Chapter 26 The right choice?

The changing day.

Today our school arranged a mourning assembly for Ms Yana. We all are called at the assembly hall for a speech. Amidst the speech, the principal also announced our next form teacher. It lasts for an hour.

"Eclise."

I speed up and catch Eclise at the corridor.

"Sain?"

"What a long assembly, right?"

"Yes. I didn't think it'd last that long."

My face sullen.

"What's wrong?"

"So I was wondering.." I pause in the middle.

"What?"

"You heard, right? The inspector that brought mom to the hospital is the one Ms Yana used to meet."

"Yes. That's possibly right."

"I wanted to ask him why he was at our place. I'm sure he wasn't coincidentally in our apartment at that time."

"Probably."

"But I don't have his contact. Do you have his number?"

He takes out his phone. "Let me see." He scrolls through his call logs. "There it is."

"Thanks." I note the number in my cellphone. "Let me message him. You can go ahead."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Eclise leaves me behind and proceeds to our classroom.

Now the real question is.. Why does Eclise has Mr Xeno's number?

I roll up my eyes while my brows relax.

"You're the drug addict, right?"

I don't bother looking back until he grabs my shoulder and turns me around.

"Woah! You actually do look like one."

I look up at him.

This guy is not alone. He brought three more friends with him. They look like seniors.

"Tell me. Where do you buy them from?"

His other friend raises his palm and asks. "Which is it? Phens*dyl? Her*ine? Coc*ine?"

I step back. "I don't do drugs!"

"Don't lie now. The whole school knows. Ms Yana started it. She even got you tested. She felt guilty because you got accused due to her and tried to protest against the rumour. Now that she's no more, who the hell is gonna stop it from spreading?"

I look away. My feet tremble.

"Woah. Look at his legs trembling so hard! Why does it look so funny?"

"What are you.. polio?"

"Hahahaha."

One of them comes forward and wraps his arm around my shoulder. "Come on. Take us to your dealer."

"I.. I don't have a.. dealer."

He leans closer to my ear and whispers. "Then take me to your insane mother."

My eyes that stare at the ground widen.

"Stop it!"

I raise my head and see her cutting our way. "Reverie?"

"What the hell do you want?"

She strides and grasps my wrist. "I'm not obliged to answer you. I'm taking him away and if you stop us I'll complain to the principal."

"Yeah sure."

She pulls me out of their crowd.

"Th.. thanks Reverie."

"You should just ask for help, you know. Don't try to shoulder everything alone. You'll break."

"I'll remember that. Thanks for worrying about me."

["Eclise."

"Ahh. Hey guys."

"You're still hanging around with that scary dude. Why?"

"He isn't scary. He just went through a lot."

"Everyone in the school calls him a drug addict. His mother is wild. He's just a total weirdo. You should stop."

"If I stop he'll get more messier. He'll just harbour hatred for all humanity for the rest of his life. I'm surprised that he's still holding it in."

"Seriously. We can't really convince you anymore. It appears that you're more obsessed about Sain than he is about you."

"I didn't know trying to help someone improve is called being obsessed."

"Come on guys. We should just leave Eclise alone."

They turn their back on him while Dew walks in. "What happened to them?"

"Whatever happens."

"You okay, dude?"

Eclise sighs. "Yeah. I'm alright." However I don't know if I made the right choice.]