Beguile

Chapter 28

We didn't sneaked in to the building.

The frameless glass entrance was wide open and so we sauntered up front. We could've made our way into the emergency exit but it was a bolted steel door and it could only be opened from the inside with someone who have biometric access. If there was a fire, we're doomed to burn.

When we stepped inside, the floor was covered with dust thinly like the winter's last snow. But aside from that, the hall was clean. The chairs, the trophies, and even pens laid untouched, organized even in this chaos.

I've never been up to the boy's room but Ive been here in the lobby.

I remember being seated on the maroon wingback with El as we complained with waiting for the 2 boys. And so we spent the first 15 minutes with a silly game which is to find the difference between the girl's and boy's lobby because back then it was incredibly disturbing that from the furnitures down to its color was completely alike.

If we were to be in a drunken stupor, we wouldn't be able to know on which dorm we've come to. After all, the only difference are the people. But what if it happened at night? With no employees and no students around, the only news waiting for you would be suspension. And no one wants that. With a small rumor going around that suspension means literal death. With everything thats happening- I bet that was more than a rumor.

"Im disappointed." Lucas pouted as he looks around. "I was expecting more haphazard,  more... apocalyptic. And what do we get? This dull permanence, look at the books- they're color-coordinated still!"

"Nice choice of words." El wriggled her eyebrows.

"I know!" He mirrored her enthusiasm back.

"I never hear you with big words, I bet those are the only ones you know."

"Hey!" Lucas was taken aback. "Im in this school because Im smart!"

"Or just a murderer."

It wasn't a lie. Though it made me question on what exactly are their basis for a student to be eligible to enroll, was it intelligence? Beauty? Or their crimes?

"I am!" Lucas admitted but it wasnt really a secret. "Friends dont keep secrets from each other, so yeah... What about-"

"No one's answering that." The voice beside me cut him off. Kurt have been quiet, often tired and sleepy that he had cling on my arms like a little kid. But the talk of murder and secrets must've bugged him because he abruptly stood tall and his face contorted in a flicker of irritation.

But it was great timing because at the corner of my eyes I saw a head-of-hair peeking over the marbled front desk.

I believe its time to make friends.

"You're right! But it was to protect ourselves." I blubbered, eyes downcast and fiddling with my fingernails.

Everyone's attention are suddenly on me, even the unidentified person peered more.

"Whaaa?" Lucas goggled. His glances darting around others, head turning, as if looking for answers but even them looks puzzled.

"We're just a bunch of thieves! It doesnt seem fair, was stealing a few gold watches so appaling that we're thrown to this den of...." A sob rose in my throat. "Our class was so happy, is it really impossible to be friends with everyone again?"

My shoulders were shaking as I sobbed onto my palms.

Kurt came near me, with his smudged loafers softly stomping the marbled floor like metal against concrete. He wrapped his arms around me forcing me into a ball of cocoon and pat my back with a slow continous rhythm.

"We're gonna survive." He consoled. Then he lowered himself, kissed the top of my head, then my forehead, then he run kisses down to my cheek with his lips as soft as cotton against skin. Then he whispered, "Two behind you."

My lips arched into a smirk.

Unexpectedly, it didnt take long when one of them revealed themselves.

"Uhm." A soft voice buzz amongst the walls, and like a bunch of terrified kittens we took a stance away from the echoing hum.

"Reveal yourself!"

A girl with unruly curl stagger behind the corner. She was wearing a khaki corduroy shorts that exposed the large gash -the size half of a ruler- running on her legs. The hairs on her legs perked up and her fingers fidgeted as she darted her dark brown eyes in between our faces before she threw words to someone hidden behind the walls.

"They look alright."

"Of course they do, not like 'Psychotic Killer' will be carved up on their forehead."

"But you heard them, they said they are thieves like us."

They were trying to talk in a whisper but the large room have barely anything in it that sounds pass through like megaphones.

"Shiela?" Mused by Lucas, he was friends with everyone but like me he was awful when it comes to names.

"Its Sheena, you dumb fuck!" El smacked the back of his head, and he groaned, staring daggers on the culprit.

I dont know if that was a good thing, like making jokes and humming songs like tragedy did not befell us. Unexpectedly, it worked like a charm.

Sheena was laughing, so much that tears welled up her eyes and she was clutching her stomach. "Ellie, you did not change!" She beamed pearly whites as she passed by us and directly leaped into El. Her arms tightly wrapped around her waist, and she forcefully buried her head onto her chest as she giggle like an 8th grader. "I missed you!"

El flittered her eyes from side to side, she wore an awkward smile and her feet would occasionally took a step back.

"Anna! Belle! Its okay to come out! I've known Ellie like she's half of me!" She technically announced, 2 girls emerged warrily, while Sheena was still boasting about her friendship. "You guys, thank you so much for taking care of Ellie. I just cant imagine her away from me, from the bottom of my heart thank you -thank you for bringing her back to me." A tear slipped on the corner of her eyes, then she turned back to her. "Ellie, now that we're together I promised you that no ones gonna keep us apart."

Lucas came beside me, he's poking my arms in bewilderment. "When did she became friends with El-"

"She's safe with me now!" Sheena blurted. "So, you can go on now. Like, go to wherever you're going."

I raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me!"

Somehow she made an emotion out of me.

She wasnt as I expected to be; those demure, fragile, and frightened girls who would cry at a littlest scar. Maybe thats what I was hoping for. But I got this instead, as if maggots that would crawl down my ears and munch down the walls of my flesh -parasites that irks deep into my veins.

I could slit her throat right now.

"Let's have everyone come!" My clouded daze turned back to El. "The more the merrier, right? And we can rack up our brains for a better plan."

"Definitely!" The two girls cheered on unison. But they seem to agree for a different reason as they flutter their lashes towards Kurt and Lucas.

Sheena stared at them. She limped on the other side of her foot and her fingers fidgeted still, but like in a flash, she glowered with such condescending eyes. But when I blinked, they were gone.

She defeatedly sighed, "Alright, alright, its all about helping anyways." She turned to lead, still clinging on El like a leech.

I can tell that this will not be fun.