4 Strange Happenings (1/2)
For some unascertainable reasons, the weather that morning was strangely pleasant and cool with a constant breeze. However, the weather inside me was severe.
I was sitting in my place staring thoughtfully at the ceiling when someone entered the class and it wasn't Miss Rosalie. It was a new face, a young man with sharp features and pale skin.
”Good Morning everyone! I'm your new homeroom teacher, you can call me Ivan.” His cold blue eyes glinted as he gave us an icy smile.
”What about Miss Rosalie?” asked one of the kids.
”She won't be coming from now on,” he said in a callous tone.
”And why is that so?” Natalie asked.
”No more questions. I'll take your attendance now,” he said taking out the class roll.
As soon as he left the class, Emily came to me and pulled me along with her to the restroom.
”Claire, did you hear about Miss Rosalie?”
”Heard what? That she isn't our homeroom teacher anymore.”
”That's because she's dead you fool!”
”Dead?? This isn't something to joke about Em.”
”I'm not joking! The whole school is talking about it. She was found dead in her house last night.”
”Wha-tttttt???” The news took me aback and left me speechless.
”And what's more shocking is that her death is being investigated and they aren't disclosing the cause.”
”She was perfectly fine until yesterday. How come all of sudden?”
”Exactly, something really strange has happened.”
”So Ivan is your homeroom now. Did you meet him.” seeing my appalled expressions she tried to divert my attention.
”You know him?”
”Yeah, he took a few of our education classes in our teacher's absence. He was appointed last month as the school counselor. I heard he was close to Miss Rosalie so he stepped in to be your homeroom teacher. He is young, good looking, and has a nice personality. All the girls in my class have been crushing on him.”
”Right,” I said inattentively.
I came back to the class in a different atmosphere. I guessed everyone now knew about Miss Rosalie's death.
”I heard from her neighbor that strange noises were coming from her house last night.” said a boy.
”Rumours have it that she was murdered brutally.” exclaimed the other.
”My uncle who's a cop said the case is being investigated as serial murder.” A girl cut in.
They kept gossiping about it and it was distressing for me to hear it all. When I couldn't take it anymore, I left the class and went straight to the administration department. I stopped for a moment in front of the director's room, then barged in.
”Dad! What's going on in the school? What happened to Miss Rosalie?”
”Claire, what are you doing here?” he stood up in surprise seeing me there. ”You shouldn't have come here. I told you not to.”
”I'm sorry Dad, but I couldn't take it anymore.” I sighed.
”Come here and sit with me.”
I sat down beside him. He held my hands.
”Claire my girl, it's alright. I know you were close to Rosalie and it must be very shocking to you. But unfortunately, we can't do anything about it. The police are investigating and they'll take care of it. You don't need to worry about it.”
”What about all the things everyone is talking about?”
”They're just rumors, sweetheart.”
”Dad, everything will be fine right?”
”Of course, I'm going to the station tonight to see things over. You should come home early with the driver.”
”I will.”
”Also Claire don't come again here like this. What if someone sees you.”
”Can't we just let everyone know?”