"roman sighed in defeat.
virgil did not let go of his wrist."
—
"i reckon we should make a list of viable suspects." virgil said as they reached the bus stop.
"that sounds like an awful lot of work." roman whined. "why are you still hung up on this, anyway? there hasn't been any notes in what, two months?"
"yeah, well i was trying to gather as much information before we start our investigation." virgil snapped in reply. a quivering year 7 had taken his place in the grassy patch to the left of the shelter. virgil changed his indignant tone to a more hushed one.
"look. these people are clearing planning something, right?" he hissed. "even if it is just like, a stupid party or something, we're in far too deep to stop now. (😏😏😏 SORRY SORRY)"
roman grumbled something incoherently. it was true. he was very curious and he did desperately want to know what these strange notes were talking about, who had sent them.
"who can we put on this list, then?" roman asked, turning to a random page in his battered script and using the back side to take notes.
"hmm. well the only people who are allowed in school that early are the chess club, the teachers, and that weird makeshift year 9 band that has serious commitment issues."
roman scribbled this down.
"uh. but virgil? i signed up for the chess club just to get the access card so i can get into school early. how do we know there's not someone doing that as well?"
virgil grunted in reply, quirking his eyebrows in a way that made him look like a startled owl. roman bit back a laugh.
"we need to get our hands on the official sign up list."
"and how are we gonna do that, dumbass?"
virgil huffed. "i dont know, roman."
"well at least we know that, one of the people who are sending the messages has like, really fancy shoes."
virgil looked at him, puzzled, prompting roman to carry on.
"when i was hiding in that locker, i got a glance at that persons shoes. they were super posh, like polished italian leather, and they clacked when they walked."
virgil smirked. "and why didn't you say this before?"
"i don't know! i guess it didn't really come up? it's not like you asked, 'what kind of shoes did he have, roman?' otherwise i totally would have said-"
roman's rambling was cut off by the familiar wheeze of the school bus coming to a brake in front of them. roman had been so absorbed in their conversation that he hadn't even noticed the group of students that had gradually arrived at the stop.
"are you gonna stand there like an idiot all day or are you going to get on the bus?" virgil said, with the usual bite to his voice, and roman pulled a face at him and followed him onto the coach.