I Cry Tears Of Blood

Chapter 9: I didn't do it! Did I ...?

"I didn't try to kill him."

The school police officer nodded, "So you say, but that is beside the point. What I want to know is why you tried to kill Ms. Te'a Gardner."

"I didn't try to kill her either!"

"Then why did she come to me frightened, asking me to remove you from the school, arrest you, and possibly get you some help? Wouldn't that help Marik? A wide array of students have told me you suffer from the common symptoms of multiple personality disorder ... care to explain that."

Marik suddenly stood up, angered by the officer's tone, "Don't speak to me as if I was a child! I was falsely accused and was obviously angry because of it! I didn't try to kill Joey, I didn't try to kill anyone in the class, and I am NOT a murderer!"

There was a knock on the door and a teacher came in. It was Ms. Bemure.

She frowned as she saw Marik, but ignored him, "We have a bit of a situation in the girl's bathroom."

The officer stood up and sighed wearily, "Another fight over mirrors?"

Ms. Bemure's mouth pursed as she shook her head, "Not this time, officer. There's a dead girl facedown in a toilet bowl."

The officer's eyes widened and he shot a glance at Marik. Grabbing him roughly by the arm, the officer led Marik out to the crime scene.

The crowd of shocked students parted as the officer walked into the bathroom with Marik, "Are you willing to admit it, now! That you killed her after you found out she'd come to me!"

Marik glared at the police officer angrily, "I didn't have TIME! You called me at passing period!"

"But not immediately! It was plenty time to kill her!"

"But I was on my way to my next class! Ryou can tell you!"

Marik looked around wildly for Ryou who, to his dismay, wasn't there.

"I didn't kill her. Look for fingerprints and stuff, I didn't do it."

The crowd grew larger as people struggled to see what was going on. Marik, though, wanted to go home and crawl under Bakura's bed, or something. Anything, to get away from the ghastly sight of Te'a facedown, he head submerged in the toilet.

'Anyways...' Marik thought, bitterly. 'If I HAD killed her, I would've used more violent ways ... I DO have my Rod with me at all times ...'

The officer regarded Marik carefully, "We will conduct the necessary investigations. I'm letting you go back to class, but if we find anything fishy, anything at all giving the slight suspicion that you were involved in this murder, you will be arrested. All of you, go to class now."

Marik shrugged and strode away, rubbing his arm, where the officer had held him. He ignored Yugi and Tristan, whispering behind him as they walked to their history class.

"Son of a bitch," Marik muttered while walking to Mr. Bemure's classroom.

She looked at him down her nose as he walked in to a class full of students who feared and/or hated him.

"Another one late! I'm not surprised by you, Ishtar, but Ryou and Yugi! Honestly ... " Ms. Bemure's voice grated on Marik's ears. He ignored her muttering: "Bad influences ..." and walked to his seat next to Ryou.

Marik shot the boy an angered glance, "Why weren't you there when I needed to prove I was innocent of Te'a's murder!"

Ryou looked at him reproachfully, "I was looking for you, and that made me late. I figured you were here so I came ... and Ms. Bemure wouldn't let me out anymore ... I'm sorry ..."

Marik looked at Ryou's face, pleading forgiveness and sighed, "It's okay ... I'm just in a bad mood."

Ryou nodded, "It's okay ..."

Marik tried his best to ignore Ms. Bemure's annoying voice, droning on and on about some major event in some time period in some country. In short, boring history.

Marik turned his attention, instead, to Ryou, "Hey, Ryou? Why don't you fear me, or believe any of those rumors?"

Ryou smiled at Marik, "It's because, I know better. You're not like that. You've changed a lot ... "

Marik smiled back, "Thanks Ryou ... thank you for believing me ..."

But inside Marik felt a tad guilty, 'Even I don't know if ... I really didn't kill ...'

Marik's thoughts and the class were interrupted by the school police officer walking in.

Marik's heart dropped to his stomach and his body felt numb when he heard the officer say, "Marik Ishtar? Follow me to my office please."

A/N: And suspense builds! MUAHAHA! Another cliffy! Any comments? Questions? Review please!