Looks Can Kill

A Friendly Enemy

Reusa began to sit next to Steve the next morning at breakfast and found herself being just as silent as usual. But Steve's presence at her side made her suddenly grateful. Her horrible pain inside was momentarily forgotten, or rather, just buried. Reusa suddenly realized how much her heart had shriveled and hidden behind her own sunglasses. She had become another manifestation of this two-faced demon that plagued the school. She hid behind a face of sunglasses and danger. The Martins hid behind a face of a carefree worldview. She was no better than them. Another sin to add to the pile.

After breakfast was chapel. Reusa again sat beside Steve, mostly because there was nowhere else to sit. That and Steve really needed someone to shelter him from the horde of girls that always tried to surround him. Even still, Reusa was a bit bored. She sat slumped in the pew as Mr. Martin droned on and on about submitting to governing authorities. She stood with the rest of the students as the worship music played, but she didn't get into it. She wasn't here to worship some unseen deity. She began twirling the short hair on the back of her head around her hair as all the students sat back down for Mrs. Martin to go through the announcements.

"Good morning, students. I would like to introduce to you your new seasonal teacher." Mrs. Martin began. Reusa knew that every once in awhile the Martins would invite someone else to come teach some classes for a few months or sometimes an entire season. "This teacher has been studying abroad for a few years and has come back and decided to teach in small private schools."

Mrs. Martin stepped to the middle of the stage and held out her hand. "Please welcome Ethan Cunningham."

Reusa's hand froze in her hair as Ethan walked onto the stage. He was young and dangerously cute. His black hair curled over his forehead and his sideburns were perfectly symmetrical. His eyes were dark green and cunning and his lips were twisted in a knowing grin. He wore a black suit with a white button up shirt. He also wore a bright red tie that stood out like a clown. The overall effect was just as creepy as a clown.

Reusa hadn't been able to clarify his face in her mind. He had always slipped from her memory like a phantom. Now he had materialized and Reusa remembered his name and how he had stood by as she was forced to kill more people than she could count.

Reusa was frozen by fear. Her vision tunneled until all she could see was Ethan, smiling and waving at all the students. Mrs. Martin dismissed the students, but Reusa was rooted to spot, her hands gripping the pew in front of her so tightly that her knuckles were white.

Then two things happened at once. First, Steve touched her on the shoulder, asking what was wrong. Second, Ethan's smiling gaze suddenly collided with her's. His body froze and his eyes widened in recognition. Reusa could see in those eyes the same cunning mind, the same cocky expressions as she had seen four years ago, in a mansion, as she showed people their sins and watched their will to live drift away.

Ethan then flashed her a smile and Reusa shuddered. She finally ripped her gaze away from Ethan and tore her feet from the floor and raced out of the room. Reusa was going to run. She could grab her motorcycle and disappear like she had after she killed John.

But this was what she wanted, wasn't it? Didn't she want to be found so she could find out about her past? It happened, just like she had half hoped it would. And now, she wanted to go back to her earlier ambiguity. Or did she? Did she really want to go back to not understanding her own nightmares?

No, she didn't. She could use this. She had, after all, recognized him first. She still had the upper hand. She could find revenge.

"Amasia. Are you okay?" Steve asked suddenly behind her, making her jump. Reusa faced him, too preoccupied to tell him not to her 'loved one'. Steve put a gentle hand on her shoulder, forcing her to look into his intense gaze. She almost cringed at the worry in his eyes. How could Steve automatically know what she was feeling, even when it was so easily hidden from everyone else? Reusa gulped.