𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰𝒔 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅| 3

3: Time

❝The water hears and understands. The ice does not forgive❞
*

Asa

I stiffly walked into school premises the next day, my heart, puzzle pieces in my trembling hands that I was trying to piece back together.

Something is wrong. I realized, freezing at the entrance. Something is very wrong.

Trinity was usually a very quiet, very posh academy. Noise was deeply frowned at by both the staff and the students. But right now, no one seemed to care.

People were talking and laughing in hushed tones, harsh whispers filling the hallways, students in circles, shaking their heads and talking hurriedly.

The moment I stepped into the school, something changed, a shift in the air. Silence gripped the entire hallway, so loud, it deafened me.

What's going on? Why are they staring at me? What's going on?

Paranoia paralyzed me. Twisted my sanity into knots. My chest constricted, lungs suddenly forgot how to function properly. My legs were butter and my body was mush.

I was sure of only one thing.

I needed... I needed to get to Kam.
I swiftly walked down the hallway, heading towards my revision class for the day. Biology. There were eyes everywhere. Everyone was looking at me, as if waiting for me to bleed through my eyes.

As confused as I was, I didn't let the stares get to me.

The whispers didn't stop as I navigated my way to my class. I straightened my spine. Pushed my shoulders back, tucked my tummy in and gazed down on anyone that dared meet my eyes, tight scowl in place.

And then I heard it.

Incest.

I stopped, one second, two seconds, thirty seconds, petrified out of my mind, not sure I heard correctly. My saliva thickened, sweat accumulated on my forehead. I dragged a shaky hand across my forehead, wiping off sweat. I started trembling. My hands, vibrating on its own accord.

Maybe I just imagined it. Maybe.

My feet were frozen blocks of lead. I gulped and took another step. And another. And another, grateful to all my body parts for cooperating.

I was about to turn a corner when I caught his scent. The sweet scent of sweetened coffee.

I didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

Kam.

He was walking down the hallway, his energy, confident and intoxicating as ever... But there was something off. The tired look in his eyes. The dead drop of his strong shoulders. He was walking towards my direction, only half listening to what Haliya was saying.

I nearly screeched out loud.

Haliya?! Why her?! Why her of all people?

She had taken position by his side, smiling contently to herself, like she was pleased with this new position. Bronze and Gold, side by side. People tried to walk up to him and make conversations with him but he waved them off, murmured excuses or tiredly brushed them off.

Kam who used to have an intoxicating energy. Kam who used to love the spotlight, that sweet, perfect, golden boy grin on his perfect, perfect lips and mischievous humour in his eyes. Kam, whose eyes, were once desperate to understand my pain.

That Kam was dead.

I stood transfixed in the middle of the hallway, gripped my backpack tight on my shoulders and inhaled strangled gasps of air.