Chapter 13- Tripped

Lanie's POV:

"Are you alright?" Lovely asked me again.

Jasleen glanced at me, "Yeah, you're pale and seems bothered. What is it? Last night, you're like that too."

I forced a smiled. "Yes, I'm alright. You don't have to worry girls, I'm perfectly fine." I lied.

Well, it is not that I lied to them completely. I'm alright, but I'm still bothered from what I saw last night. I'm scared to the point that I can't force myself to eat or sleep.

The images I saw are hunting me to my sleep. I'm aware about the existence of red room in Deep Web, but I never thought that I can see some pictures of activities related to that. 

"If only you eat your breakfast this morning. Maybe your small intestines are eaten by your large ones, that's why you're like that." Jasleene jokingly said. It's a Filipino joke of saying someone is really hungry.

"I'll eat later. I just really want to stay here and do nothing." I said praying that the'll leave me alone.

"Alright," Lovely said. "We'll go ahead. We'll just eat and spend some time in the library." They bid their farewell.

"Are you sure you're staying here? Rona approached me when the two left. "You're really not eating?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm not hungry and there's some assignment that I need to do."

She looked at me doubtfully.

"And can I have this key for a while?". I asked while holding the key in my pocket.

"Of course! It's not really mine anyway." She eyed me once more before she left.

It's lunchtime and all of my classmates went to the cafeteria to eat. I'm all alone here. 

I heaved a sigh. I think I won't be able to forget what I saw. It totally shocked the hell out of me. I still can't believed it. Those heinous images, and the red room itself will be my nightmare.

I know what I saw. It's a scene from red room.

I got goosebumps just by thinking that it's not impossible to experience those. I think, I should stay away from  deep web.

Should I follow Page and let things be? Or let my curiousity leads me to the truth of everything? 

I sighed. I really don't know what to do. All I know is I crossed the line and I can't go back even if I want to.

The silence is suffocating. And it's not helping me.

After a few minutes, I decided to get out from our classroom and walks towards the library.

I went up to the third floor and went straight to the far end of the floor. This part seems not noticed by the students. It's accessible but most of the students ignore this part, especially the whole floor.

The library's structure is a bit old but distinct. It's huge and wide. Even the touch of furnitures perfectly fits the design and color of the place.

There are three floors, first and second floors are the only floors that most of the students spends their time at. 

The third floor, which I chose to stay at doesn't appeal the students that much. This is one of the things I observed while staying here for two weeks.

Sometimes, three or four students chose to spend their time in this floor, but right now, it's lunch time that's why I'm the only one here.

The whole floor contains old books, testaments, newspapers and magazines and most of them are about Hespheria and it's history. About the locals and the people who first came and ruled the town.

I put my things on the table and went to the shelves scanning the books there. The shelves are a bit high and sometimes I need to use a chair so that I can get the book I want.

Though, this floor is not visited by the students often, the books are clean and are in good condition.

"Hespheria's Richest Family....". I read the title of the first book that caught my attention. It's thick and really old. Even the cover is colored brown.

This is one of the reason why I like this certain floor. I can find informations like this. Because in this town, this is the only place that has the track of the past.

I'm here, so I chose to satisfy my curiousity, huh?

It's been days since I'm searching for answers. It's not just a simple curiousity, I felt that there's really something wrong in this town.

The keys, the secret passage and the flash drive. There's a connection between those, and that's what I'm going to find out.

I grabbed the two huge books beside the one that I picked. The books are all about the history of the town and the people who governed Hespheria in the past.

I put the  two books beside my things. I'll just borrow them for a few days. I went to hidden side of a tall shelves and leaned there. I started reading the list of the richest people with their assets.

"What are you doing here?"

I immediately hid the book in my back, "Yshmael?"

He just raised his brow and handed me his laptop. I saw his name engraved on it. "What is it?"

"Laptop."

I rolled my eyes, "I know this is a laptop. What I want to know is, what is this for?"

He just looked at me. "Use that."

"Yshmael! Wait!" I called him when he turned his back on me.

He stopped and faced me.

"Why are you giving this to me?" I handed him his laptop.

He put his hands on his pockets. "Who told you that I'm giving that to you? I'm just letting you have it for the meantime."

"Why?" I asked. I know that I don't have a laptop now, but I am not that needy. I don't need one at all.

He tilted his head while looking at what I'm hiding.

I faked a smile and hid the book completely.

"Stop what you're doing now. Stop being a curious cat." He said then walked away.

I stopped myself from asking him anything. I have a lot of questions but I can't let myself ask him. I shouldn't be involve. I'm scared. There's somewhat connection between his name and the hidden issues here in Hespheria. He's an Aronzaga, and that alone is enough to stay away from him.

I looked at his laptop again. Why did he lent me this? I don't remember asking him for this.

"Did he know that I don't have one right now?" I paused. "Or... Did he saw me threw mine?" 

I shivered at the thought. It's possible because he's there yesterday. And it's possible that he saw what I did, he just chose not to say anything.

My head hurts from all of it. 

I put my things on my bag, same with Ysmael's laptop.

I went down. Maybe I'll stop investigating for now. I don't have a lot of information and I don't know where should I start. 

"This books, Miss," I said as I showed the books.

The librarian grinned while my name from my ID. "It looks like you have a thing for history."

I just smiled at her. I know why she's amused. The books I borrowed are old books and not related to any of my subjects.

"One week," she told me.

I smiled and vowed a little before taking my leave.

My forehead frowne when I saw a group of studens, especially girls screaming and hyperventilating.

I shook my head, "Maybe there someone popular out there." I said to myself as I passed.

I went straight to our room. Almost of my classmates for this subject are already inside. And they are all chatying endlessly.

"What's happening?" I asked Ponce. He's my nerdy classmate. He's known as Algor Maniac because of his obsession for Algorithm.

"Classes are all cancelled." He answered then looked at his book again.

I stopped myself from hitting him. I can't really get something from him. He can't even give an answer. 

I decided to focus on reading my notes. I really need to catch up. Moreover, Yshmael is my classmate in this subject and he's sitting near me. I don't want to exchange glances with him.

I should stay away from him. Even it means ignoring his presence totally.

My classmates started to settled as time passes. Some are reading their books and some are just dozing of.

"Everyone!". Mrs. Reyes said as she entered the room. "There's a problem with our computers and it affects the school's system that's why all of the classes this afternoon are cancelled. We're asking for all of your cooperation by staying here quietly until we solve this issue. Is that clear?"

Everyone nodded. Mrs. Reyes looked at us once before she gets out of the room.

"Lanie...."

"Hmm?" I turned to my back. 

"Did you know that our school computers are affected by a virus? That's why everyone are in chaos right now because a virus entered our school's system too." Cristin whispered.

She caught my attention. I turned to her. "Where did you get that? How did you know?"

My nosy classmate fixed her glasses first. "I was in the faculty. I don't know the details but I heard from one of the professor that they're trying to look for the virus' source while fixing the problem. The whole system is affected and even confidential files, like the examination's questionairep or the student's marks. Those are said to be leaked. Even the questionaire's for the upcoming exam are affected!"

"Stop that Cristin. We don't know what really happened."

We both looked at Greyson. I didn't feel his presence!

"But I'm just stating a fact!" Cristine exclaimed.

"It can be true. But remember Miss, everything that are still in the process will stay as speculations. As long as we don't know the truth, it will stay as that," Greyson answered arogantly.

Cristin tried to back up her words but Greyson put his hands on her chair, cornering Cristin.

"You heard them but it's not mean that what you heard is true. That's why gossiping and eavesdropping is bad, Miss". Greyson said then turned to me, "Maelanie?"

My forehead wrinkled as I glanced at him.

"Tomorrow morning after the class. In Journalism club, you passed. Congratulations." He said and went to his chair.

I shook my head by what Greyson did.

"Are you alright?" I asked Cristin. Her face is still color red. Embarassment is written all over her face. She and Greyson did caught the attention of some of our classmates.

Criatin nodded shyly. "It's just a shame, he's handsome but he's a total jerk! He even told me I'm nosy!" She ranted before she crouched on her desk.

I heaved a sigh and glanced at Greyson which I regretted. I'm expecting Greyson but what suprised me is Yshmael's staring at me.

His deep eyes met mine. There's something behind his stare, a message or what. But before I get what it is, he averted his gaze.

I waited for him to look again but he just kept looking outside the window.

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