The Originals

Chapter Twenty-Six: Saira Levine

Saira woke up to an email sent by Stoll and she read in while brushing her teeth.

To: gossip_gurl@gmail.com

From: stoll_ur_effing_cash@gmail.com

Hey, Levine, I heard from Gray that she got into the Silverleaf Gothic Literature Club (obviously, duh). Classes are cancelled by Headmaster Roux so "all Silverleaf students can destress about the past storm and suicides" or whatever. I already told Gray, but I hacked into the security cameras again—everything was wiped clean of Robert Reuters' death.

Professor Green's, Scarlett's, and Robert's murders are always swiped and deleted before someone can check the recordings, it's fishy. I already tried to get them back, but they're gone forever. I'm still waiting to hear back from Madeleine, I have a class with her later today. Email me if you got accepted into the gothic literature club or not.

She spat out her toothpaste, sighing. At least one of us got accepted to the club, she thought. Now the real sleuthing can begin. Saira quickly texted back a message of her rejection and got dressed.

She wore a black maxi dress with golden chains, the school's blazer tied around her waist. Stand against the rest of the crowd in the best possible way, Mama once told her. Saira slipped on platform Mary Jane shoes and wore big golden hoops on her ears.

Saira walked out until she noticed Fareeda. She wore a tank top and a pair of sweatpants, her curly and frizzy hair in a braid. "No class today," Fareeda shrugged. "So, what are you doing for the rest of the day?"

"Not much. You?"

"I'm trying to salvage Silverleaf's garden in the Greenhouse, there was some leaking and it's just a muddy mess." Fareeda had a glint in her eye, smiling. "You want to join me?"

Saira's thoughts flickered to Orchid's suspect list. She vividly remembered how Ivory Kee, a close friend of Ruth, was there. Ivory, Saira would sleuth around. "Sorry, I remembered I have something to do."

Fareeda frowned. "To do with Orchid?"

"Yeah, homework and stuff, it's really Orchid's specialty." Saira saw the abandoned glass of apple juice still on her desk. She grabbed it and downed it, licking her lips. "Thank you for getting me dinner again, I was on the verge of starving last night."

"No problem." She slid her hands into her pockets. "I'm just trying to be friendly." Maybe overly friendly, but Fareeda was kind enough.

"Later, Patel."

"See you later."

Saira tailed out of her dorm, heading down to the Dining Hall. When she arrived, she saw Orchid sitting by the trash cans. "Seriously? By the garbage, Gray?" When Orchid shrugged, Saira rolled her eyes. She sat down and stole an apple from her tray, scanning the hall for Ivory Kee.

Finally, her eyes landed on the pale girl with glossy black hair. Ivory had fallen from the social ranks since the scandal of Stanley Crawford, so she wasn't too far from the trash cans. Lizzy Connors sat beside Ivory, along with Ruth. Saira's breath hitched when she saw Ruth's face, reminded that she was replaced with Fareeda.

Then she saw someone unexpected as Scarlett Mako's replacement—Bailey Preston. She looked shaken, but otherwise okay. "I thought Bailey was your friend," Saira told Orchid.

"She was, I suppose."

"Well, when did that happen?" She gestured towards the four.

"I never knew that Bailey was friends with Ivory." Yet another danger of Ivory Kee, she is wicked and cunning. Would Bailey spill the beans about Robert to Ivory? Saira hoped not, Ivory could be bitchy according to Ruth's past experiences.