Missing Piece

True Nature

The lecture sounded like nail scratching on a blackboard for Anne, she instead eyed the sharp tip of her pencil. Making it spin around her hand, entraining her while her mind brewed dangerous thoughts.

"How can I get to the two of us to be alone?" Anne drilled the sharp tip of her pencil to the desk, not stopping until the tip was reduced to a dust of lead.

Not paying attention to her teacher, Anne took out a cutter to sharpen her pencil. Each file grew faster than the last as Anne's anger flustered her thoughts.

Soon, a sharp spike of lead protruded from the pencil. But Anne's satisfaction from seeing the tip sunk to anger as she saw the mess that littered her armchair.

"Wait." the mess gifted Anne an idea as she took a glance at the list of cleaners. After seeing that Catherine and Steph on duty for Wednesday, a wide smile haunted Anne's face.

Anne felt the heat of excitement as her heart battered her chest. A scheme brewed in her mind, cooked by the flames she happily fanned. She couldn't help but laugh to praise herself.

"Love is such a great thing." Anne mumbled to herself while she looked at Steph.

A loud roar fueled by the happiness from the ringing bell filled the class as the students immediately left.

"Hey." Steph felt a hand grab her shoulders, upon looking back, she saw Anne.

"Ohayo." Anne greeted her in Japanese, fully knowing Steph is an anime fan.

"Anne-san mo ohayo. That means good morning to you. But I don't know, I am still learning Japanese." Steph laughed.

"Honto desu ka? Steph-san wa Nihongo wo benkyou?" hearing this, Steph thought if Anne was a native Japanese.

"Wait, I am still not that good at Japanese. Though I didn't know you knew how to speak it." Steph couldn't contain the happiness of seeing someone know how to speak Japanese.

For a brief moment, Anne's eyes smiled like a devil playing with a human. "Of course I do, Kaiho is Japanese afterall. How about I teach you while we watch anime at your house?"

"Really?" the happiness from Steph's eyes glowed, before immediately growing dim. "Don't you and Kaiho always hang out, did something happen?"

"Nandemonai. It's nothing, come let's go." Anne said.

Anne's burning initial enthusiasm was puffed out by a jeepney's exhaust. She then found herself in the middle of a large crowd of students in the street waiting for a ride.

Several students walked passed her, uncaring if their elbows bumped to her. With the smell of their sweat and cheap perfumes akin to the revengeful breath of rotting food forgotten on a table for weeks.

"I guess rich kids like you aren't used to this. Do you still want to come? I have to ride a jeep home." Steph said to Anne.

"This is nothing." Anne laughed.

Seeing a swarm of students flooded a jeep, Anne immediately took Steph's and slipped through the crowd until they were at the seat next to the driver.

"That was fun, but it hurted. I thought my right hand would be torn off." Steph laughed at Anne.

"I just wanted to feel what it's like to sit on this spot. I heard it feels good." Anne said.

Anne and Steph then stopped in front of a two-floored house. There was nothing special about it. The only thing that made it stand out was it was the only house painted in the area.

"Let's watch here, my parents won't be coming home until tonight." Steph after she opened the door. Leading an average-sized living room. Anne sat on a wooden sofa as Steph prepared them snacks.

"Is it true you like Cris?" Anne asked.

"Where did you hear that?" Steph blushed as she gave Anne a glass of water.

"So it is true, don't worry about it. I can make you two couples, as thanks for inviting me." Anne smiled. She then pointed out her two index fingers making it look like they were kissing.

"Haha, stop it Anne. How about let's just focus for now on watching this. The plot is about a girl being brave to confess to her crush." Steph explained.

"Yeah, only those who take their chance wins in life." Anne replied.

"So, about what you said," Steph laughed, trying her best to beat around the bush.

"Don't worry, you can do this. Just be as brave as that protagonist." Anne smiled at Steph.

The next day, Steph went to a hidden area to meet Anne.

"Are you sure this will work?" Steph couldn't contain her nervousness and walked in circles. Seeing her like this, Anne held both of her hands.

"Don't worry, we were classmates in elementary. He's into girls who wear makeup, but not thick. Just light." Anne lied as she gave Steph her makeup.

"This is expensive! Are you sure I can use this?"

"Mama bought me it. But I am not really into makeup." Anne said.

"How about-"

"How about the teachers confiscating it?" Anne finished her sentence. "How about you do it in the bathroom. I already informed Cris, so you better hurry.

"But the bathrooms in the building are under maintenance. The only one available is at the top floor. I am sure it will be crowded."

"Tch, I forgot about that." Anne scratched her head in frustration.

"It's okay, I'll just use the one on the school grounds. It's hidden and always empty."

"It's dangerous there. Remember, me and Kaiho had an accident at that place." Anne warned, but Steph still decided to go.

"Hey, remember the anime we watched yesterday? The protagonist only wins when she takes chances." Steph smiled brightly while sending a thumbs up to Anne.

"Be careful, Steph." Anne said as she saw Steph back slowly get smaller in the distance.

After making sure no one followed, Steph opened the bathroom's door. Its slow creaking almost sounded like a pig's sequel while being killed. The sound of an opened faucet leaked from the darkness of the room.

"Where's the switch?" Steph said to herself as she entered the room, her hand sunk in the darkness to search. She found the switch, but no amount of switching it on and off jolted the light on.

Something is wrong, Steph thought. The sound of leaking water was like a tribal chant for invoking a curse, while the darkness that fogged the bathroom refused to tell whatever secret was inside.

But Steph's question was answered as she braved to walk inside. Every step she took sent a weak splashing sound to echo inside. As she went deeper inside, a slippery-wet tile sent her to the floor. The sound of cracking glass heard as while droplets of water were sent flying.

"Ouch." Steph gritted her teeth.

"Are you alright!" she saw Anne in front of the door.

"What is going on here?" the loud thumps of a teacher stormed with rage as he went to the bathroom.

Seeing Anne about to answer, Steph immediately opened her mouth. "It's my fault sir-" a sharp jolt of pain electrocuted her whole body as a shard of broken glass dug itself on her hand.