Saira Levine couldn't believe that she was going to be sneaking into the classroom of a dead professor. She and Orchid walked a few feet apart from each other to avoid connection. She shot Orchid a look; How are we going to get inside Professor Green's class with everyone following us?

Orchid slowed down her pace so she fell into step with Saira. "Stoll showed me a blind spot, I think there was a fire alarm there. It'll distract everyone and you can lockpick Green's door."

"Cameras?" Saira asked quietly. No one was looking at them, but you could never let your guard down, not in Silverleaf Academy. People will make the craziest shit up, Saira knew.

Her secret...

While she didn't like sharing her secret with Orchid Gray and Stoll Finnegan for that dumb reliance on Orchid's contract—Saira also had to admit it felt good to tell someone. To not constantly look over her shoulder and pray the police weren't looking for her.

The past will stay buried.

"Cameras around the corner of the hall are usually faulty, but I bet Stoll can hack and delete the footage behind Gil's nose," Orchid whispered as they broke apart. Gil was a security guard, but he was so old that he never did his job properly and often just fell asleep in his bedroom. Less work for Saira if she's honest.

Saira heard that there was a crowd of students in Green's locked classroom in the morning, but there were only gifts left at the door. Scented candles—blown out by the headmaster to avoid fire hazards—teddy bears, and funeral flowers. It actually was a bit sweet that Silverleaf students cared about Professor Green.

Saira acted naturally around the classroom, her hand slipping into the inside pocket of her blazer. She always had a lockpick kit on her, she lived for drama, gossip, and rumours.

Why? Maybe because if you know someone else's secrets, they can't hurt you. And Saira Levine refused to be hurt again.

Suddenly, the fire alarm blared and students were sent into a panicked frenzy. Saira spun around and jammed her tools into the keyhole. She jiggled them around until the door made a click! noise.

I'm in.

Orchid joined her, out of breath. "Let's go before Professor Asher or Gil catches us," she urged and opened the door. The two girls filed in and Saira discreetly closed the door behind them.

Saira had to admit that Orchid was correct, Professor Green's classroom looked as if a fight had broken out. Unstacked chairs were thrown onto the floor and it was clear there were signs of struggle.

Saira brought out her phone. "Let's look for clues like Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. I am Sherlock, obviously," she said in a matter-of-factly tone. Orchid searched the students' desks while Saira looked at the English professor's desk.

She never really knew Professor Green, he was her English teacher, but Saira didn't like writing unlike Orchid, a total journalism nerd. However, the murder of a professor was important to Orchid? That was enough for Saira to agree to this whole mess.

She hopped over the puddle of dried blood but also snapped a picture of it on her phone. She noticed scratch marks and a smear of blood on Green's desk. She took a photo before beckoning Orchid. "Gray, check it out."

Orchid frowned. "Looks like a sign of struggle."

"So Professor Green and his killer definitely have been fighting then," Saira looked through the professor's cabinets until something caught her eye. "Wait... is this a letter? Jesus." It was written on a typewriter, Professor Green always seem to lean into the novelty of vintage writing or whatever.

Orchid came over and they read it together.

Update Log:January 25thI shouldn't have sent S. C. to that goddamned club. It's going to consume him like it did with the others. I should have confronted them ages ago, I shouldn't have put a student's life in danger. I can't pull S. C. out now, he's in too deep & like or not, I still need dirt on the club. God help us all if we get out of this without any bloodshed & brutality.-H. G.

Looks like Professor Green had secrets of his own like everyone at Silverleaf Academy. Saira took a picture of it and turned to Orchid. She had so many questions. "Who's S. C. that Green mentioned in the letter? And what club did Professor Green hate so much? Why did he put a student's life in danger?" Saira didn't realize that Orchid was quiet. "Oh."

She started to cry, turning away. "Oh, oh, Orchid," Saira coaxed, placing a hand on her shoulder. She had never seen Orchid Gray cry, she was normally so tough. "Don't cry, it'll be fine in the end."

"This looks really bad f-for Professor Green and it is," she sobbed, furiously wiping away her tears with the sleeve of her blazer. Blazers be damned. "He sounds like a goddamn fraud."

Saira had to tell Orchid the truth. "Maybe he was. This is super sketchy."

"Yeah, I know."

"Come on, let's go. There's nothing left in Green's classroom that's of use for us. I really don't want Professor Asher to find us here or she'll report us to Headmaster Roux, which is even worse."

She nodded. "Good i-idea."

They walked out of the classroom and Saira quickly locked the door again. The halls were empty, but turns out, everyone gathered at the Dining Hall. They separated but met at the far end of the Dining Hall where they found Stoll.

His hood was up and headphones plugged in, mopping the floor. "Hey, Finnegan," Saira said, snapping her fingers to get his attention. "We got some dirt on Professor Green."

"Don't say it like that," Orchid murmured.

Stoll took out his headphones and glanced at Saira, then Orchid. "Was she crying?" Orchid blushed, embarrassed. She'd never cry in front of anyone.

"Long story, so shut up," Saira shot back. She caught him up to speed and Stoll looked dumbfounded. I mean, it does sound like Professor Green was using a student to his advantage. "All we know is that the student that Green 'put in danger' is a male and his initials are S. C., but that's it."

"Do you think this S. C. guy killed Green?" Stoll asked.

"Unlikely," Orchid said, finally uttering a word. "S. C. is 'in too deep' by the professor's words, so it doesn't seem like S. C. would have the luxury of killing Green, like it or not."

Stoll raked through his curly black hair with his fingers. "Professor Green mentioned a club, so Silverleaf Newspaper Club? Wait, no, it doesn't make any sense, he was the head of the club."

"But Headmaster Roux controlled what they had to write about, very limited when it comes to creativity," Orchid replied and her expression turned grave. "What if Roux did something to Green?"

Saira grimaced. "Unlikely, but not impossible. Wait, Finnegan, what did you discover about Green's corpse?"

"Turns out, Flower was right, the academy is keeping the professor's body in there. Gross since it's also the place where they keep the food we eat." They all shuddered on cue. "I took some pics of Green's body, it looks like he suffered injuries before being hung on the noose. There's head trauma to the back of the scalp, but I'm not a forensic pathologist."

Head trauma? "The smeared blood on Professor Green's desk! He must have fallen over—or been pushed by his murderer—and banged his head, resulting in that head trauma. Damn, Finnegan, what are you doing here being a stinky cleaner when you can be a forensic pathologist?"

"Because I don't have a decent education, Levine. I know Gray's lucky to have rich dead grandparents—no offence and R. I. P.—and you're lucky enough to have a scholarship, but I'm not. My nightly courses are just courses, not even classes."

Saira scoffed, trying to dismiss her anger. You're lucky enough to have a scholarship, which she worked her butt off for since she couldn't rely on Mama's shaky funds. Considering Stoll knew her dirty secret, Saira was angry he wasn't more compassionate.

"Guys cut it out," Orchid interrupted, taking the reins again. "We can talk more in two days, in the girls' washroom again at the same time."

"Why in two days?" Stoll asked. God, this boy is dense, Saira thought.

"Because we have never interacted so much in one day, people are going to realize we have been involved in something," she hissed. Translation: People are going to realize you've been helping us with Shades of Gray. "We've never been in such a risky position, it's either nothing or everything, no in-between."