I DECIDED TO lay down on my bed for the rest of the day. Rayne did me a little favor by treating my wounds. She found my half-dead ass body outside our dormitory building and was about to avenge me when Rayne saw my condition; bruises all over my body, a bloody nose, and a swollen cheek. Thank goodness she didn't break my nose and ribs, but my entire body was very sour as hell.

I looked at Rayne while she tended my cracked lips and weakly smiled. "Today would be my death anniversary if it weren't for you."

Rayne smacked my shoulder like all her worries earlier already vanished. "Thank you is the simpler term for that, Mich. But you're always welcome, anyway. You're like my little sister from a different mother."

I pouted my lips and acted like I was about to cry. "Why are you so sentimental today?"

"Never deal with death alone if you don't want me to be sentimental, damn it."

I laughed so hard that my stomach ached while Rayne just stared at me with her doe eyes. "Alright, I will tell you next time around. You can take my place instead."

Rayne almost face palmed herself as she damped the cotton stick with ointment so hard on my cracked lips. I was about to argue when Rayne looked at me seriously.

"Promise that you will call me whenever something bad comes up."

I shrugged and nodded afterward, "Okay."

"Promise?" she asked, making herself clear.

"Fine," I gave up and succumbed to her wish. "I promise to tell you everything, especially whenever I have to go to the bathroom—"

Rayne slapped my shoulder so hard that we looked at each other and laughed in unison afterward. It dawned upon me what happened today: Dawn died, the killer remained unknown, I became the newly appointed president of the student council, and ended up losing a fight with Candice.

When morning came, Rayne and I woke up to the loud siren. My movement was minimal due to the aftermath of the bruises that Candice caused yesterday from the fight. Rayne helped get up and walked to the door when the door suddenly burst open. Deanna stepped inside and looked at us with horror in her face.

She pointed her finger toward the campus while catching her breath. "Samantha found a dead body in the garden, and everyone suspected that the body belonged to Candice."

My forehead creased as I limped toward Deanna. "Why can't Miss Samantha identify the body?"

"The head is currently missing. Don't worry because the police officers are searching for it." Deanna replied as she scanned my almost dismantled body.

"Really—"

"Wait," she cut me off and looked at me from head to toe. "What happened to you, Mich? You were okay when I left yesterday to deal with some family matter, only to come back to see you. . . in this state? Who did this to you?"

Rayne took a deep breath and frowned in annoyance. "The one who died," she said with any traces of consideration and looked at me in the eyes. "Look how karma works on them. I wouldn't be surprised if one of them followed the others, too."

"Rayne. . ."

"What?" she asked, still annoyed. "They deserve what happened to them, to be honest. If only they didn't bully us in the first place, then I would be crying my eyes out for them. But that is not the story, to begin with. I'm sorry if I couldn't empathize with them."

"Rayne," I called and softly smiled while holding her hand. "Never let hatred get into you. You are the only person I know who has the purest heart."

"How about me?"

I averted my attention toward Deanna and laughed upon seeing her reaction. She pouted her lips like a baby while looking back at me. I shrugged to annoy her and lighten the mood between us. I was about to annoy her even more when the siren stopped, and the voices of our headmistress echoed around the campus.

All of the students of La Trinidad were called to the main building for individual investigation as requested by Mike, the annoying-as-hell police officer. I mentally rolled my eyes when the two offered their hand to me for support.

"I can still walk," I complained. "In case the two of you forgot."

Deanna shrugged, "After you, my lady."

"Let's see if we can reach the garden within five minutes," Rayne said while looking at her wristwatch. "Is it a deal or a no deal, lady Michelle?"

I gave up and just let the Rayne and Deanna led me to the garden like a crippled person. It was pretty seamless, although we took eight minutes to reach the garden as they kept on arguing with each other on our way. Everyone looked at us like a celebrity, especially my nemesis named Mike.

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