You're Mine

PAWN

tw // blood, gore, death

Four policemen burst into the classroom that I'm sitting in, interrupting the teacher.

Wait. Policemen?

I pause writing in my diary, halfway through the date. I eye the men, watching them carefully as they survey the classroom. Fuck. My hands go clammy, and my pen clatters on the table when it falls out of my hands. Are they here for me? Was I discovered?

My eyes immediately go to Zhongli. The police are here, and they've come to get me. I'm finished. I've been found out. And now, Zhongli's going to find out. He won't want me now. He didn't want me anyway, but now any chance I have is gone. What the fuck have I done? Why couldn't I just go up to him and talk to him like a normal fucking person? No, what I did was okay, right? I did it because I love him. And I have people to protect me. Surely they aren't here for me, right? My people would make sure of it.

"Is there a kid named 'Zhongli' in this class?" one of them ask, and I swear I feel my heart sink. Why would he be involved with the police?

Unless...

Oh, no.

"Yes, there is. May I ask your reason for needing my student?" the teacher replies. What is she doing? Is she stupid?

Zhongli looks up from his notebook, gripping his pencil so tightly it could break.

"H-huh?" he stammers. He looks like he's going to scream. "Me? There must be a mistake. I have done nothing."

"You're under arrest under the suspicion of three possible murders in this vicinity in the past fortnight," the police officer says firmly, walking up to Zhongli's desk, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do will be used against you in the co—"

"Wait, no! I'm innocent, I swear!" Zhongli protests, trying to fight off the officers as they restrain and cuff him. My fist slams on my desk, making them look my way for just a moment, but it's not enough.

"They were my friends! My classmates! Why would I kill them?" Zhongli continues, thrashing to break free of the policemen. But they overpower him and subdue him.

Zhongli looks terrified, confused. He tries to protest again, but the officers don't pay attention. They just carry him out. I need to help him. But I can't. My people would kill me if I got involved. But why would they arrest him?

That's when the realisation hits me.

Zhongli is the prime suspect — believed to be the goddamn culprit — because the ones I killed were close to him. All evidence points to Zhongli. And he may not have an alibi. Fuck. What have I done? I'm a fucking idiot.

I feel my body shake. I frantically look for a distraction, biting my nails and picking at my lips. Everyone is looking at me, right? Everyone knows I did this. Oh god. My chest is heaving. I can hear someone speaking to me. Who is it?

"Ajax?"

Her voice snaps me out of it. I look up to see a green haired girl. Sucrose. I know her, because she has some weird crush on one of the teaching assistants. Albedo, or something.

Thinking about this calms me down. So I humour her for a moment.

"Is there something wrong, Sucrose?" I ask, trying my best to sound calm.

"You... don't look too good. Are you okay? Do you need to go to the nurse?" she asks, her eyes narrowing with concern.

"This has nothing to do with you. Turn around, leave me alone," I snap, glaring at her, but I don't mean to.