Song of the chapter is
Oh Ana by Mother Mother

-59-
-Veronica D'Rosario-
-Present-

________________

D'Rosario Residence
25 December, 2019
7:13 pm

" Oh honey, you look beautiful." Jennifer said as she stared at me while I applied lipstick standing in front of the mirror.

" Thanks Jen." I smiled at her and checked my phone to see that I had a few texts from my friends.
"Well...I have to go."

"Wait you're going to skate your way to the school? In this dress?" Jen asked, looking at me curiously.

" It'll be alright, Jen. It's not like I'm wearing a gown." I chuckled.

Like I could ever pull off a gown. Since it was Christmas, Jennifer had been hell bent on buying me a nice dress. It was supposed to be a Christmas present. And I couldn't really ever say no to her. So I decided to wear it today.

It was nothing gorgeous. It was a simple wine coloured frock that ended at my thighs, with sleeveless shoulders. I had never wore something like this before. So needless to say I was a bit uncomfortable at first.

And so I decided to wear a black blazer to top it off. Cause god knows I couldn't wear sleevless in public. I had a little too much of social anxiety to pull it off in public.

" Are you sure , you'll be okay?" Jen asked for the tenth time. And I knew what she was referring to.

" I know that you're really torn up about Ahaan, Vivi....and I just.... I'm scared for you."

But it was for avenging his death, that I and the rest of my friends were going to this party. It was to put an end to all of this.

To finally be free.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and looked at her and gave her my best smile. "I'll be okay, Jennifer. Listen.....I have to go now. I love you, okay? And thank you for everything you've ever done for me."

"Honey, you're just going to a school party. Why are you saying all these things? Is everything okay?" She asked.

I bit my tongue to resist the tears burning in the back of my eye from falling down.

" Yeah,... everything is fine."I smiled at her.

"Okay see you later , honey. Enjoy!" She said with a huge grin as I nodded and headed towards the door.

" Goodbye Jen." I said one last time before heading out the door.

I stood at the porch for a minute, the deafening silence making it all seemed even more real. As optimistic as I wanted to be about all of it going according to our plan, something in my heart nagged otherwise.

I looked back at my house one more time. I somehow felt afraid that I would never be able to return back if I stepped out of the porch.

I shook the feeling out of my system and focused. It all ended today, somehow or the other.

I picked up my skateboard and walked out of the gate and closed it behind me.

Placing my foot on the skateboard, I looked ahead.

This ends tonight.

_____________

The gym was decorated a little too extravagantly.

Atleast that was the first thing I noticed as I stepped inside. Loud music engulfed me as I looked around the gym. Everyone from our school was there it seemed. The gym thronged with people dressed up to their best. Some people were dancing too. Several others were sitting at their respective tables with their friends.

My eyes skimmed through the gym until I spotted the gang sitting at a particular table, at the far corner of the gym. I smiled in relief.

I made my way towards them, almost bumping into every sweaty person on the way. As I got nearer, Himanshu stood up looking at me. I smiled sheepishly.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Saina and Kartik chuckled behind him and his face grew even redder. He quickly extended a chair towards me and sat down in his own. I smiled and sat down next to Zoya.

Not until I had gotten over that awkward conversation, did I notice all the others' looks.

Siya was wearing a pink sequined dress. She looked absolutely adorable with rosy cheeks and let down hair.

Saina was wearing a green satin silk dress, with a gorgeous black choker gracing her neck. She had her hair up in a neat bun.

Zoya , on the other hand, wore a simple violet coloured one piece, with her hair curled up and  black kohl gracing her eyes. Her porcelain skin glowed in contrast to the dark clothing she wore.

The guys looked equally extravagant. Kartik wore a black shirt and brown pants, topped off with a brown blazer and Himanshu wore a simple blue shirt and black pants.

He still looked adorable.

" Look at all these people... enjoying....and we can't even do that." Zoya pouted, looking at the dancing couples.

" I miss Avi." Saina said, looking at the couples. I side hugged her, "I know, Saina. I'm sorry."

" It's just....we always used to come to the Jingle Mingle together. All four of us, I mean." She said, looking at Kartik. Kartik smiled fondly.

" I can understand." I said looking down. " I and Ahaan used to ditch the party and go around town doing stupid things cause that was the only day when there would less people on the streets and thus, we didn't have to deal with our social anxiety."

Tears stung my eyes as I remembered the memories that I had once made with him.

It was all I had of him now. Memories.

" Let's all focus, okay?" Kartik said, looking at us. " This ends today."

" How about we go over the plan one more time?" Moose suggested.

I nodded. " Okay, so as soon as the clock strikes 10 , we all will go hide in one of the rooms in the school until everyone leaves."

" That'll give us two hours to prepare for the killer since he said that he would meet us at midnight." Zoya continued.

"Until then, we need to keep a close eye on everyone in this room. There's a chance that he or she is present here right now." Kartik said.

" Speaking of," Himanshu said and turned to Siya. "Did you see Nikhil before you left the house?"

Siya nodded negatively. "No. I didn't. He wasn't there."

"He's probably getting ready for striking tonight. Too bad, he doesn't know we're prepared this time." Kartik said, with gritted teeth.

Himanshu nodded, " Yeah, but that doesn't mean we should underestimate him. And remember that he's not alone....he has a partner too whom we don't know."

" Whoever it is,.....they are going to pay for what they did to our friends." Zoya said, her eyes gleaming with anger.

" And to Alishka as well." I completed.

The night passed in a swift harmony. Everyone else present there seemed completely oblivious of our condition as they danced and enjoyed the night. And I didn't blame them. I just felt pity on ourselves that we couldn't even celebrate Christmas.

As the clock struck 10, we dispersed from the crowd one by one in order to avoid suspicions. Siya and Kartik hid in the maths lab , Zoya and Saina in the girl's washroom and I and Moose hid in the janitor's closet.

Granted the closet wasn't that big, my body was two inches away from his. Our nose were almost touching as we waited silently for the crowd to disperse.

" Moose...."

" Yeah?"

The closet was dark except for the occasional light coming from the gaps on the door.

" I'm sorry for that day. I don't know what came over me."

It was easier to apologise when I couldn't see his face.

" Oh... it's okay....I understand. You were upset about Ahaan."

" No, but still....I shouldn't have behaved that way.... I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Ronnie."

I breathed a sigh of relief.

" We really need to take a vacation once all of this is over."

" True." He chuckled softly. He and I both were breathing heavily. I could feel the proximity of our closeness at the moment. I tried my best to keep calm.

"Hey Moose....."

" Yeah?"

"If I die today......"

" Ronnie-"

" No listen...if I die today.....I just....want you to know that....."

" That....."

" That.....uh....I.....I....uh...."

" Ronnie....what is it?"

" Uh....."

Just as I was about to utter those words, someone knocked on the closet door and whispered, "Guys it's us. Everyone left. You can come out."

I breathed heavily as Moose unlocked the door and got out. I was almost about to  utter my nonsense. Thank god for Kartik's timing.

The six of us stood in the empty hallway of the second floor in silence for a second.

But before we could say another word, a speakers on the side cackled softly and started playing a song,

'Got a secret, can you keep it?
Swear this one you'll save.
Better lock it in your pocket,
Taking this one to the grave.....'

" What the fuck?" Zoya muttered, looking around.

" Guys, I don't like this." Saina said, nervously.

" Let's get to the detention room-" Siya began when suddenly she was cut off by a click sound.

" Are you sure everyone left, Kartik?" I asked him frantically.

" Yes, I saw everyone exit through the main gate!" Kartik said, nervously glancing at me.

Not a second later another click was heard and two round objects rolled from the end of the hallway and stopped at mine and Siya's feet.

"Run!" Moose yelled as smoke started coming out of the objects. It didn't take me long to realise that it was a smoke bomb.

We all ran away from there , covering our noses. But as we got to the other end of the hallway, another pair of smoke bombs exploded and we had no place to run this time. Himanshu's hands remained intertwined with mine until I saw his slowly close and his hand loosened. My friends were all collapsing to the floor one by one and it didn't take long for the blackness to swept over me too.

My eyes started drooping down and after a while I couldn't open them.

And a minute later, I blacked out.