Academy Murder Party

~:Chapter 48:~

"Uh... Hello to all of our listeners, Sarah Donis, here. We got everything wrong... Haha! Yep! The game has been completely normal! Nothing to do with, uh..."

"Chemicals!"

"What? Haha..."

"Anyway... the game has been typical... everyday game things..."

"True."

"Last installment, we were just... joking. Right?"

"Yep!"

"Oh god. Help me."

"What?"

"Help me... with this recap... because there's not much content to cover! That's all... Haha..."

"So true..."

"Well... Hopefully... We will see you next time. With another... lovely installment... Until we meet again..."

"Y-Yeah..."

"I'd like to remind our viewers that we are nothing without you guys... so please help us! Show us your support!"

* * * 

Ariana looked at the timid boy she had never spoken to before. However, she knew who he was. After all, he was pretty well-known around the academy itself. Who would've thought that the shy green-haired boy that wouldn't dare to lock eye contact with her was respected by both student and faculty? The same boy who hadn't had a true friend, from what she gathered from his countless days of sitting alone at lunch, well, when he did eat lunch.  She figured since he was put on a pedestal, although remaining respected, it almost elicited a sense of intimidation.

"W-Why... um... a-are you all... following me?" Allen asked her, his voice quivered in anxiousness from the group of three girls in front of him. 

She paused for a moment before sighing. 

"Girls, some privacy?" She said without glancing over her shoulder.

"Y-Yes... Of course!" One said.

"Yes, Mother." The other said.

She smiled as she heard the light but rapid tapping of footsteps against the carpeted floor. She waited a few moments, smiling at the timid boy in front of her, before she glanced over her shoulder. The two girls ducked around the corner in surprise, like they'd been caught doing something.

"I apologize about them," Ariana said with a sigh.

"U-Uhm..." The boy said. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped, burying his face in the sleeve of his lab coat as he aggressively coughed. Ariana patiently waited as he took a deep breath, readjusting himself as the fit of coughing ended.

"Are you alright...?"

"Y-Yes... I-I'm fine." He grunted. "I s-should get going... I have things to do..." He muttered before quickly turning on his heels to leave.

"Ah... Wait." Ariana called after him. He paused, glancing over his shoulder. His eyes, hidden behind big circular goggles, stared back at her, waiting for her to continue speaking. "My girls and I have taken an interest in you."

"I-Interest?" He stammered out.

"Of course." She said with a warm smile. "You're an intelligent boy... capable of so many great things-" She began to speak. His lips slowly faded away into a frown.

"You're just trying to use me." He whispered. 

"Excuse me?" Ariana raised an eyebrow.

"You're like the rest of them." His quiet and timid voice faded away into a sense of underlying anger. "That's all they want to do. Use me. Use me for whatever I'm good at." He grunted. "None of them care about me!" He ranted onward before stopping himself. "I... I need to go." He muttered.