As the last notes of ’Bodak Yellow’ faded away, the group cheered, admiring their handiwork. The old basketball court, once a ss of dust and dirt, now shone like new. The wooden floor glead under the gym lights, and the lines and symbols were crisp and vibrant. The bleachers sparkled, and the air slled fresh and clean, a stark contrast to the musty staleness that had clung to the space just hours before.
"Wow, we did it!" Olive exclaid, beaming with pride.
"Looks like a whole new court," Mark agreed, nodding in satisfaction as he wiped sweat from his forehead.
Lara smiled, her eyes bright with accomplishnt. "Thanks for your help, Arthur and Henry," she said, turning to the Olive and Henry.
Olive and Henry grinned, nodding in response, their expressions mirroring the group’s collective sense of pride.
Peace, still a bit subdued, gave a slight nod. "Umm... yeah, the work went faster thanks to you guys," she muttered, her voice carrying a rare note of gratitude.
The group froze, eyes widening in disbelief. Peace? Thanking soone? And not just anyone, but scholarship students? It was unheard of.
"Whoa! This is unbelievable!" Lucas blurted, breaking into a fit of laughter. "Peace, actually thanking scholarship students? What’s next? Pigs flying?"
Peace’s cheeks flushed as she fidgeted, clearly embarrassed. "Well, they did help. It’s only right to thank people for their work," she muttered defensively, avoiding eye contact. "Anyway, we’re done. We should report to Mr. Jas."
"Not so fast!" Henry, ever the enthusiast, said with a grin, already scrolling through his phone to start a new playlist. Upbeat pop tunes began blaring from the speakers. "We earned this. Who’s up for so dancing?"
Laughter erupted again, and the group moved to the rhythm of the music, feet tapping and hips swaying, letting the weight of the day fade away in the joy of the mont. Even Lucas, who remained seated, couldn’t resist tapping his feet to the beat.
But just as they were fully caught up in the music, their celebration was abruptly cut short. The speakers went silent as Mr. Jas strode into the court, his expression stern. Principal Clara followed close behind, her face etched with urgency and sothing akin to frustration.
"You all still have the energy to dance?" Principal Clara asked, her voice sharp, eyes scanning the students. "Is this how you react after what happened to Michael? Are you all this detached because you weren’t close to him? Is that it?"
The tension in the room was tensed, the atmosphere heavy and suffocating.
Mark stepped forward, his face set with resolve. "No, miss Clara. We were assigned to clean by Mr. Jas. We played so music to make the task bearable... and to distract ourselves for a little while."
" Yes! Do you want to see all students crying everyday because of Michael’s death? Just because we aren’t crying doesn’t an we’re not hurt internally." Lucas chid in with anger etched in his tone.
"Really?" Clara raised an eyebrow, her hands firmly on her hips. Well, the police are here. It’s ti for questioning."
A collective chill spread through the group. Fear stirred in each heart as the words sank in. The basketball court, once a place of laughter, now felt stifling.
"Follow us, kids," Mr. Jas said, his tone leaving no room for argunt as he turned on his heel and headed out, Clara by his side. With heavy steps and bowed heads, Olive and the others trailed behind, their minds whirling with anxiety at the thought of facing the police again.
They soon reached the principal’s office, where Officer Jas, the sa officer who had interrogated them before, stood with another officer they’d never seen before. Already seated were Racheal, Jessica, Aiden, and Anabella, their faces solemn.
"These are the other students present at the cri scene," Clara said as she took her seat behind her desk, her eyes sweeping over the group.
Officer Jas, his expression as serious as ever, addressed the group. "We’ve conducted further investigations into Michael’s death. We’ve reviewed the CCTV footage and checked the surrounding areas."
Olive swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel the fear creeping up her spine, but she fought to keep her face neutral, unwilling to show her unease. The others remained just as stoic, though the tension in the room was almost tangible.
"It’s been confird that Michael slipped and hit his head against the glass table," Officer Jas continued, his voice heavy with the gravity of his words. "He had a pre-existing dical condition. His parents confird that he had issues with his blood pressure and was advised never to engage in physical fights or stressful situations. Unfortunately, his anger issues were well-known."
Henry’s mind buzzed as he listened. His thoughts raced back to that night in the VIP room. He had planned everything so ticulously, the blow to Michael’s head, the sweeping up of the broken vase, the careful disposal of the evidence. His plan had unfolded exactly as he intended. But as Officer Jas spoke, a strange mixture of relief and unease began to settle over him.
"Michael’s parents confird their son’s dical condition and his temper. The CCTV footage from inside the club showed nothing out of the ordinary, no mysterious strangers, no foul play. And since there were no caras outside, aside from the one at the front door, the case had reached a dead end."
"The family has asked to stop the investigation," Officer Jas concluded with a sigh. "They don’t want their son’s death to be dragged out any longer. They’ve accepted what happened and are ready to move on."
Olive couldn’t help but feel a knot in her stomach loosen. The nightmare was over. They were free.
"Thank you for your ti, Principal Clara," Officer Jas said, rising from his seat. "We’ll be heading back to the station now." He gave a curt nod to the group. "You’re free to go."
With that, the two officers left, followed closely by Mr. Jas and Principal Clara.
The group lingered for a mont, then slowly made their way out of the office. Each one headed toward their respective dorms, the weight of the day pressing heavily on their shoulders except for Lucas, Olive, Lara, and Mark, who stayed back to walk together.
"I’ll stay in Lara’s dorm tonight," Mark said, his voice low. "Her roommate’s at the clinic, so she’s alone."
Olive’s eyebrows shot up. "That’s the girls’ dorm. You’ll get in trouble if you’re caught, Mark. You know the rules," she said, her voice firm. "I’m not trying to be harsh, but it’s not appropriate."
Lara, frowning slightly, interjected. "There’s nothing wrong with it. I just... I just want to spend ti with him. Besides, I’m scared tonight," she admitted, her voice tinged with vulnerability.
Olive blinked in surprise, clearly caught off guard. "Scared? And... spend ti with him?" she muttered, her disbelief evident.
Mark chuckled softly at Olive’s reaction. "Relax. I’m not that kind of guy. Just because I’m staying over doesn’t an anything’s going to happen. Lara will sleep in her bed, and I’ll take her roommate’s. I just want to be there for her. The case might be over, but we’ve all been through a lot... and I need to be with soone I care about."
Olive sighed heavily. "Alright then. Do whatever you want."
"Goodnight buddies." Mark said with a small smile before walking away with Lara. Olive and Lucas headed toward her dorm in silence.
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