──── Hi? - greeted the girl, leaning her shoulder on the doorframe, part of her bangs falling over her eyes.
The brunette did her best to avoid looking at her strangely, but it was inevitable not to notice the resemblance between the girl and her older brother, the same eyes and dark hair, especially the freckles and olive skin.
She also noticed the girl's clothes, white socks and a sweat shorts covered by a white shirt, which was buttoned up crookedly.
Singh's newly-shaped eyebrows frown in confusion.
──── Hi? - she said again.
──── Oh... sorry! - Pippa said, hurrying and feeling strange about herself, she usually had an answer for everything and never took so long to respond. But this was going to be a special case; her brain was comparing Sal Singh's features with those of the girl in front of her, how Cairo had dimples in her cheeks and a small nose compared to her brothers. ──── Hi.
She waved slightly embarrassed, regretting it immediately.
──── I thought we were already past that... - whispered the younger girl, turning her eyes to the street behind Pip.
──── Yeah, sure... Hello, Cairo. I'm... You've probably seen me in the hallways, I'm a year above you, I'm Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
──── Yeah... I think I've seen you around - she lowered her head. ──── I just never thought I'd see you on my doorstep... I mean, I never thought I'd see anyone on my doorstep.
──── Well... I was wondering if I could talk to you and your brother for a little second, or rather a second, after all, there are no little seconds since all seconds have the same duration... - Fitz let out a long sigh. ──── Do you two have a few seconds to talk to me?
What is happening? Why can't she talk like a normal human being? She knew exactly what was going on, that nervousness eating away at her brain was making the useless facts she knew so well come out in the form of jokes that weren't funny at all. Besides, nervous Pippa was abandoning her normal way of speaking and adopting the snobbish accent of a rich lady. When would she ever speak little seconds normally?
──── Sorry... What? - Cairo asked.
──── Never mind... It's just that I'm doing my EPQ for school and...
──── What is a EPQ?
──── Extension Project Qualification, it's a piece of work that we do independently with the advanced classes. We can choose the topic.
──── Oh... I haven't gotten to that yet.
──── Yeah, I didn't think so, you're still in year twelve. Anyway, I was wondering if you and your brother would be able to answer some questions for my project.
──── And what's it about? - Cairo arched her dark eyebrows.
──── Mm... It's... It's about what happened five years ago.
The brunette at the door stepped back slightly, her shoulders slowly dropping as her lips curved into an expression mixed with hatred and disappointment, as well as sadness, something Singh had been carrying on his face since April 2019.
Her dark eyes blinked a few times, coming back into focus.
──── Why?
──── Cause I think your brother is innocent. And I'm going to do everything I can to prove it.
Singh didn't seem to react to that, she tried to process what she'd just heard while drumming her fingers on the wooden door.
──── Can you... repeat it?
──── I don't think your brother is guilty, Cairo, I want to prove it and I'm using this job as an excuse to investigate - said the brunette, with insecurity in her voice.
Now the younger woman was biting her lip, looking around and inside her house, as if no one could hear.
──── Listen, I don't understand why you want to revisit this subject after so many years, but... I can talk to Ravi...
──── Great, when can we start?
──── Start? I... I don't know, you can start by rethinking if this was really a good idea. My brother's dead, Pippa, he's a murderer, isn't he? Just try to... forget about it. Okay?
And the door closed with a not too loud slam.
Amobi's shoulders slumped almost to the floor, and all she could do was turn around and walk out. That was a defeat, she could try to be positive and focus on “l can talk to Ravi”, even though she knew how difficult it was.
However, for now she could try other strategies. Starting with the most important: a mental map.
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⟡ ֺ 𓂂 notes ! ˚
OO1 : Hey new readers, how are you? I'm very happy to be doing this English version of No Body No Crime, and I hope you like it. I apologize if some sentences don't make sense, I'm not fluent and I'm using my little knowledge and a translator to do this.
OO2 : Please vote and comment to help me, I'll see you in the next chapter.
OO3 : Reminder, there will be many edits of the fanfic on my tiktok (@/vhenid)!!!
