HUXLEE
7:59 AM
“Huxlee? Huxlee, are you there?”
Ciela’s voice reaches me through the suffocating silence of the comfort room.
“I’m here,” I reply quietly.
I push myself to my feet and sling my bag over my shoulder. After taking a moment to steady myself, I step out of the cubicle. The fluorescent lights above seem harsher than before, making everything feel too bright.
Ciela is waiting in front of the mirror. The moment she sees me, her expression softens with concern. She immediately walks toward me, studying my face as if checking whether I’m about to collapse.
“Are you okay?” she asks gently as she walks toward me.
I lower my gaze to the tiled floor, unable to shake off the horrifying image burned into my mind.
“What happened to her?” I whisper.
Ciela hesitates.
“I... I don’t know either,” she admits. “Come on. We should head back to the classroom before the bell rings.”
I bite the inside of my cheek and nod. Neither of us says another word as we leave the comfort room.
The walk back to our classroom feels longer than usual.
Once class starts, I try my best to pay attention, but it’s impossible. The teacher’s voice becomes nothing more than distant background noise.
Catherine’s face keeps appearing in my mind. No matter how hard I try to focus on the lesson, the memory refuses to leave me.
Who did that to her?
And about Mr. Gill and Signy… How did Signy end up in a secret relationship with Mr. Gill? Were they already seeing each other while Signy was still dating Cleovon? If that’s true, then how is Cleovon handling all of this? Did he know? Or was he completely blindsided?
The questions pile up one after another until my head starts to ache.
My train of thought is suddenly interrupted when the classroom door slides open. The entire room immediately falls silent when a police officer steps inside.
“Excuse me,” he says politely. “I’m looking for Ms. Huxlee Mendez. Is she here?”
My stomach drops.
At the front of the room, Ms. Silva turns toward me. A second later, every single pair of eyes in the classroom follows.
Whispers spread almost instantly.
“What did she do this time?”
“So much for being the good girl.”
“Looks like her reputation is ruined now.”
Their words sting more than I want to admit.
“Ms. Mendez,” Ms. Silva says, gesturing toward the front. “The officer is looking for you.”
I slowly rise from my seat, my legs feeling unusually heavy. My hands tremble slightly at my sides, and a knot forms in my stomach as anxiety tightens its grip around my chest. Every beat of my heart echoes in my ears as fear and nervousness consume me.
I haven’t done anything wrong. I know that. Yet for some reason, an uneasy feeling settles heavily in my chest, making it difficult to breathe.
Every step toward the front of the room feels heavier than the last. When I finally reach him, the officer offers a professional nod.
“Please come with me,” the officer says, holding out a hand to guide me out of the classroom.
I don’t need to turn around to know what’s happening behind me. I can feel their eyes on my back, heavy and curious, and I already know that the whole room is watching me leave.
I stay quiet during the entire walk, even though my mind is overflowing with questions. The officer walking beside me doesn't seem interested in explaining anything, and judging by the stern look on his face, I doubt he would answer even if I asked.
When we finally reach the detention room, he stops in front of the door and pulls it open for me.
The moment I step inside, my eyes widen. Cleo, Ciela, and Cyprus are already there, seated together on one side of the room. As soon as Ciela notices me, she immediately rises from her chair and rushes over.
"What are you doing here?" she asks, confusion written all over her face.
I shake my head. "I don't know. I didn't even bother asking why the police wanted to see me."
Before either of us can say more, a female officer seated across from Cleo and Cyprus clears her throat. "Please take your seats, girls."
Ciela and I exchange uneasy glances before returning to the table and sitting beside the boys.
Ciela leans forward and folds her arms. "Okay, can you please tell us why we're here?"
The female officer glances down at the papers in front of her before looking back at us. "One of Ms. Yeager's friends informed us that the four of you were the last people seen with her yesterday."
"That's right," Ciela replies. "So?"
The officer takes a slow breath. "You're here for questioning."
My heart skips a beat. The room suddenly feels smaller.
"What? Why?" Cyprus blurts out, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Because you were the last people Ms. Yeager met before she died."
The words hit us like a truck. For a second, nobody speaks.
"What do you mean?" Cleo asks, his brows knitting together. "Didn't she go home last night?"
The officer shakes her head. "No. According to her mother, she never came home."
"That's bullshit!" Ciela snaps, shooting up from her chair. "The guard literally chased us away yesterday!"
"Watch your language," the male officer warns from the corner of the room.
"Fine," Ciela says through clenched teeth. "But it's true. Why don't you ask the guard? He saw us leave the school grounds yesterday. He's probably the last person who actually saw Catherine."
The female officer nods and scribbles something onto her notepad.
"That's noted. However, we'll be speaking with all of you first." Her gaze sweeps across the table as she continues, "One by one."
Silence falls over the room. I stare at the cold metal surface of the table as dread settles in my stomach.
How did it come to this?
The female officer gathers a few documents into a neat stack before looking at us.
"We'll start with Cyprus."
Cyprus stiffens beside me. "What? Right now?"
"Right now."
"Come with me.” The male officer gestures toward a smaller room across the hall.
Cyprus shoots us a nervous glance before standing. None of us say anything as he follows the officer out of the room. The door closes behind him with a sharp click.
The silence that follows is unbearable. Cleo taps his fingers against the table. Ciela bounces her leg impatiently. While I just stare at the floor.
Minutes pass like hours. Until finally, the door opens again.
Cyprus walks back in. His face is pale.
"What happened?" Ciela immediately asks.
"They just asked where I was after we left school," he mutters, taking his seat. "And whether I saw Catherine leave."
"What did you tell them?"
"The truth."
Before anyone can ask more questions, the female officer speaks again, "Cleovon."
Cleo exhales heavily and pushes himself out of his chair. "This is ridiculous."
"Please follow the officer."
Without another word, he disappears into the other room.
I glance at Cyprus. "Did they ask anything else?"
He nods. "They wanted exact times. Who was with Catherine. What she said. Every little detail."
My stomach twists.
A few minutes later, Cleo returns. Unlike Cyprus, he looks annoyed rather than nervous.
"They keep asking the same questions," he grumbles as he sits down. "It's like they're waiting for someone to slip up."
The female officer doesn't react then she calls Ciela.
"Finally." Ciela stands and marches toward the door without waiting for instructions.
The moment she's gone, the room feels strangely empty. I glance at the clock on the wall.
12:01 PM
My thoughts drift back to yesterday. How can someone be alive one day and dead the next?
The door suddenly opens.
"Those questions are getting ridiculous," Ciela says, then sits beside me.
"What did they ask?" Cyprus says.
"They asked if Catherine had enemies. If she seemed scared. If she was hiding something."
My pulse quickens.
Scared? Hiding something?
Before I can think about it any further, the female officer turns her attention toward me.
"Your turn."
For a moment, I can't move. Every pair of eyes in the room lands on me. I take a deep breath before I slowly stand up.
The male officer opens the door and waits. I force my legs to move, and as soon as I enter the smaller room, the officer closes the door behind me.
The room is cramped and cold. A single table sits in the center beneath a harsh fluorescent light.
"Please sit down.” The female officer gestures toward the chair across from her.
I obey.
She studies me for several seconds before opening a folder. Inside is a photograph… it's Catherine's picture.
The female officer folds her hands. "When was the last time you saw Catherine Yeager alive?"
A lump forms in my throat, making it difficult to speak. My mouth opens, but no words come out. For a moment, all I can do is stare at the officer as my heart pounds against my chest.
I swallow hard and force myself to find my voice.