"Then why did you all looked at me like you saw a ghost?" Just a very simple question, yet enough to catch Silver off guard.
He did noticed it. But what is she suppose to say.
"Nevermind! It's not like I'll believe you if you say yes. Ghosts aren't real!" He said and snickered squeezing his plushie on his chest.
A few more minutes with just silence, the bus are soon filled with students. They arrived at the school just in time to prepare for the evening mass.
And just as Qaelust was expecting. Quin fixed a seat right beside her and Silver. The ladies from Quillrie's group joined them as well; Yatch, Skye and Selene.
The boys had to separate ways with them as they have to prepare with the music club.
Right after the mass, the students went straight to the canteen for dinner with the student council assisting them.
It's been quite a long day and everyone's been too caught up with loud conversations that's giving life to the entire canteen.
___
"Are you certain?"
"Affirmative..." Chaniel replied, her eyes locked at the headmistress who's as usual dwelling in the darkness of her office.
"Hmm. Since when did it started?" She asked turning the next page of a certain student's personal information.
"According to what we have. Probably when the lair was breached the same day of the disappearance..." she replied observing the headmistress' expressions which turned out to be the same blank as it is.
"It is what we feared... Arrange a schedule for Father Roran... And make sure nobody else finds out except Laudemer and Craeian..." the headmistress ordered closing the folder and ditching it to the far right of her desk.
"Are we not going to inform the rest of their friends? They are involved in this too!" Chaniel exclaimed but her body went stoned when the headmistress gave her a shivering death glare.
"Blake has no memory of what happened. Lived will surely hyperventilate to whatever we will discuss. And Helveryst is not mentally prepared. Those kids are still young to join such discussion. It will be better to let those two join us!" She explained with a monotonous tone.
She sighed as she stood up. The heels of her shoes thudding the floor delicately. The sound as if a ghost with footsteps are approaching.
She walked towards the hanger of her clothes and removed her dark brown coat from it draping it to her shoulders. She took her dark brown chapeau stashed with a black rose to match with her coat. Then her black sunglasses completing an attire as if she's mourning.
But nevertheless, she still slayed the look elegantly which not every woman of her age can properly pull off.
"I'm going to the church. I want to relieve stress..." she said as Chaniel makes way for her to exit the office.
"Shall I call Blake, Miss?" Chaniel asked with her head bowed.
"Might as well..."
The headmistress proceeded to walk out of the building, heading straight to the church which are a few minutes walk from the building.
She arrived not long and took a seat near the piano. Specifically on a very special seat placed alongside the seat of the other choir singers.
It was placed there intentionally but no one is allowed to seat as the seat belonged to the headmistress alone.
And a few minutes only. Prince came rushing. Wearing his blue, and dolphin printed pajamas. Beads of sweat decorated his milky forehead as he sprints towards his piano.
"Now, now! Not so fast kid. Take your time! No rush!" The headmistress said with her deep voice. That instead to comfort the younger, it only made him worse and dishelved.
"I'm sorry I'm late Madam!" He said bowing his head as he pants to catch his ragged breath.
"Dear. Take your time. No need to be uncomfortable... Although I must apologize for calling you in the middle of your slumber..." she said etching a faint smile.
Prince sat beside the piano and took his time as requested. He waited until he breathed properly just as the headmistress waited for him to calm down.
"What would you like me to play for you Madam?" He asked gracing his lips with the most precious angelic smile ever.
"Anything you play relieves my stress, Blake!" She chuckled just as when Chaniel arrived pushing a trolley with a tray of a tea cup and a pot of newly boiled tea.
"Please. Prince is okay!" He said removing the wood that covers the piano tiles.
Just as when Chaniel arrived to pour the headmistress her cup of tea. Prince began playing the piano.
Not just for the headmistress but to the God that bestowed him this talent. He played the tiles gracefully, showcasing sounds that was soothing through the ears of everyone that hears it.
Either dead or alive.
The first piece he played are titled 'O Holy Night'. Which the boy sometimes play whenever Christmas approaches them.
And the next piece he played accompanied with his sweet and mellow honey-voice.
It's no surprise to hear him singing beautifully. Otherwise, he wouldn't have made it to sing along with the choir aside from being their only pianist.
Prince played for the headmistress atleast an hour. 'Til then, she bid her farewell to the boy and instructed Chaniel to bring him back to his dorm.
Once the two are gone on their way. The headmistress stood up carrying the cup of tea. She walked outside the church, strolling to the old garden gates.
Her brown orbs looking directly at the several white mists mixed with each other. Who knows how many individual mists there are but there could be thousands.
Faded figures forming in every corner appears, smiling at her.
"How long has it been..." she mumbled to herself as she crouched down placing her cup of untouched tea in front of the old gates.
She then left to her building where both her office and resting room is located.
Chaniel is already there, prepared what she needed for her rest.
"You can take a rest! I'll be fine!" She said removing all her necessary accesories leaving her white undergarments.
"I'll be in my room, Miss..." Chaniel said closing the door as the headmistress entered her bathroom to take her night bath.
___
The next day. Marks the beginning of the second week of the school year.
As part of their daily task, the student council gathered for the roll call before they went to their respective duties of checking every students.
Once done, they gathered back at the common ground to report. Ten minutes before the class starts.
"Alright! You're all good!" Yatch said as a signal that the council can go. Leaving the officers.
"I'll see you this lunch baby!" Quillrie whined cuddling to Yatch again. Constantly peppering her with kisses.
"There's kids here! Can't you seriously censor your affections!?" Craeian scolded with his hand covering Qaeus' eyes. Laudemer too doing the same to Prince.
The girls laughed at how the two still treats Prince and Qaeus as babies. Especially when Qaeus thinks more mature than these two who usually bickers like a married couple.
"F**k off!" Quillrie glared at the two before he focused his attention back to Yatch.
"Alright! Rie! Get off her! You look pathetic! We still have a class you know!" Skye scolded smacking her brother's head.
"You guys are such a loveless kill joys! I swear if all of you finds your dates! I'll definitely bug all of you!" Quillrie scoffed hugging the girl in front of him.
"We have to go Rie! You can miss me but not too much!" Yatch giggled as she part from the hug.
Quillrie dramatically waved goodbye to her as she walked with the girls to the ladies territory. His friends dragging him to their territory as well.
And just like that. Boys and Girls separated early in the morning like they always did.
---
With the bell ringing the entire castle. Signals that the lunch break is already starting.
Some met up at the common ground while the others met up at the large canteen.
And as tasked, Qaeus and Prince searched for the two they needed to look out for.
Silver and Qaelust.
Prince is certainly confident given that he could say he already went on a date with the girl.
Unlike Qaeus and Qaelust who both doesn't even talk a lot.
As they make their way to the common ground, they found Silver walking to their direction. By herself.
Her head hung low and her shoulders were dragged.
"Silver?" Prince called and the girl immediately looked for him recognizing his voice.
"Oh! Hello Prince..." she greeted with a smile.
"You're by yourself again! I don't presume that Qaelust ditched you for a humongous ride!" Prince stated with an amused chuckle.
"She said she had to go somewhere. I asked if I can go but she said she won't be long..." Silver explained fidgeting on her fingers.
Qaeus and Prince looked at each other sharing the same question in their minds.
"Do you perhaps know where she went?" Qaeus asked.
"I think she'll go to that garden again. But she said she'll meet me asap at the canteen so I'm going there right now..." She said.
"How about I accompany you to the canteen? And Qaeus can go look for your friend. Will that be okay?" Prince asked tilting his head and the girl immediately nodded her head.
"Well. I guarantee she'll be with him. Since she smiles with you. She only does that with me!" She said and chuckled.
Qaeus cleared his throat and gestured that he'll be leaving.
He walked back to the church which is defintely quite far from the common ground. The church is actually located at the almost far end of the castle.
As he was approaching the church, greeting the nuns and deacons that passes by. He tapped the hard and old key in his pocket contemplating whether he should use it.
This isn't an emergency.
He said at the back of his mind.
He arrived at the church, right in front of the ancient gates. From there, he saw his target, speaking to someone that is unseen by his naked eye.
His heart throbbed at the sight of the girl casually talking. When there is actually no one to talk too.
She's sitting in the old swing, looking at the empty swing beside her. Looking as if someone else is sitting there too.
Spirits doesn't exist. Ghosts aren't real!
He kept repeating the same words in his mind. Just standing in that place makes him sick. Let alone watching her talking to an empty space.
He could feel his legs becoming weak. But perks to his very strong pride. No way he will let his fear consume him.
Qaeus squinted his eyes and tried to control his ragged breathing. He glared at the garden once before he went to the other side of the church.
"If that d**ned woman climbed this f**king wall. Why can't I!" He growled and began climbing the same wall that he saw Qaelust effortlessly climbed before.
"Tch. I didn't even sweat a bit!" He scoffed once he made it to the roof.
He walked to the other side and watched Qaelust still like the last he saw her. Still talking to the same empty space.
"God! Rie! Why did you ask me to watch her!" He groaned rolling his eyes.
He sat on the edge contemplating whether he should jump down or just stay in place. He just need to watch her after all. And he can perfectly do that from the roof.
He really abhors the place. The sight alone makes him sick. What more to set foot in that hellhole.
Maybe he should just stay up there. But what if she finds out and ask him? Will she make fun of him? What if he make a fool of himself?
Da*n this f**king pride!!!
He mentally cursed himself and arrived at the decision to jump down.
Nervous. And scared. That's what he felt when he started climbing down.
And slowly, that same atmosphere welcomed him with cold breeze that makes him shiver.
The silence that are too loud for him to listen to.
"What are you--"
"What the fu**!!!" Qaeus screamed when Qaelust popped right after he jumped down the ground.
"--doing here..." she finishes off with a nonchalant expression.
He looked at the boy who was holding on his dear life. Clutching on his chest and his expression says 'I-just-saw-my-entire-life-in-front-of-me'.
He's adorable when he's scared. He looks like a scared doe.
Qaelust mumbled in her mind.
"Don't! FUCKING SCARE ME like that!"
I hope you liked the chapter.
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