When we get back to the Academy, I'm nearly frozen.
The icy air has slipped under my coat and stung every part of my skin, every bone in my body. I shiver as we enter the lobby.
Warmth pours over me. I look over at Diana. Flames, reflected from the fireplace, flicker across her face.
She locks eyes with me, briefly.
"C'mon, let's go to the Dining Hall," she says. "I think dinner's already started."
Brooks, Theo, Diana, and I walk into the Dining Hall and sit down at a table.
The students of Apris Academy chatter and eat and clink glasses all around us.
I take my plate, reaching for the macaroons across the table. I grab a handful of the blue-raspberry-flavored ones, along with a couple of the strawberry sherbets for Diana.
Theo grabs us some turkey, and Brooks gets some edamame from the counter.
We all sit down and start eating.
"So, what are our thoughts?" Brooks says, knawing on an edamame.
"What do you mean?" Diana asks.
"Well, like," he lowers his voice, "who actually murdered Deimos?"
Diana looks at me. I hesitate.
"I'm still not sure," I say, "but I think it was the monster. I think he killed Deimos, and Christina helped him."
Theo looks up from his plate.
"Wait, that actually makes sense," Brooks says. "Just before I walked into the pool room and found Deimos, I saw her crying."
"Why would she be crying?" Theo asks.
"I don't know," Brooks responds. "Maybe she was forced to help kill Deimos."
Theo looks down. "She could've told me."
I take a bite of my macaroon and look around. The Dining Hall is slowly quieting. I look towards the front of the Hall and understand why.
Headmaster Hartwig is standing at a podium, watching everyone. He's wearing long, black robes that trail along the ground.
His presence is undeniably unsettling. A chill runs down my spine.
"Students!" he begins. "Please settle."
The room has gone quiet.
"As it is the first night of our school's Winter Break, I would like to announce some things," he continues. "First off, Christmas is just around the corner, and we need some help with decorations. Any students who would like to assist in decorating may sign up there."
He points to a sign-up sheet in the back of the Hall.
"Now, after Christmas, we will be hosting a New Year's dance. All the students who are staying at Apris Academy for Winter Break are invited. Now, let Christmas begin!" The Headmaster finishes off. He hobbles back down to his seat.
***
Moonlight shines through the windows of the dark corridor, illuminating the stone ground.
Diana and I are walking back to the dorm. The other girls are far ahead of us, skipping and laughing.
I pause at one window and look out at the ocean. At the tumbling gray waves and the stormy skies. I pull out my notebook and jot down an idea.
Corri stared at the rumbling sky, tears and rain streaming down her-
"Do you want to go to the dance with me?" Diana asks. My heart skips a beat. I drop my notebook. I can feel heat and blood rush to my cheeks.
"Wh- what?" I stammer.
"To the New Year's dance," Diana says. "As friends."
I stay frozen, my brain catching up. When it finally does, my heart sinks.
I reach down, pick my notebook up, and say, "Yeah, that sounds fun."
Diana nods, and we walk back to the dorm.
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