Koa Takashi:
I woke up, and honestly, I didn't even want to. Not because I was tired, but because I didn't want to deal with remembering. I just wanted everything to shut up for once, my thoughts, the noise and the guilt; but my mind wouldn't quit. It kept throwing the same scenes back at me, over and over, like it enjoyed watching me squirm.
Yeah… maybe it was my fault. I kept trying to convince myself it wasn't, but that thought didn't stick for long. It was like this ache that won't fade, it was heavy, sharp and it sat in my chest. I kept thinking about how the people I trusted most made me feel like the enemy. Like I was the one tearing things apart, maybe I was. I hated that thought, but it was there, it whispered, it clawed at the edges of my head.
Now I was just sitting here, I stared at the ceiling like it owed me an answer. I was trying to figure out if I should've kept rotting here or if I should've actually done something useful. What was I even supposed to do? How the hell was I supposed to go to school after everything that happened? How would I walk up to Vivienne and pretend her words didn't slice through me? Or face Gabriel when everything he said — every sharp truth — was right?
He called me out, and I couldn't take it. I couldn't take being seen that clearly. So yeah, maybe I was pathetic. Maybe I was a coward who couldn't deal with his own mess without dragging everyone else into it. That was probably why I haven't left my room, because the idea of looking Gabriel in the eye right now felt like torture. Every time I saw him, it was like we were both drowning, and I couldn't stand the thought that I might've been the one pulling him under.
Then there was Ophelia. God, even the thought of her name felt like swallowing glass. Every time it slipped into my head, my chest tightened. I kept telling myself it's not my fault, I must've repeated that a thousand times during that damn interrogation, but it still didn't stick. Deep down, it felt like I was lying to myself, like I was gaslighting my own brain into believing that I was innocent when everything inside me kept whispering that maybe I'm the reason she's gone.
Now, it just felt like I was trapped. My room was supposed to be a safe space, but now, it felt like a cell. I kept telling myself that staying here was better, that at least I couldn't make things worse this way, however, I knew that was a lie too. I sat there, I did nothing, it felt suffocating, like the walls were getting closer every minute.
I needed to move. I couldn't just continue to sit here, as I rotted in my own thoughts while she was out there, somewhere. If Ophelia was missing because of me, then I was going to do something about it. She deserved more than someone who was pathetic as me who's just sitting around feeling sorry for himself. She had dreams, real ones. She wanted to be a fashion designer, to make something beautiful out of this miserable world, and I promised her something. I promised that she would never feel trapped again, never feel like she was suffocating with me. I could still hear myself saying it, like a ghost in my mind. Those weren't just promises, they were pieces of me I meant to keep.
I know I was rambling, I was thinking in circles, but it didn't matter. I was stubborn, stupid even, but something deep down kept pushing me to move. To head back to our school, check her locker, look for something, anything. It was irrational, but the thought burned too hot to ignore.
Then again, I could always wait till tomorrow and pretend that I'd think clearer by then. Who was I kidding? I was pacing for the last twenty minutes, I was arguing with myself like a lunatic. My body had already made the decision before my brain could catch up.
"Am I insane?" I muttered under my breath as I paced again. "Yeah, probably."
Did I care? No, not even a little, especially not right now.
I threw on a jacket, something plain, something that wasn't my uniform. If the police or staff were really taking her disappearance seriously, I couldn't risk looking like some idiot who was sneaking around in school clothes. I grabbed my phone and checked the time. 10:15 p.m. Late enough to be stupid, late enough to be caught.
Still, I shoved my phone in my pocket, zip up the jacket, and stared at the door. My heart thudded so hard it almost hurt, but I couldn't stop now. If I stayed here, doing nothing, I'd go insane, and if Ophelia was out there, if there was even the smallest chance she's still somewhere, I would have to move.
Even if it was just a delusion, even if it was dangerous.
It was all because doing nothing felt worse than being wrong.
I opened the door slowly and I turned the knob just enough so it didn't click. Every sound felt too loud, the creak of the hinge, the soft shifts in the air. My heart hammered so hard it felt like it was trying to warn me: don't do this.
But, I already was.
One thing was clear, I couldn't let Gabriel find out about this. If he caught on to what I was planning, he'd stop me, and I can't let that happen, not this time. I already envisioned it in my head: the disappointed look, the way he'd grab my arm and tell me to "think for once." He'd probably be right, too, which made it stung even more.
I peered down the hall towards his room. His door was shut and the lights were off. A thin line of darkness where the floor met the frame. I exhaled quietly, good, he was asleep. Gabriel has always been like that, lights turned off early, brain off, emotions compartmentalized. He slept his pain away. I, on the other hand, wrestled with my thoughts until dawn.
The air felt heavy as I moved slowly against the soft carpeted hallways. I made it to the stairs and I paused just long enough to listen; there was nothing. Not even the faint hum of the heater. It was perfect. I took each step carefully, I avoided the fourth one because it creaked whenever someone steps on it, a detail I've memorized from too many nights like this.
By the time I reached the kitchen, the silence felt alive. My palms were sweaty and my pulse sounded loud in my ears. I grabbed onto the counter for balance. The marble was cold and grounding. I glanced at the cookie jar, I was dumbfounded, I was starving. I quietly lifted the lid of the cookie jar, the faint clink of the ceramic made me flinch. I pulled out a cookie and bit into it, I chewed it fast like that would somehow calm me down; it didn't.
I swallowed hard and glanced at the kitchen window. That was my exit, the front door was off-limits, there were too many cameras, too much risk involved. The estate has caretakers who don't sleep much, and I wasn't about to explain myself to anyone. The window, though, was small, but manageable.
I pushed half of the cookie between my teeth as I bit it to secure its place, which freed my hands. My fingers trembled as I undid the latch and inched it open. The cold air slapped my face instantaneously, sharp and real. My stomach twisted, but I kept going. I lifted the frame higher, careful not to make a noise. The wind hummed against the glass. I was about halfway through when I stopped. My chest was pressed against the sill, one leg was dangling outside. My breath fogged the pane of the window.
I couldn't believe I was actually doing this. It felt unreal and yet, somehow, it didn't. Maybe because, for once, I wasn't thinking about myself anymore.
This wasn't about me anymore. It was about Ophelia, and if this was the only thing I could do for her, even if it was idiotic of me to do so, even if it was dangerous, I'd do it.
I shifted forward, ready to push the rest of my body out when—
"What the hell are you doing?!"
My heart lurched out so violently I nearly fell out the window.
I whipped around and the cookie fell from my mouth. Gabriel was standing in the kitchen doorway, his hair was messy and his eyes blazed despite the dark circles under them. He was in sweatpants and a loose shirt, but his presence felt like a wall, solid and furious.
"Gabriel—" I started, but he already started moving.
"Are you serious right now?" His voice was low, sharp, and it was cutting straight through me. "You're climbing out the window at midnight!"
I tried to scramble the rest of the way out, but he was faster. He grabbed the back of my jacket which yanked me inside so hard that I stumbled and crashed onto the tile.
"Let go!" I snarled as I pushed against him, but it was like trying to move a mountain.
Gabriel doesn't even reply, instead he pinned me down like I was some kid he was wrestling. He wasn't being rough, but it was enough that he completely stopped me in my tracks.
"What do you think you're doing, Koa?!" Gabriel's voice cutted through the air.
I tried to shove him off, but he didn't move. "This isn't your business, Gabriel."
He was starting to get under my skin. All I wanted was silence, no explanations, no arguments, because if I opened my mouth, he would find a way to talk me out of it. I can't let that happen, not when I know he never would.
"Well, it is my business," he snapped, "because right now, you're about to do something stupid."
He was right. I was doing something stupid and I knew that when I decided to step out of that window. He looked done with me, completely done, as he grabbed my collar and held me down whilst I was still on the ground.
"Just let me go, Gabriel! I don't have time for this right now!"
I tried to wrench myself free, but his grip doesn't loosen right away. He still held me down, though I saw his expression soften for just a second, like he wasn't angry anymore, just hurt.
"Why don't you tell me anything anymore?" Gabriel's voice was low, but there was a rough edge to it, something cracked and tired underneath. His eyes searched mine, steady and sharp. "You act like you don't even know me anymore. I've told you over and over that I'm here for you, Koa, so why the hell are you sneaking out like I don't matter?"
I clenched my jaw. It was obvious why I didn't tell him things. Every time I tried to, it turned into something like this, like he was waiting for me to screw up. Like whatever I do was one more mistake he'd have to fix. I couldn't keep sitting here pretending that everything was fine. Not when it felt like I was the one who started all of this.
"I need to check Ophelia's locker," I said firmly.
Gabriel stared at me, and disbelief flickered in his eyes. "What for? Can you not wait until tomorrow? You're being reckless as hell, Koa."
"Well, I don't care if I am," I fired back. "Call me stupid, call me stubborn, I don't give a damn. I was tired, Gabriel. I can't keep sitting here doing nothing while she's still out there. I don't want to be the reason everyone starts disappearing."
His jaw tightened. He looked like he wanted to yell, but instead his voice came out lower, sharp but shaky. "Can you shut up and listen for once? Forget what Vivienne said, forget what everyone said. Stop trying to take the blame for everything! Not everything is your fault, Koa. You keep saying you're not a kid anymore, then act like it."
The air between us turned heavy, the kind of silence that hummed louder than any argument. All I could hear was our breathing—mine was uneven, he was edged with something he was trying to hold back. I wanted to be angry, to throw his words back at him, but part of me knew he wasn't wrong.
"Gabriel, please," I managed, my voice barely above a whisper. "Just let it go."
He doesn't answer. His eyes locked on mine, unreadable, until suddenly he moved, too fast for me to react. He pushed himself up, steps closer, and before I could even process it, his shadow spilled over me like a wave. I was still on the floor, frozen, I was caught somewhere between defiance and the pull of something I couldn't quite name.
Gabriel looked down at me, and for a moment, the tension in his face eased, just barely. His voice lowered, calmer now, but the worry seeped through. "Why do you even want to go at this hour, Koa? It's not safe."
I swallowed hard. If I could tell him how bad this felt, how I couldn't stop thinking that all of this is somehow my fault, maybe he'd understand. But I knew he wouldn't. "Because it feels like it's my fault, okay? How am I supposed to act like what Vivienne said didn't mess with my head? That interrogation, the way everyone looked at me, I hate it. I hate feeling like this."
Gabriel exhaled, his shoulders sagged a little. He didn't even look at me, his gaze fell to the floor, his voice was calm but heavy.
"So you're just going to let them treat you like that?" he replied. "You always do this to yourself. You build these walls, you shut everyone out like it's some kind of self-sabotage." He pauses, rubbing the back of his neck. "Please, Koa. Just… act rationally for once. Go back to bed. It's late, and we have school tomorrow. If you sleep, maybe things will feel less… heavy."
Gabriel doesn't get it. He never had. Sleeping through things doesn't make them disappear. You can't just shut your eyes and wake up fixed. I wished it worked that way, I really did.
I ran a hand through my hair, my chest tightened and my thoughts spun so fast I could barely keep up with them. "Gabriel, you don't understand," I responded, the words tumbled out before I could stop them. "I can't wait till tomorrow. Anything could happen tomorrow, and if it does, it's going to be my fault. Everything's always my fault, and I—"
Gabriel grabbed my shoulders, his grip tightened suddenly. His voice cut through mine, it was sharp and he trembled. "Koa, no, it's not and you know that."
The sound of it stunned me into silence. His eyes burned, not with anger, but something heavier. "Look," he says, his tone broken, a little, "I'm sorry. I should've defended you. I should've said something when Vivienne started running her mouth. But don't start tearing yourself apart because of what people say. So what if they blame you?"
My throat felt tight, my vision stinged. "Gabriel—"
"No," he said as he stepped closer, his voice softened but firm. "I know you. You would never hurt Ophelia. Not on purpose. Despite everything that's happened between us, none of that changes who you are. Don't carry guilt for something that isn't yours."
But… How could I not?
I looked away and I clenched my jaw as memories crashed in all at once. I recalled all the shattered glass, all the shouting and the look on his face when I made him worry. The reason he wore those damn glasses now was because of me. The reason he cried that night was because of me. Every scar I've left on him was a reminder that maybe I really did ruin everything I touched.
He was the only person who kept forgiving me. The one person who kept trying, and here I was, ready to throw myself back into a mess I couldn't even fix.
My voice broke when I finally whispered, "I can't ruin this too."
Gabriel didn't answer right away. His hands fell from my shoulders, and for a second, I swore he looked like he wanted to say something, something honest, something that could pull me back, but instead, he just breathed out slowly.
"At least let me go with you."
I froze and turned to him like I didn't hear that right. "Gabriel, what—"
His voice was sharp as he cut me off. "No. If you're going, I'm going too. I'm not sitting around while you sneak out like some idiot with a wish of getting arrested."
The words hit harder than they should. "Gabriel, you don't need to get involved—"
"Too late," he responded as he ran a hand through his hair. "If you don't care about getting caught, fine. But I'm not letting you do something this stupid alone."
There was something in his tone that made me go quiet. It wasn't anger, it was exhaustion. The kind of exhaustion that came from worrying too much for too long.
He exhaled as he grounded himself. "We'll go. We'll check Ophelia's locker, and then we come straight back. No wandering, no improvising. Understand?"
I slowly nodded, still caught off guard. "Yeah… okay."
He gave me this long gaze before I muttered, "Also, maybe next time, if you're starving, tell me before you start breaking and entering. You're seriously eating a cookie at midnight? That's not dinner."
I blinked at him, almost confused by how ordinary that sounded. "You're worried about food right now?"
He shrugged, his voice was flat. "Yeah. Because watching you spiral on an empty stomach isn't exactly something I want to do again."
Suddenly, Gabriel didn't even wait for me to respond, instead he turned around and walked upstairs. He muttered something under his breath about 'people losing their minds after dark while being hungry.'
For a few seconds, I just stood there as I stared at the kitchen tiles. I tried to figure out what just happened. Gabriel, the guy who followed every rule, the one who thought that skipping class was a felony, actually agreed to break into the school with me…Was he thinking clearly?
Another few minutes passed, and I heard his footsteps again. When he came down, he was dressed the same way he always did: a clean button-up and turquoise vest. It was like he was about to walk into a board meeting, not into a locked building.
"You're seriously wearing that?" I asked as I raised an eyebrow.
He shot me a glare. "Sorry, I didn't realize we were dressing for a heist."
I almost smiled, even though I shouldn't. It was so Gabriel to sound irritated when he was really just nervous. He adjusted his glasses, grabbed his phone, then stopped by the window and looked back at me.
"Let's go. The faster we do this, the sooner you can stop torturing yourself, whatever's running through your head right now."
I watched as Gabriel buttoned the last button on his collar, his hands were steady at first, then it faltered, it was a small twitch, but enough to betray what he really felt. He was trying to hold it together, but I could see it, the fear. The same one that has been sitting in my chest since Ophelia vanished.
That was when it clicked.
He wasn't coming because he believed that I was right. He was coming because he was terrified of what I'd do if he didn't.
I climbed out the window, the frame felt cool beneath my palms. Gabriel was right, the faster I did this, the sooner I could stop feeling like my chest was about to cave in. Like this pressure that pressed down on me might finally let go if I just moved.
I quietly hit the ground, the dirt was damp under my shoes. A few seconds later, I heard the creak of the window again, Gabriel was already climbing out of it after me. I didn't expect him to actually do it. The sight of him as he crawled through a window in the middle of the night, of all things—it was weird. It made me wonder if he was okay too, if he was even thinking straight. Which was ironic, considering that I was the one acting like an idiot. But I couldn't help it. I can't just stay still and pretend like everything was fine.
When he landed beside me, he fixed his sleeves and glanced around before turning to me. "So," he started, his voice was low and calm, but it had a hint of tiredness, "what exactly are you trying to find in Ophelia's locker?"
I stared ahead, not really sure what to say. Truthfully, I don't even know what I was looking for. A clue, a note, a sign, anything that proved that I wasn't just imagining all of this. That I wasn't completely losing it. Maybe if I found something, I'll know this guilt isn't for nothing. However, at the same time… a part of me hopes I don't. It's because if there was nothing, then maybe I'd finally stop doing stupid things like this.
"I don't know, anything that proves she's okay. That's what I'm looking for," I replied, my voice came out sharper than I meant it to.
Gabriel gave me that look, like I've just said something completely insane. "You at least have a plan to get inside the school, right?"
That's when it hit me. All this time, I was rambling about how worried I was, how I needed to do something, and I didn't even think about how to actually get in. My chest tightened and I rubbed the back of my neck, avoiding his glare. "We'll figure that out later."
Gabriel's eyes widened like I had lost my mind. "You're not serious right now."
I shifted my gaze as I pretended to focus on the streetlight flickering near the gates. "I am."
Maybe that's the real issue, I knew exactly what I was walking into, and I was still doing it anyway. My brain was screaming at me to turn around, but my chest, my chest felt like it was crumbling apart if I didn't do something. "If this is a bad idea, then don't come, Gabriel. Seriously. I can do this on my own."
The fence loomed ahead, taller than I remembered, all twisted metal and sharp ends glinted in the dark. I used to climb it when I was a kid, back when the world felt smaller and rules didn't matter. Back then, it was fun. Now it just felt like another reminder that I'm in way over my head.
I took a step forward and gripped the cold metal when Gabriel suddenly crouched beside me, one knee down, his palm open.
"I'll lift you up."
I blinked and stared at him. For a second, I couldn't tell if he was joking. "You're actually going along with this?"
He looked up at me, his brow raised. "I didn't say I was backing down."
That was Gabriel for you, he was half sarcasm, half storm. Still, it caught me off guard. I snorted softly as I tried not to smile. "You're unreal."
"Yeah, yeah. Come on before I change my mind."
I stepped into his hands, the warmth of his grip was steady even though everything else felt like it was falling apart. He pushed me up with surprising ease, and I hauled myself over the fence, the metal bit into my palms. When I landed on the other side, the ground felt uneven, cold.
Gabriel didn't wait, he just climbed up after me like it was nothing, his movements were clean and precise, like he's done this a hundred times. When he landed beside me, we just stood there for a second. The atmosphere felt tense here and quieter too.
I looked at him, and he was already fixing the collar of his button-up, smoothing down his vest like this whole thing was normal. "Are we going to go?" he asked, but there was something softer in his tone.
"Yeah," I muttered as I brushed the dirt off my hands. "Let's go."
Vivienne Azura:
I know that going inside the school at ten at night is a terrible idea. I'm not even pretending it's smart. Thinking about it honestly pisses me off, because I know I'm going to regret it if I get caught, but it's still a risk I'm willing to take; even if it blows up in my face.
Earlier, I made a group chat with Albien and Alora. I texted them to meet me behind the greenhouse at ten. Which was another bad idea, considering it's basically right next to the school, but it's whatever. The fact they even agreed is more than I expected. I didn't want to drag them into this, but I get angry too fast to think things through, and then I only regret it when it's already too late. Still, how am I supposed to stay calm? How the hell is any of this fair to Ophelia?
Now I'm just here, pacing in circles behind the greenhouse like an idiot, waiting for them to show up. It's cold, it's late, and I'm still in my uniform, which makes this even worse. I didn't even have time to change after the whole "meet my dad's business partners" thing. He wanted me to sit there, smile, and pretend that I care about whatever future he's already planned for me. The thing is, I don't. None of it is convenient for me.
I check my phone, 10:11pm, they're late. I start to type out a message in the group chat, but before I could even press send, a voice appears way too close to my ear.
"Boo."
I spin around and swing on instinct.
"OUCH!" Albien stumbles back, clutching his face.
"Oh my god, Albien, what the hell?" I grab his arm as he straightens up.
He wipes the dirt off his clothes, half laughing. "I didn't think you'd react that bad."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah," he mutters, still grinning. "It's my fault. I got punched in the face anyway."
I shake my head, still catching my breath. "Where's Alora?"
"She'll be here," he says, sounding out of breath too. "She's trying to sneak out of the girls' dorm, you know how strict they are."
Right, their parents travel constantly, big corporate deals, partnerships, all that. So the dorms are their "stable environment," which apparently means curfew at nine unless you get special permission.
Albien shoves his hands in his pockets. "I told my roommate I was going to sleep. He definitely didn't believe me."
"Oh, Kiko? Yeah, he probably doesn't care enough to stop you."
"Exactly." He shrugs. "Still, can't be too careful. I'm about to do something really stupid with you guys."
That makes me smile a little bit. Even when he's mad at me, Albien somehow finds a way to deal with my terrible decisions, which makes things a lot less worrisome.
Alora then shows up like she just sprinted from the other side of town, her face is red and her breathing's too hard. "Sorry I'm late! I tried not to get caught."
I grab her arm before she can wobble. "You good?"
She manages a shaky nod and Albien lets out a long exhale. "Okay– so what's the plan here?"
Right, the plan. I definitely didn't fully think the plan through, but I can't admit that now. "We check the gym doors first," I reply, trying to sound sure of my decision. "Or see if any windows are unlocked."
Albien gives me a look. "Yeah, that's unlikely, but fine. I'm just tagging along."
We start walking along the side of the school, we press close to the wall, and the stupidness of this actually hits me. We're breaking into our school, not just sneaking around the yard, but actually going inside. With a campus this big having three floors, a million corridors, security's probably doing rounds, it's not like we can disappear. The idea of the cops showing up crosses my mind and it sticks in there, like a trashy song.
"Right, I almost forgot," Albien speaks out all of a sudden as he rummages through his bag. He pulls out a laptop and a USB drive like it's the most normal thing in the world. "If we find anything, I can plug the drive in and we'll see."
I blink, dumbfounded. "You actually thought ahead for once?"
He smirks. "That's why I'm useful."
"Ew, stop with the smug face." I push his shoulder. He rolls his eyes. "Not even a 'thank you'?"
"Thank you," I grumble.
"You're welcome," he answers like we're twelve again.
Before anyone can say another word, an unexpected pulse of white light cuts across a nearby window. It's fluorescent, sharp and it moves slowly, almost methodically. Someone's shining a flashlight across the rooms, searching.
"Get down," I whisper.
Alora freezes for a second, then I yank her down beside me. The beam of light passes over the glass, the shadows inside sliding with it. We press even more against the side of the school, our lungs tight, trying to not make a sound.
It's probably security that's checking the rooms, and we're three idiots walking along the wall, trying not to breathe loud enough to be noticed.
Alora's eyes are wide, her body practically glued to mine as she slouches down beside me. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Vivienne? They're literally checking inside the school." Her voice trembles like it could break at the slightest movement.
I feel a sting of guilt. Alora's terrified, and who could blame her? She's never been the kind of person to break the rules, yet here she is, sneaking through dark halls with me, willingly.
"Alora, if you don't want to continue, it's—"
"No, it's okay," she quickly interrupts. "I'm fine… But we should hurry."
The fluorescent light in the hallway shifts, fading as the guards move to the next room. This is our chance.
"Let's go." I whisper.
We move swiftly, half-crouching, half-running along the side of the building toward the gym doors. The night air is sharp and it smells faintly of metal and dust. The kind of air that's dry, leaving a scent that sticks in the back of your throat. My heart won't calm down at the slightest. However, climbing through a window pauses that feeling, like a brilliant plan a while ago. But now I'm desperate, and at this point, any door that isn't sealed shut will do. No matter how many times I tell myself to stop what I'm doing, I can't. I need to see that footage. People don't just vanish into thin air, that's impossible.
I feel breathless by the time we reach the gym doors. The metal handles catch a faint glint from the light above the gym door, it's locked tight. The air feels heavier here, still and tense, like even the night itself is holding its breath.
"So, what now?" Albien asks, his voice low and impatient.
"Shut up, I'm thinking," I sharply replied to him before I can stop myself.
He exhales sharply. "You've been thinking all day, Vivienne. Maybe it's time to just let it go, we're not finding anything tonight."
"I can't just let it go!" I hiss, the words spilling out sharper than I mean it to be.
"Shhh!" Albien cuts me off, glancing nervously down the hall. "You're being too loud."
I immediately cover my mouth, realizing that I'm putting us at risk of getting caught. "Sorry."
From behind us, Alora whispers, "W-what kind of lock is it?"
I blink, I feel thrown off at the question. "How would I know?"
Without even a proper answer, Alora's already stepping forward, pulling a hairpin from her bun. She inspects the gym door like she's studying a piece of art. "It's just a simple pin-tumbler lock…" she murmurs as she bends another pin with her teeth.
Within seconds, she's already working on the lock.
I stare, dumbfounded. "Wait, since when can you do that?"
Albien tilts his head, he's unbothered by Alora's lockpicking. "Oh, right. I forgot she knows how to pick locks."
"You forgot?"
He shrugs. "Yeah. It kinda slipped my mind."
A soft click breaks the silence, and the door creaks open.
"Got it," Alora says with a shy smile.
Inside, the gym stretches into darkness, the air is thick with dust and that familiar echoes of emptiness.
"Nice work, Alora," I whisper to her. "Though it would've been great if you mentioned that little skill earlier."
She rubs the back of her neck. "Yeah, sorry. I kinda forgot I could do that too."
I can't help but grin. "Thank you either way."
We slip inside, moving quickly. Every second feels like it's ticking against us, the faint hum of distant footsteps somewhere behind. My pulse won't slow down, I try to act confident, but the sharp clack of my heels betrays me, echoing through the dark.
"Vivi, stop," Albien hisses. "Just stop walking."
Right, of course. The outfit I'm currently wearing, school uniform and heels, sticks out like a spotlight in the dark. Alora's in dark tights, a black skirt, and shiny flats, while Albien is dressed in a black hoodie, his blue hair and that one mustard strand catching the dim light.
"Don't move," he says carefully, hands half-raised like I'm holding a bomb. "Just… take the heels off first."
"Right, my bad." I crouch, slipping them off as quietly as I can. "Sorry."
Albien pulls out his phone, letting the dim light guide our steps through the dark hall. "Why exactly do you even want to check the cameras?" he whispers.
I glance back at him. His voice is quiet, but the question stings me. How do I even explain it? How do I tell him what the detective told me? That Ophelia was last seen here, at the school, at night, and that somehow no one thought that was strange? How do I say out loud that it all feels like a cover-up? That the whole "she just disappeared" thing makes my skin crawl at the slightest thought?
People don't just vanish, not like that. Not here.
"They said the last time Ophelia was seen was at school… At night specifically." I finally respond, trying to keep my voice steady.
Albien blinks, frowning. "Actually? They didn't mention any of that to me. The only thing I got told was that Ophelia wasn't found in her bed and that her parents called."
Alora shakes her head, whispering, "Yeah… me too. It sounded like they were trying to get more answers from us about Koa."
Of course. Of course. I cross my arms, letting that bitter realization sink in. That's what this is about. They're pinning it all on Koa, and the worst part? I helped them, I fell for their propaganda.
God, I'm such an idiot.
I told everyone to stay away from him, like that would help anything. But that's exactly what they wanted: divide us, make him look guilty, keep the real story buried, and I played right into it.
"That's why finding this footage matters," I quietly utter, forcing the words out before I can talk myself out of it. "Because I don't believe Ophelia just… wandered into school in the middle of the night. She's not that type of person. She wouldn't do that unless she had a reason, a real reason, and if we can get that footage… maybe we can prove Koa's innocence. So Gabriel doesn't have to keep taking care of him like always."
My voice comes out tighter than I mean it to. Albien and Alora exchange a look, and I can tell, that they get it. Maybe not everything, but enough to know what I meant. We all had our own version of the interrogation. The detective twisted it differently for each of us. She fooled us, she fooled me most of all.
Yeah, I contradicted myself. I blamed Koa, and now here I am, sneaking into the school like some obsessed idiot trying to undo it. I just can't shake this feeling, the detective wanted me to turn against him. She wanted all of us to turn on Koa.
Suddenly, I hear a sound that snapped me out of my thoughts, it's the sound of footsteps. They're distant and muffled. Doors opening, then closing.
"We have to keep moving," I whisper sharply. "We don't know when the officers might come inside the gym."
"Yeah," Albien mutters, pocketing his phone light.
Alora simply nods, she's pale but steady.
For a moment, all three of us move as quietly as we can, hearts pounding, breaths held like we're walking through the ghost of a lie we all help build.
We move through the corridors quickly but quiet, trying not to breathe too loud. The halls feel endless, every door, every shadow stretching out longer than it should. The office is on the opposite side of the building, which means we have to cross half the damn school.
From what I can tell, the so-called "security" around here is pathetic. They're barely checking anything. Just walking around with flashlights like they're half-asleep. It pisses me off, how lazy they are, how careless they can be. Ophelia's gone, and this is what passes for an investigation? If it was me, I'd burn the whole place down before giving up on finding her.
Albien's face is tense, too focused, almost. It catches me off guard. He's usually the one to complain first, especially since he's terrified of the dark like some little kid. But now he's dead serious, checking every corner, every sound. Alora sticks close beside me, small and quiet, her steps light but hasty.
When we finally reach the office door, Albien tries the handle. "It's locked," he mutters.
Just then I hear it, footsteps. They were close, too close. The faint beam of light sliding across the wall tells me everything I need to know.
"We need to open this door now," I whisper with a sense of urgency.
Alora's already at the lock, fumbling with her pins. Her hands are shaking so bad, the metal clicks too loud against the door. The light's getting brighter, closer.
"We're screwed," I hiss under my breath.
"I-I'm trying!" she stammers, her voice trembling.
Suddenly, click. The door opens. Albien grabs my wrist, pulling me inside, then drags Alora in right after. He shuts it painfully slow, as if the air itself might shatter at any given moment.
"Get down, now." he breathes out.
We drop to the floor behind the desk. I can see the fluorescent light through the small glass window, that cold, sterile glow that makes my stomach twist. My heart's beating so hard I swear they could hear it from the hallway.
Alora's beside me, covering her mouth with both hands, eyes glassy. Albien's staring at the door, frozen. I can't even move, I'm too scared to. This feeling is worse than before, worse than the greenhouse, worse than almost getting caught outside.
That's when I suddenly pick up a small sound. The faint click of the lock. Security must've heard something and he's right outside.
The light pools under the crack of the door, a sharp white line that doesn't move. My heart's hammering so loud it feels like it's echoing. I grip the edge of the desk so hard my fingers feel like static, they hurt.
The security guard stands there for what feels like forever. No movement, no sound. Just the light.