I had no clue if that was literally happening in this very moment or in a future moment about to transpire, but it was enough to snap Jax out of his daze as he slowly nodded. "Can you wait to make sure Bri is okay?"
"Ya," I assured him and patted his shoulders.
"Kay," he replied and, almost like a zombie, began to walk to the men's washroom down the hall. I looked over to see Aki, Ako, Kiyo, and Koyo. The four of them seemed to understand my immediate concern and headed down the hall after Jax.
I knew they wouldn't confront him or anything, but they would at least ensure he got to the washroom and didn't lose control. Peeling away my gaze from the hall, I caught onto Starlight's words as she spoke to Brianne.
"Brianne," she whispered for what seemed like the third time. There was no response, even though Starlight's hands were firmly on Brianne's shoulders.
I had a feeling she wasn't ignoring her sister on purpose, but I also felt like there was a reason she wasn't responding.
Starlight looked conflicted before she glanced at Professor Phoenix, who looked just as weary regarding the situation. I decided to interfere as I walked back into the room and attempted to avoid getting transfixed on the murder scene.
Professor Phoenix and Starlight looked even more worried by my arrival, but I remained confident as I walked around them, leaving no choice but for them to take a step back to give me space as I faced Brianne.
It was hard to explain the way Brianne's eyes currently looked. It was truly like a void of color as her hazelnut eyes were back but simply lost in the wooden shade. I was taking a gamble with my thought process, but I reached out to press my hand gently on her cheek as I made sure my voice would be firm.
"Marianna."
That got a hint of eye movement, enough to bring me some sort of relief before her eyes moved slightly to acknowledge my gaze.
"Is Brianne okay?"
Her response was slow but she moved her head just slightly before she glanced away as if she didn't like me.
"Are you mad at me?" I inquired. She moved her gaze just slightly to acknowledge my question with a glare, which only brought me more relief. If she was angry at me, that was a lot better than her potentially going into shock.
"Sorry, Marianna," I whispered. "I worried Brianne, didn't I?"
Another hint of a nod before she frowned. "I want Jaxsin."
Her speaking made me smile as I nodded in understanding. "He's just checking on Connor. Do you mind if I talk to Brianne?"
"Hmph," she replied and returned her gaze forward, which made me uneasy. The others looked just as worried as she didn't say or do anything.
"Miss Oops is dead," she pointed out the obvious, her voice completely emotionless.
"Ya," I whispered, keeping my voice just as steady.
"Hmph." She looked away as she swiftly turned around. "She didn't deserve to die."
I wasn't sure what to say as she waltzed right out of the room and passed Mia and Miya like she didn't know who they were. I immediately followed her, cueing the twins to aid Professor Phoenix and Starlight before catching up to Marianna.
She turned the corner and then pushed the door to the stairwell, which made me speed up enough to catch her hand as she tried to go down the stairs. She fell forward instead.
Tugging her back, she fell into me, causing me to lose balance and fall right back. I cushioned her fall before she scrambled out of my hold and rushed down the stairs.
"Marianna!" I was after her a second later, and soon she was rushing into the girl's washroom. I followed right in and slammed the lock on before seeing our love rush into the stall and begin vomiting whatever they’d had for breakfast.
I swallowed the lump in my throat as I struggled not to be taken aback by the sight that clung to my mind. I would deal with that later. But for now, Brianne and Marianna needed me.
Moving to stand behind her, I gathered her hair as she struggled to get it out of her face, gathering enough before she began vomiting again. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she coughed and fought to breathe.
All I could do was begin to rub her back as I whispered words of calm. I assured her that we'd figure this out together. I wasn't going to say that things were going to be okay, because they weren’t.
Someone was dead. Someone we knew who didn't deserve the punishment they endured before their final moments of life and being hung in such a manner was dead. This was far too much for us to handle, and I was fine with admitting that.
She vomited until nothing came out, and with a groan, she slumped over to the side, which forced me to catch her before she hit her head on the wall of the stall.
"Brianne?" I shook her just slightly, and it took a minute before her eyes opened enough for her to acknowledge me as I scooped her up into my lap. "Bri?"
She blinked a few times before she closed her eyes and whimpered. That made my heart clench as I wrapped her in my arms and hugged her tightly.
"I'm here, Red," I whispered. "We'll get through this together."
She broke down then, as did I, the two of us needing each other's comfort as the sounds of approaching police sirens grew louder near the bathroom window.
We may have prevailed with the power of light, but darkness still remained. Regardless, I knew one thing.
No matter the dark times that are ahead, light will always prevail. We, the Notorious Five, will prevail.
2
Murder She Wrote And Forced Holiday
~BRIANNE~
* * *
I turned the page of the book I was reading, my eyes scanning the words at a robotic pace. Not too fast, not too slow. The perfect movement to take in the inked words of the shifter romance I was reading.
The cover had captured my interest. It was a romance among supernatural creatures. The girl lost her parents in some freak accident, landing her in the hospital with no memories of what happened that mysterious night. She's forced to start over in a new town, but that place carries secrets of its own.
When I'd arrived home with my parents, I’d thought to read a few short sentences before showering and heading to bed. Instead, the plot sucked me in, but it was the main character that stole the show.
The mystery that surrounded her essence was so intriguing. The secrecy and the quietness she carried reminded me of myself. She was eighteen, entering university and simply trying to blend in while trying to forget the past, but there were aspects of her that hinted at a threatening force within her being, while she walked the new path with a sense of innocence.
It was like she was good on the outside but hid a monster on the inside. It was the first time I'd read something that took me in and wasn't non-fiction, like magic spell books or tales of history.
The objective of the book was surrounded by the idea of surrendering. Allowing yourself to surrender to the desires, addictions, and darkness that haunts all of us, especially in times of utter despair.
The book was recommended by Mia and Miya. The two of them had gifted me the book to try out while I spent tonight at home. I'd have to text them once I finished to ask if there was more to the series, for it was the one thing keeping my mind from sinking into the brewing chaos that swarmed my head.