Arabella Academy: Perfectly Imperfect

11. Of Things Kept Under Wraps

"Looks like we'll need to do some looking into."

"Looks like we'll need to pay someone a visit," Marcus clarified.

"Son, are you coming?" Jane interrupted their conversation. Marcus hesitated for a moment.

"Mom, why don't you go ahead. I'm going to Jeff's house to pick my drawing pens," Marcus replied.

"Okay then, but don't let the darkness catch you outside. It is no longer safe for people like you," Jane replied and left in the company of Jeff's mom as they both discussed how it had become insecure for their children.

"Now, let's go do some digging, shall we?"

"So according to where the bus usually picks her this must be her house." Jeff pointed to a house situated at the end of the lane. It was an old-fashioned two-story house which was damnably large. Its Elizabethan architecture indicated that it was one of the pioneering homes of Middlewood. Marcus and Jeff proceeded to the front porch where Jeff got a hold of the door knocker and knocked three times.

A woman answered the door. It was Michelle's mom.

"Hello ma'am, is Michelle there?" Marcus spoke.

Michelle's mom looked at the two over her glasses and then called out to her daughter.

Michelle came to the door and halted shortly when she saw Marcus and Jeff eagerly waiting for her. She wasn't expecting any visitors and these two boys who rarely spoke to her had decided to interrupt her alone time. She released her mom and raised her eyebrows at the boys asking for an explanation.

"Hey Michelle, how are you?" Marcus began. He was suddenly lost for words now that he was actually speaking to her.

"Still coping, but I'm fine," Michelle replied, unsure of where he was getting at.

"We just wanted to check on you," Marcus said, aware that he was fucking it up but unable to bring out the real reason as to why they really came.

"Why didn't you come to Sheila's burial?" Jeff blurted, surprising both Marcus and Michelle. He was shocked at Marcus' inability to get straight to the point. Damn! Marcus couldn't even look Michelle in the eye. Was he crushing on her or what?

Michelle was speechless. She tried coming up with an excuse but she failed terribly. At last, she said, "I couldn't. I don't know why but I just did not find the energy to come."

Now that Jeff had irresponsibly stated their objective of visit, Marcus had gathered some courage and decided to talk.

"Ummm...Michelle, you've been acting weird around Mr Stevens of late. Is there any problem? Anything you might want to tell us?" Marcus asked in his sweetest voice ever.

The fear in Michelle's eyes was evident when Marcus mentioned Stevens' name. Marcus noticed it and quickly browsed for some reassuring words.

"It's okay Michelle. You don't have to say anything. We just wanted to check if you knew anything concerning Sheila's death. Apparently, the investigation has been cancelled."

"What do you mean the investigation's been cancelled?!" Michelle exclaimed.

"Gosh! Why does everyone keep saying the exact words I heard?" Marcus muttered to himself.

"Yeah. That's what he heard from the principal. That is why we wanted to know if you knew anything about the murder that could help get justice for Sheila," Jeff said, his voice showing concern.

Michelle kept quiet and looked at the two boys before him. Would it be dangerous to share what she knew with them? They had just shown up at her doorstep and started interrogating her. If anything she was supposed to suspect them and their intentions. Yet she was burning with the urge to tell them what she knew. Keeping the secret to herself was proving to be killing her slowly. After a fierce battle in her mind, she finally came to a decision.

She looked around to see if anyone else was listening and then turned to Marcus and Jeff.

"Meet me tomorrow, ten o'clock at Old Bob's Abandoned Garage. And make sure nobody's following you."