CHAPTER 10
Autumn Berry – POV
The campus felt different now — lighter, like the shadows from last week finally lifted. Sunlight streamed across the quad, and students chatted without the rumor-heavy tension that had once filled the halls. For the first time in days, we weren't detectives rushing toward a crisis. We were just... students.
Quinn stretched beside me as we walked to the club room.
"Feels weird, right? Like… we're walking without a mystery chasing us."
I laughed softly. "Let's not jinx it. Peace is rare in this school."
We pushed open the door and found the seniors already there — Liam typing quietly, Theo nursing a coffee the size of his face, Dorielle scrolling through her phone like she was reading confidential government files.
And sitting in the room, shy smile and soft eyes meeting ours—
*Selene.*
She stood quickly. "Hi. I… I wanted to visit."
Rhea nodded, motioning her in. "Come in. You're always welcome here."
Selene exhaled shakily, then bowed slightly — formal, emotional.
"Thank you. For everything. For not giving up on me. I owe you my life."
Even Dorielle paused mid-scroll. That says everything.
Theo smiled gently. "You don't owe us anything. We're just glad you're safe."
Selene tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Actually… you do deserve something. The campus journalist reached out to me. They want to write about all of you — the case, the rescue. You're going to be featured."
Quinn gasped. "We're gonna be famous?!"
Liam didn't even look up. "Famous means more work."
But there was a tiny smile tugging at his lips.
"And," Selene added, "I think you should make a public page — so students can reach you easier. Your work deserves to be known."
Rhea looked at us, considering it. "Actually… I was going to propose that today."
Quinn fist-bumped the air. "Detective Club Official Page. Oh that sounds aesthetic."
Then Rhea's tone softened into curiosity.
"There's something we're still wondering, Selene… How did you send those poems if you were being held? You didn't have a laptop at the end."
Selene hesitated — then spoke, voice steady but fragile:
"At first… I wasn't kidnapped. We moved in together. I thought it was love. But after a week, things changed. He started hiding things — talking to girls, acting cold."
She swallowed hard.
"When I told him I wanted to go back to my dorm, he refused. We argued. And the more I pushed, the more he… hurt me."
The room stilled. Even Dorielle lowered her phone.
"I still had my phone then. So I sent my poems. I hid messages in them — hoping someone would see. He never noticed. He… wasn't exactly the sharpest."
A humorless breath left her.
"But when I tried calling my mom… he snapped. Smashed my phone. My laptop. And then—"
Her hand brushed her temple unconsciously.
"Everything went black. When I woke up, I was tied."
Silence settled. Heavy. But not suffocating — just real.
"You survived," Theo whispered. "That's strength."
"And you spoke," I added. "Even when your voice was taken."
Selene wiped a tear quickly. "I didn't think anyone would read between the lines. But you did."
I felt warmth in my chest. "It wasn't just me. It was all of us."
"Still," she said, smiling small, "thank you."
Rhea nodded once, firm and proud. "And now? You rest. Heal. Let us handle the world for a while."
Selene laughed softly, grateful, before leaving.
The room stayed quiet for a moment longer — a moment of respect, of breath, of closure.
Then Quinn clapped loudly.
"Alright! Emotional moment over. Let's talk about our fame!"
Dorielle snorted. "Fame? More like chaos. We'll get prank cases and ghost stories."
"And I will accept all ghost cases," I declared.
Liam spun his laptop around. "Already made the club's official page draft."
Theo blinked. "You made that now? as in now?"
"I anticipated this outcome."
Of course he did.
--
By lunch, the day felt normal again.
Class chatter, scribbled notes, professors lecturing. Quinn doodled pumpkins on her worksheets, whispering ideas for a Halloween club poster. I planned our calendar — submissions, interview schedule, club launch event.
Dorielle whispered across the aisle, "Imagine if someone sends us a cheating investigation."
Theo leaned forward. "We help with *real* cases."
"Cheating *is* real," she deadpanned.
I laughed quietly. Rhea sat behind us, silently organizing folders labeled *UPCOMING EVENTS*, *PRESS RELEASE*, *STUDENT CASE FORM*.
Our club was changing — growing. From a quiet little room to something real, something seen.
A sense of purpose settled warm in my chest.
Mysteries would come again.
Dark ones. Light ones. Strange ones.
But today wasn't for solving.
Today was for breathing.
And for the first time since everything happened…
I finally let myself breathe, too.
--
The final bell rang but nobody left. Instead, everyone somehow migrated back to the club room like moths to chaos.
Quinn burst in first, arms full of printouts like she robbed Pinterest.
"GUYSSS. Halloween concept time."
Autumn looked up from her notes, suspicious. "Please don't say matching Dora costumes again."
Quinn gasped. "That was ONE of my idea! And it was iconic!"
"Iconically traumatic," Theo muttered, sipping iced coffee like a tired dad.
Rhea clapped her hands. "Alright. Since we're doing a group poster, we need themes."
Dorielle leaned back, arms crossed. "No clichés. If someone says vampires, I'm leaving."
"Detectives but make it spooky noir?" I suggested.
Liam raised a brow. "We already *are* detectives."
Quinn slapped a paper onto the table.
"Okay fine. LIST OF OPTIONS!"
She cleared her throat dramatically:
* Dark academia detectives
* Paranormal investigators
* Victorian ghost hunters
* Modern witch aesthetics
* Angel & demon dual theme
* Zombie school detectives
* Dora and friends edition* (bold and underlined)
Everyone: *silence*
I slowly pointed to the last one.
"Delete, burn, erase."
Quinn pouted. "But I look like Dora already."
Dorielle smirked. "Exactly why we won't do it."
Rhea tapped the table. "Victorian ghost hunters sounds classy."
Theo nodded. "Coats. Boots. Dramatic lighting. I approve."
Liam shrugged. "As long as I don't have to wear a top hat."
Quinn fist-pumped. "YES. Cloaks and lanterns. Very aesthetic. Approved!"
I scribbled on the board:
*Halloween Shoot — Victorian Ghost Hunters Theme*
Quinn stood beside me proudly.
"Our poster will SLAY."
Autumn: "Slay ghosts or slay fashion?"
Quinn: "Both."
Everyone agreed.
Secretly? I was already picturing it — long coats, lantern props, fog machine if Quinn somehow gets one (she will, she always does).
A detective club, but hauntingly beautiful.
A club that survives mysteries… and looks good doing it.
--
Liam sat in one corner, already typing at lightning speed. "Club page is live."
Quinn gasped. "WHAT?! We haven't debated aesthetics!"
Theo: "It's always aesthetics with you."
Dorielle snatched her phone.
"Let me see. If the banner is ugly, we riot."
Everyone huddled.
Club Page Name: *University Investigative Club. *
Description: *We notice what others don't."
Pinned photo: A blurry candid of Quinn screaming because a spider was near her shoe.
Quinn shrieked. "DELETE THAT—"
Before Liam could react, a notification pinged.
1 follower: Selene
Comment: *Best club ever. Thank you again ❤️*
The room went quiet, then softened.
I smiled. "First follower. That's special."
Quinn sniffed dramatically. "I'm emotional and happy, but also delete that spider photo."
Autumn typed a reply:
*We're honored. And we're happy you're safe. 💫*
Then Dorielle added her own comment:
*Also, the spider lived. No casualties.*
Quinn face-palmed. "Why are you all like this."
Rhea closed her notebook with a satisfied click.
"Club's official. Page is live. First follower gained. Halloween plan approved."
Theo raised his coffee. "To quiet days while they last."
We all nodded.
Because peace never stays long for us — but for now, it felt good.
END OF CHAPTER 10