Song of the chapter is
Soap by Melanie Martinez.

-03-
-Veronica D' Rosario-
-Present-

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Delmore High
15 November, 2019

8:16 am

Nothing such as privacy existed in Delmore High.

People here loved to gossip. About anything and everything. It didn't matter if whatever they were discussing were just rumors. They needed to open their cherry wine coloured lips just to speak of the misunderstood to get a sardonic satisfaction. People here loved to twist things just to pleasure their deranged minds. Right now, the main source of gossip for the insensitive imbeciles was the death of Alishka Malhotra.

I rolled my eyes as I heard them discussing the possible suspects as if the police department wasn't doing enough. Who knew someone's death could spark such euphoria in people?

Alishka was dead.

Her name just left a strange taste in my mouth when I so much as whispered it. It was almost unbelievable.

Keyword - Almost.

Hearing the announcement just made me sick to the stomach. Except I was a bit subtle about it. Siya clearly wasn't.

I leaned against the cold dirty walls of one of the bathroom cubicles as I tried to calm myself .

'It isn't your fault. Stop feeling guilty. It isn't your fault. It isn't your fau-'

" Well well well, thought I heard a party in here."

At the sound of that painfully honeyed voice, I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

" Oh look , it's our famous class whore", one of the chipmunks chimed .

" Did you hear about Alishka's murder , Zizi? Oh who am I kidding? You must've. So tell me, how did you exactly do it?" the other chipmunk commented. I cringed.

" Are you two living mannaquins suggesting I had something to do with her murder?" , the honey coated voice asked.

" Well , isn't it obvious? You hated her guts."

" So did everyone in this goddamn school, honey. I just had the balls to show it unlike you two , of course."

At the sound of their exchange, I couldn't help but laugh; I covered my mouth , stifling my laugh.

" Now, if you two are done with your interogation, can I get back to powdering my nose?"

" Who are you planning to screw now? Aren't you done with the entire football team?", the other chipmunk taunted.

" No, you know, I got really bored of the football team. So I was thinking of moving on to the basketball team. Say Trina, isn't your boyfriend the captain of the basketball team?"

I stifled a laugh. I could practically hear the girl hissing.

" You bitch!"

The sound of their red soled heels clicking and clacking against the white marbel floors of the bathroom was enough to make me realize that they were gone. A soft sigh escaped my lips.

" You can come out now, V. The gossip mongers are gone", her voice echoed in the empty bathroom.

I unlocked the door and came out. There she was.

Zoya Afreen a.k.a Zizi.

The girl had her cherry wine lips pressed into a thin line; her irises jars of chocolate and caramel fudge staring at her own reflection in the mirror in front of her. She removed a strand of her ebony locks from her face as her eyes met mine through the mirror.

"How did you-"

" So you were eavesdropping?" She raised a brow at me.

" I wasn't eavesdropping. I was in the cubicle before the girls and you came in. There's a difference." I defended.

" Whatever helps you sleep at night, V," she said, smearing on her cherry wine lipstick, " Why are you here anyways? Don't you have class?"

" Why do you care?"

"I don't. I'm just trying to make small talk," she pouted checking her face in the mirror.

I shrugged and looked at my own reflection in the mirror.

" Who do you think did it?"

Her question surrounded me like a pack of wolves. I met her lapis lazuli eyes which were stained with curiousity.

"What do you mean?"

" Don't act dumb, V. You know exactly what I mean."

I swallowed the bile arising in my throat and inhaled deeply.

" It could be anyone. Everyone in this town despised her," I responded, not quite sure of the answer.

" Well, you can't really blame them , can you? She was devil's worst nightmare," Zizi muttered.

" Geez, Zoya. You have a subtlety of a hand grenade." I deadpanned.

She merely shrugged.

" I know this may sound insensitive and shit," Zizi began,
" But I'm glad she's gone."

Her words came out as a soft whisper but those words had the power to create havoc.

I somehow found myself agreeing with her. A flash of old instances ran through my mind. Alishka's judging looks , her venom filled words and her way of stripping people off their self esteem.

But it was only when her cold eyes would meet mine, peering, as if she knew every one of my secrets, as if she could see right through me , as if she could read me like an open book, that I felt most vulnerable.

I cringed at the thought.

" Anyways, it's not like it's any of my business anyways. She was a nuisance and now she's gone. I can't help but feel glad," Zizi said as she finished adoring her reflection and turned to me, " See you later, V."

And with that , she was gone. I turned to the mirror and glanced at my reflection.

A soft sigh escaped my lips.

Just then, my phone buzzed in the depths of my left pocket. Pulling it out, I swiped through the notifications. I momentarily froze for a split second.

' If only she could see how guilty you look.'

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