"This isn't fair." Autumn shook her head in disbelief.
"I don't have a choice." A voice echoes through the room.
"Why do you have to be such a terrible person? I thought we've been through this." Moisture gathered in the rim of her eyes.
"I'm just broken...Please forgive me, it's too hard."
"It's too hard to disobey someone evil for someone you love??"
"It's not that easy."
"You know, I fell for you the way you were with me outside of school. If you're just gonna continue being this asshole at school. We're done. I can't stand you anymore," She was sobbing now. "And you promised you would change."
"Whatever, you wouldn't understand."
Autumn was at grass volleyball, she had been swapped out and was now sitting on the beatly trimmed field off the side of the court. Sharp gusts of wind blew past her flushed cheeks, as she held her palms to her forehead and massaged her temples.
Calm down, she whispered to herself.
Her hands pulled on the grass as her nose started to tingle.
Why? Why did he have to die?
She continued to sit in distress. She recalled the moments when Connor was the sweetest, most thoughtful boy; a misunderstood soul that was desperately trying to impress everyone around him. But he didn't have to impress Autumn because she knew the "real" him. Or at least, the "him" that he was afraid to express. Connor didn't like feeling weak and incompetent, so he masks his personality as someone tough and mean. Connor's worst fear was vulnerability, he had made many mistakes that he secretly regretted to the point it hurts his head. Autumn didn't even know why she bothered with that awful boy, she had only got her heart shattered into a thousand shards. Maybe some part of her related to the feeling that haunted Connor, or maybe she pitied him, she didn't understand her the reason for her attachment.
Message from Rory: We got a new lead! We're going to find the librarian now.
Autumn picked up her pearl-blue phone and liked the message. With all her heart, she didn't wish to be involved in the investigation, but her veins were bubbling with anger. Her temperature rised and her breath caught up to the beating of her heart. She knew exactly who the killer was, however, her cool must remain or her secrets will be revealed.
Or else that would be the death of her.
She was obliged to act innocent and clueless, and her identity shall remain the oblivious petite athlete that got dragged into a dirty investigation. Her pursuits were going to be under wraps, not too persistent but also not too laid back, she can not seem suspicious. The grass she had been pulling on left red burns across her cuticles, soaring the pain back to her temples.
"Gahhh," She huffed, displeased.
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Meanwhile, Rory and Ajax sprinted to catch the librarian before she headed home for the day. Ms. Ku was a dainty lady with dark curls that enveloped her doleful face. Although her usual resting face reputed a dark demeanor, her outfits consisted of vivid colors of blouses and dresses, flowering like tulips in disguise. She was a nice lady, there would be no point in lying, a smart librarian like her wouldn't risk her job for an irrelevant situation.
"I knew she'd be here. Let me talk to her," Rory said to Ajax as she entered the entrance to the teacher's lounge. Her arm oscillated and hit Ajax in the ribs, his eyes flickered to hers. She returned an expression of surprise that plastered her face, nothing like her usual facials. "Sorry," her eyes fixated on his shoes. Ajax held a hand to his neck and followed her pace.
"Hi there, Ms. Ku, you look great today. I like those pearls." Rory gestured towards her collarbone.
"Ohh, thank you Rory how unusually sweet of you to say," she said, dark curls bouncing around her round face.
"Can we perhaps go somewhere private?" Rory said hopefully.
Letting the situation sink in, her eyes drift to Ajax, widening for a split second. Her face distorted from skeptical to astoundingly calm. She was playing the poker face where frequent amounts of people would fail to shadow. Her profound expression made her unreadable, "Your friend shouldn't be here."
"We have questions for you, it won't take much of your time, we promise," Ajax's mask descended from above his head, he mirrors her attitude, a shadow deafening his face. Although it wasn't particularly a rude thing to do, Rory felt like a tamed wolf watching its leader hunt for its prey.
Ms. Ku hesitated, she didn't want to get involved but she had been put on the spot by two dangerously smart teenagers. "Fine, come into my office if you must."
She led the way down the decorated hall to her personal space, the atmosphere in her office was enthralling, a sight to be in awe of, but now was not the time.
"On the day of the murder, did anyone ask for library access?" Rory interrogated. It was probably safer for Ajax to stay quiet, he was a prime suspect after all.
She thoughtfully pondered for a good 5 seconds, "No. Nothing like that."
"Did anyone ask you for your keys?"
"No one ever did. It was a regular hour day for the library and Marley closed up at 12, she does a picture check every time." Ms. Ku didn't seem like the type of staff member to deceive. So Rory complied.
"Okay, I see. Thank you for your time."
"No worries," she said with a soft smile. "Stay safe."
Ajax headed stood up and headed towards the door and turned around the corner before Ms. Ku placed her hand on Rory's shoulders. The short woman hovered close to her ear and whispered in a sinister tone, "Be careful who you trust Rory. Always watch your back." Rory's neck tingled with hot breath. Ms. Ku eased her grip, red nails glistening under the dim lights of her office. Without turning back, Rory raced outside to the boiling sun sneering at her.
YOU ARE READING
The Girl Who Couldn't Kill
Mystery / ThrillerRory Peng has always fantasized about murder. On the outside, Rory is the ideal student, philosophically smart and independent of her own problems. On the contrary, she doesn't really stand out at her American High School in Taiwan. There was just s...