Chapter 31 : A Calm before the Storm

After telling Kelly about my plan, we didn't talk to each other at school anymore. It's been two days since then, and I should say I was surprised with how quiet Mr. Gilbert was. He didn't call me anymore after the last time. While I was relieved by that fact, I couldn't help but feel restless at the same time.

To add to my surprise, Harry Michelson didn't come to bother me too after he returned to school. I heard he was absent for a few days after that incident due to a mild concussion and was admitted to the hospital. I was very sure I didn't hit him that hard, but I guess that was not the case if he needed to be admitted to the hospital like that. If the other person was not Harry Michelson, I might slightly feel bad for that person.

As for Mrs. Gabrielle, she completely avoided me. Even when I came to the teacher's office to look for her, or when I called out to her in the hall, she practically ignored my existence. I assumed she was too fed up with me, to the point she didn't even want to talk to me. It's not like I was trying to curry favor with her by apologizing, but it did make me feel unresolved inside. It's like leaving your nearly finished assignment behind to play outside.

These situations bothered me so much. After I made so much ruckus, it was disturbingly quiet, like a calm before the storm.

What are they up to now? These couldn't be just mere coincidences. Mr. Gilbert said that Michelson pressured the school board to expel me, but so far there was no summon from the headmaster for me. I was bewildered, but I tried my best to pretend nothing happened.

Nothing could be accomplished by freaking out after all. I should take this chance to speed up my plan.

Kelly had reported to me that she had successfully sneaked in our letters to the victims' desk drawers. For a loner, she acted quite fast. She only needed a day to accomplish her task. By this point, the victims must be feeling as restless as I was. Although for very different reasons.

I didn't want to stay in this vulnerable state any longer, so I pulled out my phone from my pocket and typed in a message.

[Begin phase 2]

It was short and succinct. I pressed the send button, and the other person replied almost immediately.

[OK]

From the corner of my eyes, I caught Kelly walking out of the classroom calmly. My shoulders relaxed as I stuffed my phone back into my pocket. However, before I could do so, it was vibrating in my hand.

'Did Kelly need something from me?'

I tapped on my phone screen, and I found one new message from Charlie. Since her last visit to my house, she often messaged me whenever she was free. I seldom used my phone except for basic necessities, but nowadays it keeps ringing. It was an unfamiliar experience for me, but I secretly felt happy inside.

I tapped on Charlie's message. [Big sister, are you free right now?]

[Yes it's alright. What's wrong?] I replied immediately.

[Nothing special. Just wondering what big sister is doing right now?]

[I am eating my lunch right now. Have you eaten yet?]

[Hmm, not yet. Big brother Alex promised to pick me up today for lunch, but he hasn't come yet]. Charlie sent me a disappointed-looking bunny sticker along with her message. So cute.

[Call him, then. Ask him if he was on the way]

[Nah, it's okay. I'll wait for him. I am a big girl now!]

Imagining Charlie's bulging cheeks as she sulked while writing this made me chuckled. [Yes. Charlie is a big girl and can wait for her brother obediently].

[Big sister, you must be laughing at me right now, aren't you?]

[No. Why would I do that? ^^]

[You are definitely laughing! Big sister is so mean!]

[Haha I am laughing because Charlie is cute. Not because I was making fun of you~]

[Hmph. I'll forgive you then. By the way, big brother Alex had been asking me several times about you, big sister. He was asking how you are doing these days].

I raised my brows when I read that. [Really? Why would he ask you that?]

[Of course, because he was concerned about you! Big brother considers you as his friend, you know?]

I was re-reading Charlie's message several times. Alex was concerned about me? Well, he did look concerned when he came to pick me up at the convenience store that night. Based on Alex's personality, he might be worried about how I was doing after that. What a kind person.

[Tell him I am doing well, and thank you for worrying about me ^^]

[I already told him that. But he insisted he wanted to meet you again, big sister. I wonder why he didn't ask you that directly.]

Why would Alex want to meet me? I wondered if it's because of something I did.

[Did he need me for something? I don't mind if that's the case. He helped me a lot before, and I haven't repaid him yet.]

[Didn't you already give him your cookies last time? You even spare some for my idiot brothers. Besides, big brother Alex helped you because you helped me first, so you owe us nothing, big sister].

When Charlie visited me last time, I packed the leftover cookies for her so she could share them with her brothers. She told me happily the next day via a message that her brothers relished them well, especially Alex. I naturally was glad they enjoyed my cookies.

[Big brother Alex probably just wants to talk to you. Like the usual hanging out between friends.]

I didn't know if I could ever be Alex's friend. We had quite an age gap between us, and honestly, I probably couldn't treat him casually like what friends are supposed to do. He felt too important to be treated like that. He had this noble aura around him that made anyone unconsciously humbled down upon being in his presence. Of course, I didn't mean it in a bad way.

[I don't think it's a good idea. Alex must be busy, and we are not that close either.]

[Big sister, are you feeling embarrassed right now?]

[What? No, it's not like that. I just don't want to become a bother.]

[Why would big brother feel bothered when he is the one who is asking for you in the first place? And big sister, it's better not to tell big brother that you are not close or he will be sad.]

[I am sorry! I didn't mean to be rude. I was just trying to say that he must have other friends who are funnier to hang out with.]

[You said it again. He will be very sad if he knows you think that way about him.]

[I am so sorry!] I typed frantically, feeling panicked inside. I truly didn't mean to sound rude or arrogant by saying that. I just didn't understand why someone like Alex wanted to hang out with someone like me.

[Haha relax, big sister. I am not scolding you or anything. Big brother Alex might appear cheerful and bright, but actually, he was pretty lonely. He didn't have many friends since he was always busy. The other day, he told me how admirable you are for being so diligent, and that my other brothers should've learned from you. He thinks very highly of you.]

Oh. What's wrong with people these days? I felt like I keep receiving compliments these days.

Shyly, I typed a reply. [I am embarrassed now after you put it that way]. I contemplated for a while. Could I really spend some time on this? With my current situation, I might feel better if I relax a bit. Alex seemed to want to meet me as well. It might not be a bad idea?

My fingers glided across my monitor screen smoothly. With anticipation, I was about to press the send button, when I remembered how people looked at me. Their cold and piercing gaze was overlapping with Alex's gentle one, and for some reason, that anticipation was gone without a trace.

'That's right. What am I expecting? More than anyone else, I should've been the one who knew best what would happen when everything was revealed.'

If Alex and Charlie knew about my past, would they still look at me the same way? If I kept hanging around them, wouldn't my presence eventually bring misfortune to them as well? I didn't have a good reputation around here. If by some chance one of my enemies found us together, wouldn't it be the same as me harming Alex and Charlie?

Suddenly, I felt like there was a black shadow wrapping their hands around my neck, whispering horrible things that might happen if I dared to act outside my boundaries.

I slowly tapped on the erase button and cleared out the previous message I had typed. Next, I typed another sentence before I finally sent it.

[Sorry. I still think it's a bad idea. Tell Alex he can call me anytime if he needs me for something, though. I'll be very glad if I could help him. The break time is almost over. I gotta go. Let's talk again later].

After that, I shoved my phone into my pocket. Suppressing the murky feeling inside my chest, I stuffed the fried shrimp from my lunch box into my mouth, chewing it greedily.

'Just let it go. They belong to a different world from yours. If something happens later, and they change their attitude towards you, you will only have yourself to blame.'

I could feel my phone vibrating again, but this time I didn't check it again until I went home.