Chapter 10
Sucy woke up earlier than Akko's alarm and found that extracting herself from Akko might prove to be quite the challenge. As much as she desired to stay with Akko, and curl up next to her, she knew they had to leave for school, but Sucy could not possibly disturb the younger girl.
"Why make it hard for yourself, just wake her up." The doll whispered to her from the black corners where Sucy hid her.
Sucy thought it was best to ignore the foreboding doll. Gently, she half pushed and rolled Akko away from her. The sleeping figure frowned and moaned in protest but thankfully stayed asleep. Leaning over Akko, Sucy pulled the sheets and covers back over her, and proceeded to tuck her in while watching a sleepy smile appear on Akko's face.
"I won't leave the hiding spot unless you give me permission, Sucy."
"Why not go and hide in my bag? Make sure Akko doesn't see you." Sucy cleared her throat. "I'll make breakfast while she's here."
"As you wish."
Sucy crouched over Akko, bracing her arms on the bed to either side of Akko to steady herself. Slowly and carefully, she lowered her head before planting a quick and soft kiss on Akko's forehead.
Normally, nothing happened at this point, other than a feeling of elation and euphoria overcoming her. Today proved to be different. Sucy didn't want to leave the flat anymore, but she was also excited to head to school and learn the news spreading over Cavendish's demise.
But Sucy continued to stand there, watching Akko sleep. Her breath caught in her throat, and her gaze transfixed when Akko was slowly awakening.
It was Akko's instinct to jolt her body to an upright sitting position to hug somebody in the morning. Oh, how wonderful it was to be Chariot. She got to be the unfortunate victim of Akko's morning hugs.
Sucy found herself moving into the embrace without hesitation, drawing the slender body up against her. Akko's slim arms found their way around her neck. A soft kiss pressed against her Sucy's cheek.
"Morning, Sucy," Akko whispered and cuddled Sucy's head into her shoulder.
Sucy's deathly pallor had a sudden coloring, particularly on her cheeks. "Good morning, Akko. Go take a bath while I make breakfast."
Loa was quiet all throughout the distance from their flat to the academy. Yet, Sucy knew the doll was hiding inside her bag. She rearranged the strap on her shoulder, feeling the weight.
Sucy debated whether or not to interlock her hands with Akko's. It was pretty simple, yet the easy gesture took a lot of mental effort and physical strain out of her and in the end, she failed to reach out for Akko's warmth.
Her heart was not ready.
Nevertheless, the walk to the academy was peaceful—with Akko's usual shenanigans and cheery hyper tone in the morning. It was almost pure, and without the troublesome Brit in Sucy's life. It was almost heaven.
Sucy and Akko arrived at school with 15 minutes to spare before their first class. They were on their way to Literature when masses of students in the hallways crowded with gossips on their long faces. She didn't bother to tune in, knowing who the dead person was. They clustered around; all of them seemed to float in and out. Some were wearing black in solidarity and carrying flowers to a makeshift altar by the auditorium.
"Maji ka?" Akko shouted loud enough for everyone to hear. She received the news from a pink-haired Russian and a short German girl. It was typical of Akko to be sometimes insensitive. "That's horrible!"
Sucy couldn't help but smirk at the idea, picturing the looks on her Cavendish's and her friends' faces when they saw their precious President struggle with a headache, palpitations, and vomiting and were unable to do anything about it. That image in mind, she reached a hand out to her cheek, donning her best sneer.
Once her head had stopped spinning on her little fantasy, Sucy's eyes adjusted to the new view. She gasped.
Diana Cavendish was there.
"She's alive!" Loa's hissed. Her tranquility disturbed as well. "She's proven herself as not a threat to be taken lightly."
Sucy stared at her incredulously. "How come she's here? She's supposed to be dead!"
"What?" Akko questioned.
Spinning on her heel, Sucy shivered at Akko's proximity.
Akko had her hands firmly set on her waist, determined to get to the bottom of it. "Sucy what are you talking about?"
Her cold breath brushed against Sucy's cheek, causing goose bumps on her arms. Sucy gulped dryly as she stood like a statue. "Ahh, I mean..."
"Good morning." Diana gave them a small smile. Despite the makeup she wore, it was still obvious she had been crying the whole night.
Sucy muttered to herself while Akko turned up to her, asking. "Are you feeling alright?"
"Y-yes," Diana spoke nervously back. "I'm not ill, just terrified out of my wits. News travels fast, I suppose."
"Are you sure? Because you look like you just had a visit from the dead," Akko asked.
"Thank you, Akko." Diana's cheeks blushed pink. "For worrying about me, I better head to class." She flipped her hair first before walking away, her blonde hair trailing off until she became a blur.
Akko huffed, stomping on the ground. "Wow, look at her go, such a diva."
Sucy gritted her teeth, locking her jaw and staring straight ahead. She expected that Loa was going to hypnotize Diana or make her go crazy for her. Instead, the doll's voice echoed in her head.
"Akko got the wrong hair. You killed another fair-haired person who glued to her which is why you had the wrong strand! Get the right one this time, and we will make her pay."
"Oh, I could bury you, Cavendish," the Sucy stated, letting out a startlingly creepy laugh.
"Sucy! What's wrong with you, you're being too much!"
"Akko," she said. Just like that, she glared at Akko dead in the eyes. "I want you to tell me in detail, what you learned from the gossip."
She mentally rattled off pleas to the Goddess she was named after for her exit to go unnoticed, but, as was typical for Diana as of late, they went unanswered.
"Diana!" Hannah and Barbara, their voices unexpectedly close, and the cold tea in Diana's stomach seemed to instantly congeal, leaving her nauseous. "Wait up a second."
"Yes?" Diana quipped, sweetly.
"Is your stomach acting up?" Hannah asked. "Because I totally saw you down that tea like water and I bet your stomach was empty the whole time. You have this uncanny habit of putting off the pleasures of eating until your stomach cries."
"Yes, Diana, we worry about you. Plus your stress levels are overwhelming." Barbara furthered
"True, it might just be excessive stomach acid, so please if you'll excuse me," Diana said, getting red in the face because of her poor decisions in health.
Diana nearly reached the doorway when Frank ran past her in a startling speed to head to the men's room.
She was stunned for a few moments before speed walking her way to the ladies' room.
Inhale. One two three. Exhale. One two three.
The bathroom smelled bad. The colors of her dress contrasted against the dirty tiled walls. She wanted to splash her face with water, calm herself down, but it will ruin her makeup, and she spent around twenty minutes this afternoon putting it on. Instead, she leaned against the wall for a second and took a few deep breaths. She imagined herself growing bigger and bigger until she was larger than the Earth itself.
After a few moments, she walked back towards the hall.
"Diana!" Hannah called again. "We have a flask of coconut milk infused with apple cider vinegar if you want."
Diana lifted an eyebrow. "You do?"
"Totally, it's part of our diet because of its health benefits. It may help relieve the acid reflux symptoms. You should totally drink this." Barbara explained as she offered her flask to her.
"That's why we always have a bottle with us," Hannah said. "You're lucky this is the blend we have for today.
Diana graciously grabbed the flask, lifting it to her lips when the smell of coconut and cider greeted her nostrils. With reserved sips, her whole body shook at the involuntary reaction to the taste.
"Oh," Barbara said. "I could have warned you about that."
Diana's face scrunched up a bit before returning to normal. "Well, I got used to tea leaves. Crushed apple with coconut isn't exactly new to my palate."
Minutes or so, Frank returned from his trip to the comfort room. His face turning paler, he had an uncertain frightened expression as if he saw a ghost in one of the stalls while trying to keep up the bravado. His weird demeanor didn't go unnoticed by the rest.
"What's wrong with you, hey Frank?" Hannah asked him when he passed them by.
He was absentminded, focusing on a small task of sitting down next to Andrew in one of the sofas who looked concerned for him.
"Maybe he has the same problem?" Barbara suggested. "Let's offer him the drink."
"Hey, Frank?" Hannah called, but he didn't hear her, nor did Andrew.
As they made their way to him, overcame by nervous jitters, Frank got up from the sofa despite having spent less than two minutes sitting there, and instead began to walk out of the hall quickly, with his eyes downcast.
"Frank!" Diana shouted for him.
Frank refused to slow down, but it didn't make a difference. Diana was at his side in seconds, nudging him gently with her elbow. "Frank, have you gone deaf? We have called your name three times now."
"Oh," Frank muttered. "Did you? Sorry, I'm a little distracted—not feeling well."
"I figured that might be it," Diana said sympathetically. She caught a whiff, a strong and a faint smell of two different things. "Do I smell Attar of Roses?"
Frank grinned. "Dabbed myself with girly perfume if you will."
Diana's raised an eyebrow. She could swear she detected a hint of puke on him so the perfume was to distract the senses. "Andrew told me you didn't eat much at lunch. I wondered if you might be feeling nauseous."
"I do. I feel unnaturally queasy." Frank proceeded to explain when Hannah, Barbara, and Andrew had caught up by now. "You don't think you have medicine on you, do you?"
"Not really medicine, but it might help." Diana handed him the flask.
"Drink up, Frankie." Hannah grinned. "We have more of where that came from."
Frank placed the flask's rim to his mouth; it barely touched his lips when he started gagging. The four of them gasped in alarm as they watched the drink spill to the ground. His vomiting reflex was strong; Andrew immediately patted his back to soothe his lungs.
But it was no use. He coughed up blood.
There were a few seconds of still silence; Frank's eyes widened in horror, his gaze flew to them, pleading for help.
"Blood!" her friends let out a long, piercing scream.
Time did not appear to pass more slowly. Rather, Diana's mind worked more quickly in her panic. Frank started heaving his guts out, his hand instinctively holding his stomach and covering his mouth. He collapsed to the floor, groaning.
Diana's mind became a blank slate. Only after she looked down again did she comprehend the situation they were in.
Fuck, Diana cursed silently, her panic beginning to rise as she waited, prone and powerless to help him. Shite, shite, shite. She should have noticed the symptoms hours ago, but Diana was insistent to stare the other way.
There was a pain in Diana's throat. Frank was lying stretched out. Diana had to help him, not knowing what to do—somehow paralyzed. Diana collapsed at her friend's side. She had no time left but she was able to process clues as Frank clutched on the floor. A headache, palpitations, vomiting, dry mouth, increased breathing rate, and he looked a little blotchy.
It could be caused by anything, but Diana wagered her life on it.
"He's poisoned!" Diana gasped.
"Diana, what do we do?" Hannah and Barbara turned to her. As usual, Andrew acted fast. He fished for his phone and dialed 112.
What to do?
There was nothing they could do. If they knew the poison and they had the antidote, they could surely fix this. They were in the mystery, and the poison was taking its time before it finishes its job. Only prayer can save him.
However, Diana doesn't believe that.
Doctors do not drop their instruments and bend their knees to pray for the Gods or God to save an endangered person's life. Somebody had to do something and the cops around the area could not defeat an enemy that does not embody a shape of a person.
"Quick!" Diana screamed. "Oral rehydration! He needs water with sugar and salt once he's done vomiting!"
She wasn't sure if it was the right call or what but she heard a scuffle, footsteps, and orders all around.
"SHIT!" Andrew almost threw his phone. With a hiss he looked around, begging. "Is there a doctor among us? This is urgent; the ambulance won't make it in time!"
When no one moved, she was prepared to create the mixture herself when a hand held tight onto her. Diana turned around to see Frank whispering not to leave her. Diana stared back at him helplessly. And an image of what he used to have emerged from the back of her head. This highly spirited boy that always had a crush on her since the day Andrew introduced them. Frank had never looked so pale and so weak. At least he wasn't coughing or vomiting anymore. His state reminded Diana of her mother—the day before she got taken away.
The memory had been etched onto her mind that even if she hid it at the darkest and deepest part of the attic, she constantly knew where to find it and how to unlock it. Her mother had been brave, she knew what was coming. But Frank was unaware of this.
Diana stayed by his side, despite the resulting chaos. Frank reached for her hand and held it tight. Little by little his strength washed away. Tears fill her eyes, but Diana attempted to hold them back.
A doctor in the area arrived with water filled with sodium and glucose he prepared. Andrew and Diana helped hoist Frank up to hydrate him before the ambulance arrives.
Diana quickly pressed her hands over the soothing muscles that would help lessen the pain as he vomited. She wanted to desperately try to staunch the blood that flowed like a thick river with each beat of his heart that came out of his mouth.
Andrew patted his cheeks slightly, calling his name multiple times.
Frank's head lolled to the side as he looked at his best mate, face pale. "Andrew," he breathed.
"Shhh, it's okay. You're going to be just fine. Stay with us."
Frank's breath came in shallow gasps, shaking from being afraid. Tears were leaking from Frank's hazel eyes. "Andrew. Am I dying? I'm scared. I don't want to die."
"You won't! You just have to keep your eyes open! Can you do that? Here, drink this, it will help" he brought the cup's rim to his lips.
Frank took modest swallows, but the hand that held on Diana's started to lose its grip. Diana's eyes opened in fear. Frank took a deep breath. "I... I—" he halted.
A sob escaped Andrew as he shook her head. "No. No, Frank, you're not dying. I won't let you die, okay? I'll never give up on you. You wouldn't dare give up on me, would you?"
Frank had another urge to vomit but he had no strength to do it anymore. Each blink became longer than the last, and his breathing slowed. He forced himself to look at Andrew's green eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered. And he took a shuddering breath, letting his eyes slip shut once more.
There was no movement from him anymore. He was gone.
"Frank?" Diana gasped. "Frank, n-no, no..."
"Mate?" Andrew shook him. He frantically tried to rouse him, gently patting his face, but it was no use. "Frank?"
The body remained unmoving beneath him.
Andrew grabbed a fistful of his shirt, shaking him. The overwhelming sorrow was starting to shatter his grip on reality. "Get up, Frank!"
Frank's body was motionless. Andrew leaned close to him, pushing his messy blond hair back, leaving streaks of blood and vomit on his forehead, searching his face for any sign of life.
"Please don't go." Andrew dropped his face into the blond's chest and then he broke, weeping for his faded friend, gut-wrenching sobs wracking his frame.
Diana could only watch as Andrew grieved. Her limbs were no longer responding, a lead weight settling in her heart. Breathing became difficult. Her heart thudded and despite her best efforts, the brimming tears that had been momentarily kept at bay proceeded to boil over and spill down her cheeks. As she hastily wiped saltwater off her face with her gloves, she wrapped her arms around herself.
A/N
I gave way too many hints that you guys mostly knew what was happening. I'll have to be more discreet, eh?