Chapter 52: Wrecked
Three days. Three days before the Linus Cup when I felt it. We were in the Breakfast Hall with the group talking about one member of Boran who came from Hesperia.
I feel restless. After their talk and change into a new topic, but my mind was still lingering there. About noon that day when I asked Luna.
"Is it possible to know the names of our opponents in the Cup?" I asked. I am desperate. I have a bad feeling about what I heard and I need to know it.
She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Shia. We are not allowed to know it." She said. "It is one of the forbidden rules. To know the opponents before the Linus Cup."
I slightly feel weaken at what she said. Her brows knitted as she watched me. "Why did you ask?"
"Nothing. It's nothing." My voice almost trembling. I hate this feeling. I was thinking about it the whole day. I don't have enough time. I need to know if my suspicion is right.
I had to get out of the castle to think properly and have some air. I head straight to the hill that I visited early in the morning on my birthday. I want to shout to the town below.
How can I know?
Gin comes to my mind. He can learn about it. He can enter the Headmaster's office. I quickly shook my head at the thought. Stupid, Shia. Until when will you hurt Gin?
But I was desperate. I will go crazy if I know that my suspicion is correct. I cussed while watching the town below. I tried calming myself. It's impossible to happen.
I went back to the castle not acting like myself. It's afternoon and I'm gradually losing time. I noticed again the black vehicle in front of the castle I immediately frowned at the sight. It seems that the Academy has a visitor again.
I walk inside without minding it. That is not the vehicle of the Headmaster of Boran. I almost memorize the vehicle. I continued walking. But I was stunned to see the woman standing in my path. My bad mood worsen.
She was still quite far but I stopped. I planned to take a different path when she called my name. "Shia," There it was again. Her wonderful and angelic voice. It's intimidating as hell that I look like a nervous wreck while she looks her usual gorgeous self.
"What?" I asked.
I just realize now that she fortunate to back out in the game. Her decision is right. I will not give up at what I have in any physical things or prestige that I will get in the Cup. But we have different situations. I need this. I need this for my freedom. How ironic. Because I have to go through things that would run out my character to get free. I don't even know if I will be truly free after this.
She walks towards me. Her every move is graceful. She wears a white dress, while I was almost wearing black from head to toe. An angel and a devil. I noticed that she wouldn't look straight into my eyes. Since we came back from their mansion, I only saw her again now.
“I—I want to talk to you.”
"I don't have time," I responded. "I'm sorry." And I'm not in the mood so, please. I turned back and was about to walk away when I heard her voice again.
"I can help you."
I immediately paused. I didn't immediately look at her. What does she mean? She knows what have been bothering me? I looked straight ahead in my path. Why should I trust her? But eventually, I decided to look at her. I was slightly surprised to see her expression.
Whoa. Is she about to cry?
If anyone should cry in this place, it should be me. Because I don't know what was happening. "Hey, is there a problem"
Her composure returned and watched me. But I could still feel that there's been bothering at the woman in front of me. She shook her head in a response. "I want to help you." She said emphatically.
My brows raised. Why would she help me? She is Corrine Stanford. She hates my gut. "And what's in exchange?" I asked. I don't want to beat around the bush. We both know what I am talking about.
"I don't want anything back." She replied. I was so tempted to answer her back: even Gin? But this is not the right for such a discussion. It's my last three days in this place. No matter how many bad things she did to me, I don't care about that. It's natural for her to get jealous. After all, I am here in her spot.
"Come with me." She started walking in other direction. Direction far from the dormitory where I'm headed. I just followed. Nothing will lose on me. She stopped in front of a hallway. I have never been there.
She continued walking. But I was so itching to ask her. "Why are you helping me?"
"You need this." she simply answered while walking. "This is the only way I know to help you get back from the Cup." My forehead immediately wrinkled at what she said.
"I don't care about what you did before so you don't have to be guilty," I answered. The hallway where we were walking was quiet and dark. Where are we?
She suddenly turned to me. "Shia, please make sure that you'll come back."
I froze at what she said. What? Why did she suddenly say that? I really feel weird at her attitude now.
"They've been looking for you for a long time, so please come back."
I stopped on trying to answer her. She turned again and continued walking. I feel like I went deaf. I stopped walking while still watching her. She went into a door near the end of the hallway. I just stood there.
"Shia, hurry. We can't stay for long here."
I found myself stepping into the room to join her. She switches on a lamp and not the light of the entire room. I found her looking at the various drawers of the large table near the window.
"From what I knew, it's just here." I heard her whisper to herself. I just watched her. Why? Why must she add to my suspicions? Why does she need to prove that thing?
"Where are we?" I asked.
"The office of the Vice Principal."
I don't know who the Vice Principal is. I have seen him a few times in the castle but haven't talked to him.
"Do you know that what we are doing is prohibited?"
If the situation was not bad, I want to laugh in this scene. A Head Girl, the almost perfect student, is searching for files without asking the permission of the Vice Principal just to help me— a woman she didn't like.
"That's why we need to hurry."
Corrine continued searching. Until she stopped in a drawer. My nervousness suddenly returned. The true reason why we are here. I will finally know it. My throat suddenly went parched dry.
"I hope that when you learn this earlier, you can prepare better." She said.
She took a white folder among other files there. When she checked the first page of it, she directly took it. She fixed the things to what it looked like before and pulled me out of the room.
"Let's go."
We walked back into the hallway. But instead of returning to the entrance where we met earlier, we walked to the back of the castle. Some of the students were confused that we met. Corrine just greeted them with her usual Head Girl smile at quickly dismissed them. Thier confusion increased but the person with seems not t care.
When we reached on an unused classroom, she immediately entered it. It seems like this happened before. Her, that I followed inside the vacant room, but the situation is different now. When I entered, she immediately closed the door. Corrine faced me and gave me the folder.
"All the names of people who joined that Linus Cup this year is there. Don't worry, the abilities and their position in the group are now written there. So we're not exactly cheating."
I gulped as I held the folder. I don't plan to cheat. I don't care about the other groups. What was important was my suspicion. My hands slightly trembled. Corrine noticed it.
"Shia." she started.
"I'm okay," I replied.
But I'm not. I'm not okay. Because as I was holding the folder, I knew immediately. I opened it. The first paper has a seal of Hesperia and there listed our name. Next was the district of Dione and Shinoa. I flipped through the pages until I reach to what I was looking for.
I looked at the paper behind the list of Kimmyye and saw the green seal. Boran. My hands are trembling, even the folder in my hand. I barely able to flip it properly because of extreme nervousness. I didn't want it to take any longer and read the writings.
Thomas, Damian
Higgins, Jerry
Wilson, Olivia
Tyler, Lucas—
The folder fell on the floor. This created a thin noise in the empty classroom. I raised my sight to avoid seeing the names that appeared. I watched as the sun sets from outside the window.
Until I realized my tears continuously falling from my eyes. No. This can't happen. I tried calming myself because I know that Corrine was there and watching me. But I can't. Lucas. Why it has to be Lucas?
"Shia," Corrine said with concern.
I shook my head and sat down because my leg can't take it. The events entered my mind at the times that Lucas was trying to comfort me on a few occasions that I cried in front of him.
Shia, don't cry.
I'm sad to see you like that.
I shook my head, hoping that if I do that it can change the fact. "Lucas." I breathed through my sobs. The second time I cried in this place. And it's because of Lucas. I squatted on the floor, my head resting on my knees trembling, I can’t control the emotions. Why? Why must this happen to me?
—
I don’t know how many minutes or hours passed before I stopped crying. Gradually I stopped, but it does not change what I’m feeling inside. Corrine silently watched me. She didn’t leave me. Ever her seemed to be affected by the weakness that I’m showing.
It's funny comparatively. Here is an empty classroom as the Sun is setting outside. Light enters from the glass window. I sat on the floor and crying and she's comforting me. Two train wrecks on a single track, seeking comfort that will never be there. Because no matter what she said, it won't lighten what's inside me.
There’s Lucas and I. Different teams. A single survival game.
“Can you stand?” she asked as I tried to stand up.
“We Need to go back. Maybe they're looking for us.” I replied. I dried my tears and tried to breathe deeply.
She watched me. “I shouldn’t have shown you this. I didn’t—” She paused. “I didn’t know he’s that important to you.”
“He is,” I replied. “Thank you for letting me know sooner.”
It was a sincere gratitude. Because when Learn it in the Game itself, I know it sure the group paralyzing because of me. Look at me. I’m so fucked up with everything. I fixed my stance and forced to hide my emotions.
Corrine retrieved the folder on the floor. I heard her sighed a breath. When I was about to leave the classroom, she suddenly called me.
"Shia?" I stopped walking.
Retrieved by Corrine folder on the floor. I heard She sighed a breath. When I was leaving the classroom, he suddenly called me.
“Shia?” I stopped walking.
“I knew this wasn’t the right time to say this but—”
I could not look back to her so I was just still silent and wait for what she might say.
“I hope you won't hurt Gin..”