The message had been relayed, and the students found no reason to linger in the auditorium.
They poured out like a restless colony of ants, all abuzz with discussions and theories regarding the upcoming event. Even the rich kids, those who usually dismissed school affairs with a bored indifference, found themselves caught in the fervent speculation.
Kelvin, Priscilla, and James were not exempt. Though they had remained silent since leaving the hall, none could deny the swirling thoughts the announcement had sparked.
They soon reached the school gate, bringing their subdued walk to an end.
"Where are you two headed?" Kelvin asked.
"Well... I'm going to my sister's school, Cradenville High. I need to pick her up." James replied.
"I'm also taking that route. We could... go together?" Priscilla asked softly, her fingers briefly twisting her flowing blonde hair.
"Not my usual path, but it works. I'll just alight along the way and board separate taxi to take me home," Kelvin added.
"You mean your mansion?" Priscilla countered dryly, earning a look of mild disgust from Kelvin.
'Hmm... a rich guy. I might as well take advantage of this...' James thought, only to instantly dismiss the selfish impulse.
He wasn't that person, but a good opportunity was a good opportunity, and the upcoming event was proof of that.
"So... you wouldn't mind paying for the taxi fare?" James requested, his eyes fixed on the pavement, as he avoided Kelvin's gaze.
"Yeah, no biggie," Kelvin replied with a genuinely heartwarming smile.
The trio stood silently on the walkway, calmly waiting for the next taxi to pass.
"So... what are your thoughts about this event?" Kelvin asked, but didn't give them a moment to answer. He got into his usual character whenever something was puzzling or intensely held his interest.
"I mean... it's the start of the semester, when revisions and curriculum assessments are prioritized. Why now? What is the real reason for this event?"
"To think a sponsor organized this—giving out so much without stating their demands—is just... bewildering. We've all seen this play out before..."
"A sponsor hosts some kind of event, the best students are rewarded with scholarships and other prizes to win their favor or make them feel indebted. Then, after these students graduate, the sponsor offers recruitment to inject new, fresh minds into their company. I know all of these because my does the same, which brings me to think... something is utterly fishy somewhere. Your thoughts?"
"Phew!" Priscilla sighed dramatically, a theatrical sound that broke the tension. "I thought you were never going to finish."
Kelvin chuckled.
"Well, we can only keep our fingers crossed and hope something genuinely good comes from this. We didn't sign a contract, so we owe no one," Priscilla added, her facial expression suddenly serious as she explained.
James had been quiet since Kelvin started talking. While he hadn't fully shut out the discussion—in fact, he agreed with every word Kelvin had uttered—something else had been gnawing at him since they left the hall.
Out of the blue, he blurted out, "Who is Bucky?"
He was instantly met with a wide-eyed, jarring stare from both Kelvin and Priscilla, a reaction so intense it made him stagger and question his own judgment.
Then he noticed it: Priscilla's eyes swelled with tears.
"Bu-Bucky was a serial killer," Kelvin confessed, his hands trembling as he gripped his head, pulling at his blue hair.
"H-h-he ki... killed my best friend," Priscilla finally burst out, the tears breaking free to stream down her face.
"He ki... killed a total of seventy-five students and... it was rumored he ate some of his victims," Kelvin added, his hands still pressed to his temples, as if trying to suppress the unimaginable turmoil in his head.
Tears poured more from Priscilla's eyes, her cheeks puffy and red with grief.
James instinctively inched closer, the depth of her pain a sharp reminder of a certain someone he had grown to love.
Driven by pure instinct, he curled his arms around her and whispered; "Shhh... it's okay."
Priscilla sobbed harder, clinging to him desperately, her tears quickly soaking James's shirt.
After three agonizing minutes, Priscilla's sobs subsided, but James still held her tightly.
Kelvin, who had been staring blankly at the neat road, turned back only to find his friends locked in a tight, intimate embrace.
He gave a small, knowing chuckle and instantly returned his gaze to the busy street as if nothing had happened.
The sound of his amusement sent James instantly out of his daze. He slowly pulled away, his and Priscilla's faces completely flushed with embarrassment.
The gods themselves seemed to intervene to clear the awkwardness, for a taxi pulled up precisely at that moment. The trio scrambled in and continued their journey in a profound, heavy silence.
Kelvin was the first to alight, leaving the two shy 'couples' to themselves.
"Um... where are you stopping?" James asked, his head bowed, clearly unable to shake the embarrassment of the previous scene.
"I'm... alighting at 45, Beecroft," she responded shyly, her gaze fixed resolutely on the window.
"No way! That's only two streets away from my house," James replied, his voice instantly regaining its lightness.
"Really? I don't think I've ever seen you in the hood, though," said Priscilla, her head tilted just enough to sneak a glance at James's face before returning her focus to the street outside.
"Yeah, I..."
James's response was abruptly cut short as the cab halted and a single, large edifice came into view.
"Cradenville High School" was boldly inscribed across the building.
"Here's my stop. Bye," said James as he quickly shut the cab door behind him.
Moments later, he practically dragged a round-eyed girl with curly brown hair out of the school grounds.
"What's with the haste, brother?" Jessica asked.
"Me? I have great news for Mom," James replied, beaming with the brightest smile he'd worn all day.
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