Lesbian Academy (Girlxgirl, Lesbian)

Chapter 57. Clash

Chapter57. Clash

Love, whether platonic or romantic, could be a double edged sword; a poison or an antidote. Gone right it could manifest itself in great ways- curing the lonely, saving the damned, a shock to the heart that would recover it from a flat line. Gone wrong it could seep into the body like venom, destroying every vein in its path, every ounce of happiness a person had until she shrivels up and die. Be wary of who you would give your love to. Poison or antidote. Those could be waiting for you.

The shock has never left Candice's face, even after I pulled her under the cover of the trees. "Repeat what you said," I murmured confidentially, looking over my shoulder. The Academy that I have deemed to be a safe place, my refuge from the outside world, had been tainted by things I could never explain. Not in this body with my memories scattered like fragmented crystals. I had to rely on my gut instincts, and it was telling me that danger was near.

Candice, sensing that I was being overly cautious, came nearer so no one would hear us even though there was no one around. We could never be too sure. Sometimes the walls have ears and the wind could carry any message. "I don't know what's going on," she said, face flushed with worry. "But I gave the exact same ring to Trish before she was found dead in the party. We were getting serious. Not as serious as I am with Red, mind you, but it was close. Trish was like a good friend, more than a lover. I wanted to show her appreciation through the ring." Her brows knitted together. "If I recall right, she was wearing it on the ball. I'm not too sure though."

I put an assuring hand on her shoulder as Candice had placed her face on her palm in dismay. "It's not your fault," I reminded. "No one could have predicted that it would happen. That day was blurry to me too." I squeezed her shoulder. "But you have to tell me one thing, and I need you to be sure. Didn't Red tell us that Trish drank a poison from a vial to kill herself?"

"I thought we've established that the Druids could have had a hand in that?" she said, anger crossing her features. "Or at least someone malicious like Stacey. I'm still onto that brat. She had a thing for Trish before. It could also be possible that my ex was killed for Stacey's revenge." She exhaled. "Why are you asking all these things? And why do you have that ring?"

Pausing for a moment, I thought of the scenarios that could have pushed Trish to her death. It was like grasping at straws to save oneself from falling. The person in this body, me, Mars, had limitations, unlike my past self who knew almost anything and could think freely without hitting a wall. Maybe it would be better if she was in control. I turned away from Candice so she wouldn't see the conflict on my face. How could I think that now? I was Mars. Why would I wish for anyone other than me to surface? Because she was you too, a small voice said inside my head.

Candice's voice was like gunfire shooting from the near distance when she spoke. "You don't look like yourself," she said, adding insult to injury. I flinched. "What I mean is you look tired. Maybe we should go back to the Middle House so you can rest. I don't want to make you sick with worry, especially since you've been gone most of the time."

"Believe it or not, I've been gone my whole life, so it doesn't make any difference," I said, looking at her. "But that's not important for now. What we need to do is to find Jade as soon as possible. It's the only way we can confirm anything." Candice had a quizzical look about her like she was wondering what Jade had to do with this. I pushed back the thought of my friend having anything to do with Trish's death. She was innocent until found guilty. Mostly innocent. Jade would never. . .

"I will search for her," Candice volunteered. She had decided to keep her mouth shut, ask questions later. "In the meantime, you should coordinate with Red and Blue, maybe send them a message or something. Honestly, it's like you vanished from thin air the past few days. No one seemed to know where you were except for Lilith, and whenever we asked her, she wouldn't give a decent answer." Candice rolled her eyes, stepping back for a moment to her jolly self. "Mars?" she said, imitating Lilith's haughty tone. "We've been married for a while. She's back in my mansion carrying my baby. Don't look for her."