Not So Élite

Chapter 26

"You know something about Samuel," Cynthia cornered Ander in an empty classroom, "You and Polo know something."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ander asked, bewildered that she had insinuated that he was capable of hurting Samuel or helping hide the culprit.

"I know you're hiding something," Cynthia growled, walking towards him as he backed against a wall, "Samuel is one of the only people who's yet to turn against me. Who's accepted me, knowing who my friends were. So you're going to tell me where he is, or I'll figure out how to get it out of you."

"Cynthia, do you hear yourself?" Ander yelled at her, "Saying that he's the only one who hasn't turned against you. Who's accepted you. I'm your best friend! I've always been there for you and I tell you everything!"

"Stop fucking lying!" She screamed, punching a nearby desk with her injured hand, "This is the first time in months that you've spoken to me without anyone nearby! You left me, Ander, and you're hiding something that concerns Samuel!"

When he didn't reply, she began banging the desk repeatedly with her injured hand, only stopping when Ander grabbed her and pulled her away. She hadn't even realized that she was crying until Ander tightly hugged her and held her head to his chest.

"Why did you leave me?" She sniffled, savoring his hug, "What did I do?"

"Cynthia, you didn't do anything," his chest rumbled against her cheek, "And I never meant to make you feel like I left you. I'm sorry."

She cried into his chest, letting everything out, "I embarrassed myself and my parents at that stupid charity event, and now I have to make it right and send a warning before my father intervenes."

Ander was confused about what she was saying while she continued ranting, "I had an argument with Marina an hour before she died and told her I hoped karma would get her. And now I can't sleep because the guilt is eating me up. And I told Guzmán, but he fucking forgave me. He didn't yell or say anything, he just forgave me. I placed a watch over his sister and he forgave me!"

He tried to tell her it wasn't her fault, but she kept going, "I'm fucking scared to be home alone because I keep thinking Nano will pop out of nowhere and kill me to avenge Marina. Like he could've easily done on Halloween."

When he tried to reassure her, Cynthia still kept talking, "Nadia told me who Valerio cheated with. And it hurt worse than when he left. We were going in a good direction, I was close to forgiving him. But now, I hate him."

Ander didn't bother trying to say anything, letting her rant and tell him everything that had been eating her up. He didn't know how, but his heart felt even heavier with everything she told him. Because he hadn't been there for her. He had left her alone when she clearly needed him, and didn't realize that she had been breaking.

- - -

The group was sitting in a classroom, Cynthia next to Ander who kept his arm tightly wrapped around her.

"He's dead," Guzmán said.

"You don't know that," Carla replied, looking like her soul had left her body.

"They found his bike smashed up in the forest," Guzmán pointed out, "This was not a normal accident. Someone wanted to get rid of him."

"Someone like you, for example," Ander felt Cynthia tense up at Valerio's accusation of Guzmán, "Nobody wanted him dead more than you did."

"How about you shut the fuck up, Valerio?" Cynthia snapped before Ander could cover her mouth, "Nobody wants you dead more than me-"

He had succeeded in covering her mouth, forcing her to lay her head on his shoulder. He whispered to her, "Threatening him won't help you move on, Cynthi. Just ignore him."

Cynthia angrily sighed before nodding, agreeing with what he said.

Ander slowly removed his hand, satisfied when she didn't immediately start cursing out Valerio, who just stared at her with a sad look on his face.

"Valerio, don't look at her," Ander glared at him until he turned around.

- - -

"Hello, Inspector," Cynthia rolled her eyes as she was interrogated in her own classroom, "Let's get this over with. I don't know anything about his disappearance, I don't know who did it, and I didn't do it."

"I'm sure you didn't, Cynthia," the inspector sighed, "But I still need to ask so answer my questions. Did you have anything against Samuel?"

"No," she shook her head, "Samuel was always nice to me, even if my friends didn't like him. He accepted me and treated me like a normal person. Never made me feel bad for anything I did, even when he knew of my hatred towards Marina."

"Witnesses say that you were there when Samuel beat up Nano," the inspector kept going.

"I tried to stop him before he hit his brother too hard and regretted it. I would know about losing a brother," Cynthia crossed her arms and leaned back, "Of course, you would know that because of my file. By the way, thanks for the therapist recommendation over the summer, now you know more about me than my own absentee parents."

"Is it true that Nano grabbed you?" The inspector watched as Cynthia froze.

"He just pulled me to the side," Cynthia lied, "To ask if I knew anything about Marina's death, but I don't."

"That's not what Guzmán told us," Cynthia cursed under her breath, "Are you and Guzmán close?"

"Guzmán, Polo, Ander, and I have been best friends since I came here," she rolled her eyes at the inspector's question.

"Would you say that Guzmán would go as far as hurting someone to avenge you? Any of them?" The inspector closely observed Cynthia's body reaction.

"I wouldn't let him," Cynthia shook her head, "He knows how I feel about violence. I don't like it."

"Right," the inspector clicked her tongue, "That's why you punched Valerio, right?"

Cynthia clenched her jaw, "Is that all, Inspector? I skipped breakfast, so I'm hungry today."

She stood up when the inspector nodded, angrily grabbing her purse and leaving.

- - -

"She's been like this since she came home," Cynthia heard Samantha whispering to someone in the back as she sat cross-legged in front of the bright Christmas tree in the dark living room.

"I'm fine, Samantha," she spoke up for the first time in hours, "I just need some alone time to think."

"You're not fine, Miss Cynthia," Samantha slowly walked towards her, "Leaving you alone is not the best thing to do at the moment."

"Yes, it is," Cynthia gruffed, "Please, leave me alone. And tell whoever you spoke to on the phone to not come."

"Miss Cynthia-"

"Samantha, I'm only saying this once more," Cynthia glared at her maid, who had never seen this side of her, "Leave me alone. Please. I need to think. I'll see you tomorrow."

"But-"

"Go, Samantha!" She slammed her hand on the fluffy rug between her and the hardwood floor, "All I really need is to be alone for the rest of the night. Lock the liquor cabinet if it makes you feel better but please, leave me alone!"

She relaxed when she heard the quiet footsteps leave, the door closing a few moments later when she had obviously locked the liquor cabinet. Now, she could finally think and cope with everything.

Cynthia made her way to her room and began digging in her coat pocket when she finally felt it. She pulled the blunt out and grabbed a lighter, feeling the day's stress melt away with every puff. Deep down, she knew she shouldn't be smoking, especially not in the state she was in.

But she was, after all, just another rich, posh girl.