Chapter 14
Sucy decided to sit at the back of her ever first Philosophy class. Akko sat next to her, and Sucy knew it in herself that she didn't show how much she appreciated it.
The two girls had, in the past few years since they arrived at Luna Nova, developed something of a routine. It consisted mainly of eating meals at their table, attending their various classes, some of which they had together and others not, and meeting up in the library or outside window shopping and playing arcade or card games before heading home in their respective flat rooms. Even on the weekends, the two of them spend the middle of the day together studying, completing their work, or, on the rare occasion, just simply reading.
And overall, it was quite tolerable—pleasant, even.
Everything changed when Diana Cavendish came into the picture.
Sucy grimaced when the certain blonde and her lapdog sat right near the front. Some of the kids around were naturally thrilled to have the Student Council President and Vice President as their classmates.
Her hand instinctively reached for the spherical object near her neck, accompanied by a fervent thought of boiling the Cavendish girl alive. One way or another, she started feeling better.
Cavendish seemed to notice a burning gaze headed her way; she turned around and met Sucy's eyes. Sucy quickly took refuge by dropping her gaze to the desk, enduring everything.
"I didn't know they were that famous," Akko whispered to her.
Sucy shrugged. Long been enduring the scalding water that filled the tub to the brink of overflowing. She wished for the class to be over even though it hasn't started.
"Sucy," Loa whimpered, and her voice hoarse and weak. "Sucy... I feel ill."
Here came another rambling from her sentient doll. Propping her elbow on the desk, Sucy shocked to know a doll that emanated malevolence would feel sick. The doll had completely defied Sucy's expectations.
"A higher force beckons... Its aura is clashing with me... please Sucy... hide me away..."
Sucy's forehead creased at Loa's strange request and felt her pocket. Loa was still there, soft and bulgy. In that spontaneous decision, Sucy's elbow bumped into a girl who was passing by. Her little squeal came to Sucy as a surprise.
"Sorry, about that." A girl with ginger orange hair and round glasses apologized and moved up a higher tier and sat behind Sucy.
Puzzled, Sucy was unprepared to meet a shy person who apologized when she wasn't even at fault. Never in her life had she felt disoriented, like a déjà-vu. Possibly, she had already met this girl and forgot about her.
She could feel the girl's eyes following her every move from behind.
There was a thundering set of footsteps that came inside the room. People turned away from the Brits as Professor Cress entered the classroom. She started the lesson after a brief introduction.
Professor Cruz was blabbering about the philosophy of reason and faith and somehow, Sucy suddenly knew where the class topic was going. God and all that shit. She had clearly broken her ways from the orphanage religious ways and the possibility of discussing it in class for the sake of intellectual debate rouse the anger she was holding back.
It didn't help that Loa kept moaning in her head.
"Sucy its coming, help me—HELP ME!"
"SHUT UP FOR ONCE!" Sucy slammed her desk, attracting attention from everyone in the classroom.
"Er... Sucy?" Akko slowly approached. "Are you okay?"
Sucy thought of one thing. She didn't know, however, that on this occasion, her mind had frozen. Sucy wasn't thinking about anything. It seemed sacrilegious to do so when her chest felt so tight and her head was close to exploding.
For a moment, Sucy felt blue eyes glancing her way once and she quickly stole a glance from the corner of her eye and sure enough, Cavendish held her gaze, with no shame to hide the fact that she was curious with her sudden explosion.
"Everything okay over there, Miss?" Professor Cress asked.
"Yes, sorry," Sucy grumbled. Pleased she was able to articulate her thoughts now that Loa left her head ever since she shouted.
Sucy bit her bottom lip nervously before Cavendish nonchalantly looked back to the front. She glanced at the board, reading what the Professor wrote in it and cringed at how right she was about the topic.
Heaven: Real because it does or real because we want it to be.
Professor Cress cleared her throat, drawing the class' attention back to her. "Faith and reason are both sources of authority upon which beliefs can rest. If I were to tell you the Bible is evidence, you would respond how do I know if what was written in Bible real or fiction? I would respond I don't know but I believe it to be true." Some nodded to her explanation, even Akko. Sucy didn't care. "Ask yourself this class, how do you know your mother is your real mother? You would claim that the proof is your resemblance, but look at me and this young man." She pointed at Cavendish's partner. "We have the same face outline and conduct, yet he's not my son. Some of you might claim that the proof is in your birth certificate, but then how do you know that it is not forged or you weren't swapped at birth? You can see the similar pattern developing. Even in science, nothing is a hundred percent accurate. To overlook that percentage of error or doubt, you must have faith. Religious faith is of two kinds: evidence-sensitive and evidence-insensitive. The former views faith as closely coordinated with demonstrable truths while the latter is more strictly as an act of the will of the religious believer alone. So instead, on this particular day... I want all of you to debate on the subject matter using the two kinds of faith."
Diana raised the only hand among everyone.
"Go ahead, Miss Cavendish." Professor Cruz said. "What's your stance?"
"I believe heaven is real because we desire it." There was much conviction mirrored in her eyes. "I will be citing a passage in the Bible, as I am not well versed with the Torah or Qur'an. In the Gospel of Romans chapter one verses 19 to 20, 'Just as God has put in men's hearts the knowledge that He exists'. The collective mind of humanity believed such a thing exist because we are programmed to desire heaven. If Nirvana, Elysium, Paradise, or any other afterlife didn't exist, where would our soul go?"
Sucy couldn't help but interrupt. "Then we would just disappear like we never even existed."
"Why do you think so, Miss...?" Professor Cruz asked.
"Manbavaran," she said.
"Miss Manbavaran, are you on neither side?" the professor asked. "You don't believe in an afterlife?"
"I think..." she dawdled on but noticed Cavendish was staring again so she decided not to back down. "We desire heaven or even believe in the afterlife because we need some sort of assurance, we fear the unknown so we believe things like that in our heads to give us the courage to face death. It's the only hope and security we get when we die."
Cavendish's lips twitched in amusement as some of the class agreed on Sucy's argument.
Yet, Cavendish seemed unaffected by her loss and continued hers. "As far as I know, many of those who question heaven's existence wanted to challenge those who believed in god, such as myself, they were deeply curious to see if they could convince them otherwise."
"Not unless they had already strayed off their path since the beginning," Sucy said, voice laced with a hidden intention then flashed a smile.
Cavendish received the message, returning her gaze with steely eyes.
The bell rang loudly, signaling the end of the lesson. Sucy felt the weight of the tension roll off her shoulders at last. The students rose from their seats and started stretching, preparing to leave.
Sucy watched as the four-eyed girl leave the class meekly.
Following Sucy's vacant gaze, she could feel Loa rolling her eyes at the sudden nature of the electrical impulses shooting across her brain.
"Why are you checking her out?"
Sucy gave the doll a slight shove, reminding her of her earlier comment, hissing in a soft whisper. "Oh, now you're feeling better now?"
As soon as Sucy and Akko got out of the classroom, Cavendish caught her eye and approached with a hand on her hip. She ran a hand through the locks of her hair as though she can't find another gesture to retrench the awkwardness that had risen between them. "May I join you for lunch?"
Sucy looked at her weirdly. She could've sworn the Brit grew another limb. Why would Cavendish ask that of her when their mutual friendship with Akko had not managed to cover the two of them for their lack of joint views. They were different and were not prone to camouflage it; on the contrary, they made it obvious even in times where there was no need to rival.
"Prepare tonight, Sucy. I'm sure another person you hate will ask to join you for dinner."
Sucy rolled her eyes. Not just because of Loa, but to everyone involved.
Cavendish's lapdog cleared his throat. "I hope you do remember me, Miss Kagari, Miss Manbavaran."
"Hello Andoryu," Akko said. Unknown to Sucy whether the girl was playing dumb or she's really having a hard time pronouncing his name. But the reaction plastered on his face made it worth it.
A stray lock of dark hair fell from his side swept hair. Akko almost reached for him instinctively to help fix his appearance. Unbeknownst to her that she created a spark of loathing from the two other girls. Sucy's heart thumped loudly inside her chest like a fire alarm.
"Color me surprised," Hanbridge said with a grin that could send girls swooning. "I did not take you to initiate the first contact, my fair lady."
His grin fell short when his jugular met a whiplash of Sucy's knife hand strike that she learned when watching Karate Chop videos with Akko.
Hanbridge dropped his jaw and stumbled back in a shocking bewilderment. He tripped over himself and fell. "Holy sh—! What the hell is that?"
"SUCY!" Even Akko cried with eyes widened in obvious fear.
Sucy's eyes had not dimmed back as she still had that frightening death glare. Andrew was panting on the ground, speechless and pale like a ghost. She was reaching out to him, closer and closer she can get a piece of his DNA and kill him for having the gall to flirt with Akko.
"Miss Manbavaran," Cavendish glanced from him to her. "As your Student Council President, I may have to reprimand you and send you to detention but as a first-time offender, I am letting you off with a warning."
Sucy hadn't managed to pluck his hair which was fine. It was a wake up calling after all. "Why thank you."
"GOD," Hanbridge groaned, struggling to get on his feet. "Alright, I'm leaving."
"His funeral is being pushed for Saturday," Cavendish said as she told Akko details of their Saturday plans to hang out.
Akko hesitated, her spoon stayed in her mouth, still relishing in the aftertaste of the creamy mushroom soup that the cafeteria had served. "I really don't like funerals. I'm not even that close to Frank, why do you always ask me to come with you to visit dead people?"
Sucy snorted, trying so hard not to giggle at Cavendish's failed attempt at reasoning with Akko. The trio sat on their usual table in the cafeteria with everyone sitting in seating position from last time.
"My apologies, I failed to make it certain with you. I'm not asking you to come with me to attend his funeral; I simply want you to know that I'll be there before meeting with you."
"Isn't that bad luck?"
"If it may ease you, I will fend off the bad luck with charms."
"Alright, you know what, Diana. You can tell me you need emotional help like a shoulder to rest your head on. I really don't know why you would be shy with your intentions."
Cavendish's cheeks turned pink again, increasing the frown on Sucy's lips. Somehow, listening to their conversation about their Saturday hangout became too much to bear.
"Why is Frank being buried?" Sucy interrupted. "Isn't cremation a thing right now?"
"Frank's family are old fashioned." She said. "And they had to put him to rest without delay because the Blytonbury Police Service had enough trouble with protecting his remains from the invasive press. There's a word around that they might need assistance from the Mets."
"Mets?" Akko repeated.
"The Metropolitan Police Service, known to the Londoners as the Mets." She said. The perfect Cheshire grin on her lips was similar to one of the cats who had caught the canary.
"Why would they need help from the capital?" Akko squirmed.
"Scotland Yard, the London police headquarters, home to one of the oldest detective forces in the world," Sucy explained before the blonde could, unconsciously sinking her nails deeper into the soft flesh of her palms.
"She's riling you, Sucy. You must not let her get to you. Make her face your wrath."
Sucy breathed deeply and slowly, her stomach doing a somersault with the thought of impending danger that surrounded her. "Is your friend's death that much of a mystery that you need the Mets?"
"Give them a break," Cavendish said, taking a meek bite of her hard biscuit that she dipped in her tea. There was not a time in Sucy's life that the Brit never had tea in her food intake and consumption. "Not all chains of mystery are solved within a day."
"You mean they are all incompetent idiots."
"I will be that girl, you know." She said, her jaw tightening. "The one who will say not all of them are hopeless."
"Why?"
"I can't wait to contribute to the work, honestly." Her words still too measured and precise, "The DI came to a conclusion all the deaths that started with Thomas leading up to Frank are all connected somehow; including the untimely criminal aggression of the late Sergeant Kinsley."
"DI?" Akko asked, embarrassed.
"Detective Inspector," Diana placed a hand on Akko's shoulder, gesturing that it was completely normal for a foreigner to know what the abbreviations mean.
"So wait," Akko formed her arms into a timeout. "Wangari's articles are actually true? Do they think the killer is in the school?"
"Apparently," the Brit shrugged, drinking her tea watching Sucy carefully with lidded eyes. "I even came to a speculation the killer is a student."
"It's not me!" Akko raised her hands in surrender.
Sucy rested her face on her palm. "We know that, Akko. Who's the DI, by the way?"
Cavendish's blue eyes glistened, hinting a playful smirk. "Why would you want to know?"
Sucy gritted her teeth, looking down on her meal without really seeing. Coming up with an idea how to protect herself from the increasing investigators in the school. "Why not? You've been parading the sleuthing measures of the police so why not have at it."
"Oh how quaint," Cavendish smiled, and the expression was viciously mocking. "It seems I have chattered too much."
Sucy was getting tired of this conversation, fully knowing there wasn't a lot she could get from Cavendish when the blonde had her walls guarded up like that. Sucy munched on her mushrooms, angrily chewing on the delectable and changed the topic. "Where's Professor Ursula, Akko? I haven't seen her all day."
"Eh, she's overworking herself, I think."
"She has arrived from her journey?" Cavendish asked, perking up.
"Yeah, just this morning," Akko spoke conversantly. "I'll give you some souvenirs. Professor Ursula told me the Philippines have their own version of Dried Plums they inherited from the Chinese and I hear they are also good."
"Oh no, I can't."
"I insist! They are my favorite snack!" Akko placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder and shook her as if Akko was submitting her to dizzy submission when the truth was she had other plans.
Sucy's lips curved upwards in anticipation. She didn't need to wait for Saturday; Akko could grab a hair out of Cavendish right here, right now.
"What are you doing?" Cavendish asked, catching Akko trying to grab her hair. She grabbed Akko's offending hand, eyes blinking.
Akko was flustered from being caught red-handed. Sucy gasped as well. Did the Brit anticipate it, had she known all along about the hair, or was it some sort of muscle tension case?
"Uhh..." Akko mustered up a coherent sentence. "Your hair, it's lovely. It's like cotton candy and I'd love to touch it."
Cavendish wasn't acquainted with how to feel about that. "Is that so? The fact you are also curious about my hair makes my desire to touch your ponytail relatively normal."
"Eh? You do?"
"Diana?"
A random duo rudely gawked at them. Sucy could swear she heard Cavendish murmur something under her breath.
"There you are!" The redhead paced along towards their table while the silky long haired one followed suit. "We missed you."
Cavendish leaned away from them; hoping it would help the newcomers recognize they are unwanted. A shy smirk danced on Sucy's lips at the sight of Cavendish' plan began to fail.
"Why are you not around the Student Council office during lunch time anymore?" The one with the darker hair asked.
"Oh girls, it was never my intention, I only wanted to spend some time with—" Cavendish stared back at Akko and Sucy, figuring whether she would mention just Akko or both. Though, she never had the chance to complete her sentence.
"Hey!" another girl with short purple hair and catlike purple eyes pulled the girls away. "Diana can hang around other people you know. You should be proud she's out and about and not always stressing out, eh."
The third girl had a strong accent by the end of her sentence unlike the many accents of the British people. Like a tendency to raise her tongue mouths when making 'ou' sounds.
"I suppose you're right, Avery."
"See you later, Diana!"
The one called Avery sent a wink on Cavendish's way and Sucy got a glimpsed of it. To the untrained eye, the gesture might be excused as a subtle signal that she accepted Cavendish's expression of gratitude or it could even be passed as flirting but Sucy knew straightaway. Glazing over the sight of the purple haired girl, watching her trail away, in that instant, she knew the girl is Cavendish's spy.
"Remember, Sucy. Whatever plans you might have conjured, I can help. I am your instrument and you are my player."
Sucy pocketed her hand before she instantaneously lunged after her.
The Canadian let out a girly scream after being tackled, alerting everyone in the cafeteria, even surprising her companions at the table.
"What the heck's your problem, hoser?"
Faced with an adversity, Sucy was becoming good at lying. With a poker face, she nonchalantly pointed at the huge spider she flicked away on the floor. "You've got a spider in your hair."
Cavendish's fangirls wrapped each other in a hug and screamed at the sight of a dark brown spider with a bulbous abdomen on the floor.
"You're welcome, by the way," Sucy said, keeping her voice in monotone. "I saved you a trip to the Hospital. That little critter is a False Widow Spider, known to bite humans. They are not usually aggressive, but you may never know."
"Oh," the Canadian licked her lips, contemplating what to say. "Thank you."
Sucy had taken vicious satisfaction from the other girl's anger and embarrassment. Giving her a nod in response, she watched her leave with the two scared girls. A smirk worming its way to her mouth, nobody knew she has the Canadian's purple hair strand that she plucked amongst the commotion.