Three
- Kieffer Shacklock's POV –
I was heading to my next subject when the bell finally rang. The thought about her always crossed my mind. I didn't expect that she wouldn't recognize. Well, I better considered it since we only met every 26th of April at the Luztiva's mansion. But she didn't come last year until now. And suddenly, showed herself and act like she didn't know me. It hurts a little.
I saw her as she went out of her room with my cousin Elaina. I was having second thoughts about talking to her but lets give it a shoot.
"Hey." I approached them as they passed by me.
Elaina turned to me and narrowed her eyes, "What do you want, Kieffer?"
I swallowed, "Can I talk to your friend?"
She turned her head at me and stared at my eyes as Elaina replied, "Just like that? After what you did to our room?"
"That's why I wanted to talk to her." I immediately responded, "I want to apologize."
"You already said it so you can leave." Elaina bitterly answered and turned her back at me.
"What's her next subject?" I asked before they could set a foot to leave.
Elaina turned to look at her and she answered, "Science I."
I grinned, "Actually, I'm heading for my Science I class."
She gave me a quick look and she fixed her eyes at Elaina. Please say your coming with me. I really need to talk to you about something.
"You don't need to go with him." Elaina objected with furrowed brows.
"Its okay, Elaina. I won't let my guard down." She spoke.
Is that a yes?
Elaina just smiled at her, "Take care, okay? I'll see you later."
She nodded at her with a small smile and Elaina waved her hand at her before she left.
After Elaina disappeared on our eyeshot, she turned her eyes at me and our gaze met.
"What do you want to talk about?" She asked as she started to walk.
I followed her as I cleared my throat, "Its kind of weird but…" I paused as I glanced at her, she was looking away, "Don't you remember me?"
She was silent for a moment as she stared at me. We exchanged looks for a while and I was hoping that she would recognize me but I only got disappointment.
She shook her head, "Not at all."
I looked away as I sighed, "Are you sure, Akira?"
I saw her reaction from the corner of my eyes. Her brows furrowed as she fixed her eyes at me, "Excuse me?"
"Never mind." I breath out.
Perhaps this girl and the girl that I always meet every 26th of April in Luztiva's mansion were different person. Regardless, they looked exactly the same.
We entered the Science building in silence and went to our perspective room. I glanced around to look for a vacant sit and found one at the very back. But before I could think of going there, she was already walking towards there. Man, where am I going to sit now? As if there was any vacant chair left.
"Mr. Shacklock, please sit down." I heard a voice behind me and followed by a tap on my shoulder.
I looked over my shoulder and found Mr. Jimenez walking towards the teacher's table. In that instant, I found a vacant chair, second line from the front. I sighed with the thought of sitting there but I guess I don't have any other choice. As possible, I don't want to sit at the front but I'll consider it for now.
Sir put his things on the table and went to the board. He pulled out a chalk from the small chalk box that was placed at the bottom of the board and wrote his complete name.
"Good morning class. I'm Felix Jimenez and I'll be your Science 1 teacher." Sir introduced himself with a small smile as he sat back at the teacher's table. He pulled out a blue notebook and a pen from his things and started writing something on the notebook.
Not long when he instantly stood and groaned. He was gripping on his arm as his eyes widened and his whole body was like stiffening. His mouth was widely opened like he was chock by something and his body fell on the ground.
Everyone was surprised including me. All of the students were horrified but I got the courage to stood and sprinted to him. His body was shivering and his face was sweating. There was also a weird reddish part on his point finger, middle finger and thumb.
I turned my head to the whole class and they were all standing with horrified faces. Others were standing on their toes just to see what happened to sir.
"Anybody! Call a nurse at the clinic!" I yelled and two of my classmates dashed out of the room.
I looked back to sir and my eyes were fixed on his fingers. What the hell is going on here?
"Some of his fingers were inflamed. As if he touched something poisonous." I heard a familiar voice beside me and I turned to look at it.
She was sitting on her heel as she was examining his fingers with a cold serious face.
She turned to looked at me and meet my gaze, "What do you think?"
I was forced to nodded. Well, its in my mind either.
Later, my two classmates that left the room came back with a female nurse, 3 male nurses and a school guard. I stepped back as they went to Sir Jimenez. She also stood and moved back so the male nurses could carry him. We both watched them carry Sir Jimenez and exited the room.
"Please preserved the area until the police came." The school guard order before he left together with the nurses.
I frowned, "The police?"
She turned to look at me halfway, "Partially seeing his condition, it was attempted poisoning." She paused as she went to the teacher's table, "And attempted poisoning is also an attempted murder."
Wow. Did she just made a partial deduction? I smirked and went to the teacher's table.
"Well, the only things that he touched were chalk, pen and notebook." I informed him while staring at Sir Jimenez's belongings, "And since he touched the chalk first when he came here–"
"We could be all suspects." She continued my statement as she walked to the blackboard while staring at the chalk box that was at the bottom of the board.
I heard our classmates gossiping. Probably why are we holding them and wondering what happen to sir Jimenez.
She looked at me halfway, "Say something. They might be curious of what's happening."
I cleared my throat as I looked at them. They instantly went silent and turned their heads at me, "Well, as you can see. Mr. Jimenez collapsed right in front of our eyes, few minutes ago." I paused as I glanced to everyone, "We are waiting for the police to arrive like what the school guard said. And since we are the primary witness." I paused as I swallowed, "The police will ask for our statements so we need to stay here until they arrived."
They all objected. They all protested almost at the same time making the whole room so noisy.
"Are we suspects?" Said by the other one.
"I don't want to be in jail!" Another one exclaimed.
I sighed as I looked down and slap my forehead with my palm. Everyone is panicking. I caught a glimpse of her eyes staring at me and she turned to face everyone as she crossed her arms.
"Calm down!" She raised her voice but pronounce the words slowly and the whole class went silent and looked at her. Some were already crying while others were makings calls on the cellphone.
"We will be question by the police considering that we are involved in a case. And it doesn't mean we are suspects." She explained as she narrowed her eyes at them, "They need to ask details on us knowing that we witness what happened and to get the picture of the case." She paused as she examined each and everyone's reaction, "So calm down."
Everyone turned their heads away but good thing they were all silent. I guess her words hit them.
I looked at her and she was so serious, "Thanks for that."
She glanced at me with a small smile and looked back to the chalk box.
"Excuse me," one of my classmates approached her, "Can I use the toilet? I can't hold it anymore."
She just shrugged at her, "I guess it can't be helped. Just don't take long."
The girl seemed relieved and went to the toilet. Man! How can she be so carefree as to let anyone use the toilet? It was part of the crime scene.
"It will be a pain if I let her go to the public restroom," She said and she turned to meet my gaze, "There will be a possibility that she will pull out tricks or something."
I just gave her a smirk. Did she hear my mind talking? She stated as if she knew what I was thinking. And what does she mean? Did she consider everyone as suspects? Well, I was also thinking the same thing.
A few seconds passed, the toilet room opened and the girl who used it went out. She looked at the girl from head to toe as if examining her while the girl was walking towards her seat.
"Kieffer! I knew that you were involve again." I heard a voice exclaimed my name and I turned to look for it.
I smiled broadly, "Good day, Inspector Fernandez."
Inspector Fernandez is a good friend of my father. We frequently bumped into each other in most of the cases. And thanks to me, case will be close quickly.
"Well, I'm counting for your detail information about the incident." Inspector said as he went beside the teacher's table.
She turned her head to Inspector when she noticed him. Their eyes met as Inspector's eyes widened and eyed her from head to toe. She also seemed amused with his reaction as she furrowed her brows.
"A-Akira? Is that you?" Inspector stuttered as he pointed his finger at her.
I also thought the same thing inspector. But it's not her.
Her forehead wrinkled, "I'm Alrisha Mcrae."
He silenced for a moment, "Alrisha? You're not Akira?"
She sighed as she glanced away, "Who is Akira? I've been called by that name twice today."
He briskly shook his head, "I'm sorry. I mistook you as someone I know."
"Obviously." She replied as she looked away.
"Okay, let's go back to the case." He stated as he turned to looked at me, "What happened, Kieffer?"
"Well, after I arrived around 9 am…" I paused as I walked to the door, "I was standing here when Sir Jimenez came and tapped my shoulder. And after, he went to the teacher's table and put his things." I added as I walked to the teacher's table and to the blackboard where Alrisha was standing, "And he went here and picked a chalk from this chalk box then wrote his name on the board." I paused as I pointed the chalk box and went back to the teacher's table, "Lastly, he went back here and sat. He pulled out his notebook and pen then wrote something on the notebook." I illustrated.
Inspector was fixing his eyes at the belongings of sir, "You mean to say he was sitting here when he collapsed?"
I nodded, "And his body fell there." I pointed the exact place where sir fell.
"Sir! Results just came!" One of his subordinates sprinted to us and we all looked at him, "An accident or food poisoning seems impossible. According to the doctors, he seems to be poisoned 10 to 20 minutes before he collapsed. And only his thumb, point finger and middle finger are inflamed."
"Which means, this is attempted murder targeted at Mr. Jimenez." He slowly nodded, "He possibly got the poison from the things he touched." He swivel his head to looked at his subordinates, "Marvin, take that chalk box, the chalk that he used, pen and notebook to the forensics team to undergo a test."
"And don't forget his shirt." She said as she pointed at me.
I narrowed my eyes at her, "What?"
"You said that the victim tapped your shoulder, so there is a possibility that he got the poison on your shirt." Inspector explained as he fixed a serious look at me.
"Are you seriously suspecting me, Inspector?" I objected.
He looked straight to my eyes, "No, Kieffer. But I'm hoping that you will cooperate for the sake of the case."
For God's sake, I'll be half naked if I take my shirt off. I only wear semi-fit polo shirt and jeans.
"Daeyeon Academy will be on New York Time's Magazine if I take my shirt off." I joked with a sarcastic half smile.
Inspector chuckled in a mocking tone, "The girls will love to see those 6 packs."
I heard the whole class screaming and cheering. Screaming for me to take my shirt off. Man! I'm not prepared for this. I haven't gone to gym for ages and I'm sure I already gain weight.
I grimaced to the whole class while throwing deadly glare at them one by one. They want it but I'm not prepared to be embarrass.
I heard inspector laugh as he removed his coat and handed it to me, "Put this on."
"I appreciate it, Inspector." I replied between my gritted teeth.
I took his coat from his hand and turned my back at the whole class. Just as I took my shirt off, the whole class went wild and hysterical. I can't believe it. It's only my back. I quickly put on the coat and handed my shirt to Sir Marvin.
Sir Marvin gave me a mocking smile before he left the scene. Carrying the possible things that had a poison.
I heard Alrisha softly chuckled. Like she doesn't want anyone to hear it. I lightly moved my eyes to her and saw how cute she was while covering her mouth with her hand and chuckling.
Akira's face suddenly flashed in my mind. I don't understand but I see her in Alrisha. There were some gestures of her that reminded me of her.