Red Roses ~Marcus Lopez Arguello

24~ Savior

Cemetery, Kings Dominion, 4 pm

Scarlett sat on top of one of the gravestones, leaning against its headstone, fiddling with her butterfly knife. She had been sitting there for some time, just trying to figure out her best strategy of survival. She had calmed down a bit right now, and had thought of the possibility that no one would attempt to do what they did when they were kids to her, now that she has a reputation to back her up. That didn't really stop her from being scared, though.

"You're not in your room." Gao has her hands behind her back as she walks towards Scarlett.

Scarlett just turns to Madam Gao, stopping her movements, before she wipes her eyes, standing up, walking up to Gao. She just places her butterfly knife on her thigh strap before holding her wrists out to the administrator, not putting up a fight.

This threw Madam Gao off completely, it was completely unlike the girl. After what she witnessed in the hallway, she would expect the girl to still be just as explosive, but Scarlett just looked defeated. Something had turned in her stomach at the ghastly sight of the strong girl. She didn't feel pity, but rather, sympathy. Though Madam Gao was trained at a young age, and the death of her son had made her more stone cold, she had felt some sort of sadness at the sight of the girl, crumbling in front of her eyes, not even caring about the fact that her administrator saw her in that state. She had also been ready for the repercussions of her leaving her dorm. She knew what would happen if she was caught, and she didn't care. She was just ready to face the consequences, the torture. She had already been put through that her entire life.

Madam Gao just walked past the girl, sitting where Scarlett just was. Scarlett's eyes widened in surprise and she put her wrists down, her arms falling limp at her side. She turned to face the lady who just patted the cold stone beside her own figure, ushering Scarlett to take a seat.

Scarlett dragged her feet over and sat down. Madam Gao stared at the gravestones in front of the one they sat at, reading her fathers name on the wall. Scarlett just looked at the lady, who was silent beside the teen. "Aren't you going to reprimand me?"

"No."

"Don't you think I deserve some sort of punishment for not abiding by the rules? Isn't that what you came here for? To punish those who defy you?" Scarlett's voice is coarse, her throat dry.

"I think what you've endured this last month and a half is punishment enough, Scarlett." She turns to look at the girl. "I came here to figure out what happened to Chico. And now Yukio." Scarlett's teeth grit from behind her sullen expression. "And I have a feeling you know who's responsible."

Scarlett looks at the lady. "There it is. I was waiting for it." Scarlett points at her before standing up. "If I'm not going to be punished I'm going back to my room, I think I've done enough wallowing for one lifetime."

"I know Chico is dead, Ms. Delgado." Scarlett keeps walking, trying to maintain her composure. Madam Gao stands up and continues. "I know you tried to save him." Scarlett stops dead in her tracks. How did she know? How did she find out?

Madam Gao walks closer to the girl. "I know about Vegas. Your intentions. I know about the drugs, and Chico's surprised attendance. I know about the fight, and I know about the alley." She turns the girl around, who had grown silent. She didn't disagree or argue, but instead she was trying to swallow up the tears brimming her eyes. "I'm not asking you to name any names. I'm just asking if what I know is true?" She grabs both her shoulders.

Scarlett doesn't dare ask how she found out, but she could only assume it was through the one written record of the night: Marcus' notebook.

Scarlett's eyes cried and she no longer could control her composure. "I promised his father I would protect him. But I couldn't just let him hurt Marcus, cause I was supposed to protect him too. And I did. I saved them both but she-" Scarlett sobbed and Madam Gao held onto her, before bringing her closer in. Scarlett sighed and fell into the hug. Madam Gao had finally received her confirmation of the facts, and from the girl she had last expected to give up info.