Detention

Sometimes, it's hard to let it go. Alyssa thought that she was moving on fast and good, until she heard the news on Tarlos' phone. Early in the morning, her past came back to haunt her again, back to the never ending abyss of despair.

"The police have been able to find out the identity of the person responsible for the murder of the well-known theatrist, Liarane Taylor and lawyer, Ander Taylor. Their daughter, whom the police refused to name, escaped with a month hospitalization. The murderer, whose name is Ken Evans –"

And Alyssa muted the phone. Tarlos looked at her, annoyed. She had been hearing the news intently. But Alyssa didn't care.

Tears threatened to spill over. The old wound was widening, as if a knife had been inserted and twisted till it severed her heart.

Blood. Blood everywhere. Blood spattering the walls of their house as Liarane's body fell against it. Then she fell down, limp.

Dead.

Dead because the bullet which was supposed to hit Alyssa had hit her. Killing her.

Dead because Alyssa had been so stupid and selfish and secretive.

Alyssa couldn't face the scrutinizing expressions of her apparent friends anymore...

Numbly, she made her way to the washroom, locked the door, started the shower...and just let herself break.

She let herself be suffocated by the fog clouding the washroom, and never breathe again...

She didn't deserve to survive when Liarane and Ander were dead.

After about fifteen minutes, Alyssa stood up from her pathetic posture on the bathroom floor. Her face was stained with silent tears. Her heart was numb with the blood it had cried. And her whole body was feeling like shit.

Amiya knocked on the door. "Hurry up, Alyssa!"

Life felt too heavy on her heart.

***

Alyssa walked down the hallway, from her history class to the cafeteria. The hallway was unusually empty and quiet. A few students lingered. But they, too, rushed off as soon as they saw her approaching. As if...she'd become a disease...

And she had.

Her face was pale and gaunt. Her eyeliner was smudged – she'd cried again during the break. And she had resorted to rude remarks to keep people from questioning her. Thus, she had managed to shut off every damn person, except... the ones in her thoughts.

And now, she walked, alone. As she rounded the corner, an unusual shill clawed its way up her spine. And she sensed danger before she saw it.

She made to run away, but it was as if her legs had been made of lead... she couldn't move.

From one of the classrooms emerged a man, pale with a clean-cut face and matted hair which reached roughly below his shoulders. His dull, silver eyes screamed death.

Alyssa, yet again, felt fear in every atom of her body. Fear like a clawed-monster, with a firm hold over her. Fear like an endless pool, in which she was drowning. Fear she'd only felt once before...

Alyssa tried to move back, tried to scream. But she felt strangled. Tears rose to her eyes, pain in her body. The scar at her back started bleeding, as she felt the impact of the sharp-edged knife behind her. And then...darkness.

Alyssa awoke with a jolt. And she didn't know whether to sigh or scream. At least... it had just been a nightmare. The nightmares she'd thought were gone for good ... were returning.

Alyssa's eyes blurred once and then adjusted to its surrounding blinding light, and the people around her. And the person who was standing right in front of her.

"Miss. Taylor, detention after school. Meet me. And next time, try not to fall asleep then scream and disrupt it," the sombre voice of Sir Roger informed Alyssa, with a stern expression on his face.

Not only that... the whole class, including John and excluding Jason was staring at her, as if she had elephant ears.

Jason, as usual, was disinterested in everything except himself. He was playing with his pen with a thoughtful expression on his face. John raised his eyebrows slightly. Alyssa shook her head at him, and hid her face.

The shitty well of trouble seemed never-ending...

For detention, an upset looking Sir. Roger informed Alyssa that she would be arranging the books in the library. Well, at least she wouldn't have to sweep the medical room or something... So Alyssa informed Tarlos and Amiya that she would be leaving later and made her way towards the library. The school was almost empty, apart from the few students who were staying-back for various activities.

Considering the empty corridors, Alyssa was glad this wasn't another nightmare. This was reality, and here, she didn't have to face The Playing Demon – Ken Evans – again...

The library was in the third floor. Alyssa slid the glass doors open and entered. The librarian, a middle- aged man with a bad case of long hair, informed her that she would be arranging the returned books in the second-floor sections.

Alyssa quietly climbed the stairs, allowing the oak and books to calm her. The library was fully devoid of people, except for a scrawny boy in the corner and the librarian.

She had never really liked books back in Winchestor. Books were considered un-cool, after all... But here, she somehow felt at peace...

However, it seemed like her day wasn't meant to be all quiet and calm for long.

Alyssa was stacking a few books in the second last shelf, when she heard suppressed words of contempt and rage coming from behind. But soon, they were downright shouting.

The librarian rushed forward in panic, but was held back by the same scrawny boy she'd seen before. Now that she saw him close-up, he didn't look so much scrawny anymore. Alyssa's eyes fell on the pair who were indulged in the verbal battle... And she was shocked. Apparently, when she'd come in, she'd not seen them. But now she saw, and she couldn't help gaping in surprise.

Jason and his father, Danver Rios?!

Wasn't he supposed to be an extremely busy man in New York City?