Chapter 48: Two Boys
JADE:
Liam’s face looked doubly concerned.
“How did that happen? How can she be drugged?”
I proceeded to share with him what I found in the wine glass that day. I described the pill I saw at the bottom of the glass, swirling with the red wine before Dianna gobbled it down and went partly crazy on me.
“I don’t know much about drugs, but judging on how Dianna acted that day, it was really possible she ingested something else,” Liam remarked.
I nodded. Dianna and I were not new to drinking wine. I know she has a high liquor tolerance, so I was really surprised that she got drunk so easily.
“Also, there was someone who gave us that drink. It’s possible he had laced it with a drug, right?”
Liam frowned. I could see that this bit of information disturbed him a lot.
When we got to school, there was still a bit more time, so I asked Liam to go ahead to class. I was thinking of lurking where I had last seen Marian’s killer. However, instead of agreeing, Liam held into my shoulders tightly.
“Jade, please don’t go…”
“I’m just going to see if Dianna’s fine,” I lied.
“Jade, we both know that’s not why you’re going there,” he said. He moved closer towards me until we were face to face. “Don’t go, Jade… I know you’re still trying to learn about Marian and how she ended up dead. I don’t know whether your pursuit of Marian’s killer was connected with that wine incident, but to be sure, just please don’t go… I don’t want you to ever put yourself in harm’s way…”
Rats… If Liam knew I was even thinking of using myself as bait, he would have really flipped out.
“Liam… Before that incident last Saturday, I have made a promise. I made a promise to Marian that I’d help her,” I said.
It’ll be hard to explain to Liam that, whenever Kix the dog (or wolf) wasn’t around, I would always see Marian in my dreams, begging me to help her out and not to end up like her.
“I understand your concern for her, but I don’t want you to get hurt. I don’t want you to put yourself further in danger.”
Funny how Liam’s views were in contrast to what Kix had told me…
“Alright,” I sighed. “I won’t put myself in danger.”
“Thank you, Jade,” he said, giving me a peck on the top of my head.
Well… I’ll keep that promise to Liam, one way or another, but I also have a promise to fulfill to Marian.
To placate my boyfriend, I went straight to the classroom with him, our hands holding each other firmly.
When we got to the classroom, however, several of our classmates were already there, including Kix.
My hand involuntarily flinched the moment Kix met my stare. Liam kept his hand firmly wrapped against mine though.
He walked me silently into my chair. I took my seat, avoiding Kix’s stare completely.
“How is my Jade,” Kix said quietly when Liam went over to his seat in front of the class.
I gazed at him, his hair turning golden under the sunlight that peered through the classroom window. He was the same old smiling Kix. It pained me to see him trying his best to make me feel comfortable as always.
“Hmm, good,” I mumbled.
I took out a notebook from my bag and pretended that I was reviewing my notes for the upcoming class.
“There’s something I forgot to tell you last time,” Kix said quietly, looking at Liam’s seat. They were eyeing each other warily. “The drink that Dianna had taken, I saw what’s in it.”
I looked at Kix, thunderstuck. So, he knew what kind of drug it was too? I knew I wasn’t mistaken.
“I also know our old friend’s name… You know, the one in an all-black get-up.”
I looked over at Liam. He started reviewing his notes for class too. He wasn’t looking at us at the moment.
“Let’s talk later,” I said.
Kix nodded. He proceeded to check his smart phone afterwards, making our quick conversation less obvious from others’ eyes.
This was really where the big difference between these two boys lies. Liam was always concerned for my safety. He worries about me to death even when we weren’t together yet. Kix, on the other hand, was always anxious too, but as long as I count him in for the adventure, he would go along with my whims…
I shook my head. How did I get my feelings entangled between these two?
We made it into five hours of boring lectures. Finally, it was lunch time.
“So, care to discuss this week’s assignment with me, partner,” Kix said, winking at me. He was back into his old, playful self. I instantly felt like I wanted to back out.
As if the impeding research project was not enough, there was a short survey project I needed to do with a partner, and guess who my self-volunteered partner was...
“Well, let’s go. We don’t have all day to talk about our project,” Kix said energetically once more.
I collected my things from the desk and started shoving them inside my bag. Before I had finished, however, Liam came over to my side.
“Let’s have lunch together, hon.”
Hon? When did we get a pet name?...
“Sorry to burst your bubble, hon, but I need my survey partner. We only have two days left to finish our project,” Kix butted in.
He was always smooth like this, unfazed even when Liam was looking at him with sharp eyes, just like right now.
“Don’t worry, I’ll send her back to you in one piece, lover boy,” Kix said as he held my hand and pulled me out of the door of our class room.
Just like that, he and I were able to escape against everyone’s prying eyes.
No matter how much it marveled me on how Kix could charm people though, I’ve got to put a stop to this…
“Hey, Kix, please don’t be like that, okay? It was rude.”
“How am I being rude? I informed that rat that we had something to do,” he reasoned with me.
“Well, yeah, but…”
“Just because he is someone you love now and I was someone you used to love doesn’t mean I have to change who I am, Jade. I wasn’t being disrespectful. He’s the one who’s trying to hog you for himself all the time.”
I blinked back at Kix. He does have a point…
I had never developed any close friendship with anyone in the opposite sex after my experience in high school. Back then, I thought it was because I unconsciously abhorred Kix, But now, looking back, maybe Liam has got something to do with that too.
He always hovered around me, always staying within reach. He always volunteered to be my partner in most projects, and when he can’t, he still stayed close enough to help me.
Liam even befriended my friends… Did he do all those things to build a shelter around me?...
“Anyway, the most important thing now is that you have time alone with me,” Kix interrupted my thoughts. “There’s something we need to discuss, and it’s got a lot to do with this.”
He handed me a white calling card with the picture of a pair of red heels surrounded by a square-shaped wreath of vines.
It was the logo of The Red Shoes’ Curse’s website.
