PURIFYING TOUCH...

Chapter 3.

I woke up the next morning to banging at my door. I looked at the clock and it was only 6:30pm. I still would have had the option to sleep for another half hour but no. someone was banging at my door. I opened the door to find Dom puffing and panting and all sweaty; it looked like he had just been for his morning run. So why was he at my door?

            “A Della Luna got killed last night.” He said. What the hell? On school grounds? How was that even possible? Wait, I know how it’s possible but still, why?

            “Who is it?” Curiosity got the best of me. “I don’t know, they wouldn’t tell me, come, maybe they will tell us who it is once they take the body away, it was covered and all so I couldn’t see who it was.” I put on my ugg boots and dodged past him. He then ran ahead, leading the way. I followed still in my pyjamas and my hair shoved back in a messy pony tail. We ran for a couple of minutes until we were on the other side of the campuses. By the time we got to the Della Luna Dorms my ugg boots were saturated. We arrived to see warriors everywhere keeping everyone back. There was a black bag on the ground and there were girls crying everywhere, all Della Luna. The Imbrido’s wouldn’t cry at the death of someone, or at least not in public. I recognised one of the girls who were crying and I instantly ran to her and hugged her.

            “Marina, what happened?” She was shaking so badly and crying hysterically. She paused and looked at me. Her mascara had run everywhere, and I honestly have to say, she looked hideous. She looked over to the bag and to the warrior keeping everyone away from the crime scene.

            “It’s Daniella, someone slit her throat.” Was all that she could get out before she burst into tears once again. I just stood there holding her for a while until Dom came up to us. He took in the scene and hugged both of us knowing that he didn’t have to ask what was going on because I would tell him later. He didn’t even know it was Daniella who was killed. I never liked Daniella but I know she didn’t deserve to be killed, sorry let me correct that. Murdered. Especially not like that. To have your throat slit and to choke to death on your own blood was a horrible way to die. I let go of Marina and let her boyfriend/bond mate Jack hold her. I looked at Dom as he let go of Marina too.

“It was Daniella.” His eyes shot up to meet mine. He would have cried if this weren’t public. If we were alone, he would be a wreck. And I can guarantee that he will be later. I hugged him, knowing that there was not much I could do for him now. Not here. Not in public. Neither of us could show weakness. And publicly mourning the death of a Della Luna was a form of weakness. We could grieve as much as we wanted in the privacy of our own home but we can never; ever show people that we are weak. I let go of Dom and told him that it would be okay and that I would speak to him later. I looked around to see where Ricci was, I needed to see if he was okay. Oh god, who am I kidding, he isn’t going to be okay, his cousin is dead.

            I couldn’t see him anywhere so I decided to go check his room. Maybe he didn’t even know about this, about the death of his cousin. I ran, still in my pyjamas up to Dorm House 4. I ran up the stairs and knocked on door number 7. No one answered. I knocked again, still no answer.

            “Ricci, it’s me, Anika.” I knew he was inside. I don’t know why, I had just gotten the feeling that he was, and that I should be here with him. I had to protect him from himself. He came to the door and opened it. I looked at him. He was in Manchester United boxers. That was it. Well, except for the bottle of vodka in his left hand. He knew about Daniella. “Are you okay?” I don’t know why I asked that. I don’t know why anyone asks that question when someone they love dies. He stepped aside signalling for me to step inside. I walked through the doorway and sat on the lounge. He sat with me. I hugged him and he burst into tears. Most people think that if a guy cries, it means he’s weak. But I understand. Ricci loved his cousin and I don’t blame him for crying. Daniella was his cousin and he was responsible for looking after her. He felt like he couldn’t even make sure that she lived past the first month of school. Wait? How did I know that? I don’t know but I instantly knew how he felt and I instantly understood. What the hell? This is weird. It wasn’t weird because he was crying. It was weird because I knew exactly how he felt... we sat like that for a while; I wasn’t exactly keeping track of the time. Seeing him like that honestly made me want to cry too. But I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t show weakness.