Fourty Three

CHAPTER 43

The main hallway of Golden High School.

Alicia chose to leave hallway 001--or Ace's room to be more precise--after Brittany tried to pepper her with questions that Alicia really didn't care about.

I don't know what the reason was, but it was clear that Alicia felt very uncomfortable after hearing Ace say such harsh words about her. The ash-colored girl hurriedly dismissed her thoughts about Ace and went down to the main hallway. She thought she needed some coffee or hot chocolate to ease her frazzled brain.

But on the way, as Alicia walked down the main hallway, the sound of insistent sighs and moans could be heard from behind the warehouse door at the end of the hallway. It sounded like a stifled moan, as if she didn't want anyone to hear it.

Alicia stepped carefully as she passed through the cellar door, in order to break her own curiosity. But before Alicia could reach the center of the sound, the door opened and a girl walked out.

The girl was wearing a red jumpsuit. Her hair was messy and her clothes looked half torn. The blonde girl's cheeks were red and wet. Had she been crying?

The girl turned around, wiping her cheeks. Her eyes rounded instantly when she found Alicia standing in front of her with a flat expression. She hurriedly straightened her hair and clothes, so that Alicia wouldn't misunderstand the situation. But a few seconds later, Jake came out and stood next to the girl. This made the situation between them even stranger.

"Alicia?"

"Jake?" they said almost simultaneously.

The undercut-haired man immediately put his arm around the girl who was not taller than him and said, "I'll see you again. See you." and the blonde girl nodded her head obediently. She simply walked past Alicia, even though the ash-eyed girl was aware of something between them.

"You don't have to tell anyone about what you heard," Jake said casually. "I'll pay you big bucks as your guarantee."

Alicia gave him a small grin, but it disappeared after a moment and the flat look turned into a curious one. "Jake, I'm sorry to hear about the death of your girlfriend, Elena," she said in a cold tone.

This made Jake bend his forehead deeply. "What did you say?"

"I forgot to say it back then and I guess I should still express my sorrow to you, right?" Alicia took a step forward from her position. "You were her lover, the one who loved her so much. Am I right?"

Jake looked a little awkward when Alicia said that sentence, but he quickly dismissed his discomfort by stuffing his hands into his own pants pockets. "Uhm, yeah, I guess Elena is at peace in the beyond. Thank you," he said awkwardly.

"How so? Elena died a few days ago and the culprit hasn't been found yet, she can't be at peace that easily, Jake."

Jake frowned in confusion. "I don't know what you mean, Alicia."

Alicia took another step closer, this time her gaze turning sharper and more probing. "You know, right, your lover died because someone poisoned him. But today, I saw with my own two eyes that you and that girl--"

"That's enough, Alicia!" Jake cut in irritably. "Just because you and Elena like the same nail polish, that doesn't mean you're her friend and you don't need to interfere in my business." Jake was about to walk away from Alicia, if only she hadn't held him back with one hand.

Jake scowled in annoyance. "What's wrong?!" and pulled his hand roughly away from Alicia.

"Jake, why did you bump into me in the cafeteria?"

Jake's brown eyes widened in surprise. He hurriedly turned his face away and said, "I didn't mean to. I was in a hurry at the time." He looked back at Alicia and looked down in shame afterward. "Ah, yes, I also have your cell phone. I think it got caught on my hoodie and went into the pocket just like that," she informed.

"My cell phone?"

Jake nodded. "I wanted to return it, but your phone just disappeared." He scratched the nape of his neck awkwardly. "I decided against it for fear of your suspicion. But later, after class, I'll find and return your cell phone," he promised.

"So, my phone is missing again?"

Jake nodded heavily. "But I'll try to find it," he said.

Alice nodded quickly. "Alright, I'll see you later."

Jakepun also nodded his head. He turned around, about to leave. But a second later, he turned back to Alicia. "Alicia, there's something I really want to say," he said suddenly.

"Yes?"

"I left your phone on and some messages started coming in for you. I... I accidentally opened one of them," she said hesitantly.

"Who was it from?" Alicia asked in a flat tone.

"Ace." Jake muttered under his breath before asking again, "Are you dating him?"

Alicia didn't react, other than a cold look. It was as if she was shutting down the discussion about Ace and her. Jakepun immediately broke the strange atmosphere by nodding in understanding. "Yeah, I know it's none of my business either. But perhaps, if I may remind you, you shouldn't get too close to him."

"Why?"

"Because my teammate and my girlfriend died after talking to her," Jake finished. "You'd better be careful with her too."

"You'd better keep your promise to return my cell phone by noon," Alicia said flatly and walked away from Jake.

The Brooklyn-born girl immediately put together the pieces of the death scene that took place in the dormitory. Since her first day there, Alicia had always been involved as if she was the one responsible for their deaths. Isn't that strange?

Alicia continued to walk towards the cafeteria and stood in front of the counter for a long time. Until a bartender came up to her. "Anything you want to order today?" he was Carl. "Hey, wait! You're that ash-haired girl, right?" Carl immediately smiled enthusiastically. "Haven't seen you in a while. Shall I make you an espresso?"

Alicia smiled slightly and nodded. "How are you doing after that day?" she asked conversationally.

Carl shrugged his shoulders lazily, while his hands and gaze were busy on the coffee machine inside the counter. "I couldn't sleep for two days, that event really bothered me," he said. He then placed the cup of hot espresso he had just finished brewing onto the counter. "Everyone would be surprised if they saw a dead body for the first time, right?"

Alicia pursed her lips tightly and stared at the hot steam coming out of her cup.

.

.

.

"So you're saying that if someone is no longer surprised by someone's death... that means they're used to it?"