Orchid Gray was speeding through The Loose Noose, glancing up at the clock every few minutes. She had to return the book back to Professor Yarwood by tomorrow. "You look stressed," Bailey commented, tying up her thick blond hair into a ponytail.

"I just need to finish this book," she murmured. "Don't worry about me."

"All these suicides in Silverleaf... It's all tragic."

She paused, thinking of Professor Green. "Yeah, it is pretty tragic."

┉┈◈◉◈┈┉

Orchid was heading over to the Staff's Quarters. It wasn't like the Cleaners' Quarters or the Finnegan House, it was roped off from the rest of the school and the professors and headmaster stayed there.

She went to Professor Yarwood's apartment door, knocking on it. After five minutes of silence, Yarwood came to the door in a rubber-ducky bathrobe, looking surprised. "Miss Gray, it is nearly midnight and past the curfew of 11: 00 PM, on a school night—"

"I finished The Loose Noose." Orchid thrust the book into Professor Yarwood's hands. By the end of the story, it confirmed her and Saira's theory. In the book, there was a man named Zusak whose life was in shambles; his wife and children had left him. He went on to his day, saying goodbye to people he barely cared about to avoid his loved ones.

Then, Zusak killed himself, slitting his wrists and hanging himself in his bedroom. But Zusak's attempt failed—the noose was loose and allowed him to live. Except, the kicker that shocked Orchid was that the man hung himself yet again and actually died that time.

He had a chance to live, she thought. And didn't take it—why?

However, there was no doubt that Zusak's death and Green's were the same. Even the dried puddles of blood were the exact same. And right now, Orchid could have been staring right at Professor Green's murderer.

Could Professor Yarwood have murdered Green?

"Ah, I see, Orchid. Well, I would say that Bill Johnston is an excellent gothic literature author," Yarwood tutted, puffing up his chest with pride. Orchid nodded meekly. "Did you enjoy the book?"

Considering how violent and depressing it was, no, Orchid wanted to say. Instead, she said, "Yes, I enjoyed a lot, Professor Yarwood. I find the irony in the book's title lining up with Zusak's death. I'm starting to enjoy gothic literature." Orchid's voice was flat.

"Well, if you truly like gothic literature, you should join the Silverleaf Gothic Literature Club, it's like a book club or mere bookish discussions," Professor Yarwood suggested happily.

Wait, Silverleaf Gothic Literature Club? In Professor Green's update log, it mentioned S. C. and Green's hatred for a club. A literacy club perhaps. Orchid's heart rate quickened as her heart pounded. "A club?"

"Yes, I think registration ends February 29th, so in three days," he replied, leaning against the doorframe. "However, I did not organize it, so I can not personally confirm. Their readings and my assignments sometimes line up—with the Azure Eyes of Blood or The Loose Noose—but they are not the same."

Did the Silverleaf Gothic Literature Club have anything to do with Professor Green's and Scarlett Mako's killings? Orchid could barely breathe, she needed to tell Saira and Stoll. "Thank you, Professor Yarwood. I have another question, who actually leads the club?"

Yarwood cocked his head, thinking. "I believe it's Professor Asher."

┉┈◈◉◈┈┉

List of suspects:

Sam Finnegan

S. C. (To be identified)

Professor Yarwood

Headmaster Roux

Professor Asher

Silverleaf Gothic Literature Club (Who is the one behind it?)

┉┈◈◉◈┈┉

Orchid was walking to Riff Hills Catholic High School in the late summer of early freshman year. She wore a brown checkered skirt, that went below her knees per dress code rules, and a baggy jean jacket over it. She checked her phone to see if she got any new texts from Navaeh.

Nothing.

There was a sudden honk and Orchid turned to the road. There was a black convertible car with her best friend, Navaeh Naylor. And also Navaeh's sketchy boyfriend, Jackson Millers, and...

Hillary Arthurs.

"Get in, Orchid!" Navaeh squealed and Hillary rolled her eyes. Orchid and Navaeh were getting more distant, and she drifted towards Hillary, a basic Regina George girl. Orchid glanced over her shoulder, but climbed into the car, sitting next to Jackson in the backseat.

He had olive skin with a head of fiery red hair. He waved at Orchid, his gaze cutting her chest. She turned away, convinced it was the heat that was playing tricks on her mind. She wondered why Navaeh saw anything in that moron. Navaeh was glowing with beauty, making Aphrodite seem ugly. She had sunkissed brown skin dotted with freckles, her curly brown hair in an afro.

Hillary was a girl with pale skin and the prettiest electric blue eyes. "So, Orchid," she said as they drove to Riff Hills. "Are you and Navaeh super close?" Before Orchid could reply, Navaeh shrugged.

"We're friends," she replied. Translation: We've been best friends since second grade, but I need to seem cool around the Hillary Arthurs. It wounded Orchid deeper than it should have.

Hillary smirked. "Oh, okay, that makes sense."

"I haven't seen you before in Riff Hills," Jackson said to Orchid. She blinked, surprised that he even acknowledged her. "Are you, like, on a scholarship to our high school or something?"

"She's a freshman like me, Jackie," Navaeh giggled playfully. It was her oh-so-flirty giggle. Navaeh doesn't giggle, she snorts. Orchid bit her lip, not sure what to say. Was it an insult or a compliment?

"Oh, I could have taken her for a scholarship kid," Jackson shrugged.

"Even if she was, probably because Riff Hills is trying to push a diverse quota or something," Hillary said, skating on thin ice. She looked at Orchid in the head mirror, smirking again. Orchid narrowed her eyes. "More chinks, huh?"

Orchid was silent and so was everyone else in the car. "Don't call me that," she said, but no one heard her. Orchid's voice was coated with embarrassment and shame. She felt utterly humiliated by Hillary. She looked at Navaeh, hoping she would speak up about Hillary's horrid behaviour.

Her best friend said nothing. "I'm thinking about wearing a super cute crop top, want to come over to my house tonight to decide, Hillary?" Navaeh asked, not even glancing at Orchid.

Hillary laughed. "Of course, Nava!"

That's the year that Orchid Gray and Navaeh Naylor truly drifted apart.

Orchid jerked up, gasping for air. Her heart raced as she grasped her pillow for support. Why couldn't she forget stupid Navaeh Naylor? And her stupid boyfriend, Jackson Millers? And her stupid and fake friend, Hillary Arthurs?

She sobbed, holding her head in her hands. She was falling apart and so was her life. Things were never ever going to be the same.

"Orchid?" Bailey's voice was soft.

"Yeah?" Orchid tried not to stutter. It was dark and past midnight, but dread filled Orchid. Bailey came over and sat on Orchid's bed, looking worried. "I'm fine, Bailey. Go back to bed."

"I..." Bailey had tears in her eyes. "I'm worried about you."

She paled. "What, w-wait—why?" She heard the splutter in her voice and hated it. Don't stutter, she scolded herself.

"I should have known that Professor Green's suicide was taking a toll on you. He was your favourite professor and he's the only professor who, well, understood you. Even I-I don't understand you, Orchid," Bailey croaked.

"For a junior Silverleaf student, those are pretty wise words," Orchid managed to say. Even I-I don't understand you, Orchid. She wiped her tears and took deep breaths. "I'm fine, Bailey," she repeated.

They sat on Orchid's bed for a few more silent minutes. "Hey, I'm sorry that Robert and I hog the dorm a lot. I know, I know, I never supported your writing and hated it when you typed away in our room, you had to go to Professor Green's classroom instead. I'll start to hang out in Rob's dorm more often if it helps," Bailey offered kindly. "I'm sorry if I wasn't really understanding before. I'm not very attentive to anyone else other than Rob, I kind of treat you like a ghost during lunch and dinner... I am not a good roommate or friend"

"It's not truly your fault or Rob's, it's mine." Orchid's voice hitched. "I'm also sorry, Bailey, because I don't do friends." Translation: I'm too scared for my own good. Not anymore, she thought. Not after what happened with Navaeh. Bailey looked hurt and got off Orchid's bed, retreating to a deep slumber.

Orchid sat up against the wall. Bailey was never so right, no one other than Professor Green had understood her. He never knew her secret, but he must have known that everyone at Silverleaf had secrets. And he understood in ways Orchid could not describe.

Yet... Bailey was the reason why she started the Shades of Gray project. Last year, which was late freshman year, Orchid had just transferred. She was in her dorm with Bailey when her ex-boyfriend, Rook—dumb name, Orchid knew—broke up with her over the phone.

Orchid felt horrible, so dug up some dirt, and it turns out, that Rook had using other girls in the past to bump up his marks during partner projects. Rook used Bailey for a good grade in their music project.

That utter scumbag was Orchid's first thought. Then she wanted revenge since Navaeh's betrayal was still fresh and Orchid wanted to cause pain to someone evil. She wrote an explosive exposé, untraceable in case Headmaster Roux looked at it too. Silverleaf students ran towards it, eating it up.

Then she continued to finish freshman year with more exposés on cruel students. The following year, sophomore year, she expanded her resources to Saira Levine and Stoll Finnegan. The rest was history.

But Orchid Gray could never be friends with Bailey, Saira, or Stoll. Never ever take the risk again.