~Chapter 25~

Door was banged loudly, every items from the top of the table were crashed on the floor, the furniture were mercilessly shoved down, only then did the anger of a woman in red heels could've calmed down but no it didn't. She felt the dire need to have something warm in her hands, something red, like blood, in her hands. She requires…..no she desires for it. Just then the doorbell rang; she looked fixedly at the closed door behind which someone stood pressing the doorbell. Unlike her usual self, she wished for that person to go away but boy, that person was a persistent one. So she took a knife and approached the door opening the lock to find the person behind it.

Rainy season is finally here after the nasty summer. The sky remained dark and depressing unlike the earthlings who enjoyed the showers of cool rain immensely. Roschend being a town where the summers are longer with mediocre rainy season, little autumn along with freezing winter and cool spring, the citizens of this town, mostly being the retired people had nothing to do but gossip around in circles. Those gossips contained both good and bad ones. One such recent gossip was the sudden change in character of Miss Inlon. Somehow these sensitive retired citizens of Roschend town do not find the once kind Miss Inlon to be the same as before. She was always kind and smiling unlike the current Miss Inlon whose smile looked far less than a genuine one and her kind eyes seemed to be have been stolen by somebody. She had become irregular in opening her doctor's chamber as well. This strange and sudden change in Miss Inlon was observed by not only the gossiping citizens but also by some of the students of Roschend High who frequented at nurse's office. At first they thought that probably she was in a bad mood or going through a rough patch in her personal life, but a prolonged change in temperament and an uncomfortable demeanor made the students think at least twice before approaching the nurse's office.

Some even have noticed her standing motionless staring at a certain classroom, probably at certain someone. She was also seen staring unblinkingly at the field when a certain class's P.E class was held.

It was creepy.

But nobody questioned it because she wasn't harming anybody with her mindless staring, or rather hasn't harmed anyone, yet.

After the tiresome running around the fields as per the P.E teacher's orders, the boys sat down panting while the girls asked for a water break. The P.E teacher granted the permission all the while shaking his head in disappointment. The P.E class is the only class that is shared by Emilia and Rio's homeroom with that of Daniel Fleabagh's homeroom once a week. Previously when she was with Daniel she and he'd bunk this class but not now.

"Say Emily, where's Sanders?"

"Huh? He's not here?" Emilia looked around upon Adalicia Farsen's enquiry. She did not spot him amongst the boys, did he go to the washroom then?

"Danny is also not here. Are they bunking together?"

"No way. Why would they—" Emilia stopped. She remembered how Daniel tried to beat the shit out of Rio in the middle still she decided to get confirmed from the other boys. She jogged to the boys on the ground with Adalicia at her tow.

"Did ya'll see either Daniel or Rio?"

"Whhhat! Johannes you're two timing?"

"Ayy why would she be two timing, of course that nerd was useless that's why she wants to know Daniel's location."

"Wow that was pretty fast!"

"Faster than Daniel's chick loading skill ahhahahahaha."

"It didn't even last till six months. How long was it two months—?"

"WILL YA'LL JUST—" Emilia was about to lose her temper on the cackling boys when Adalicia stepped in, "Um guys it's actually me who is searching for Danny and Emily for her boyfriend."

"OooooooooooHhhhhhhh still not giving up, eh Addy?"

"Its Adalicia and no I am not. Now do tell us.."

"Why you two keep on hanging on to losers all the time?"

"Sorry Ricky, but I don't see any 'winners' over here to date so...…"

"OoooooooooooooooHhhhhhhhhhhhhh BuRRRnnnn Ricky baby ahahhahahaha."

"Daniel took off the moment teach permitted us for a washroom break dunno about your nerdy boyfie." As if on cue the P.E teacher blowed his whistle signaling for the end of washroom/water break.

"Farsen! Johannes! No slacking off!"

"B-but sir, Daniel and Sanders aren't here yet."

"I'll see to it both of you go back to the ground now!"

Rio was seen to be coming back after half of the period has passed and students in this cool breezy autumn season are sweating like crazy.

"Ugh I'm definitely gonna hit the showers after this. I reek! You coming Emily?"

Emilia's eyes were trained on Rio, who somewhat limped around and seemed to be having trouble in using his limbs.

"Hmm? Yes I will in a bit." The bell rang signaling the end of a torturous P.E period as all the students heaved a sigh of relief. After taking the quickest shower of her life, Emilia followed the sweaty, grimy boys from a distance and waited till they took their turns in shower and vacated the shower room. Strangely she didn't see Rio coming out. When no other boy came out, she sneaked inside the empty shower room and was immediately hit by the musky smell of testosterone. "Ugh disgusting."

She knows she shouldn't be doing this and she might be overdoing her role as a girlfriend but she couldn't help but worry for her boyfriend ever since she experienced him having a panic attack in the midst of his fever, crying and begging to somebody to stop. She had searched up a bit about this kind of panic attacks and had found out that they are usually caused due to extremely traumatic incidents in early years of life. She wished Rio to open up to her someday.

When she entered the area where row of shower stalls were situated, she noticed that there is only one shower stall that has the shower running till now. It has been half an hour since P.E class got over.

"Rio? Rio are you here?" Emilia knocked at the door of the shower stall.

The clicking of those ominous red heels echoed in his ears.

No reply. She looked around to make sure no one is here because she is going do to something unthinkable. "Rio if you don't answer me I am going to open this door."

Suddenly he was able to hear everything, the clicking sound of red heels didn't cloud his vision anymore. That was when he heard her voice. Realizing the place and time, he was startled.

"E-Eh-Emilia! W-w-w-what are you doing here?"

More importantly how did she get in here!?

"That's what I should be asking you. Its been half an hour since P.E ended what're you doing inside?"

"I-I- was washing up...." More like contemplating to keep my life or not

"For half an hour? Really?"

"You should start coming up with better excuses, Sanders. I'll be waiting outside for you. If you don't come out within ten minutes…." She rattled the door lock of the stall, "….I'll barge inside here."

Rio sighed as he closed the shower, the water disappearing into the drain in ripples. He stared at those water droplets that still clung to the drain refusing to leave; just like him, clinging to the bare minimum threads of sanity when he's clearly losing it. He too wishes to disappear like those bigger droplets of water forever.

He was about to wear his t shirt over his head when his impatient girlfriend barged inside with a scowl on her face. She stopped him from wearing the t shirt fully and held his hands above his head as she ran her fingers down his torso making him shiver at the unexpected touch pausing her for a bit. A minute or two later she let go of his hands with an "I knew it."

Rio quickly wore his t shirt to cover up his exposed torso. He was met with an angry faced Emilia.

"Those bruises….where did you get them from?"