Chapter 12: The Tyrant's House

"What was that for?" I asked. "I can still go to school."

He looked at me out of the corner of his eye as he drove. "I got the address," he stated as he held up a blue plastic portfolio file. "We could go talk to his family. I thought that was what you wanted to do."

"We could get into trouble," I told him. My knees vibrated against my will, betraying the fear I tried to keep hidden. I had never skipped class, not even when I was sick. I was often tempted to bunk English, but I always chickened out of it. I used one of my hands to stop my knees from shaking.

"Chill. You've been excused from all the classes," Caspian replied.

"But you haven't," I fidgeted nervously.

"Again, chill. I've bunked loads of times and I've never had detention." Caspian turned his head towards me and smirked.

"Keep your eyes on the road," I scolded.

"I'm an expert driver," he assured me.

"I believe you," I mumbled under my breath, not for a second believing he even had his licence.

"We're here," Caspian voiced, bringing his sleek, black BMW to a halt.

"Are you sure?" I asked, looking out of the window. The house was small and run-down. The dark red roof was missing a few tiles. I thought face-brick didn't need any maintenance; but from the looks of this house, I was clearly wrong. This house had rat-sized holes in the wall, and a couple of the bricks were sticking half out. If anyone touched the house, it would surely crumble to pieces.

"Maybe no one lives here. The section for relatives is blank." Caspian held up Principal Hugh's personal information sheet.

"You couldn't have said that sooner?" I chided half-heartedly.

"We can still go in to look for clues." Caspian opened the car door. "You coming?"

I sighed and walked to the tyrant's house. The pathway was uneven, and even with sneakers it was a bit of an effort not to sprain my ankle.

Caspian pried the window open and climbed inside. I tried a more realistic approach and turned the door knob. Surprisingly, it opened.

I went inside, and the first thing I saw was Caspian's head; he was half in and half out. He looked like a turtle who had gotten stuck halfway out of his shell. "Really?" he asked.

I giggled. "Normal people try the door before the window."

He struggled and made it through, falling flat on the floor. "Your bedroom window was definitely bigger." He rubbed his head to emphasise his point

I looked around the room we were in. The front door led straight into this room, I assumed this was the living room. A couple of torn leather couches, were the only thing that occupied this room; Hugh didn't even have a TV. I headed to the kitchen and opened the fridge; it was fully stocked. Three cartons of milk, bread (who refrigerated bread?), fresh fish (that wasn't so fresh anymore), ketchup, mustard...

"Looking for a snack?" Caspian startled me; I hadn't heard him. He was as light on his toes as a ballerina.

I closed the fridge with a loud bang and chose not to answer his question.

I went over to the kitchen table and picked up the telephone. I pressed redial to see the number to which the last phone call was made. 0787126897. That can't be right. That was my number. I checked the day the phone call had been made. It was the day Hugh had died. The hour before he died he had apparently tried to call me. Why?

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and scrolled through my phone history. I had answered that call.

I listened as my favourite One Direction song played. I was one of the few people who were still into One Direction. One of the last standing Directioners. Three years after One D broke up, I still had one of their songs as my ringtone.

I looked at the caller- ID: unknown. Was it even worth answering? It was probably another call centre.

I answered the phone after letting it ring for some time, enjoying the One D song.

"Hi, Mads," a familiar voice greeted me.

"Asher? Whose phone are you using?" I asked.

Asher hesitated. "A friend of mine."

"Ok." I waited for him to carry on.

"Tell mom I'll be home late," Asher ordered, his voice devoid of his usual playfulness.

"Let me go," a muffled voice came from Asher's side of the call.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Janet and I are watching a movie." He didn't say 'bye' before cutting the call.

"You ok," Caspian came to stand next to me.

"A call was made from this phone, an hour before Principal Hugh died," I told Caspian.

"To who?" Caspian asked.

"Me." I fell back into his arms and let darkness wash over me.

Please don't forget to vote and comment.🦋❤️