Chapter six

My head was basically in a jumbled mess; everything was happening so fast and it didn't make any sense. It was like with every passing second, the air got even more dense. There was panic in the air, but it was a calm panic.

I expected that everyone in the school would have started running out by now due to the news of a teacher dying barely an hour ago. But it seems like everyone was sticking around to see what was going to happen next. It was obvious that this was a normal thing here, and they always blamed it on Mira.

I needed to find her.

"You can't be that blind," Clara seethed in my face,pulling me out of my world of worrisome thoughts. My hands went to my dark strands and pulled them softly. I had almost forgotten she and Raphael were here. We had the last period together, and we sat right next to each other the second they walked in. News of Mira's alleged latest victim spread like wildfire during the harmattan season.

"Okay, tell me again what happened." I asked, hoping to get the full picture because I have only been getting pieces. All the teachers were busy in the lounge, and the police would be here any moment. Things were about to get crazy.

Raphael huffed and explained the whole thing: "Mrs. Harper caught Mira sleeping during biology; she tried to wake her up but the weirdo wouldn't-"

"Don't call her that." I interrupted him harshly, my jaw clenching and my eyes hardening. I didn't like how people talked about her; it's been almost a week since I've been here, and I still don't see anything negative about Mira. She just had bad luck. Other than that, there was nothing out of the ordinary. The way people treated her like a plague, like she wasn't a human being with feelings, it was sickening.

Even though I tried to hide it, my expression must have given away the rage I felt inside. I saw the brief fear in Raphael's eyes as he watched my sudden change in demeanor. Clara watched as well, but instead of fear, she had concern in her eyes. I sighed, taking in a few calming breaths before saying, "Continue."

Raphael glanced between Clara and I. There was uncertainty in his eyes, but I didn't miss Clara's reassuring nod before he continued, "So Mrs. Harper banged on her table really hard. The bang even made my heart skip." He released a small chuckle here. "Mira jumped with surprise. Her eyes were wide and frantic, which made it obvious that she was sleeping. Then Mrs. Harper started yelling at her. You honestly should have seen it, Jake. It was terrifying, Mira…. She had this evil look in her eyes."

Again, I rolled my eyes. He, along with everyone else, was just over-exaggerating. Who wouldn't be upset if they were woken up by a loud noise?

"That was the fourth period. Before the next one, one of the eighth grade teachers ran out of the teacher's restroom screaming like hell. Apparently, she found Mrs. Harper lying in a pool of her own blood. Her throat was slashed wide open." He finished, and I cringed at the image that formed in my mind.

I couldn't believe that poor teacher had to undergo such a gruesome death. She must have felt a lot of pain before she finally lost her life. But that didn't make it right to blame it all on Mira just because it looked like Mrs. Harper annoyed her before she was killed.

I shook my head slowly, trying to take it all in. "So what? You guys think it was Mira who killed her?" I asked, finding all this hard to believe. Neither of them answered because, for some reason, they must have felt the same thing I did.

It was only for a second, but the sensation was chilling and unforgettable. It went up my spine and sent goosebumps all over my skin. There was a heavy presence in the room, almost suffocating. It demanded attention, and slowly, all three of us looked towards the class entrance.

There, Mira stood staring at us with bloodshot eyes.

"Jesus Christ," Raphael muttered, gripping his chest and pinching his eyes shut. He and Clara both looked away, obviously taken aback by Mira's sudden appearance, but my gaze was fixed. We weren't too far from the entrance, and neither of us was speaking in hushed tones. It was most likely that she had heard us. But that was not my concern.

She looked like she had been crying.

Mira's eyes held me captive. Despite the distance between us, I could see the faint tears and sorrow in her eyes.

It's like I had lost control of my own body because I wasn't thinking when I quickly stood from my seat and rushed over to her. "Jake, wait-" Clara said, grabbing my wrist, but I yanked it off without so much as a second thought. I could feel her eyes on my back as I walked towards Mira.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked, my concern on full display as I came to a stop right in front of her. The way her eyes focused on one of mine before bouncing to the other was intense. Her dark orbs were so wide and filled with fear. I knew right then and there that she couldn't be Mrs. Harper's killer. The trembling in her hands almost went unnoticed, though.

"I didn't do it," she whispered, and that was all I needed to hear. I mean, come on, Mrs. Harper was at least three times Mira's size. It was almost impossible for Mira to attack her talk less of kill her.

"I know," I said in a soft tone. I offered her a small smile, hoping to ease some of the tension she was feeling. It wasn't easy having the whole school point fingers at you for a crime you didn't commit. I took her hand in mine and led her down the hall and towards the guy's bathroom. Placing my hand on her lower back, I ushered her inside and made sure no one was watching before locking the door. I made sure to check all the stalls before giving Mira my full attention.

"How old are you?" was my first question.

Her head tilted slightly to the side, like she hadn't expected to hear that question from me. "Seventeen." She answered, and I sighed with relief; she was still under age, so they couldn't put her in jail for suspected murder.

I think.

"Okay, I think you need to go home. You shouldn't come to school for a while, because things aren't looking too good for you," I sadly informed her. Although I have a feeling the school would be temporarily shut down for further investigations concerning Mrs. Harper's death. "I'll drop you at home."

I made my way towards the door to unlock it, and Mira suddenly grabbed my wrist. Her touch sent an eerie feeling up my arm. It was cold and moist, an odd combination. The entire restroom fell silent, and the only sound was the faint dripping of water in the sink.

Slowly, I turned towards Mira, and my heart nearly flew out my chest when the lights started blinking rapidly. Her face was not visible thanks to her dark hair, which covered it like a curtain. The spot where our skin met suddenly felt cold; it was almost freezing, and I wondered how that was possible when we were barely out of summer.

But what brought my heart to a halt was the voice I heard next,

It wasn't Mira's.

"Jake…."

A loud bang was heard, stealing both of our attention, and in less than a second the entire restroom was swarming with police officers. My eyes widened with surprise at the sight of their raised guns. It was like the events of the last few minutes flew out of my memory because I found myself shielding Mira from their range.

"What do you think you are doing? What is going on?" I demanded, but was completely ignored.

"Mira Simpson, you are under arrest for the suspected murder of Nancy Harper. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in court."