Chapter 30

" I bet she is skipping school to get laid by some uni boys, such a slut." The four girls laughed as they cleared their books off their desks getting ready to go for their lunch break. It's funny thinking that those girls are considered one of Emily's close friends. When the first period started and she wasn't in school yet, it was assumed she was running late, but when it was the fourth period and she was a no show people decide that she was ditching school. I cleared my books too and headed for my locker, Derrick hadn't inquired about his so called girlfriend and we were starting to wonder what was really going on in his mind. Am positive he had gotten a whiff of the gossip in the hallway but he didn't show any reaction to it. Maybe it's because he knew his girlfriend well enough to know the rumors were not just rumors but facts. Even with that point of view we weren't really convinced.

Thanos, " Do you think he knows anything about what really happened to Emily? Maybe he saw something that Friday evening." It would have been possible causes we were caught up in the heat of the moment then the rush of what happened next that evening that we might have missed spotting an intruder, but knowing Derrick's personality, he's not the type to sit on such information, he would have either told on us or settle on blackmail and since none of that has happened I could clear him off as a witness.

" That can't be the case, but he is acting suspicious maybe we should ask him directly."

Dragoshi, " No! he will wonder why we are taking interest in it, and in a few days, when words out that Emily is missing he will get suspicious of us. "

Thanos, " there is no need to ask him anything am sure that some dumbass will do that for us so we better hurry into the cafeteria so we can get a good spot at the table where we can be able to see his reactions so as to figure out if he's hiding something or not."

We made it just on time to get that said perfect spot which was at the end of the table diagonal to where Derrick sat on the opposite side. Within a few minutes, the table was full with their so called gang to the point some had to seat on the other's lap. Guess lunch isn't the main agenda today. This had me wondering what the situation will be like once she's declared missing.

"So Derrick, don't take this the wrong way am just asking what everyone wants to know but don't have the balls to." well that was fast I thought for a moment they would put their friend's feelings into consideration over their curiosity but I remembered they are just a bunch of selfish little pricks.

"We all know by now you have already heard the news about Emily missing school, and we are sure it's from being sick because the parents would have called the school and our class teacher would have passed on the message to us. So from your perspective where do you think she is? is she alone or with someone?

The last question drew some gasp across the table which sounded fake then followed by giggles and light shoving of levin who apparently claimed to have balls enough to ask Derrick the question everyone was dying to hear the answer to. The entire time Derrick had his eyes glued to the gooey-looking Mac and cheese that was supposed to be his lunch. He seemed absent-minded but the twitching of his eyebrows showed that he did hear every word said on the table he just chose to ignore them.

Thanos, " He's acting more suspicious than before. If we had sat next to him as usual we would have not been able to pick up on these small signs. "

"His expression keeps on changing back and forth from nervous to scared to angry. But not once did he look at us or try to sneak even a single glance since we sat down implying that whatever got him like this has nothing to do with us."

Dragoshi, "At least not directly."

"Huh?"

Dragoshi, " Well if whatever is bothering him is Emily then it has something to do with us since you know... but it's indirectly since he doesn't know what we did"

The giggling and playful shoving seemed to have been his limit slamming his palms on the table the stood up shoved the one who sat next to him off his seat and stormed off the lunchroom. This didn't just leave our table dead silent but also the entire room, and the trace of previous chit chats which ninety-five percent of them were about Emily was gone. He didn't even bother disposing of his lunch which was left untouched before taking his exit.

"Shish! if he didn't want to answer our question he should have said so, no need of being that dramatic. Nana, you are the president of the drama club, aren't you? you should sign him up with the dramatic exit he just took am sure he would be a great fit."

"Shut up Levin! you just pissed him off and you think this is the best time to make stupid jokes instead of finding a way to make it up to him" Nana may be small but there was surely nothing small about her voice which turned everybody's attention to our table which we took as our cue to abandon our table before the shouting match began. They were just going to point fingers at each other creating an unnecessary drama.

Dragoshi, " This reminds me of underground fights, people start arguments over stupid things the only difference is that the arguments end with blood shade while here it will end with a trip to the principal's office gosh I miss those nights."

" I will check in with the guys and see if they arrange something for us, that's if we don't end up in jail hahaha."

Thanos, " It's great to see that your sense of humor has improved but know is not the time we have to deal with the Derrick issue first"

The earlier predicament that occurred in the cafeteria seemed to have toned down the rumors in the hallway especially if Derrick was within ear reach. Apart from that, everything was back to normal for the rest of the day, slow and boring. Tuesday and Wednesday were spent keeping an eye on Derrick and the furthest we had gotten is shell shocked expression when the teacher announced that Emily's parents had filed a missing person report and the police were yet to start a search but requested if anyone knew anything they should report it to the principal who will be in touch with the authority. This type of news was shocking to everyone but the way Derrick reacted was as if to suggest that he knew something about Emily and what he knew might be big enough to get him in trouble. He was visibly shaking that he had to excuse himself to the nurse's office. " Could someone help him to the nurse's office just in case he may need it." This was an opportunity offering itself to us and they ain't no way am letting it go to waste.

" I will." I was on my feet before I could even complete my sentence. This got me several curious and weird stares from the other students, it was probably because Derrick and I aren't the best of friends so being the first to jump in and offer to help was kind of suspicious.

"I mean I was gonna ask to be excused to go to the bathroom anyway, so I might as well tend to him the nurse's office is in the same direction." The lie sounded reasonable and the rest we quick to buy it. I rushed out in hopes of getting to Derrick before I lost him since Thanos had a feeling he wasn't really going to see the nurse. When I spotted him he was further down the hallway, to doors from where he was supposed to be going. He seemed to be heading towards the school's main entrance and if we don't hurry we are really gonna lose him. There was a no running in the hallway policy but since there was no teacher around, we set on a full sprint. We were getting closer and closer to Derrick but came to an unexpected stop when we collided with a hard body and then the floor.

"You know this is one of the main reasons the school has a no running in the hallway policy. Are you Okay? did you brake anything?" I thought was in trouble and would get sent into detention which will get in the way of our mission at hand, but when I had the voice and deep chuckle I knew it was even worse.

" YAN!"

" Hey sweetheart. Miss me?"