Hazel looked herself over again and frowned. "I guess this is as good as it gets, huh mom?" she sighed, looking down at the familiar picture on her dresser. Straightening her lapels, she kissed her mom's picture goodbye and left.
Just outside her dorm door, she spotted her best friend Camilla leaning against the opposite wall. She smiled and waved. "Hey Haz!"
"Hey Camilla!" Hazel said cheerfully, waving back. "Where's Rin and Sebastian?"
Camilla shrugged as they started walking towards campus. "Who knows with Sebbie but Rin went in early to work on her painting for the gallery opening."
"That's great. She really worked hard to earn her spot."
"I know right? Rin even beat out Alexander Goth and he's freaky talented."
They slowed walking as they approached the main walkway to see them roped off with red caution tape. Police cars and an ambulance blocked the road as well. "What the hell is going on?" Hazel mumbled, walking up to a large sign.
Pemblebrooke Academy is closed for today due to unforeseen circumstances, please refer to our online services for class and schoolwork.
Thank You
"What does "unforeseen circumstances" even mean? We have to practice for the recital." Camilla spat, crossing her arms.
"You girls need to move along."
They turned toward the deep male voice right behind them. "Oh sorry, we're students. What's going on here?" Hazel ask.
"All I can tell you kids is that there's been a death."
"Wow, was it an accident?" Camilla ask.
Hazel was also thinking the same thing, perhaps there was a fire in the culinary department?
"Again, I can't tell you very much. But my name is Detective Adrian Lock, and you two call me if you hear any rumors."
He handed them each a thick business card and walked away. Camilla fanned herself playfully towards his turned back.
"Wow, I'd let him stop and frisk me any day."
Hazel shook her head and laughed.
"You're ridiculous, Cam."
She shrugged. "What? He's hot."
With their dance studio roped off, Hazel and Camilla made their way to the library to do school work. "Camilla, what did you get for number 8?" Hazel ask but was met with silence. She looked over to see Camilla furiously typing on her cell phone.
"Camilla!" she snapped, finally getting her attention.
"Oh yeah, sorry." She frowned, putting her phone back in her book bag. "Rin hasn't texted all day, that's not like her."
"She's obviously wrapped up in painting in her dorm, that's all." Hazel reassured her.
"Yeah, you're probably right, I'll head over there after we're done."
The door to the library burst open and a familiar face plopped down in the chair beside Hazel.
"Sebastian!" Hazel exclaimed. "Where the hell have you been?"
Sebastian smirked and leaned forward. "I've been snooping."
Camilla leaned around Hazel to give him a quizzical look. "Snooping where exactly?"
"Around the cops but I couldn't find much. While I was ease dropping though, I ran into Goth doing the same thing."
"Well, I'm not surprised. The guy is the school's Edgar Allan Poe." Camilla said matter-of-factually.
"Can I tell my story now Cam? Or do you have a hobby of being rude?" He smirked. Camilla just flipped him off jokingly as he continued.
"Anyway, Goth said he got close enough to hear what happened. Someone was murdered."
"What the fuck, Seb, why didn't you lead with that?" Camilla yelped.
"It's my story, I'll tell it the way I want to. But the weirdest part about the murder is the killer left red roses painted on the body."
"That is weird." Hazel mused, looking at her phone to check the time. "Oh, I got to go guys. I have an assignment to turn in before 5pm."
She hugged Camilla and high-fived Sebastian as she left.
Hazel turned in her assignment, changed into her pajamas and wandered around her room eating a sandwich while talking on the phone with Camilla.
"I went by Rin's room and she didn't answer. I knocked for an half-hour straight."
"Cam, she probably had her ear phones in and didn't hear you."
Hazel turned on the news and was about to sit down when she froze.
"I guess you're right but I'm feeling a little grumpy about it. I know she's busy but we haven't had a day apart since we started here at the academy, you know?"
Hazel hadn't heard a word, she was transfixed. Staring at the picture of Rin on the news with the headline: Murder at Pemblebrooke Art Academy.
"Hazel? Are you there?"
"Cam...I think I figured out why Rin wasn't answering you...turn on the news...."
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