The Blood-Stained Sour Candy

Havre High school,

'Riiinnngggg,'

The bell rang to mark the end of another school day in Havre High schools. Students were stuffing their books and belongings in their schoolbag, some were already on their way to the school gate ready for another day of fun and games with their classmates, while others were trying to process what they'd learned from their teachers for the day.

It was a jumble of shuffling feet, maxed-out voices, giggling, exaggerated laughter, door slams, and murmurs.

However, through the conundrum caused by the school bell, which was seen in the hallways and premises, only one class remained gentle, like they didn't hear the bell, which was the favorite of any high school student.

Class 2-B. The most disciplined class in the entire school and maybe the whole town.

A title that wasn't earned because the students were of their best behavior innately, but was because of the grooming their homeroom teacher, Miss Elis, instilled in them.

Just like now, it wasn't that they couldn't throw their notebooks and textbooks in the air to show their happiness for ending the day but their teacher Miss Elis was still present and the students of class 2-B would never raise a finger to prepare to leave unless she officially said the words- Class dismissed.

Even students from other classes that were screaming their lungs out immediately comported themselves when they got to the hallway that their class was situated. Every student knew to behave when Miss Elis was around.

With a snap of the book closing shut, Elis rose her head from the textbook she had been dictating from a while ago and looked at her students. They've come a long way and though they've gained awards that have made her proud as their teacher, she won't stop till she's accomplished what she came here for.

"Okay! That's all for today." She said, gaining sighs and relaxed shoulders from her students, yet no one made to leave the classroom because she hadn't said the two official words yet, which meant she still had something more to say. And they were right.

"Class Rep, who's on cleaning duty today?" she asked as she turned to face the girl seated right in front of her with a warm smile on her face.

The girl referred to as the class rep shot up from her chair and responded almost immediately, "It's Matt, Sylvia & Kevin, Miss Elis." She recited off her head.

"Alright then. If you heard your name just now, come forward please." Miss Elis said as she directed her words to the rest of the class.

Following her words, three students stood up from their respective seats and made their way to the front of the class.

"So, Matt, Sylvia, and Kevin, you'll be staying behind today. The cleaning areas are the girl's and boys' bathrooms on our floor and the assembly hall. You can decide how to split the duties amongst yourselves." Elis said, to which the three students nodded in response.

"I believe you already know me and what I want and don't want. Those areas should be properly and thoroughly cleaned. Slacking will not be condoned. I also believe you know what happens when you disobey?" She continued as her blue eyes stared fixedly at the three students.

"Yes, ma'am!" they echoed.

"Good. I'd love to see a sparkling clean assembly hall tomorrow morning. Class dismissed." Elis said as she walked out of the classroom, finally giving her students the freedom they so desired.

"Good evening Miss Elis." The entire class resounded followed by a muddle of skidding desks, book and bag slams, and murmurs as the students prepared to leave for their homes and other destinations.

The girl that was referred to as the class rep by Miss Elis was also preparing to leave the classroom with her school bag in tow when someone called out to her.

"Arya, please wait!"

Turning her head around, she saw Sylvia walking briskly towards her.

"Oh hey Sylvia, how can I help you?" Arya asked with a smile. Although she wasn't so close to Sylvia, their previous encounters had been quite pleasant.

"I... I need your help, Arya. You see, I didn't remember I was on cleaning duty today, so I promised my dad a father and daughter time out together. Please, I know this is too much to ask, but I haven't seen him for close to six months now and this is the only chance I have to bond with him before he travels for work again." Sylvia said as she clasped her hands on her chest, hoping Arya would help her.

Arya, who was still trying to process the emotions and words that spiraled out of her classmate, opened and closed her mouth like a fish in a pond. "I.. uh.. You still haven't told me what you want me to do for you. Do you want me to talk to Miss Elis?" she asked with a tilt of her head, when she found her words.

"No! No… please not Miss Elis. I was thinking… maybe you could fill in for me for today?" Sylvia said as she studied Arya's expression carefully. When she noticed a frown slowly making its way to her delicate eyebrows, she quickly added, "I promise to fill in for you when it's your turn to clean. Please Arya." Sylvia pleaded once again with a hopeful expression plastered on her face.

Arya kept mute for a few seconds before releasing a sigh. "Alright. I have nothing going on today so.. I'll help." Her words brought joy to her classmate's face, and with a smile that seemed to brighten up the entire class, Arya felt giddy inside. It wasn't everyday she did something good, but with the butterflies fluttering in her tummy, she felt this one was worth it.

If only she knew that she'd regret the feeling of mushiness she got from assisting her classmate that day, she'd have taken the butterflies and turned them to dust.

A few hours later, the school premises were empty, with Arya being the only one left, save for the security guard who was currently at his post.

'Bullshit!' Arya thought, irked, as she mopped the last spot on the floors of the assembly hall.

Raising her arm to wipe the sweat off her forehead with her sleeve, she gave the assembly hall a once over as she remembered what transpired between her and the boys that were supposed to be helping her clean right now.

The plan was to clean the girls' bathroom, assist Matt and Kevin in cleaning the assembly hall and leave, but to her utter dismay, the boys left all the work for her.

"Arya, sorry, but we have to run. Our bike's faulty and we need to get it fixed before it gets late. Toodles!" That was what Matt said as he dropped the mop stick on the assembly floor before he skipped out of the hall, along with Kevin.

She wanted to stop them but she knew that wasn't possible, because the one person who she could have used to threaten to report them to would eventually find out she swapped places with Sylvia, which the boys knew and used to their advantage.

So the only thing Arya could do was watch Matt and Kevin skip their annoying little butts out of school, leaving the rest of the work to her.

Cussing them over and over in her mind, she strolled to the girls' bathroom. Feeling the weight leave her shoulders for finishing the chore and also her not owing Sylvia anything.

Dropping the last of the mop sticks that Matt and Kevin didn't bother to return by the bathroom window, she raised her head to check the time on her wristwatch only to see a flash of bright light fork its way from the sky to the bathroom window.

Shutting her eyes with both hands over her head, she screamed, thinking she was about to be struck by lightning. However, after waiting for a few seconds, the pain didn't come, causing her to open her eyes confused.

After checking if she was still in one piece, she wondered where the lightning came from as the sky was still as clear as day with only the little streaks of red, yellow and pink distinguishing that it was already late in the evening.

Heaving a sigh, she made to leave the bathroom. Her Nana must be worried sick, she thought. That's when she heard something dropping heavily in one of the bathroom stalls.

Stopping her feet from moving, she faced the door of the stall that she heard the heavy noise from. She stood still in shock with widened eyes and an over palpitating heart.

That was because, she just noticed a burnt smoking hole in the door that wasn't present before, which meant the lightning she saw just now didn't strike at her but the bathroom door and from the sound she just heard, someone or something was in there.

When the door slowly opened to reveal what was behind it, she gulped,

Oh my goodness Arya! You're done for!