All Returns To Dusk - Chapter 2 The Beginning Of Dusk 1

Flower petals twinkling in the air, a scent of dust pouring into my nostrils, and a wonderful tune of birds chirping. All of these signal the lovely beginning of spring.

Stretching my arms out, I let out a satisfying yawn after my light nap. Tender sunlight pierced through the windows to re-energize my lethargic body.

As I blink, a lucid dream about several cats chasing after a mouse became the only thoughts occupying my mind.

Those dream cats sure were fluffy, however, the mouse was a desperate little critter. Instead of being caught, the mouse became a giant mecha mouse to defeat the cats with laser beams…and that was when the dream ended.

Honestly, I would rather head back to sleep, but my class will start soon. If I do fall asleep, then Mrs. Helen will most likely chuck some whiteboard markers at my head again. Well, supposing if she is back from her paid leave or something.

Tracing my fingers around my forehead, I feel a dull pain. My bruise from three days ago has not recovered as of yet.

But, since I got ten minutes left until class began, time for a quick nap!

When I lower my exhausted head onto my arms, a familiar voice echoes in the hallway.

“Roxanne! Roxanne Heath!” an idiot, I mean, my dear friend, calls out to me.

Although I try to ignore him, that fool, er, my friend knocks his fist right on top of my bruise.

“Leon, what the hell do you want with me today?” with the calmest voice I can muster, I smile at the grinning youth.

Sixteen-years-old with a baby face, Leon Cross is the only classmate who is willing to talk to the moody me. Dirty blonde hair covers the boy’s head as sky blue eyes overflowing with excitement inspect my very being.

Compared to my towering height, this little dude is at least half a foot shorter.

“Nothing really, I just wanted to say good morning to my best friend!” Leo chippers.

“Stop lying, what do you really want to say?” I roll my eyes at his enthusiasm.

His tone drops as he sighs, “Did you hear that Mrs. Helen was killed two days ago around midnight?”

“What?”

No wonder that horrible teacher had been missing for the past few days. I was somewhat worried that the substitute teacher would take over our class for the rest of the semester.

Actually, the substitute teacher was much better than Mrs. Helen. That woman seemed to be in a state of perpetual menopause.

“Yeah, I heard rumors that she was brutally murdered by a serial killer on the streets. It was as if a bear clawed through her body and left her remains in an alleyway near the burger shop we love to go to. Her corpse was found yesterday morning by the store’s employee,” Leon frowns before shaking his head, “I shouldn’t talk about the dead so casually like that. It’s bad karma.”

“You started this conversation” is what I want to tell him, but Leon is a surprisingly good guy. Not to mention that he is also quite religious.

He believes that good karma will bring people closer to God, so he often helps people out without a word. Furthermore, he doesn’t even speak any words of profanity whatsoever, which is quite rare in the twenty-first century.

If it wasn’t for his unreasonable track record with different females of all ages, then Leon would be a gentleman that most, if not all, women would starve for. Albeit, older women if I might say.

Ironically, despite his tendency to chase after girls, Leon is popular amongst both male and female classmates. In fact, he’s so well-liked that it causes me to wonder why the hell is he associating with me?

“So, who do you think will be the new teacher?” I ask him in attempts to change the topic. Starting out the day with a conversation about murders and crimes sounds like something my mom normally does.

Leon shrugs, “How should I know? It’s not like I have connections with the school and could find out from the higher-ups like in movies.”

“They’ll probably announce it today. In fact, I came here because I knew you would forget about the morning assembly!” Leon laughs.

No wonder the classroom was currently void of students. Considering how there are only five minutes before class begins, it should have been clear to me that something is odd. Not even the honor students, who are obviously diligent in attendance, are here.

“I don’t wanna walk all the way there,” I stifle a yawn.

“It’s literally a three-minute walk sleepy head,” Leon wryly smiles.

By now, he should be used to my lazy nature. If I were an animal, then I would be a sloth or chubby cat loafing in the sunlight.

“There is no end to my laziness, my dear friend. Just go without me and tell me about it later because it’s not like anyone would notice my absence. I’m gonna take another nap,” I rest my chin on my arms in preparation for another hour of napping.

Since Mrs. Helen is gone, there is no one to stop me from sleeping through class! Er, on second thought, that kind of sounds morbid. Oh god, I really hope that woman doesn’t curse me with more math homework in the afterlife; whether or not she is in heaven or hell.

“Oh, Roxanne. Could you do me a favor again? Please~?” Leon places his hands together as if he is praying. Tilting his chin up, sparkly puppy dog eyes blink as if they are a car’s headlights.

This again? The last time he did this was when he wanted me to bake cookies for his previous girlfriend as they ate them right in front of me while feeding each other lovingly. And, I repeat, feeding each other. Lovingly.

“What do you want?” I display the most menacing glare that I can possibly muster. But Leon simply shrugs it off with a grin.

“Come with me. I have a date with someone, but she’s too shy to be alone with me. If a girl like you tackles along, then there shouldn’t be anything to worry about,” Leon’s lips curls into a disgusting smirk.

“Twenty dollars.”

“Deal!” Leon slaps a prepared twenty-dollar bill as, after all this time, he better be prepared to pay me for my services. Otherwise, I will publically humiliate him right before his new girlfriend.

And by that, I mean that all his embarrassing pictures of his naked twerking shall be unleashed!

“Make sure to come over right after school at the usual place,” Leon grabbed his backpack and scavenged for something.

“Before I go, lend me your hand. Lately, things have been getting dangerous and I can’t just let my one and only best friend wander around unarmed. But, when I give it to you, don’t ask me about it.”

“Dude, you really don’t have to worry about me.”

Shaking his head, he sighs.

“I know you might be more mature, taller, and could probably deal with most mundane problems yourself. You. Are. Still. A. Girl,” he stated while emphasizing “girl”.

“Fine then,” I respond while huffing at the busybody.

“Great! I’ll explain everything to you later.”

Unaware about what he means by that, I absentmindedly stretch my arm out, expecting the usual pepper spray or pocket knife he normally gifts me.

However, a silver pistol is lowered onto my grasp.

Before I could ask if it was real, Leon Cross had already departed to the assembly, leaving an air of uncertainty within the desolate classroom.