"Quiet down now, ladies! It's singing time!" A plump woman in an outfit not fit for her body sang, taking a seat behind her piano and motioning for the girls to take their seats on the risers. "Your study-hall is over; it's time to sing now!"

All the girls began to move in one large clump towards the risers, avoiding touching Macey as if she were radioactive.

Soon, all the girls were sitting on the risers, taking up every inch of the gray, carpeted structure.

Macey looked for any spots that were open and began to feel out of her element. She didn't know anyone and they all hated her.

This is going to be fun, she thought sarcastically to herself.

"Hey. Over here." A red-haired girl with glasses waved Macey over.

Macey made her way over cautiously, in case this was a cruel joke.

"Come on. I don't bite." The red-head waved her over more urgently, almost if she sensed Macey's suspicion.

Macey took a seat by the girl and was shocked when the red-haired girl grabbed Macey's hand and shook it.

"The names Iris."

Macey nodded. "Nice to meet you…"

Iris grinned. "I really liked what you did to Raine. Somebody had to bring her down a peg and you did it. Bravely, I might add."

Macey snickered. "She deserved it. You don't mess with me."

Iris smirked. "I'll keep that in mind."

The teacher glared at the pair talking and shushed them. "My turn to talk. You zip it."

Macey and Iris nodded, quickly giving each other annoyed looks when her attention was elsewhere.

The woman cleared her throat and began to outline the class periods tasks. "Alright, ladies. First on our to-do list is…" She looked down at her notes and then back at the girls, "to introduce you to our new student. Macey, please stand up."

Macey glanced at her classmates' glares and shook her head. "I'm pretty sure everyone knows who I am…"

"Nonsense. Stand up." The woman demanded.

Macey sighed. She waved shyly at the girls surrounding her. "Hi…my names Macey. That's M-A-C-E-Y, so you know how to spell it on your hit list." She muttered.

The teacher gasped. "Macey! We do not use that word!"

"What word? Hit? Or list?" Macey cocked her head to the side, eyes flickering down to Iris who was stifling laughter.

"Hit list. We do not use that word!" The teacher scolded.

"Well, actually, hit list is two words…just saying, Miss…" Macey trailed off, waiting to learn her name.

"Mrs., actually. Mrs. Wayland." Mrs. Wayland put her hands on her hips.

Macey took in Mrs. Wayland's appearance. How could this woman have a husband? "How…I mean, oops. Sorry."

Mrs. Wayland sighed. "I'll let it go since it's your first day. Now, tell the class your past experience with music."

Macey thought up a lie, but decided against it. She might as well be honest. "I really don't have any…Does singing in the shower count?"

"No." Mrs. Wayland crossed her arms. "How did you even get into this class with no experience?"

Macey shrugged. "The principal told me to choose classes. I chose this class…that's it."

Mrs. Wayland pulled the piano bench out and cracked her knuckles. "Well, then you'll have to sing for me. I need to know whether you are a first soprano, second soprano, high alto, or low alto."

Macey gulped. "In front of everyone?"

Mrs. Wayland gave her a tired glance. "Just stand center stage and begin to sing Happy Birthday."

Macey shrugged and made her way over to the piano. "Actually, if I'm going to sing for everyone, I prefer to do it from the safety of the piano."

Mrs. Wayland's eyebrow shot up and she stood up from the bench. "You play?"

"Would I offer to play for myself if I didn't?" Macey took a seat and pulled the bench inward towards the piano. Macey stretched her arms and fingers and took a deep breath, taking a quick sideways glance at the girls on the risers.

They were all staring at her intently, glares like daggers…pointed directly at Macey.

Macey closed her eyes and lowered her fingers to the keys. Her fingers began to dance across the keys, plunking softly, but artistically. A melody began to fill the room, filling it with melancholy tones and feelings.

Macey began to get to the point in the music where the singing started and she opened her eyes, ready for the experience.

She began to sing.

You shout it out,

But I can't hear a word you say

I'm talking loud not saying much

I'm criticized but all your bullets ricochet

You shoot me down, but I get up

I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose

Fire away, fire away

Ricochet, you take your aim

Fire away, fire away

You shoot me down but I won't fall

I am titanium

You shoot me down but I won't fall

I am titanium….

Macey stopped playing, silence filling the room, and turned towards the risers. She was met with surprised faces and an even more surprised teacher.

The silence was interrupted with a thunderous applause.

"You've got to be lying when you say you don't have experience! Young lady, that was amazing!" Mrs. Wayland cheered. She smiled and then patted Macey on the back lightly. "Next time, lead with your talent, not your attitude."

Macey gave a sheepish smile and returned to the risers, taking her seat besides Iris.

"Wow, you're good. Will you teach me?" Iris grinned.

"Of course." Macey laughed. "But, one rule. Don't surpass the master!"

The new friends burst out laughing and completely ignored the teacher, now moving onto the next task. They were too busy getting to know each other.

…

Irene followed Macey out into the hallway and began to guide her to the next class. Crime Investigation 101.

"So, you made a good first impression." Irene smiled. "You're skilled. But I'm sure you know that already."

Macey nodded. "So, do you have talents?"

"I do." Irene waited for Macey's deductions.

Macey noted the paint under Irene's fingernails and the slightly color-tainted skin on Irene's fingertips. "Artist?"

"What kind?" Irene challenged her, seeing just how smart Macey actually was.

Macey hummed and began to make deductions in her mind. "I'm going to guess…"

"If you want to be a detective, you can't guess. Good detectives don't guess, they observe…or deduce as my old friend would say." Irene smirked.

"How did you know I wanted to be a detective…?" Macey gave her a suspicious look.

"You're not the only one who's smart with observations. People are like games…and I'm the master." Irene grimaced, remembering her 'game' with Sherlock.

Macey stopped in her tracks. "That was very villain-like…I like it." She smirked. "You now have my respect, Miss Adler." She began to walk and for once, was fine with the silence that came over them.

"You never guessed what kind of artist, Macey." Irene spoke up.

"Restorer. You restore old paintings so they'll be around and in tip-top shape for years to come." Macey answered in a heartbeat. She had been putting the pieces together when Irene had been deducing her own interest in detective work.

This time it was Irene's turn to stop in her tracks. "I've underestimated you…Maybe you are smarter than me."

Macey snorted. "I could've told you that."

Irene stopped at a class and pulled Macey inside. "Crime Investigation 101. Really? You couldn't have picked something like Art History?"

Macey giggled. "Oh, well." She took her seat at the front and grabbed a notebook with a pencil from her satchel.

Mr. Matherson greeted her and welcomed her to the class. "Everyone, this is Macey Ann Holmes."

"You can call me Macey." She added. She had never really liked the addition of Ann to her first name.

All the boys in the class –which was everyone, seeing as only boys were present- drooled over her.

Macey blushed and turned towards the front.

Mr. Matherson began to talk about how to observe and inspect a crime-scene. "First, you check the scene for any anomalies, such as: the assailant, weapon, any dangers, etc. If you have no back-up, call it in and get everyone there. Begin to assess the scene. As an example, is there anyone who wants to try it with a practice scene?"

Macey looked around the room and noted the bored looks from some, some still gazing at her, and some who were sleeping, about to fall out of their seats. Her hand shot up, startling everyone in the room.

"Okay, Macey. You may try…but it may be a little difficult seeing as you're coming in mid-course."

Macey groaned. "What is with people thinking I can't do it?"

Mr. Matherson gave an apologetic smile and handed her a manila folder, complete with documents about the fictional criminal, blurred photos, and other various evidence pieces.

Macey began to read and make connections immediately.

Mr. Matherson turned his attention back to the class. "We'll continue talking as Macey looks it over."

"Solved it. It was the sitter." Macey set it down and gave a smug grin.

"What?" Mr. Matherson was speechless. "How did you…?"

"This case was actually really easy. The sitter is a teenager, a horny male who was probably stuck at the house with the bratty children when he could've been out on the town…getting lucky, shall we say. He took the kids out in the car, taking out the children's CD that was in the player and replacing it with his metal…crap. He must've met up with a girl and when she wanted to go back to his place, he agreed. My guess is, he brought her to the car and she freaked, saying he was irresponsible with the children, this in turn, making him angry. She probably turned him down, disgusted by how he would bring children into this. He then strangled her, all because he wanted to get laid. He raped her, mutilated her dead body, and tossed the used condom –he wore it thinking it would keep his DNA out of her- into the back of the car in pure carelessness. He drove the car to the kids' home and cleaned up after the kids –forgetting the condom. He parked it and brought them inside, ready to say he hadn't left. Little did he know, some source had seen the van leaving the scene. Nobody believed it because the van was registered to a judge and late wife –dead two years to that day. He had needed a sitter for the anniversary of her death, planning ot attend a dinner with his dead wife's family. Nobody would've suspected it was the sitter because he had sworn he hadn't left, claiming there was no evidence that suggested this. But, the witness' account plus all the evidence in the van added up to one conclusion. The victim was killed by the sitter. Walla!"

Mr. Matherson was completely shocked. "And you got all that from a CD and a condom?"

Macey nodded. "Am I correct?"

"It's like you've already heard of this case…but that's impossible. I made this up."

"That explains why it was so easy. Sorry, but this class is really easy. I've solved harder cases than this." Macey spoke the honest truth.

Irene snickered from the doorway. She had been thinking the same thing.

"Let's be honest, Mr. Matherson. You don't know anything about 'Crime Investigation'. My guess is you're just teaching this class because it's the closest thing to what is on your diploma. Chemistry major? I think so. Seeing as there are Chemistry tools everywhere and they're very well taken care of, it shows you are passionate about the subject. The only reasons you're teaching this class is because they already have enough Chemistry teachers in the school and you're desperate for money."

Mr. Matherson sighed. "You should be teaching this class, not me."

Macey laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment, but no thanks. You're the educated teacher here, you teach." She smiled and he began to teach again –this time the subject being more of a science-y, chemistry based topic.

Irene stared at Macey and tried to deduce everything she was about. The girl was smart, almost too smart for her own good. Her intelligence greatly surpassed all Moriarty's contacts, which could be very helpful. Irene had been looking for an apprentice for some time now and Macey would be a perfect fit. Macey would be an extremely vital tool…but there was just one problem. Something that would hold her back from agreeing to Irene's proposal.

She was a Holmes.

THANKS FOR READING! I GOT THE CASE FROM 'SOLVE: Five Minute Mysteries' AND THE SONG IS TITANIUM BY MADILYN BAILEY. SEARCH IT ON YOUTUBE IF YOU WANT TO HEAR IT…IT IS NOTHING LIKE DAVID GUETTA'S VERSION. YES, I AM MAKING MACEY AND IRENE ALIKE…SOMEWHAT. IM DOING THIS BECAUSE MACEY IS LIKE IRENE, IRENE IS LIKE SHERLOCK AND SHERLOCK IS LIKE MACEY. IT'S A COMPLETE LOOP.

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THANKS!