent up the first stairwell and straight ahead to the staircase that lead to the second level, Temperance following his lead. They bypassed students and professors alike until they made it to the dance studio on the completely opposite side of the school. She had not been to this side of the school yet, having only ever seen it on her map fleetingly. She had all the grace of a fawn with an arrow through its hip. No need to memorize where the dance studio would be.

Upon walking in through the propped open door, she marveled at the massive dance studio, mirrors from floor to ceiling reflecting several fold-up tables with different decorations sprawled across them. Large, rounded windows let in gorgeous light and even more heavenly scenery. People bustled around inside, chatting and gluing and crafting. And now Temperance was thrust straight into the middle.