Golden Murders

I.

Alexi's POV

October 22nd, 2015
10:40 AM

The physics professor, Mr. Cromwell, stood at the door, engaged in a conversation with the principal. His restless state was evident as he bounced his leg, fidgeted, and nervously played with his fingers, while beads of sweat trickled down his face. It was no doubt that he was feeling paranoid or maybe even stressed. I'd noticed his increasing stress over the past few days, yet I still can't figure out why.

The bell rang, jolting me back to reality. Students began packing up their notebooks and filing out of the classroom. I continued to watch Cromwell as he forced a fake smile onto his sweat-covered face and bid farewell to the departing students and the principal.

"Alexi!"

My friend in the distance called, her expressions mirroring my own confusion. "I'm coming, just give me a second," I mumbled as I hurriedly shoved my books into my bag, double-checking my schedule as I did so. English class was up next.

"You alright?" Mythra asked "You've been acting weird this morning." Her warm smile revealed her dimples, and her silky brown hair danced in the wind. I couldn't deny it, she was gorgeous in my eyes.

I barely registered her words, my mind kept drifting back to the worried professor. Evergreen High was known as the perfect private school, with its flawless students, top-notch teachers, and a sprawling campus with gourmet lunches. At least, that's what everyone who didn't attend the school believed.

What they didn't realize was the immense pressure that the school's administration placed on both the staff and the students. Everyone had struggled to pass the entrance exam to get into this place. I suppose Mr. Cromwell's concern wasn't that big of a deal.

"What? Yeah I'm fine. Just sleepy, that's all." I finally spoke to her. She didn't seem too convinced by my words. "I'm fine" I repeated, giving her a reassuring smile.

Mythra raised an eyebrow, her piercing brown eyes searching mine for any sign of deception. "Okay, if you say so," she said, her voice tinged with concern. She typed in the passcode and swung open her locker, grabbing a pile of books. "We've got break time in around 2 hours." She spoke, looking at her watch for a split second. "Then we can go to the dorms and take a nap or do whatever you wanna do."

I nodded slowly. "I could really use that nap right now," I replied, rubbing a spot under my eyes. Honestly, I would kill for a nap right now. "I've got English next."

"You have English next too? That means we'll be together," Mythra said, turning to me with a smile.

"I guess I'll be alone then. I have History," Hazel Brooke spoke. She threw her arms around me from behind, startling me but eventually earned a smile. She linked onto my arm as she stood next to me, resting her brunette hair on my shoulder.

"Where've you been?" I squeezed her arm.

"Skipping class" She replied. "It was fun. You guys should've joined me."

"We could've, but you know Mr. Cromwell won't let you go anywhere until class ends," Mythra said, leaning against the lockers. "Good luck with history. I heard Mrs. Ross is giving you guys a test today." She chuckled under her breath.

Hazel's ocean blue eyes widened. "Yeah, I didn't study. Shit." With that, she hurried off in the other direction, her brunette locks bouncing as she ran through the halls. I chuckled as she left and turned back to Mythra.