Prepsworth Academy

Chapter 73 - "The truth this time, if you please."

Author's Note: The formatting is messed up. I'm not quite sure how to fix it, which is why the font and size are so strange.

Rose

I staredat the undeniably beautiful girl sprinting towards us. She was fast, almost asfast as Lily. And she was sprinting like her life depended on it.               

"What areyou idiots doing? Go! Run!" She screamed.

"Rae."Tom repeated. He was standing still, looking like he'd just seen a ghost. Itwas Natasha who took control."What areyou talking about?" She asked."They'recoming. They're all going to take you away. You need to go. They know." The girl(Rae?) explained. She walked towards Tom, ignoring Natasha, who was lookingslightly miffed."Tom, youonce told me to run and I trusted you.Now you need to trust me." Rae said. Tom nodded and started looking around butit was too late. Someone cleared their throat and we all turned to see Lukasstanding before us, smirking with worried looking Amy in tow."Badtime?" Lukas asked sarcastically, his smirk growing into a manic grin. Thegroup exploded in a rush of questions;"How didhe get here?"
"Wait – what does Lukas know about this?"
"Don't we need to go?"Everyonewas panicking, their eyes wide, turning hysterical. I looked around the groupof faces and realised that the gig was up. My time of power was over. And Ineeded to do something about it. I walked into the centre of the group andcleared my throat."I'vebeen thinking about this for a while, and now I've decided to act on it. Mysterieshave been plaguing Prepsworth since the beginning of this term, questions havebeen building up for years. And I think I can help everyone find the answers tothem. So I would like to formally invite everyone present (and Emma Winter) tomy beach house this end of term holiday in order to explain ... everything." I announced. Everyone looked at each other inshock. There was a moment of silence before Elle stepped forward."We'regoing. All of us. No questions asked." She said, her voice rising to fill thearea. Her eyes met mine and when she spoke again, her voice was deadly quiet."I needanswers.".I felt a ice-coldfear rising in my chest as Elle's cold, whispered words rang around theclearing. She didn't trust me. She had good reason, but it hurt. I felt sodefeated that I though I was imagining the blaring sirens in my head. It wasonly when I looked up that I realised everyone else heard them too."What'shappening?" Dylan asked. Rae stepped forward, her face grim."You knowthe people I was talking about? They weren't Lukas and Amy. They were thepolice."EmmaIn thepolice station I was stuck in, the keeping cells line the hallway, meaningevery time a suspect walks to do an interview, they pass creepy, leeringcriminals. Or, in some cases; me. It seems to be an intimidation tactic; "Lookhow sad they are. This could be you.". In the affluent area, not many people weretaken in. So, when I heard footsteps tapping down the floor, some soft, someclose to stomping; I was shocked. I was even more shocked when I saw Harry comearound the corner.WhenHarry saw me, he froze."Emma."He murmured, his lips barely moving. I glanced around and furiously gesturedhim over. "Harry, youcan not trust Miller. He'llmanipulate you; make sure you're interviewed separately, convince you to betray each other. Tell theothers, go!" I whispered quickly and frantically, watching Elle and Rosefinally walk around the corner."Wha –why? Okay?" Harry replied, looking confused, and rushed off join the others. I satback in the darkness of my cell, slumped and admittedly defeated. I didn't knowhow much longer I could stand in isolation; with no one to talk to but Miller.I just hoped that everyone would stick to the same story. I had no idea whatthey were doing here; but it wouldn't solve anything to tell someone the truth.Because I was more convinced than ever that one of the people being lead intothe interrogation rooms had started the fire. But who?HarryI walkedslowly, my feet dragging along the too-clean concrete floor. I was lookingaround for Emma – but almost didn't recognise her. Her usually pristine hairwas clumped and matted and her eyes had a wild look about them. He skin wasspecked with dirt and she lurked at the back of her cell. She looked dangerous,not because she was in a prison cell, but because of the way she looked at eachof us, purely calculating. She was not the same person who'd gone into thatcell. She was still agonisingly beautiful, but deadly. When I saw her – Icouldn't move. I loved her and finally, I had a chance to free her."Emma." Iwhispered, her name escaping from my lips before I could stop it. I'd meant to pretend we didn't know eachother well, or as much as I could after Emma had gotten arrested and I'd foughtagainst it but I guess my stupid self had other ideas. Emma's eyes darted around the hallway madlyand she gestured for me to come over to her. She told me not to trust someonecalled Miller, and that was all. It was classically, heartbreakingly Emma. Shedidn't even ask how I was. Being hit by a truck hurts less than loving someonewho doesn't love you back. And I've had the misfortune to have both.I steppedaway from the cell and rushed to catch up with everyone else, fighting backtears. Emma was heartless, emotionless, unfeeling. I'd known that since thevery time I first talked to her. I shouldn't be surprised she didn't feel thesame way that I had felt about her. After the upset of the accident had fadedaway, her feelings for me had probably faded away too. Now she was just stayingwith me out of sympathy. Poor Harry. ButI was going to change all of that.Elle

I stared at the grey brick wall, unable to make out the intricacies in the dim, yellow lighting.

"Go on. Tell me what happened." The officer prompted, the lighting contorting his face into a sickly yellow, colouring his red hair crimson.

"I was stranded – I don't know why it took what happened for me to realise it but it did. But that was Before. You see, for all of us involved life, previously separated into difficult section so overlapping times had been cut into three parts. Before, During and After. Before was hurtful and confusing, yet comforting in ways. During was a wild mess, a blur of time. Even now it is difficult to remember the events that played out that night. After, the consequences, the tears and the hate. After, I remember well, as it is still playing out. After... I wish I could not remember it."I blurted out, my lips spilling the out what could be the truth. What could be ... but wasn't.

"Tell me what happened. Tell me everything." The officer pressed, his brow crinkling.

"Well first; there was before." I began unsurely, trailing off and staring at the wall again. I wasn't sure how long I could hold off from any definitive facts. We hadn't had time to corroborate our stories, and I just hoped that the others were also stalling. I stared harder at the wall, making out cracks creeping up the painted bricks. There was moss peeking out from inside the cracks, crawling up the wall. I leaned back in my chair and smiled unnervingly at the officer.

"I'm sure you're very capable but I'd like to talk to someone a bit more senior, you know? Someone older, with more life experience." I drawled. The officer who I estimated to be around twenty seven; frowned and glared at me.

"Certainly." He replied shortly, and exited the room. I watched the door closely and tensed when it swung open. A young, blond officer walked in, an irritating smirk on his face. He drew the chair back and sat down with a flourish.

"Elle Guerrero Esperanza, how nice to meet you." He exclaimed, flashing me a charming smile.

You must be the infamous Miller. I would say it's a pleasure to meet you, but it really isn't.

"I asked for someone older." I replied bluntly.

"You asked for someone more experienced, and here I am." Miller replied. I laughed.

"You? Experienced? You must be what, twenty two? Twenty one? I exclaim, still laughing. Miller doesn't react as he leans forward, his expression deadly.

"Don't play games with me. I know your friend, Emma Winter. She tried to manipulate me too. I warn you, it won't work. I know exactly what you're doing. You annoyed Rays enough to get him to bring me here, because you think you're the only one smart enough to face me. Correct?" Miller snapped. I back away, surprised by the outburst and by the truth behind it.

"Fine. I'll tell you everything I know, but I warn you, it isn't much." I said helplessly. I wasn't the type to manipulate that was Rose and Lukas' job. Miller leaned back, rocking on the two back legs of his chair.

"Go ahead. The truth this time, if you please."