A Certain Romance (Reimagined)

Neighbors

"Did anyone want to hurt your classmate?" The investigator tapped her pen impatiently against her notepad. She was growing frustrated with me because I wouldn't come forward with anything useful to her. We were wasting both of our time. I could be off studying or napping, but instead I had to be interrogated by a woman who didn't know how to do her own eyebrows. My body was still freezing, and I was beginning to worry that the way my body trembled would make her think that I was guilty of something.

I shook my head in response to her question. "Physically? No. Emotionally, yes. Everyone wanted to watch his downfall. I think the senate controversy was the beginning of the downfall. Everything was so perfect for him and his family, then out of nowhere his family began to lose everything." As I recalled my eyes flickered everywhere, furthering the consequence of being guilty as I couldn't keep eye contact. Besides there was a lot to the story that needed to be pieced together for it to make sense. I just couldn't think of everything that led up to the initial death. The reporters and newspapers were calling it a murder while the coroner concluded suicide in big bold letters. I was conscious enough to know he would never resort to suicide to make an impact on people. His life was too precious to himself and he created a greater impact being alive. "He was always untouchable until that happened."

"People hoped he would fail miserably at some point?" I nodded to confirm. "In that case, don't you think someone would be willing to hurt him or even his family?"

"I can only speak for myself." I sighed, dropping my head in my hands, feeling a headache beginning. The back and forth's in this situation were not ideal for me. It was making my head hurt and stomach nauseous. I wasn't guilty though. "I'm not like the others within my social status."

"I need you to cooperate." She said sternly. Wasn't I cooperating though? I was answering everything she was asking. Maybe I wasn't answering in the ways that she anticipated, but still, I was giving her something to keep this investigation open a little bit longer. The whole city of Seattle was aware of all the loopholes and dead ends in the case, ultimately leaving it cold and buried in a manila folder with the other cold cases that were never solved. Seattle didn't think anyone would confess to murdering someone. At least, the elite's wouldn't confess. All the money for the bail and lawyers only meant that the elite's would rather pay someone far down in the social ladder to say they were guilty. It could never be one of us.

"I have nothing else to offer you." When I brought my head back up, I shrugged my shoulders. "I didn't do anything, and I don't know anything. I'm sorry."

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The first week of school flew by as it usually did because classes only consisted of fun facts about us and PowerPoint's about what the teachers did over the summer which was usually vacation in Europe or an exotic getaway. The weekend arrived and I had the bright idea of coming home because Luke and Michael also went home. I didn't want to spend the weekend alone. I sat in the living room, wearing my best pajamas and watching whatever I could find on the television. Which was nothing because Saturday television was boring or repetitive nor could I think of a good movie to watch. Today was one of those days where nothing seemed to appeal me. I was better off wasting away in bed and scrolling through Instagram to pass the time away until I could go back to the school.

"School's going okay for you?" My mom wore a beige dress and black heels. Dressy for her job as a stay at home mother. She stood in front of the television, so I was focused on her. I noticed her hair was freshly blown out and her manicure glistened perfectly every time her nails caught glimpse of the light in the house. She was so annoying. She was never just normal. Everything was perfect about her down to the smallest details. As if my mother was a robot, I could assume.