Peculiar Love - Chapter 8 Secret Mission

I went to the schoolyard as planned, to see Ed. He was already waiting there for me.

“Claire, here.” he waved at me.

“You came early?” I asked seeing him there.

“I just got here. Should we go then?”

“Sure.”

We rode his car to the restaurant and had a good meal together. Unlike what Shaun warned me of, I sensed no treacherous conditions in my surrounding but from the school grounds to the time Ed dropped me at home, I kept feeling a gaze over me as if someone was watching over me from a distance.

The next day, I was sitting in the library when I received a message from Shaun asking me to meet him in the music room.

“So what was that thing you know about that guy in the black hoodie that I don’t?” Shaun asked me when I went there to see him.

“It isn’t something grand, it’s just that when I was following him that day he left me the last note, I saw him walking down the corridor to the staffroom. Because of Emily, I wasn’t able to spot him going in the staffroom, but since that corridor only leads to the staffroom, positives are that he went there. But when I checked in the staffroom, I found no sign of him. In the staffroom, there was only Ivan, Joseph, and Clara and none of them is suspicious enough to look into.” I explained it to him.

“I see, but that makes one thing clear to us that the staffroom has something to do with his disappearance. We might find a clue there. I think I’ll need to have a secret visit there.”

“We! Don’t you dare break the alliance like that? We are going together. I won’t hear any other word.”

“Such a child you are!” he remarked. “But the real problem is how are we going to get the key to the staffroom.”

“Leave that to me.” I boasted.

“Okay then, I’ll trust you with the key. Let’s meet tomorrow after the night study session in the passageway behind the gymnasium. Make sure you’re neither followed nor seen coming there.” he instructed.

“Don’t worry.”

On my way back to the class, I thought of a perfect plan to sneak in the Director’s room and take the staffroom key from the key cabinet I saw last time.

During the lunch break, I called Dad and asked him to come to see me in the cafeteria quickly. I made it sound as if it was something urgent so that he’ll come for sure. I waited near his room and as soon as he left I moved into his room. I ran to the key cabinet, pulled it open, and started search g for the key.

“Found it!” I took it out and creeped out. I went to the cafeteria straight away.

“Claire, what’s wrong? Why did you call? Are you alright?” Dad questioned at once as he saw me.

I took him to a side so that no one could see us together.

“I’m fine Dad, it isn’t about me. I called you to run an inspection. I feel like the standard of our cafeteria food keeps degrading, even the number of dishes have been reduced. You should do something about it.”

“Oh girl, you worried me. Is that all?” he sighed.

“Yes.”

“Okay, I’ll look into it. Is there anything you want to add to the menu?”

“Sausage rolls and cheese lasagne would be good.”

He guffawed at my request.

“Okay sweetie, I’ll make arrangements for it.”

“Thanks, Dad, you are the best!”

As the night study session ended, I sent away Emily with the excuse that I am waiting for the driver and when all the students left, I headed to the place.

Shaun was already there.

“The key?” he asked.

I took out the key and gave it a swing around my finger.

He gave me a thumbs up.

We waited there in hiding until all the staff left as well.

“Let’s go!” Shaun indicated.

We slinked to the school building. Shaun looked over before stepping in, I followed him. As we reached the staircase, Shaun took out a flashlight from his bag and illuminated the way. Inchmeal, we advanced up the stairs to the first floor. Then we tiptoed our way to the staffroom. I passed the keys to Shaun and he carefully unlocked the door. We both scuttled in and closed the door behind us.

We went around the whole place looking for some clues but nothing was distinctive enough to catch our eye.

As I was going through Joseph’s desk, there was a sound from outside the room as if someone was walking towards the staffroom.

Shaun rapidly pulled me by my arm

to the corner of the room behind the huge board that stood there.

The footsteps got louder and suddenly there was a flash of light in the room from the corridor window. It must be one of the watchmen checking over the school. Shaun wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me close. Despite the heaviness in my stomach due to the fear of getting caught, my heart fluttered at the feeling of my body pressed against his.

Soon the light went away and the footsteps died down but I dared not to move, I dared not to even breathe, I was frozen to the spot. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest…duh-duhn, duh-duhn.

“Your heartbeat might get us caught,” Shaun whispered.

“Are you teasing me right now? I didn’t know you can joke around as well.” I moved away from him.

“Well I’m not exactly a normal human being but I have a sense of humor better than most humans,” he smirked. “I don’t think, there’s anything here of our concern, let’s go back.” he walked to the door.

I was about to follow him when something caught my eye. I grabbed Shaun’s to stop him and pointed to the trash can.

“Isn’t it the same paper I have been receiving those notes on?”

Shaun took out the paper and examined it.

“You are right, since it’s not an ordinary paper, finding the same kind in the staffroom means that that guy must be someone from the staff.”

“We can find him through this paper then.”

“Yes, let’s go back now and continue our investigation regarding the paper tomorrow.”

We went out the same way we came in as discreetly as possible. It was late at night so Shaun gave me a ride to my house but the strange thing was that I never told him the way to my place.