Squeezing my eyes, I think I know why she was calling me. Did the police come here to complain about my absence already? Sighing, I hanged my bag over Tricia's shoulder and turned to the creepy looks on everyone's faces. I was completely shocked to be called to the principal office again. Tricia and Jess sighed too and accompanied me along the hallway.

Realizing that everyone was still glaring at me,I couldn't help but feel anxious. Just when I hadn't even recovered from being attacked by a vampire, I was in trouble with the police too. Although I tried to inquire from Jess, I didn't get anything from Tricia too.

I suddenly realized that I hadn't seen Kate around today. Was she avoiding me now? I guess I have to find her when lectures are over. The only thing I heard from them as we walked was to be myself and tell the truth no matter the pressure they put on me.

Tell the truth? I have been doing that ever since, but they don't believe me. I wonder how I'm going to prove my innocence to s vampire who's whereabouts are unknown. What was his purpose of leaving my picture on the corpse? How did he even get my picture?

Lowering my eyes, I spotted Adrian walking in from the main entrance. Walking along with his basketball colleagues, he stopped by as our eyes met. I turned away immediately closing my eyes right in front of them. Tricia and Jess turned to my previous direction and returned curious gazes.

"Are you also fighting with him? Clara?" Jess asked but I didn't reply to her question. I started walking forward quickly to avoid him. At least, until I figure myself out. His friends slowly followed his gaze and returned puzzled looks.

"Isn't she the one?" His other friend, Scott nodded before turning to Adrian. "You're right. She was kissing Nathan a few days back. I'm sure it's her!" As a mixture of melancholy emotions took over his face, he saw Nathan walking in from the entrance with his friends.

"She's in hot soup now with the police. You should steer from her." Glaring at Nathan as he passed by him, his eyes began to waver in silence. It took him a few minutes to end his thoughts and walk away. "Hey! Wait for us!" Scott and Eric commented as they watched him march away.

As they raised their hands, they run after him holding their bags in place along the hallway.

As I walked through the halls, each student stared at me weirdly. Car patrols and press had started surrounding the school. I could see numerous car patrols parking at the school's lot. Stepping out simultaneously, they marched towards the entrance.

Students quickly stepped out of the way when microphones were placed in front of them. "As we speak, we're in front of the famous Beverly Hills. Can you give an account of her story? How did she actually die?"

Being bombarded with these questions, a young girl rushed to stand behind her boyfriend shaking her head. When the other students approaching the school saw the press running after the students around, they turned back quickly.

The security guards immediately rushed to block them as they tried to invade the school with their cameras. Blocking the entrance with their hands, the press still tried to force their way in.

"I heard the suspect to both murders is a student here. Can we speak to her?"

Biting my lip, u turned away from the window when two press supporters spotted me upstairs. Yelling, they pointed to the second floor igniting the agitation of the crowd. Trying to force their way in, mire security guards began racing over to assist their comrades.

Both murders? Who died again? Why am I a suspect to that death too? I didn't get much time to think about this properly when I heard my name from the speakers. Taking in a deep breath, I knocked the door waiting to be called in. As I walked towards the principal, I found her seated next to a group of detectives, two built police men and Kate's parents.

What is Kate's parents doing here? As I bowed my head, the elderly woman, probably her mother got up quickly and grabbed me by the throat. "Mrs. Cooper! Calm down," the policeman said rushing to pull her away from me. My throat began to feel stuffed with her grasp. Raising my hand to loosen her grip, the policeman tried to pull her back.

"What did you do to my daughter?!" My eyes started to feel heavy and wavery with her question. After they managed to pull her away from me, I could see the tears in her eyes as she stepped back in hesitation.

Mr. Cooper hugged her to stop her from attacking me again. While I massaged my throat, I started coughing from the strangle.

"Miss Clara Dickson, do you know Kate Cooper?" the principal asked before passing a picture of Kate to me. I didn't even need to take the picture. I knew her quite enough to not need to check. But what has she got to do with this meeting? Wasn't I called for Amy Sparks? I took a glance at the picture to avoid any questions and nodded.

"She is one of my friends." Giving the picture back to the principal, her mother tried to yell at me but her sobs didn't allow her. She relaxed on her chair and let out a sigh.

With a serious face, she turned to the detective. "Then I hope you know that she died three days ago around four in the evening?" one detective asked as he sat opposite to me.

Widening my eyes, it took me several minutes before I could shake my head. Feeling sad, speechless and surprised, I remembered seeing her an hour before her death. I had seen her three days ago. How come she's dead now? What happened to her while I was away?

Was it that man's doing again?

He opened a laptop and passed it to my close view after inserting a pen drive. With a sigh, he played it for me to watch. As I glared at the screen, I saw both of us arguing in the video. The date was correct to three days ago. When the video ended, he turned to me with a strict face.

"And you're the last person who saw her on that day right?" the detective inquired jotting down some points. Hesitating, I nodded and glared sadly at her mother.

"Yes. But she left before me. I looked for her outside but I didn't find her," I explained and he stared at me still unconvinced.

"Other students said you've been fighting lately. From the video, you were also arguing there. Am I right?" I interrupted saying, "Yes. But I don't understand why you're-"

His harsh hit on the table stopped me from talking. As I closed my eyes, he said in a stern voice.

"Yes or no?" he demanded staring at me from the table. I couldn't talk and Mrs. Copper got up and yelled at me. "It's you right? Why aren't you talking?!"

My eyes blinked with fear and contemplation so I nodded.

"We found your bank account withdrawals with her. Did you kill her to hide this fact from your friends?" Holding my tears back, I shook my head looking away from her mother.

"You're a suspect in this murder case as well as Amy Sparks. For not coming to the station two days ago, it proves right. For now, you're not to leave the country," he stated boldly.

Why was I being suspected of murdering Kate? What really happened after she left? Why would I kill her for something like that?

"For clarification, we'll need your parents to be here in the discussion tomorrow," she added adding salt to my injury unknowingly. Handing me the file, I replied, "My parents can't come, they're no more."

She nodded taken aback by my reply. But told me to be present tomorrow nevertheless and report to class to avoid the press. I rushed to class which was noisy with the crowd downstairs.

Without wasting time, I sat next to Tricia and Kate. As I stared at Adrian sitting by my seat, he turned to me and looked into my eyes, but I tore my gaze from him folding my lips. "What happened to Kate?" I asked looking away from the murderous glares.

"It looks like she was murdered. Her neck was slit. It looks like a suicide, but your documents were found with her," Tricia alluded with a breaking voice. I turned to Jess who looked more miserable. "Did you guys fight? Why weren't you in school for two days?" I was very sure they wouldn't believe me if I told them I was attacked by a vampire.

"I-I wasn't feeling well, so I stayed back. Why is everyone staring at me as if I was a murderer? I tried to talk to her but she didn't budge. She was also my friend. Why would I kill her?!" I snapped. Everyone turned to me curiously murmuring after hearing my words. Unable to take it anymore, I sped off to the washroom.

I washed my face breathing heavily while thinking about everything when suddenly a thought struck me. That girl I saw with him, was that Kate?

I raised my eyes as tears slid down my cheeks looking into the mirror. "No!" I yelled. Grabbing a metal from the floor, I flung it over the wall, scattering everything in the washroom on the door side.The shards spread over the floor, piercing through my skin. I brushed my fingers through my hair in despair.

My head was spinning as I felt devastated and useless for not being able to help her. "I'll kill him! Why? Why is he playing with my life? What does he want?!" I repeated squatting at a corner in the washroom in pain.

"Aahhh!" I winced while resting my head on my folded arms. My eyes were puffy and red with anger and hate towards that man. As I squeezed my face in my palms, I sobbed.

Why did he have to kill her? What does he want from framing me for those murders? Why me?! I cried, washing my face with the running water from the tap.

I stared at my face regretting my cursed fate. Then, I heard a knock on the door. I cleaned up my face breathing heavily. Wiping my tears, I opened the door. Nathan stood at the entrance waiting for me. His expression covered that of worry and concern.

I walked to him planning not to let anyone know what I had just found out. I would make him pay myself. We walked quietly to the locker room to talk, but I obviously didn't know how to start, considering what happened before.

"About that, I have nothing to do with it too," I resumed sadly. He hugged me in assurance.

"I know. You won't do that. I'll always be here for you. You're not alone." I nodded slightly before breaking away from the hug.

"I'll wait for your approval. But in everything, we are friends. Don't ever forget that." I smiled and retorted, "Thanks." As I stood by the hallway, I saw Tricia and Jess approaching me but I didn't want to talk to them now.

I removed my books from my bag hurriedly and dropped them in the locker. I said goodbye to him and rushed straight to the woods. I found him outside, practicing archery behind the cottage.

He stopped when I was a few meters away before I got there. Panting, I held my breath and retorted, "Before you criticize me for coming unnoticed, look at this."

I took out a bunch of pictures and gave them to him. "They're all from my school and my friend Kate is included. They died on the day I was attacked." He looked at them concluding with furrowed eyebrows, "They...look like you."

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