Sin of the Saint

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: IN AN INSTANT + HIATUS ANNOUNCEMENT

Mere minutes after the bell for lunch rang, Liv was at Ms. Chiaki's door, knocking.

"Well, get in here Miss Yves," Ms. Chiaki's irritated reply came from beyond the door. "Since you seem to be in a panic and we only have half an hour—"

"Somebody tried to kill me," Liv said, throwing herself into the chair across her desk. "This weekend—somebody cut the brake lines to my car. If Cupid knows who I am, then he made a move. You probably know he's said stuff to make me think he knows my identity, but I never believed him, I mean...do you think he would be that bold?"

Ms. Chiaki blinked rapidly, staring blankly at Liv before settling back in her chair, interlacing her fingers. "Somebody tried to kill you—put an end to your life—indefinitely?"

"Yes."

"And you reported this to the police, I take it?"

"They still have my car," she said, nodding.

Ms. Chiaki's lips tightened and she remained quiet for a few moments.

"Ma'am?" Liv questioned. "I need to know what to do to protect myself."

Ms. Chiaki held up a hand and reached for her black fan and in a flash, spread its canvas before herself and glanced into it, keeping Liv on the opaque side—in the dark.

Liv looked at Chiaki's onyx eyes as they flashed with miniature images of what was on her canvas. Without much success, Liv tried as she might to figure out what she was seeing.

"Though I cannot see the identity of your attacker..." Ms. Chiaki mumbled, "it appears...that in the future—the near future...you will not be in any danger. The only people affected by your incident and subsequent absence from the bout this morning..." she scowled at Liv once before returning her eyes to the fan, "...are the Sin Invidia—whom we've established from this victory is Marie Reynolds, and...a girl I know by the name of Rose Mendez."

"Rose Mendez?" Liv furrowed her eyebrows, dismissing the news about the saints' victory over another sin. "Rose Mendez stalks me...and Axel Parker."

"You and Axel Parker?"

"We're...sort of...umm...dating?" Liv said uncertainly, then shook her head. "Either way, she made an empty-sounding threat to me last week when she deduced that I liked him, but how was she affected by my car being tampered with?"

"I cannot say for certain other than she seems incredibly shaken up," Ms. Chiaki said calmly, then returned the fan to the drawer before leaning forward on her interlaced fingers. "So...you've decided it to be wise to begin dating amidst this holy war?"

Liv rolled her eyes. "I'm a high school girl with an immense responsibility...don't you think it would be okay if I could decompress somehow?"

"By making yourself vulnerable? Unfocused? Absolutely not," Ms. Chiaki said.

"Auden and Imogen," Liv said, narrowing her eyes.

"What about them?"

"They're involved. Successfully, I've heard," Liv said.

"Imogen's job is done. Yours is far from over," Ms. Chiaki replied simply, leaning back. "Auden is as sharp as a tack—more prepared for his bout than any of you Saints. Though I will add that Axel is a nice boy, like I said before, but as an advisor...both professionally and spiritually...this isn't smart."

"Duly noted, ma'am," Liv said. "So...according to your foresight, I'm not in any danger?"

"If you proceed with usual caution, this event should not repeat itself in the near future," Ms. Chiaki said, nodding.

"Wonderful." Liv got up and opened the door.

"Oh, and Miss Yves," Ms. Chiaki said, making Liv turn around. "Try not to be tardy again...it could have a negative impact on your success here at St. John's."

Liv looked between her and the nosey office ladies just outside the opened door, "Yes ma'am."

"I was beginning to think you stood me up for lunch," Axel chuckled when Liv finally joined him in the hallway with her school lunch tray. "Oh, school lunch today?"

"I was late," Liv sighed. "I'd prefer homemade, but you know—" she took a bite of her chicken sandwich and chewed.

"Gotta take what you can get sometimes—I get it," Axel said, digging into his own sandwich. "So, Liv. I got a question."

"Shoot," she said, then took another bite.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

Liv gasped and inhaled a chunk of half-chewed chicken and began to cough hysterically to the side.

"Yikes, you could just say "no"," Axel began to laugh and beat a gentle fist on her back.

When she'd composed herself, she looked at him through teary eyes, taking in a shaky breath from her coughing fit. "I had my mouth full and you surprised me! That's all..."

"If that's all, say yes, then." He winked.

She blinked slowly, only thinking on Ms. Chiaki's warning for a second. "Yes, then," she said quietly.

He arched an eyebrow.

She rolled her eyes, chuckling. "Yes, of course...I'll be your girlfriend."

He grinned as a blush rushed across his cheeks and he took her chin with his index finger and thumb, brushing her lips gently before kissing her softly.

Liv had closed her eyes but opened them quickly once she recognized a familiar feeling of being watched. And as her eyes fluttered open and to the row of lockers before them, she spotted a figure turning away, dark hair flipping over one shoulder.

Rose Mendez.

Author's Note + Hiatus Announcement: As I will be having to make adjustments to my lifestyle to protect myself and my family members from this virus, I will be going on a month-long hiatus so that I have sufficient time to make these changes and to catch up in my own writing. I love you readers all dearly and I hope that you stay safe during all this mess.

Fun Fact: Frequent hand-washing and use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer can help prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria! Lol, sorry...I couldn't resist. And I didn't have another fun fact to share.