Winchester High| 16+

Chapter 6: Paint

"We found the footage." I clenched my fingers tightly. Could Nico really be involved?

"Go get the boy," Cullens said, supervillain-like. Referring to Nico as 'the boy' and all. I tried to make fun. But my legs were damn-near quivering.

"He's already here. He got into an altercation on the second floor with a couple of girls." The security guard said, being too rough, again. I just knew it was the same group of girls from the library. I wanted to scream at Nicolo. We aren't supposed to be doing anything that could further incriminate us. The guard, whom I thought was the nice one, pulled Nicolo to the door by his shirt.

"Get off me!" He flicked the security guard off with his shoulder. "Relax, kid." I wanted to scream at him to tell him to chill out. He looked at my face, my state, which I thought wasn't obvious, and relaxed.

After some triumph, Nicolo eventually sat down. But for some reason, I couldn't look at him. I felt too guilty, although maybe I was afraid. Though, afraid of what? Guilty of what?

"We searched through the footage and found the exact moment when the vandalism occurred. Which now gives reason to believe that you, Nicolo, are involved." The principal said flatly.

"How does that mean I'm involved?!" Nico exclaimed. He spoke up now, more than ever, but not for the right reasons.

"Just watch the footage for yourselves," Cullens said. We were directed out of the office to the reception desk that had the monitor on it. I was in for too much when I walked in school today. While secuity tampered with the TV I didn't glance at Nico, not once. He had to notice, but I hope he can understand that I just can't, at least not right now.

The security guard played the footage and the moment the screen flickered to life and the footage began, the air seemed to thicken with tension. It was almost like I could hear both Nicolo and I's heartbeat.

The video played and was just the camera that directly faced the boy's bathroom door.

"Fast forward," Cullens remarked as if to purposely kill me with suspense.

The security guard fast-forwarded, and a black figure appeared on the right side of the screen. It got closer, which revealed its hood and the mask underneath, but no face. I finally went to look at Nico, but he didn't look back as his eyes were glued to the screen. He looked ghostly.

The masked figure was still at the camera confrontationaly. Staring deeply at it. It sent a chill all over my body. It looked smart. As if it knew all this was going to happen to us. He slowly raised his arm and sprayed the camera with red spray paint. The security guard stopped the footage.

"Okay? Okay, this doesn't prove anything." He said hopefully, stuttering all over the place, but who wouldn't be? Who in the school would have any reason for doing this? I felt terrible, but it only got worse from there.

"Rewind," Cullens said dismissively.

The security guard rewound the tape and stopped right as the spray can was clearly in frame. You could see the brand, and the color precisely.

"Would you mind telling us why we found this exact spray can in your locker?" Cullens put his hands in his pocket and sighed.

The distance between me and Nicolo grew infinitely wide, and I was breathless, just hoping it wasn't true.

"It just isn't true," Nico said. He went black.

Cullens seems partly apologetic, pursing his lips. Just about the only ounce of sympathy you'd ever get from him. He tilted his head towards the door and we all followed behind him.

As we walked down the hall, Nico walked with his head down, far ahead next to Principal Cullens. I walked behind with the security guard. The distance between us stretched even further. I didn't find it necessary for us to be escorted like this. It would've been pretty embarrassing if there were people out. Luckily, there were fewer students out since it wasn't class time. I guess they didn't send me to class, knowing I'd want to see this. Or maybe they're looking for a rhyme or reason to blame some of it on me. I didn't want to involve myself with whatever Nico's shenanigans were anymore. I seemed to lose trust.

We got to the end of the hall where Nicolo's locker was, the exact opposite side of the hallway from where mine was.

Cullens shuffled through his key. My stomach was turning, and I finally made eye contact with Nico. It was brief but telling. He could feel the massive, impenetrable wall between us, and I could see his pain. However, what I didn't know was if that was an admission of guilt or something else entirely.

We were bound to find out as Cullens approached the locker with the keys and swung open the door.

And there it was. A used canister of bright red spray paint.