Unconscious and wrapped in a cocoon of ice, Haylen didn't hear the police burst into the library. Guns drawn, they examined the room inch by inch.
"J-J, thoughts?" A man with a squared jaw and blue eyes asked as he came upon the frozen Haylen.
J-J, a younger man with hair tied into a bun, approached.
"It's definitely the first time I see something like this. I'm not entirely sure what to make of it. " He turned his gaze to the unconscious Eliya, his face twisting in a mix of confusion and amusement.
"Isn't she…"
"It seems so, she's the girl from V's."
"Didn't we just have a talk with her in regards to H-Bull incident? That wasn't even three days ago!"
The man with the square jaw sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. "Things are only getting more complicated by the day. Take the kid, we'll see what the guys at V's have to say before doing anything." He bent over to pick up the ice-encased boy while J-J picked up Eliya.
***
*ELIYA KENLEY *
Age: 20
Sex: Feminine
***
My eyes shot open, beads of sweat streaming down my cheeks. Where was I? White lights illuminated a sterile room with only a window and a beeping machine as decoration. The machine measured various things, some that I could identify, like my heart rate, and others I couldn't. I was in a hospital bed.
Sitting up and pressing my back against the wall, I let out a shaky breath. My heart just wouldn't stop hammering against my ribcage. It took almost a full ten minutes for me to feel calm again, and as I did, memories slowly came rushing back.
I had been with a man named Haylen, we were heading to Jun Library. We bonded over our shared love of books before something happened, the exact events still blurry in my memory. I had gone to call, I believe, the paramedics and…
Someone had tried to kill me…
My hands reached to stroke my neck, remembering the feeling of cold steel on my throat. That was something I couldn't forget. That and Haylen rushing to save me.
I didn't know how he had done it, but less than a second after he dashed towards me I was in his arms. Then…black.
He had knocked me out, but why? And why wasn't he here? I remember he had been injured pretty badly, a knife pocking out from his side. Something covered the knife, but my memory was too fragmented to remember.
"Uraoghw!" A grunt of pain left my lips as I got out of the bed. I hadn't been badly injured, but a few parts of my body ached and my body was racked with fatigue. Quivering legs barely managed to carry me to the window, which I forced open to get some fresh air. This room was nauseating.
For a long moment, there was no sound but the distant hum of school life. My thoughts raced, unsure what to make of my situation. I was possibly the unluckiest girl in the world.
Well, that wasn't entirely true. Thinking back to how Haylen had dashed to save me, I couldn't help but feel that today wasn't all bad. The somber expression that had dimmed my face cracked slightly as a small smile danced on my lips. If not for him, there was a chance I might not be alive right now.
Shuffling towards the door, I resolved to find Haylen and thank him. I was in a much better mood now. The door opened into a white hallway, blinding lights shining from overhead. Men in coats came and went, not bothering to give me even a glance. I recognized this place, this was the school's medical wing.
Leaving my room, I made my way through the ivory halls that reeked of hospitals and despair. It was not a pleasant place to be in. By the time I was at the end of the hall I had passed by 4 rooms, none of them Haylen's. I decided to turn to the right, only to find a strange sight. Two guards stood in front of a door, eyes darting around as if daring someone to approach.
It was unclear whether I had been hexed or whether the events of the library still numbed my judgment, but I instinctively walked towards the room. My eyes turned to the guards with confusion, silently asking, 'What's going on?'.
"It's confidential, strictly off limits." One of the large men answered.
That was odd, there was nothing like this before. Unless something else had happened on campus to cause this, I was almost entirely sure that the person in the room was Haylen.
Even with that knowledge, there wasn't much I could do. I wasn't a very confrontational person to begin with, much less with guards that seemed to be hiding something. I turned back and shuffled back to my room.
"Ms. Eliya! May I have a moment with you?" I turned my head halfway through turning the doorknob, surprised someone would call my name.
The man who had called my name was none other than Mr. Kai Artofex Tremblay, the school's eccentric fine arts teacher. He was very well respected in the school.
"Yes, sir?"
"I wanted to ask about what happened, it's not every day one of my precious student's life is at risk. I was worried sick!"
Something was off, I didn't have any classes with Mr. Kai. Still, I had to trust the faculty. I gave him a summary of the events, insisting that there were certain parts I couldn't remember.
He seemed troubled by that, thinking for a moment before a smile once again decorated his face. It was too wide, too bright, I could feel the lack of sincerity from where I stood.
He placed a hand on my shoulder. "I'm happy you're safe. I know it's a little early to be asking this, but can you do me a favor?"
My head moved in a hesitant nod.
"Don't tell anyone what happened. If they ask, just say you were injured off campus".
Not wanting to drag on the conversation with this weird man, I nodded and entered my room. I wasn't sure if keeping all of this a secret was the right thing to do.
Knock!
Knock!
A familiar voice spoke through the door, a voice I hadn't heard in almost three days.
"We're coming in!" The voice said, pushing the door open. Three figures outlined themselves: a tall and slender man dressed in a basketball jersey, a short, slightly chubby, shy-looking man, and a girl with emerald eyes and dark hair.
I beamed, my friends were here…
"Goodness, we leave you alone for a few days and you manage to put yourself in the hospital!" James sighs, pulling me into a tight hug.
Kira only looked at me with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "On top of that, let's not forget you're still suspended."
My face fell at the words, I had almost forgotten. Prior to meeting Haylen, I had been suspended for four days due to a certain incident.