A/N: Hello, hello, dear readers, let's start this new chapter with some feedback.
Maiden Warrior: Thanks for the love, sweetheart! =D It's funny to see you react to the scene like that, guess it's more exciting when you're reading instead of writing the chapter. Send my love to Kirby and Aya too! These too are so cute, it's like they are a lesbian version of Dan and Runo in the series(if you consider the way they treat each other). It's no problem, really, they are really cute together ^^
S. S. R: Why in a swimming pool? Jenny could get killed anywhere - just saying... Yes, it's a murder, and this is fiction. Don't worry about all the forensic stuff, I got it in check :)
i WnT 2 NoE: Funny, this is the most accurate surname I've ever seen. The man Runo killed was a critic in gastronomy. For further details, read the following chapter :) Thanks for reviewing!
InnocentDiamond: Well, Alice could have done that, but I chose to give her some back story. Getting in top classes would surely make her stressed. This, combined with her sickness, would not help her feeble condition. I'm not the hugest fan of perfume, I hardly wear it. And about the wallpaper of Shun unconscious, is it the one with a caption saying that he's sexy even unconscious? I think I had it saved for, hum, later use. And yes, this IS a murder, and like I said earlier, this is FICTION. And I already got plans in mind for the girls, don't worry :)
Masquelarede99: For the secrets it's kind of late to ask, I'm sorry of this. If you want me to though, I can try to make arrangements for later. And...about Alice's secret being loving Masquerade...it's really imposible. I wrote this story having in mind ShunxAlice, and I can't take it back. At least not now. Maybe in another story...
Cup of Violet Tea: Yup, can't help it. That's the kind of things that happens when you're in love. It's okay, though, it's almost like I don't know any Spanish at all, I'm so bad at it ^^
Guest reviewer: Excuse me, but...wtf? I mean, when I said that I needed secrets, I meant to choose from the list I gave. And…yeah again, wtf?
Well, well, what can I say? Thanks for a first, thanks to you all for making this story happen! Without you I'd be nowhere :) This week was pretty uninteresting, since I've mostly been revising and trying to find ways of writing this chapter. Today was more exciting though. For the first time in a month, I went out with my best friend and her sister to shop. Which meant, all fun and no revising..or writing. I got a lot to do if I want to keep all your attention. One more week and I can say adios to revising, which might mean more writing time! Can't wait!
Previously on Secrets Can Kill:
The dim light lit them as they went back inside, panting heavily, hurrying to clean up the mess in the kitchen and at the table where the victim had been.
Correction, Runo thought, as she stopped at the door, letting her gaze divert itself to the bin. He was not a victim. In her book victims were innocent and represented a high loss. She closed the door behind her, making sure it was well locked.
He hadn't been innocent. And no one would miss him.
Her thoughts had distracted her. So distracting that she hadn't heard the flick of a camera close to her.
I'm not going to give you spoilers because I hate them, and I was always told not to give things to people that you wouldn't like to have. Yeah...still, are you sure that you don't want one? Like, one teeny little hint? All I can say is...things are getting complex. Here and in the other chapter. So stay tuned for more!
Disclaimer: I don't own Bakugan Battle Brawlers, just the OCs.
P.S.: I suggest you listen to the song "Devils" by Say Hi, from the Scream 4 soundtrack. I had in in rewind while writing this chapter, plus Florence + The Machine's "Seven Devils". But Devils says it better in my opinion. I heard that Pretty Little Liars' opening (The Pierces - Secret) is good too. I'm not a fan of the series, but it's kind of suiting.
Chapter 4: Secret Admirer?
Watching Julie sleep at the back of the car made Alice feel some pity for her Australian friend. She felt bad for her, her along with Mira and Runo. They were all tired from the previous night, yet where Runo should have been the most exhausted of them all, Julie had. She'd puked twice, yesterday night after cleaning up, and a second time this morning, during breakfast. They knew the feeling.
The ride to Bayview High was silent, save from the wind blowing through the car windows and Julie's light snoring. From her seat, Alice could see Mira leaning against her windows, her knees brought up and her whole body curled into a ball. She didn't need to see her face to see that she was tired. Runo had more trouble, she could tell. The lack of sleep was playing tricks on her, her eyes threatened to close themselves at any moment. Considering how unusually slowly she drove this morning, Alice had suggested driving at her place, but Runo had refused. It was probably best that way, she thought, gazing outside at nothing in particular. When was the last time the car had been so silent? When was the last time the group had been in this half-asleep state? That would have been last year, during their finals week. Back when Alice and Mira studied at the back, and Julie and Runo would argue on their lessons at the front, when Julie was not sleeping from hours of studying.
They hadn't spent hours studying, yesterday night.
After holding back Julie's hair while she let out her dinner down the toilet, they had cleaned about everything there was to clean. Luckily, Runo's parents hadn't turned up before midnight or something. Julie and Mira took care of the restaurant, making sure there wouldn't be evidence left from what happened. They scrubbed all traces of blood in the room and in the kitchen. Alice did the same at the back, collecting all leaves fallen on the ground and verifying the scene with a torch. Changing her attitude according to the behaviour required in forensics, she scanned everything, taking time to see if people could have witnessed their scene last night. Even with the street lamps on, no one could have seen them in the darkness of the backyard. Also, she made sure that the body was still there. When she went back inside, she confirmed that he was still there and dead for good. The statement almost made Julie faint, but she caught herself. She went to help Runo check the cameras in their special room, then. It hadn't caught much, except a flicker of the group where you only saw a portion of their backs and nothing else. Still, they decided to be careful and deleted the night's recording.
Before going to sleep, the girls took time to go through the stuff they'd taken from the man. He had little things on him, yet enough to see what he was like. Only handkerchiefs, a watch they buried with him, a pocket knife and, most important of all, a wallet. Inside, they found an ID card, where the man looked every bit as bad as he had hours earlier. Jacob Hobbes, the card said. Along with it they found cards from restaurants he'd probably gone too, a bus ticket, keys, phone numbers and an address to his apartment. No business or credit card, no family picture - the card clearly said that he was unmarried - and no cash. Confirms that he hadn't planned to pay at all, Runo had said on a bitter note before going to sleep. They had the wallet hidden in one of the drawers in Runo's wardrobe. Initially they had wanted to bury it somewhere, yet the blunette had decided of something else. The girls went to bed uneasily, a bad feeling in mind.
For once, Alice hadn't dreamed of Jessica's lifeless body lying on the pavement. Last night, Jacob Hobbes' corpse was chasing her in the Misaki's café, reconverted into a labyrinth. The halls kept getting smaller and smaller. At some point, he'd caught her, and as he was about to stab her with a kitchen knife, she'd screamed, waking her up. When she saw the other's expressions upon running to her for help, she could tell their sleep had been as restless as hers.
Alice glanced at herself in the car's mirror. The dream had kept her awake since 3 or 4 AM, and she had been too scared to try to get some sleep back. Like the others, she'd borrowed the makeup set Julie had given Runo for Christmas, which had remained unused for a long time. Despite the layer of light powder she'd put, she could still see dark circles under her eyes. On others nights she always managed not to get them, the ghost of Jessica leaving her alone, but last night was another story.
She leaned against the cold windows, hugging herself. You should stop thinking about it, girl. If she let bad thoughts get to her, today would be so monotone and boring. School days often were, what with the science lessons she already knew off by heart and the daily injections of serum for her sickness. Today would be slightly different. For the first time in days, she would see Klaus. Alice hadn't heard much of him, what with him being on a business trip to Hong Kong. She had thought of calling him, but something inside her hadn't wanted to. She'd wanted to see if he would react and call her first, just to see if he was worried about her. In three days he hadn't given a single sign of life. All she knew was that he would be there today; he'll probably get me to sit next to him in English instead of next to Mira, she thought. He might even get me to hang out at his table during lunch.
She sighed a bit. None of these plans made her smile much. Not that she didn't like Klaus; he was nice when he wanted to, and he was an okay friend. That was all he could ever be to her, a friend. She didn't share his feelings, she didn't love him the way he did when he was with her. Their relationship was pretty much professional in a way. She went out with him, and she got something in return; he dated her, and he gave her what she wanted. It worked that way, and it was good enough for her.
Yet these days, Alice had found herself wanting something more, something even Klaus couldn't afford with all his money: love. Like most girls her age, she wanted love, even though it wasn't really a priority. She wanted someone who would share her feelings, someone with whom she had common interests, someone with whom she could be happy, someone with whom she could feel...feel...human. Klaus was always overprotective and careful, and it annoyed her. If only he didn't treat her like a porcelain doll threatening to break any moment...
Klaus wasn't the one for her, he would certainly never be. The only person who could possibly be was already taken, anyway.
Her eyes closed slightly, yet the car suddenly went to a halt on the way, which got her wide awake.
They were in the parking lot, she realized. Parked and ready to go. She sighed, grabbed her bag and got out of the car.
On the opposite side, Julie yawned and was helped by Mira and Runo to get outside. The painkillers Mrs Misaki had given her this morning still had their effect on, and she walked in a state of slumber, the sleep still in her eyes. The cool air on the parking made them shiver. There weren't many students outside, most of them already behind the gates. It only added to the silence amongst the group.
As Runo went to help Julie to walk and grab her bags, she tried to break the silence as well. "Got any plans for today, gals?"
To Alice's surprise, her friends' faces lit up like a kid's at Christmas; bless you Runo, she thought with a grin on her lips.
"Oh well," Mira started, "I got study hall and then English and then lunch. If I can, I'll get Ace out of the room and somewhere comfier."
"Ooooh," the girls squealed, then exploded in a giggles fit. Now that was the group atmosphere they liked!
Julie took part in it." I know a good classroom or too if you need advice. Billy and I might see you on the way, wouldn't that be great!"
Their laughter intensified, getting them in hysterics, At some point, they all had their hands clutched to their stomach, unable to breathe properly.
"If we can, we'll try and drag Dan and Runo with us, and maybe Shun and Alice too!" Julie added gleefully, making the two concerned blush.
"Hah, in your dreams Julie," Runo said, her cheeks still a red shade. "Same here," Alice added.
"Come on, you know you want to," Mira pressed them teasingly. Both girls rolled their eyes.
"Whatever," Alice said, her face regaining their natural colour. "Mira, walk me to the infirmary, please?"
She nodded." As you wish, my queen." She said, winking.
Julie joined them. "Wait for me! I might need some aspirin or something for my stomach."
"Your stomach? Julie, you don't use aspirin for your stomach, for God's sake," Runo groaned while she locked the car.
The Australian shrugged. "Whatever."
The four of them walked to the entrance, a smile on their face for the first time in less than 24 hours. This day could turn out well after all, Alice wondered while opening the gates.
Oh, if only she knew.
In the end, Alice was left alone with Julie inside the infirmary. It was nice, in a funny way, to have someone by her side when she usually went alone inside.
Most people dreaded the sight of anything linked to hospitals, one way or another. Alice, on her part, loathed both hospitals and infirmaries. She had been to enough hospitals and clinics to hate the single thought of going inside one. The white tiled floor and painted wall made her stomach churn, and the scent of medicine and blood made her want to vomit. It was even worse when you were always sick.
At least, the school architects had the decency of making the room look like a child's room. It was blue and green, decorated with posters of the human anatomy, and the dangers of smoking or - Alice frowned at the sight - having unprotected sex. It looked okay anyway, comfy with the small bed where she laid and the cushions and chairs. Still, it hadn't kept Julie from vomiting. She watched with concern as her friend got out of the bathroom, her hands holding her belly. The doctor's assistant got out after her, holding a thermometer between his fingers.
"Your temperature is pretty high, Julie," he said, studying the red line." Are you sure you don't want to stay?"
"Mmm, I'll be fine, don't worry for me!" The silver-haired girl said in a voice too weird for Alice's liking. She raised an eyebrow. Hang on; was she actually flirting with him? Apparently, the answer was yes, since Julie batted her eyelashes and behaved like an idiot. Oh well, she thought rolling her eyes, typical Julie.
"Fine then, you can go," he said, getting some pills for her. "Just take those if the nausea settles back again. If you start to get a fever, just get back here and I'll give you something else," he added in a cool voice.
Julie frowned, and then shrugged. "Sure," she said. Before getting outside, she looked at Alice and mouthed the word "gay" on her lips. It made the red-headed teen smile.
"Ah, you're smiling! You should do it more often; you look so healthy like that." The assistant said, approaching her with his material and notebook.
"But I always do, Ren! You're just not looking," she replied, her smile growing larger.
Ren smiled in return. "You must be right." Alice liked him, not in the same way the other girls at school did. With him being the new assistant for the infirmary, girls had been going in and out more often than usual. He simply ignored them, except for Alice. She was the only girl who didn't put on the moves on him, and she was someone great to talk to. Ren reminded her of Shun, in a friendly way; he was cold and silent around everyone yet he had a soft side when you got to know him better.
Recently he'd been assigned to her at school, as her special doctor. He'd already prepared his material to do his diagnostic.
"So, tell me," he started, sitting on a chair next to her bed, "how have you been so far? Any headache, nosebleed, or other?" He had her open her eyes wide, examining them with his torch. She shook her head negatively. "Okay then," he continued, "just open your mouth, there." He examined her throat, and then moved on to her heartbeat. "Your heartbeat is as usual. Your weight now." She went on the balance, happy to notice that she'd gained some weight. Some days, the sickness would make her starve herself, making her slimmer and bony-looking. Ren noticed the change too, and smiled. "Well, everything seems alright now. You look paler though."
Alice didn't look at him while she tied her boots, glad to feel their warmth again. "Oh, that would be me. I've had more and more exams these days; I don't get much free time. Most of the time, I use it to study." When she looked him in the eye again, she quickly added, "Really it's nothing. Just stress." It was partly true, after all. On days when the nightmares and her work at the café didn't get all of her energy, her studies did. Despite her advanced knowledge and extra lessons, she always wanted to work harder so to reach her grandfather's level. She simply wanted to make him proud.
Ren didn't look completely convinced, yet he nodded. "If you say so...but I want to see colours back on your cheeks next time I see you! And so does your grandfather. When is he coming back anyway?" He gestured at the bed, and she laid back again. Alice thought for a moment. "Hum, on Sunday, in the afternoon." She pushed up her sleeve, revealing her pale arm. Ren nodded again, placing a thread under her upper arm and making a tight knot. Instantly, bright blue veins popped out, surfacing on the flawless, almost translucent skin. Delicately, he placed the needle on a vein, poking at it lightly. A drop of blood appeared, its rich colour made Alice wince a bit. Slowly, he injected the serum in the vein. Both watched the syringe empty, Alice's gaze fixed on the product.
A moment later, it was empty. Ren slowly got out the needle, placed it on the bed side, and then rubbed the spot where it had penetrated the skin with some alcohol. Then he placed a small bandage on it. Alice lowered back her sleeve.
"Thanks, Ren," she whispered while smiling at him. Where most girls had to call him Mr Krawler, she was the only one allowed to call him by his name.
He gave a small grin in return. "No problem. Make sure Klaus doesn't know you did the injection without him around".
Alice sighed, yet nodded. Klaus, being the saver he thought he was, estimated that it was his right to watch Alice get her injection, since he paid for it and the medicine accompanying it. When he was jealous, nothing could possibly stop Klaus. "Yeah right."
She got back on her feet. The silence set itself between them, and she watched him pack his stuff.
A knock interrupted them.
There, on the doorstep, was Fabia.
She narrowed her eyes, sensing that something was up. "Am I interrupting something?"
Ren straightened, and so did Alice. "Huh? Oh no, no, it's okay. Come in, come in."
Alice glanced at him. Funny, he looked so nervous suddenly, like a kid seen doing something bad. And did he actually stutter?
"Hi Fabia," she greeted her friend, her usual smile back on her lips. "I'll go then, see you in PE Fabia." She slung her bag on her shoulder, and got out of the room, not without glancing back again at the two people remaining in the infirmary.
"Well, that was close," Fabia's voice whispered next to him. He watched through the glass as Alice ran away, probably to her locker. He simply muttered a small "Yeah" at the girl.
She noticed his distraction, and got him to look at her in the eye. "You look weird. Does she...does she know?"
He shook his head, now facing her. To make it more reassuring, he let a small, playful smile curl itself on his lips. "Nope." He put his arms around her waist, pushing her closer to him. "Does he know?"
It was Fabia's turn to shake her head, responding to his smile with an equal grin.
She turned to close the door and lock it behind her, Ren's arms circling her again before locking the room.
She thought of Ren's attitude back in the infirmary some more, then diverted her trail of thoughts to something much more...interesting.
Alice felt his presence before she actually saw him. He had a dark aura, one of mystery, the kind that his fan girls both loved and shuddered at. She didn't feel any of these. He simply was a living mystery all by himself, and Alice Gehabich loved mysteries.
Shun leaned against the opposite lockers, like he had yesterday, only his eyes were closed. He must be meditating, she reflected. He often did that when fan girls weren't around, or Fabia, or Dan, or Billy. In fact, he did it mostly when people weren't around at all. But then, why does he have to have this frown permanently stuck on his face? Maybe he's thinking negative again, she guessed. It would be like him.
She never really got what it was, about this darkness inside him that attracted her. He was quite unusual in his own way. She had never met a ninja before him, after all. He was special. Unlike the other guys, he had many qualities - at least, in academic and physical domains. He was intelligent, good at about every sport, and he absolutely did not care about girls. At all. For all she knew, he hated his fan girls and didn't look at anyone of the female gender.
Except for Fabia...
So far, she had never seen him being this close to a girl. She hadn't once imagined that he would let anyone tag along with him, follow him everywhere without complaining, do romantic stuff with him...the usual boyfriend/girlfriend cliché. Because she was used to people opening up to her, she had believed that he would do the same. Get close to her, be her friend, feel something deeper than friendship towards her...fall for her.
Well, guess you got your hopes way too up, girl, she thought. She didn't have anything against Fabia for that. She had always nursed her personal fantasy after all. And fantasies were fantasies, not reality.
She thought of this while looking down at her boots' dark brown polish, her elbow leaning along the cool painted metal of the lockers. She lifted up her head, forcing herself to think about something else.
Her gaze instantly locked with his when their eyes met.
His amber eyes held her chocolate ones, before she shyly turned back her head.
What the hell just happened?
Oh nothing, he just looked at you with those eyes of his. Those god damn eyes, with their -
STOP. Her brain reacted in time, yet wasn't fast enough to keep her cheeks from heating up and her heart from beating like a drum. It jumped frantically, like a bomb ready to explode inside her chest. She got her hand against it, imploring it to calm down.
But what is happening to me?
What was it that makes me act like an idiot whenever he's around?
She tried her best not to look at him, and succeeded. To make it look like she was busy, she fumbled with her locker's keys. It was only half pretending, her nervousness having rubbed off her. She did have trouble getting her keys. Finally she managed to find the right key and get the locker to open. Nice work, Alice, now you don't look like an idiot to him anymore, do you? No, not at all. You just look like a double idiot.
Get a hold of yourself, she thought, getting her books out and stuffing them in her bag one by one. Why think of him when you have more important things to worry about?
She was going to close her locker, when she caught the glimpse of a paper at the back, placed on a book. Curious, she took him carefully between her fingers.
It was an envelope, sealed and immaculate, its colour close to a pink-ish white with hints of lavender. The handwriting was neat, cursive, done in black ink without any stains, There, on the other side, was her name: Alice. Simple, yet elegantly done. That was it.
Who could that be from? She wondered. It could be a card, or a love letter. Being one of the popular girls in Bayview, she received this kind of letters on a regular basis, she along with the others in the group. She always read them when she had time, and always kept them, even the badly-written ones. After all this time, she still got overexcited over small things like that. This letter didn't look so different from the others, yet there was something about it that had an appeal. Maybe it was the fact that it was addressed to her specifically, and to no one else, considering that her name was on it. Bringing it closer to her face, she sensed a trace of perfume. Something sweet, perhaps strawberry or vanilla...or was it lavender?
It was hard to resist temptation, and she moved her fingers to the lid, sliding a nail under it to open the envelope.
Until...
"Alice!"
Hearing her name called out loud so suddenly made her jump, and she realized that someone was calling her. Alice turned her head in time to see Klaus coming towards her.
Well, crap.
She quickly slid the envelope inside her bag, and ran towards her boyfriend.
Yes, her boyfriend. Why was she labelling him as such when he wasn't? Probably because he wanted her to, she didn't really know. It only felt natural, as Klaus's girlfriend, to run to him to meet him. This, and she had missed him. Right? As a friend, at least.
Before she'd realized, Alice had wrapped her arms around Klaus in a welcoming hug, closing her eyes to enjoy the moment. It took a moment for her to get that Klaus didn't mirror her actions.
Realizing what was up, she quickly pulled away. "Klaus! Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to. I know it's against your etiquette, but -"
"No, it's okay, Alice, really, it is," he cut her. She sighed in content. Klaus might be her boyfriend, and she his girlfriend, but she still had to follow the Von Hertzon's etiquette. What more was there to expect, then, from an old-fashioned family whose descendants were royalty? Public demonstration of affection was, as she'd been told, forbidden in the family, yet Klaus was more liberal when they were alone.
She gave him an apologizing smile. "Yes, but I'm sorry anyway. Guess that I -I missed you," she added stuttering. It was a lie. She hadn't missed him at all, enjoying her liberty at the most during his four-day absence.
He didn't seem to get it, thankfully." I missed you too." Then he hugged her, his arms hesitant around her waist. The movement made her both sad and annoyed; sad and a tad heartbroken that he meant it, annoyed that he still treated her like a porcelain doll or a kid. Still, she wrapped her arms back around him. Deep inside, she needed some comfort after last night, and he could at least give her that. She had her head pressed inside his shoulder, the fabric of his expensive grey suit caressing her cheek. His smell was quite reassuring in a way; well-polished shoes, freshly-ironed clothes, and...was that cologne?
His hand ruffled her hair lightly, the other pulling her away so he could examine her. He touched her cheek delicately.
"Well, you look pale, darling, what happened to you?" He asked.
She simply shrugged. "Exams keeping me up later," she simply answered.
He didn't seem as satisfied with the answer as Ren earlier. "Mmm. And what about the pills? Have you been taking them daily?"
She nodded. "Yes. Two after every meal, gobbled down with a glass of water."
He narrowed his eyes. "And what about the injections?"
She had to lie on that, and did so swiftly, without much hesitation. "Last Friday, when you were here." She sighed. "Done with the interrogation yet?"
He seemed offended, despite her soft tone. "Please, Alice, don't take it that way. As your boyfriend, I ought to know if everything's all right with you."
"Yes, of course you do." He didn't perceive the slight sarcasm in her words. Probably because they were almost whispering, he couldn't hear it.
He simply smiled that posh smile of his, to which she responded with one of hers. "I'm glad that we can get on with this well! Let's go then, or we'll be late for class."
Alice nodded, letting him peck her quickly on the lips, and then wrap his arm around her shoulder. Both made their way to their first class of the day.
On the way to class, Alice thought about the letter in her bag. Temptation burned her, and threatened to consume her anytime.
She didn't think about anything else than that, hardly sensing the burning glare on her back.
A/N: Well, that was something. I'm kind of a bit disappointed with the way it turned out, since I expected to do something more…well, more exciting. Still, I had that freaking deadline that I had to respect before my exams, and I didn't have much extra time to write. Still, I swear that things will become more exciting by the next chapter. It's a promise!
I'll have this big exam on Thursday, day where I won't be writing at all, since I have this French exam. During the following days, I'll try to put some suspense in the story. So please stay tuned to it, the fun has yet to come!
Well then, what do you say?