It had been over a month since the girl Hazel was murdered. Everyone was still on edge and there were many extra safety precautions being taken. The police were unable to find the culprit so it was just assumed that someone had broken in and killed her. The gates of Charford were now being guarded. The two other girls who had been in the room when she was killed, were presumed to be sleeping very heavily after the first day of long classes.
In that time, Nika and I had become steadfast friends, and I spent as much time as I could with her.
"Hey," Nika said coming up to the bench I was sitting on that was on the outskirts of the forest. Her hair was braided into two thick braids, and they fell over her shoulders. Her freckles were fading a little, probably because of the oncoming winter, the summer tan was going away for all of us. It was nearing the end of October, and Halloween was approaching.
The best holiday of the year if I do say so myself.
Back home I would hide behind bushes wearing a god awful mask, and jump out yelling when any kids came up to the door. Almost all of them would start to cry, and my Dad got a lot of complaints from angry parents about me.
"So are you dressing up for the party?" Nika asked me, playing with the button on her sleeve. The school was throwing a halloween party on the weekend and it was going to be so boring, the only thing that might be mildly entertaining, was the haunted house that the senior boys were setting up on the driveway. I was a junior so I wouldn't be able to help make it which was a bummer, but a couple guys from my grade who were friends with the seniors were being allowed to take part on the actual night.
I was not one of them, phat rip.
"I don't really know if I am or not," I answered staring at an oddly shaped tree. "Might just wear a creepy mask." She giggled, "we should do one of those matching costumes, it might be fun!" Her nose scrunched up cutely and I smiled a little. "We could do Bonnie and Clyde?" Weren't they a criminal Halloween pair?" I suggested, lowkey liking the idea of matching costumes.
She looked at me with a deadpan expression, "Otis, that's a legitimate couples costume, we aren't a couple, idiot, I meant more like a group costume?"
Ooopsiesss.
I blushed, shaking my head, "ok then you choose, but it better not be something cheesy." I widened my eyes at her and pressed my lips together. She smirked, "it won't, it won't."
We came out here in the evenings a lot, just enjoying eachothers company, sometimes taking a walk in the woods. Just talking. It was Monday today, and the classes had been hard. I kept zoning out in math and didn't understand simple chemistry. My teachers were out or me, I could feel it. Nika was in a couple of my classes, but the mandatory seating plan had not seated us together which was pretty ratchet on the school's part.
I was getting chilly out here, and Nika had started to shiver. Me going against the school's rules (always) I took off the hoodie that I wasn't supposed to be wearing and handed it to her. She took it thankfully, putting it on and leaning back on the bench.
"Wow Otis you're so illegal," she chuckled jokingly. I laughed, "not sure how I havent gotten in trouble for it yet, these people are so strict."
We talked a bit more about random stuff until we both fell silent. The cold air wrapped around my legs and I held back a shiver, tucking them under the bench. "How are you holding up?" I asked her, looking at her from the corner of my eye, "you know, your roommate's death and all... I guess we've never really talked about it."
She squinted at some small animal behind a tree, rubbing her nose with the sleeve of my hoodie. I noticed she did that a lot, a gesture she did while deep in thought.
She turned to face me, "I'm ok, I didn't know her that well, it was just seeing her body laying there lifeless which was a little scary. I think Reyna's the one who's still pretty shattered from it..." her voice trailed off.
I nodded, not feeling like inquiring more on the subject. We didn't talk anymore but continued to sit outside, enjoying the peaceful noises of the crickets and autumn wind.
To be completely honest, I was enjoying my time here at Charford. Sure it was school, and I don't necessarily like school, but it also felt more homey than my actual home. Maybe it was because I had finally made a couple friends? Nika and I had hit it off, and believe it or not, I had started to consider Leo as a friend too. I still thought he was annoying, but he was also entertaining.
Nika shivered beside me and I leaned forward, "should we go inside?" I asked her, putting my hands on my knees. She shook her head quickly, "no, no, I like it out here can we stay a little longer?" She pouted playfully and I smiled, leaning back again.
The sun was setting, sending beams of light through the trees, lighting up random places in the courtyard.
"WHAT THE HECK-" I heard someone scream from my left. My head shot to the side and I squinted, seeing the silhouette of someone running our way. Nika and I both stood up, startled and concerned.
As the person came closer, I realized it was Carter Kane, a boy that lived in the same hall as me. "What's wrong?!!?" Nika asked, wrapping her arms even tighter around herself, my hoodie hanging off her.
"It's Pete!! The Janitor!?!" Carter looked like he was about to cry. "I was in the garden shed, looking for something for a science project, Pete had told me I would find it there, and as soon as I walked in, I smelled this awful smell..." he panted, shaking his head side to side, hands flying in front of him. "He was lying there dead, a noose around his neck, he killed himself." Carter ran his fingers through his hair and his eyes widened.
"Oh crap, I have to tell the headmaster, we have to call 911!" Carter backed up, almost tripping over his feet, "don't go in the shed!"
I looked over at Nika, but she didn't look at me, still staring at Carter running back to the school.
Pete was dead... but was it really suicide...?
Was this the second strike?