"Meet our new roommate, Rachel- er...", gulped Laurence O'Hara, the brunette haired girl who would be my all new second roommate in Amberville High Hostel.
"It's McAdams, Rachel McAdams." I corrected.
"Right." She smiled. "Welcome to Amberville High, Rachel."
"Thanks." I said politely and looked at the other girl who was sitting upright on one of the three beds and staring at me from head to toe. Laurence has just introduced me to her.
"Oh, sorry, seems like I've forgotten to tell you about her." Laurence shook her head. "This is Clara Richards, your other roommate."
"Hey, Clara," I smiled at her, keeping my backpack and the trolley suitcase on the floor.
"Hey, nice to meet you, Rachel." She grinned and shook my hand.
"How long have you been traveling?" Laurence asked, sitting on her bed.
"Two hours from Seattle," I said, "It's not so long journey, by the way."
"So, tell us about yourself," Clara sat cross-legged, facing me.
I told them everything about me in short- what made me think of coming to this small town, Amberville and studying here, leaving my family back in Seattle. I told them about my Amberville fascination and that I had always wanted to study in AVH as it's one of the top schools of the country. And I had appeared for an admission test to enter and only then I got the chance to enter. Back in Seattle, my parents and my younger brother, Jammie didn't want me to leave, but seeing my fascination, they had to agree.
"Great," Laurence said, "Even we had to appear for the test to enter. It was hideous."
"Chuck it now. You must be hungry." Clara said, standing up.
"A lot," I answered.
"Come on then, we'll take you to the cafeteria." She said opening the door.
The AVH cafeteria was huge with several food counters and tables and chairs. It was crowded with students from all faculty. It was five minutes walking distance from the AVH hostel. Bith were inside the school campus.
Clara and Laurence walked towards a food counter and gestured me to order food. I looked at the menu card kept in front of the counter and ordered a plate of fried chicken and a diet coke. Both the girls didn't order anything.
"Aren't you girls taking anything?" I asked, sitting beside Clara at a corner table.
"No, we ate already before you arrived." Clara answered, peeling her blue nail polish off while Laurence concetrated in her phone.
"Hey, girls," a red head boy with a huge grin came and slapped Clara's back.
"Ouch!" She glared at him. "Is this your new style of greeting, Mike?"
"Oops! Sorry," he chuckled and slumped himself on the chair next to Laurence.
"Hey, Mike, meet our new classmate plus roommate, Rachel-er..." Laurence looked at mr apologetically.
"Rachel McAdams," I extended my hand.
"Oh, hey, glad to meet you," Mike shook my hand lightly. "I'm Mike Donald, by the way."
"Nice to know you, Mike." I smiled, "I see a lot of students here. I suppose, I'm not in too late."
"You're just two days late, dear," Mike answered. "You haven't missed anything important, don't worry. Teachers are still stuck at the introduction phase."
"You're funny," I laughed. "Good to know that I haven't missed much."
"Are you really that studious?" Laurence giggled.
"A bit," I smiled, "but I don't think so I can study here, with you guys. The whole time you are gonna keep on entertaing me."
"See," Clara smirked at Mike, "We can entertain someone at least. Now you won't tease us saying that we're stuffy."
"Wow!" Mike exclaimed. "For the first time, you girls are entertaining someone."
Boys and girls, I request you to please go back to your dorms. It's urgent...
A female voice announced on the speakers attached in the cafeteria. As soon as the announcement stopped, students stared scattering here and there, moving towards the glass doors.
"What's happening? Who was announcing?" I asked, confused.
"It was the principal, Ms. Eva. Must be something really urgent. Let's go." Clara said and we all got up, leaving my half eaten food on the table, and walked towards the door.
"Hey, Kevin, why are they telling us to go? What happened?" Mike called a guy who was rushing ahead of us, through the lawn outside.
"Heard it's a murder," he hardly looked at Mike and almost ran towards the boys hostel.
"Murder?" Laurence yelled in fear. She was turning pale. "Who's murdered?"
"Stop panicking, Laurence," Clara pulled her hand. "We are safe. Lets get in our dorm."
We bid Mike goodbye and went in our dorm. Laurence shut all the windows and locked the door. She was totally panicked.
"Here, drink water," I handed her a glass of water from the bed side table.
She gulped it does n quickly and looked at both of us as we sat opposite her.
"There was never such a case before." Clara whispered, "Murders in this school, I mean."
"Stop thinking about it." I shrugged. "Everything's gonna be fine."
Suddenly, Clara's phone started ringing. We all jumped up in the sudden loud sound. She took her phone out of her jeans pocket and showed us the caller id. It was Mike.
"What is it, Mike?" She asked.
We couldn't hear what Mike was saying and so we both sat silently, looking at Clara. Her face was turning pale and fearful just like Laurence's. After a few minutes, they hung up.
"What happened?" I asked nervously.
"It's a guy of ninth grade, James Madison. His body was found awhile ago in the boys toilet on third floor of the main building. Someone has cut his throat."
"Oh my gosh!" Laurence put her hands on her mouth. "A murderer in school?"
"Relax, Laurence," I patted her back. "Did the cops come?"
"Yeah," Clara sat on her bed, "They said they will investigate."
That night, nobody went to cafeteria for dinner. It was given in our rooms by the school staff. Laurence had slept early out of fear and Clara was texting someone on her phone. I sat on my bed, thinking about the ninth grade boy.
"I'm off to bed." Clara threw the blanket on her and slept, finally.
My phone vibrated suddenly. I came back to my senses and looked at it. It was a call from Jammie.
"Hello?" I said.
"Hey, sis", he whispered.
"How are you, Jammie?"
"I'm alright. I actually wanted to ask you the same. I was just browsing net and found a news article. The murder of a ninth grade boy in AVH. Is everything okay?"
"Oh no! They have posted it already? Mum n dad shouldn't see it. They'll panick. I'm alright, Jammie. Students are panicked."
"Don't worry. They won't see anything. The news in only over the net and not on tv. Take care, by the way. I gotta go. Good night".
"Good night." I heard a beep- he has already hung up.
I kept my phone on the bedside study table and unfolded my blanket. Then I changed into a pair of pajamas and a loose flannel shirt and was about to sleep when suddenly I heard a thump on the window next to my bed.
I jumped in horror and looked at it. The window was shut tightly and I could see a hand resting on the glass outside. I shivered remembering the murder case. Am I seeing right? How can someone climb upto the fourth floor? The hand was still placed there. I thought of checking it out out of curiosity. I slowly went near the window and removed the lock from it's place soundlessly. Putting all my courage in me, I opened the window in a sudden push.
Everything happened so suddenly before I could understand anything. The hand belonged to a severely remembering pale guy who was slumped back on my window sunshed. His eyes fluttered open and he stared right at me. I froze looking at his blood red eyes. A scar ran through his left cheek which ended at the hollow of his neck. I stared at him and felt my stomach tying knots.
He looked at me for a second and before I could understand, jumped right from the top of my window. I couldn't see anything down there because of darkness.
I was so shocked that I could hardly move. Finally, I couldn't take it any longer and I went to bed and fell asleep.
"It's McAdams, Rachel McAdams." I corrected.
"Right." She smiled. "Welcome to Amberville High, Rachel."
"Thanks." I said politely and looked at the other girl who was sitting upright on one of the three beds and staring at me from head to toe. Laurence has just introduced me to her.
"Oh, sorry, seems like I've forgotten to tell you about her." Laurence shook her head. "This is Clara Richards, your other roommate."
"Hey, Clara," I smiled at her, keeping my backpack and the trolley suitcase on the floor.
"Hey, nice to meet you, Rachel." She grinned and shook my hand.
"How long have you been traveling?" Laurence asked, sitting on her bed.
"Two hours from Seattle," I said, "It's not so long journey, by the way."
"So, tell us about yourself," Clara sat cross-legged, facing me.
I told them everything about me in short- what made me think of coming to this small town, Amberville and studying here, leaving my family back in Seattle. I told them about my Amberville fascination and that I had always wanted to study in AVH as it's one of the top schools of the country. And I had appeared for an admission test to enter and only then I got the chance to enter. Back in Seattle, my parents and my younger brother, Jammie didn't want me to leave, but seeing my fascination, they had to agree.
"Great," Laurence said, "Even we had to appear for the test to enter. It was hideous."
"Chuck it now. You must be hungry." Clara said, standing up.
"A lot," I answered.
"Come on then, we'll take you to the cafeteria." She said opening the door.
The AVH cafeteria was huge with several food counters and tables and chairs. It was crowded with students from all faculty. It was five minutes walking distance from the AVH hostel. Bith were inside the school campus.
Clara and Laurence walked towards a food counter and gestured me to order food. I looked at the menu card kept in front of the counter and ordered a plate of fried chicken and a diet coke. Both the girls didn't order anything.
"Aren't you girls taking anything?" I asked, sitting beside Clara at a corner table.
"No, we ate already before you arrived." Clara answered, peeling her blue nail polish off while Laurence concetrated in her phone.
"Hey, girls," a red head boy with a huge grin came and slapped Clara's back.
"Ouch!" She glared at him. "Is this your new style of greeting, Mike?"
"Oops! Sorry," he chuckled and slumped himself on the chair next to Laurence.
"Hey, Mike, meet our new classmate plus roommate, Rachel-er..." Laurence looked at mr apologetically.
"Rachel McAdams," I extended my hand.
"Oh, hey, glad to meet you," Mike shook my hand lightly. "I'm Mike Donald, by the way."
"Nice to know you, Mike." I smiled, "I see a lot of students here. I suppose, I'm not in too late."
"You're just two days late, dear," Mike answered. "You haven't missed anything important, don't worry. Teachers are still stuck at the introduction phase."
"You're funny," I laughed. "Good to know that I haven't missed much."
"Are you really that studious?" Laurence giggled.
"A bit," I smiled, "but I don't think so I can study here, with you guys. The whole time you are gonna keep on entertaing me."
"See," Clara smirked at Mike, "We can entertain someone at least. Now you won't tease us saying that we're stuffy."
"Wow!" Mike exclaimed. "For the first time, you girls are entertaining someone."
Boys and girls, I request you to please go back to your dorms. It's urgent...
A female voice announced on the speakers attached in the cafeteria. As soon as the announcement stopped, students stared scattering here and there, moving towards the glass doors.
"What's happening? Who was announcing?" I asked, confused.
"It was the principal, Ms. Eva. Must be something really urgent. Let's go." Clara said and we all got up, leaving my half eaten food on the table, and walked towards the door.
"Hey, Kevin, why are they telling us to go? What happened?" Mike called a guy who was rushing ahead of us, through the lawn outside.
"Heard it's a murder," he hardly looked at Mike and almost ran towards the boys hostel.
"Murder?" Laurence yelled in fear. She was turning pale. "Who's murdered?"
"Stop panicking, Laurence," Clara pulled her hand. "We are safe. Lets get in our dorm."
We bid Mike goodbye and went in our dorm. Laurence shut all the windows and locked the door. She was totally panicked.
"Here, drink water," I handed her a glass of water from the bed side table.
She gulped it does n quickly and looked at both of us as we sat opposite her.
"There was never such a case before." Clara whispered, "Murders in this school, I mean."
"Stop thinking about it." I shrugged. "Everything's gonna be fine."
Suddenly, Clara's phone started ringing. We all jumped up in the sudden loud sound. She took her phone out of her jeans pocket and showed us the caller id. It was Mike.
"What is it, Mike?" She asked.
We couldn't hear what Mike was saying and so we both sat silently, looking at Clara. Her face was turning pale and fearful just like Laurence's. After a few minutes, they hung up.
"What happened?" I asked nervously.
"It's a guy of ninth grade, James Madison. His body was found awhile ago in the boys toilet on third floor of the main building. Someone has cut his throat."
"Oh my gosh!" Laurence put her hands on her mouth. "A murderer in school?"
"Relax, Laurence," I patted her back. "Did the cops come?"
"Yeah," Clara sat on her bed, "They said they will investigate."
That night, nobody went to cafeteria for dinner. It was given in our rooms by the school staff. Laurence had slept early out of fear and Clara was texting someone on her phone. I sat on my bed, thinking about the ninth grade boy.
"I'm off to bed." Clara threw the blanket on her and slept, finally.
My phone vibrated suddenly. I came back to my senses and looked at it. It was a call from Jammie.
"Hello?" I said.
"Hey, sis", he whispered.
"How are you, Jammie?"
"I'm alright. I actually wanted to ask you the same. I was just browsing net and found a news article. The murder of a ninth grade boy in AVH. Is everything okay?"
"Oh no! They have posted it already? Mum n dad shouldn't see it. They'll panick. I'm alright, Jammie. Students are panicked."
"Don't worry. They won't see anything. The news in only over the net and not on tv. Take care, by the way. I gotta go. Good night".
"Good night." I heard a beep- he has already hung up.
I kept my phone on the bedside study table and unfolded my blanket. Then I changed into a pair of pajamas and a loose flannel shirt and was about to sleep when suddenly I heard a thump on the window next to my bed.
I jumped in horror and looked at it. The window was shut tightly and I could see a hand resting on the glass outside. I shivered remembering the murder case. Am I seeing right? How can someone climb upto the fourth floor? The hand was still placed there. I thought of checking it out out of curiosity. I slowly went near the window and removed the lock from it's place soundlessly. Putting all my courage in me, I opened the window in a sudden push.
Everything happened so suddenly before I could understand anything. The hand belonged to a severely remembering pale guy who was slumped back on my window sunshed. His eyes fluttered open and he stared right at me. I froze looking at his blood red eyes. A scar ran through his left cheek which ended at the hollow of his neck. I stared at him and felt my stomach tying knots.
He looked at me for a second and before I could understand, jumped right from the top of my window. I couldn't see anything down there because of darkness.
I was so shocked that I could hardly move. Finally, I couldn't take it any longer and I went to bed and fell asleep.
