A Sweet Liar

An hour ago,

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the aging brick of a school for orphaned kids, Arthur stepped into the quiet sanctuary with only the sound of his footsteps for company. 

He wandered the empty, echoing halls, his presence unnoticed except for a few helpers who nodded at him with smiles upon recognizing him.

"She is still here if you are wondering," One of the helpers said with a knowing smile as the others chuckled.

"I know, but…" Arthur placed his finger against his lips with a smile as if requesting their silence, to which they nodded with even wider smiles.

Most of the classrooms he passed were shrouded in darkness, abandoned at the late hour, but a sliver of light ahead caught his attention. 

Drawn by the muffled sounds of laughter and chatter, Arthur approached a well-lit classroom and paused at one of the windows, careful to stay partly hidden in the shadows.