Our Hope

Chapter 14

Silence loomed around me. Jill's face was absent of her usual crazed smile, but her eyes surged with hatred towards me. "So little miss homewrecker," Jill took a step forward, two more pairs of scissors in hand, "tryn' to smudge your filth on my White Knight?" Her insidious laughter filled the air. "You've really got her in a fit! I didn't ever think she'd willing want me around," Jill continued to close the gap between us.

The fear was crippling. I hadn't realized my tight grip on Byakuya's hand until he was squeezing back. Glancing up, the determination on his face was enough to flicker my pride to a steady spark. "Would you rather me be a 'homewrecker' or to have your White Knight shred any ounce of trust and tolerance he has for you?" As quickly as I finished speaking, another pair of scissors zipped past my face, leaving the shallowest graze in my cheek.

"You ramble just like the blonde bimbo!" Jill was within arm's reach. Byakuya filled the space between Jill and me, glaring down at the maniac. "Aw, so you don't hate me after all?" Her tongue curled as she twirled a long braid with a pair of sheers. When his expression didn't change, and he refused to speak, Jill began to swoon. "So stoic!" Another round of laughter rang. "I don't wanna kill ya here, darling. It's gotta be an intimate encounter!"

Byakuya rolled his eyes, "Stop droning on with your useless words. What do you know?"

Jill tilted her head, "About the homewrecker? Absolutely nothing besides that the coward can't stand her!"

"Then this is a waste of time," I said, keeping my eyes on Jill. "We should join Kirigiri and Naegi," I glanced at our wounds. "and treat these gashes". Keeping my head high, I turned away from Jill and began to approach the hall doors'. Stopping in the doorway, I turned back with a small grin. "Jill? When Toko resurfaces, I'll be waiting". The grin fell from her face as I walked away scathed, proud, and with Byakuya's arm once again around my waist.

My room was torn apart. Pictures of Junko and I were posted all around the room with papers, clothing, and junk covering the floor. "What, so destroying the trust others had in me wasn't enough? She had to trash my room?"

"Are you seriously more upset at this mess?" Kyoko blinked at me in disbelief.

"You can't be that stupid," Byakuya rolled his eyes. "Were you going to show me these at some point?" He unpinned a picture from the wall. Staring intently, his expression shifted. Near embarrassment, with matching blush, crossed his face. He quickly handed the picture to me and walked over to Makoto.

The picture featured my solo figure, dressed in black lace lingerie. I recalled the photo shoot and how many days Junko had pestered me to participate; I eventually agreed to tasteful boudoir pictures, nothing too revealing. "Wait, Togami, it isn't what you think!"

"You act as if that is a normal picture," he was clearly taken aback by my reaction.

"Well, I mean," I couldn't think of how to retort.

He leaned into my ear, "This was not the way I wanted to see you like this".

Kyoko cleared her throat, "Have you forgotten that your life-threatening information has been leaked?" With our attention on her, Kirigiri took the opportunity to discuss recent findings. She started by returning my key, "We didn't need the key. The door was unlocked and left slightly open".

"I most likely forgot to lock it, but I know I closed it. I had to make sure my dress didn't get caught". I didn't notice anything missing, "Besides the mess, what else did she leave behind?" They shook their heads. I strolled around the room, leaning back and forth, trying to understand why nothing was missing or altered. "Is it possible that she's waiting to use physical evidence?"

Byakuya sneered, "I highly doubt she would think that far ahead. It isn't as if she's planning a murder," he regretted the words immediately, turning his gaze away.

The weight of the night was getting too much to bear. "Kyoko, can you grab a bottle of wine from the dining hall?" Confusion crossed her face. "I want this night to end on a pleasant note, however," I glanced at the inflamed gash in my arm, "Makoto, can you get me some bandages and antiseptic?" They had been so preoccupied with their investigation that Makoto and Kyoko's eyes widened at our wounds. Without a word, Makoto and Kyoko left in opposite directions.

As soon as I could shut the door, I began shuffling the pictures and papers into my hands. "You heard her right? She compared me to Junko," My voice was weak, crackling from the pressure. I brushed over the multiple pictures of me and Junko; we dressed similarly, right down to the same red nails. I was being haunted for walking away from her, for every choice I made in her presence.

Byakuya pulled the pictures from my hands, "You know that you are nothing like Enoshima". His tone was icy; he wasn't even trying to hide his anger from me. Watching him unpin the pictures from the walls, I carried on by picking up papers and clothing.

By the time we returned my room to its' original state, Makoto and Kyoko returned with medical supplies, food, and two bottles of wine.