I know I made a stupid call, Inspector. A real idiot move.
In the hallway near the lockers, I judged Anastasia without knowing the full story. I humiliated her. Cut off the bond we'd built for months like it meant nothing. In the middle of that crowd, I saw her lower her head, tears slipping down and dripping onto the side of her shoes.
It looked exactly like the first time I met her. Only this time, nobody stepped forward with a tissue.
"Fake tears," a girl muttered behind me. Then the whispers started stacking up.
"She's pretending."
"It's so obvious."
"I could cry like that too."
I stayed quiet. Just listened. Every voice drilled into my skull. Boys. Girls. All of them talking about Anastasia with the same tone: disgust, disappointment, contempt. Different words, same conclusion.
They didn't believe her.
Didn't matter how hard she denied it. Those cynical looks weren't going anywhere.
***
As my relationship with Anastasia drifted apart, my attention shifted to Ella.
The girl who suffered. The one oppressed and powerless in her own home. If I'm supposed to be the main character, isn't it my job to care about her, Inspector? I wanted to protect her. Guard that bright smile of hers. At least at school, I wanted to stay close and make sure nothing bad touched her.
If Crown were in my position, he'd do the same. A real hero protects the weak.
Compared to Alice and Fairy, Ella was quieter. I barely saw her outside her classroom area. She didn't join any clubs either. Other than the gossip about her abusive family, there wasn't much talk about her at all.
The only time I could see her was during lunch. The same hour I used to meet Anastasia in the library.
The difference? Ella sat in the cafeteria, with Alice and Fairy.
The three of them looked tight. Always smiling, chatting like nothing in the world could touch them. The first time I approached their table in the middle of the cafeteria, I remember hearing them laugh before I even said a word.
"Hey."
They smiled back and let me sit.
I took the seat right across from Ella. She was holding a cheap cheese bun from the cafeteria, chewing quietly. A full glass of iced lemon tea sat in front of her, the cube-shaped ice slowly melting.
Awkward.
I don't know why. Alice and Fairy glanced at me, but the moment I looked back, they turned away.
They were hiding something. I should've thought that. But back then, all I saw was Ella.
Watching her eat reminded me of Anastasia. Back in the library, Anastasia always brought a big box of sandwiches. Stuffed with meat and fresh vegetables. Actually looked good.
Completely different from what Ella was eating.
Her stepmother probably doesn't pack her lunch, I thought. That woman only cares about her own daughters. Maybe the rumors were true.
"You should eat something healthy, you know," I said with a warm smile.
Ella lifted her head slightly, looking at me from the corner of her eyes. A small smile curved on her lips. Subtle, but meaningful.
Using my fork and spoon, I split my salad into two equal portions. One stayed on my plate. The other, I placed on hers.
Yeah, maybe that was too sudden. I should've asked first. Offered properly, instead of just acting.
"What are you doing, Prince?" she asked, her cheeks slightly red, eyes sharp but unsure.
"No need to be shy," I said. "I just want to share. That's all."
Fairy giggled beside me. "Wow, Prince is so nice."
"Perfect timing, Ella. You skipped breakfast this morning," Alice added with a wide smile. "You'll need more than a cheese bun to survive class later."
"But I…" Ella shook her head, staring at the plate. "I can't accept this."
"That cruel stepmother of yours didn't feed you enough at home, right?"
"But...."
"Just take it."
Ella pouted, glancing at her friends.
"It's from the Prince," Alice reminded her after finishing her milkshake.
"You shouldn't waste someone's kindness," Fairy said, nodding.
After a heavy sigh, Ella gave in. She finished her cheese bun first, drank half of her lemon tea, then slowly started eating the salad I gave her.
From that day on, I think we got closer, Inspector.
Instead of sitting with my classmates, I found myself joining Ella more often whenever we crossed paths at lunch. With Alice and Fairy around, we talked about everything. Healthy food. School lessons. Annoying teachers. And of course, her condition.
"Your stepmother didn't lock you in the storage room again, right?"
"The bruise Drizella gave you yesterday healed?"
"You're okay?"
I asked those things every time. I cared.
After labeling Anastasia as the antagonist, the only heroine that made sense for me was Ella. No matter what happened, I wouldn't let her get hurt.
"You don't need to worry, Prince," she would say with that gentle smile.
Her voice calmed me more than I realized.
I wanted her.
I wanted to get closer.
On a night bathed in moonlight, I imagined holding her hand, leading her past the piano, through a garden of flowers. I wanted to dance with her. Just one night meant only for the two of us.
I was determined to ask Ella to be my prom date.
It would be a beautiful night. That's what I thought.
But about a month before the event, I had a nightmare.
Something like that should never have happened, Inspector.
Anastasia wasn't supposed to die.
***