Chapter 21 - The Decline

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — SYRRA — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

*(3 months later…)*

"Jenna… I don't know how long I can just shut up… It's really affected the quality of the school, not just me."

"Syrra, I understand that you're supporting Renn Alrose… I do, too. But for the past 3 months, we haven't made any progress on this."

Hello, I'm Syrra Winters. I'll be guiding you all to my chapters today while Renn's not in good condition. I'm currently calling my sister with the new phone my mom gave me last month. I was happy to receive it because I can finally contact other people now.

"That's why I'm going to take action today." I planned to keep an eye on Cassandra. She's the most suspicious one since she's one of the victims here. It's just weird how Renn suddenly got blamed for something he didn't do.

While believing he is innocent is easy enough, convincing everyone is the hard part.

"I'll try to lend you a hand whenever possible. My class is about to start, so good luck." She hung up and I walked through the hallways of our school. Everyone seemed to have gotten lazier ever since Renn left. It's very chaotic, it's not stopping anytime soon…

Gosh, I hate this…

But I have no time wallowing and whining about the condition of the school, I got a quarterly exam to work on. We are almost done with the 4th Quarter, the exam 2 weeks from now is just in the way for my SCHOLARSHIP!

I went to the library and studied there. The library is less occupied, everyone's having fun outside of course. But since everyone is having their fun outside, it has become a hellhole for anyone to study in.

Not to me, though. I can be alone here and not be bullied by anyone in my class during my free time. I grabbed a textbook and opened it. I spent the rest of my free time reading.

But while I was reading, I felt someone throw a piece of paper towards me. I stopped and looked for who did it, but there was no one there. They must be hiding.

Ever since that day, I've been entitled as: "The Alrose Supporter" or now currently "The REDACTED Supporter" since Renn is not here in the school. Everyone either distances themselves from me, or humiliates me with anything they have.

I'm not going to let them get into my head… They can just walk away with their minds in the gutters.

After a while of reading, I felt parched and went downstairs to buy something from the vending machines. I inserted 3 nickels to get an iced latte, as hot beverages make my insides uncomfortable.

"They say those vending machines are cursed… WoOoOoOoOoOoo~"

"It's like whenever you order there, an incident happens."

"They say it's only for the hot beverages, wonder what happens if you buy the cold ones…"

"Ignoring the fact she supports the REDACTED one, she'll get the punishment she deserves."

I didn't look at them, but I was annoyed hearing them. What rude brats… I took my iced latte and drank it. Coffee feels good, and the latte blend is the best kind of coffee… It gets me going for sure…

Anyway, free period is over. I went to the classroom with the Iced Coffee. I sat down on my new seat. Months ago, I asked Sir C if I could transfer somewhere else, and he acknowledged my request. I'm now sitting in the middle, now awfully closer to Cassandra at the corner, near the door. But I didn't care. Whether she's going to be planning something against me or not, I won't give it any more attention than her own mother has given her.

Sorry for the burn, but I had to.

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*(4 hours later…)*

Back to being lonely on the lunch table. Been used to it at this point, honestly. I just hate seeing Cassandra just keeping her eye on me at the opposite table right now. Is she stalking me? Is she planning to use me for something? Is she planning to make me do something like the Renn incident? I'm slightly getting unnerved.

I have to make sure she doesn't follow me at all. She's a danger zone to me.

"(What can I do to get Cassandra off my chest…)" She's done this to me for three months now… I'm trying so hard to think of a way to shake her off.

If she decides to follow me today, I don't think I'll stand a chance! So I'm going to need to think of something before dismissal…

"Looks like my little sister is struggling." I noticed Jenna. It's odd for her to be here at this time.

"Why are you here? You should be in class right now." I asked.

"Just did library work and now I can live free for the rest of the period." In case you didn't know, Jenna is a senior here. She's also my older sister.

"I'm planning on visiting Renn tonight. It's been long enough." One time, I saw him outside dragging plastic bags of groceries. I was really upset seeing him hunched back while doing that, so now I am determined to finally see him and have a word with him.

"I'll go with you. I shouldn't leave you alone after all." She patted my shoulder.

"No. This is something that I should discuss with him alone. He'll be overwhelmed if many people visit him at the same time. Knowing how he just depressingly walks to and from his house, the fire in Renn's soul just vanished. He's a frail shell now." He became the boy version of Serra. I said while taking a sip of my apple juice box.

"I'll just stay close by then. You still need company." I sighed. She really couldn't help but watch me, huh?

"I guess I'll let you keep a close eye." If she keeps insisting, I will have no choice but to agree anyway.

"Oh, and I happened to notice the foreigner you told me about. She was trying to enter here, but couldn't." I was surprised to hear about her. Fey tried to get here?!

"Why aren't they letting her in?!" It's honestly baffling on how they are not letting her in at all!

"Due to the new school policy that we can't let students from other schools in after 7 am." Jenna answered. Ah, right… That policy. I honestly forgot... How embarrassing...

"Still, I wonder what she wanted to tell us…" I now am curious, but I'll have to wait since Fey isn't here.

"Me too, but now isn't the time to talk about that." I can feel Jenna's disappointment from here.

"I should have thought of going to Phoenix Ruby… I hate that I focused on my scholarship first." I frowned, with my face flat on the table. I do have my priorities, but sometimes I have to take note of the opportunities that come.

"You'll get around." Jenna roughly caressed my hair, stood up as she went upstairs back to her class. I sat down properly and finished my lunch.

I looked around and saw Jessie having fun with her friends. From what I know, Jessie has been partying with them for weeks now. I don't know if she is studying at all or what, all I know is that I feel like her future stopped being so bright after that whole incident.

Whether I bring her back or not, Renn's my priority now.

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4 hours later…

There it is… The Vaxley household. The last time I was here, I didn't feel strong enough to solve the situation yet.

But now that I've had enough, I decided to go and finally talk to him. Jenna is on the other side of the street and gave me the go signal to knock.

And I did.

"Renn. It's me." No response.

"Renn, it's been 3 months. Let me help you. Even after all this time, I have never stopped believing in you. Please… Open the door." I'm not giving up this time. Until I see him, I will not go home.

I waited… Patiently.

And then after a while, I noticed the door was unlocked and I was shocked to see…

Renn.

For the first time in 3 months, I saw him, opening the door slightly. But I was right, he's a frail shell of his past self.

"Hm? What are you doing here? I needed to buy groceries…" Renn noticed me. His tone is dead, his eyes are dead, everything about him is dead. It's all too familiar.

"I want to talk to you, Renn. Just you and me." I persuaded him to let me talk. I cannot let this opportunity pass, or it will never happen again.

"I'm not in the mood for talking. Please move aside." I'm not accepting that blunt answer, Renn.

"No. It has to be now. I want to talk to you." I refused to move.

"Why do you even bother? I said move." Why is he against me…

I had no choice. I forcefully pushed him as he fell on the floor.

"Ow... What gives… Why did you hurt me?" He tried to stand up.

"I really needed to talk to you. It's about how you changed. You were one of the smartest people in my life. Seeing you like this hurts me so much!" Just let it out, Syrra…

"What's the point... If I'm just going to be suffering alive, I'd rather not be involved with anyone anymore." My eyes widened at his response. I felt offended seeing this.

"Can you... Please just listen? I already know what's going on and I'm going to help you! So please!" I shouted to him.

"How are you going to help me... They've bought it all. All the false accusations, all the false evidences. And what do I have? ... Nothing. So if you're going to keep going like this... Leave." I felt devastated hearing that and I was down on my knees...

"Me... You had me... You had my sister... You had Fey... And you even had Serra... Nothing?! ARE WE NOTHING TO YOU?!" I really shouted my heart out and I cried.

He really gave up... I'm honestly heartbroken that the Renn Alrose I know doesn't exist anymore... But even so... I WON'T GIVE UP ON HIM.

"Syrra… I've become this frail shell of a person… I've done so much, only to be led into false accusations and expulsion… I'm a failure…" For all those months, he's been stuck in the mindset that he's a nobody now. I can no longer hear his studious hardworking energy...

"You're not a failure... You never were... You've inspired us so much..." I slowly calmed down and wiped my tears.

I looked at his face, seeing it's still dead. But then he went closer to me.

"Until I remain expelled, I have nowhere to go… There is nothing left. Maybe it's time to work on your own..." I looked down... This boy...

No... I will not lose him. I will do all I can to prove this man's innocence. I'm going to do just that. I don't need any more words from him, I'll be fine on my own.

"Fine... You can stay that way. But I'm not going to give up the faith that I placed here. I will go and prove to you that you are innocent. I swear to it." I stood up and proudly placed my enclosed hand on my heart, doing whatever I can to bring him back to his former self.

There is no turning back from here.

"I had a feeling you'd come here and visit, so I followed you."

I turned around and saw Jessie along with her two friends. She grinned menacingly being able to see the both of us in the same house.

"Why are you here?" I asked her.

"Syrra, you've been defending this pervert for months. Why do you bother to go so much for him?" Jessie smirked, walking closer to me with her two friends behind her.

Renn noticed her.

"Classic… Follow her to get to me. What the hell do you want?" Renn asked Jessie.

"I'm not surprised all you did for the past 3 months was just waste your life away. That's to be expected because you have nowhere to go. If only you didn't do what you did, you wouldn't be in this mess. It's already too late to make any amends. But an apology and some money would suffice..." She tried to reconcile with him using money. She's stooped even lower. Renn sighed.

"If that's all you're going to talk about, please leave." Renn turned away from her and slowly headed upstairs.

"Hey! Are you just going to disregard-"

Jessie shoved past me, but I grabbed her arm before she made it further.

"HOW DARE YOU?! LET ME GO!!" She tried to break free from my grasp.

Her friends were about to help her, but Jenna pulled them away and held them back from the house before they could do anything.

"You heard him. Leave." I told her with an intimidating stare.

"And what are you gonna do about it, you dumbass?" She did not just say that.

"This." I quickly pulled her out of the house and threw her down on the ground. She ended up rolling on the ground.

I know I just injured her, but it's for the best. I don't want her to hurt Renn anymore.

"I'm not the dumbass I used to be anymore." I've been smarter after all years of entering high school and holding back for these months. I'm standing here, confident that this entire thing shall not go on much longer.

"You're NOT getting away with this!" She quickly got away from the house. Jenna let them go as they followed their precious friend. Served them right.

"I had a feeling you're not gonna be alone." Jenna grinned.

"Thanks a lot, sister. Let's go home." Jenna and I rode a jeepney to get home.

Man, what a day… While I managed to give some light to Renn, Jessie made the situation worse. I'll respect Renn's wishes to leave him alone as I don't want my life to be worse involving him in what I'm doing.

We both got down on the gate, and we were about to go in.

"Hey… It's you…"

That voice. I turned to the right to see…

"Serra?!"

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