Monteverde Academy

Chapter-54

We walked to Yves' room in silence, both of us lost in our thoughts. I felt bad for Yves. He was struggling with so much with no one there to help him. 

We reached the door and Eryx looked at me hesitantly. I took in a deep breath and knocked at the door. There was no answer. Frowning, I knocked again.

I raised my eyebrows at Eryx who looked a little relieved. I didn't judge him for it- I know how hard it was to apologize to someone. 

"Perhaps he has gone out," Eryx suggested. "We can always come back later." 

I stared at him. He was probably right. Yves wandered about a lot now and he might have been out. But still, I felt uneasy. I didn't know what it was, instinct or something else, but I sensed something was wrong. 

"We should check out his room at least," I said, biting my lip. "Maybe he is asleep." 

Eryx looked surprised. 

"Verina, there is a thing called privacy. Even if he is asleep, we can always come back later..." 

He trailed off as I leaned forward and gripped the door and pushed it open. It didn't budge. 

"Probably locked," said Eryx leaning against the wall. "I don't get it, Ver, why are you being so persistent?"   

"It's locked alright," I said, putting both my hands on the door. "But from the inside." 

"Really?" Eryx looked alarmed. "Why?" 

"I don't know," I said, feeling worried. "But Yves might be hurt or something. We have to get this door open." 

I thought of the blackmailer and my heart sank. I desperately pounded on the door again but there was no answer.

"We could get keys from Kuperus..." said Eryx. 

"That would take time, you idiot!" I snapped at him. "Don't you get it? Yves could be hurt inside. Get this door open now!" 

Eryx's expression turned grim. 

"I will see what I can do," he said, running off into the hall. I continued banging on the door but received no response from Inside. 

Eryx hurried back carrying an iron rod and panting heavily. 

"It was all I could find," he said, handing it over to me. I jammed it hard on the door handle, hurting my hand in the process. It must have done the trick because the door swung open. Cradling my injured hand, I walked into the room and gasped. 

I felt numb. I could hear Eryx yelling something in the background but my brain couldn't process it as I took in the scene in front of me. I felt devoid of emotions, just standing there. I didn't know what to think, what to feel.

Yves had hung himself from the ceiling. Kind, strong, brave Yves, my friend Yves had committed suicide. I couldn't believe it. But slowly, a sense of doubt started creeping into my head. I had known Yves was troubled about something and I had snapped at him when he had been kind enough to ask me about my problems. Someone had been blackmailing him, I had known that and had done nothing about it. But suicide? The kind face hid so much pain, so many secrets, it was hard to even think about. With a jolt, the reality started to creep in. Yves, one of my best friends, was no more.