Chapter 2 Where is Vivian?

Lena

“And prom Queen of Valemonte Academy 2017 goes to……Vivian Mycroft!!” Counselor Bridges' voice boomed through the speakers as the entire party erupted into claps.

I rolled my eyes so hard they nearly stuck back in their sockets.  Yayyy ,we are soo shocked and didn't expect Valemonte Academy's resident Queen Bee to win prom Queen tonight ... .gimme a break.

“Vivian hunny,please come to the stage for your crown “,Counselor Bridge beamed, adjusting her new perm .

“Come on hunny, we don't have all night ” she laughed awkwardly while scanning the ballroom turned prom party repeatedly. 

“Vivian?,someone please find her “. Counselor Bridge said, her face fully alert now.

Headmaster Spellman stepped forward and gently took the microphone from Counselor Bridge.

"If anyone has seen Miss Mycroft," he said, his calm voice carrying across the ballroom, "Would you please ask her to come to the stage?"he added. 

The music was finally turned off as the party noise died down completely. 

I had seen Vivian but I was most definitely not gonna say a single word,I hadn't survived in foster care this long for nothing. Keep your head down, keep your mouth shut. So, no thank you. 

Maybe she was outside or something but the Vivian we all knew would never miss this for the world. The girl thrived in being the centre of attention.

I carefully shrunk further in my seat making myself as small as possible to avoid being noticed now more than ever, one would never though. I was a nobody…but just to be safe.

A few minutes passed ,still no sign of Vivian. Even though I was sitting so far from the stage I could still see the sheen of sweat gathering on counselor Bridge’s forehead ,we honestly didn't deserve that woman's kindness at all.

“Alright, no need to panic, everyone," she said, forcing a reassuring smile.

"She's probably somewhere on the premises”, counselor Bridge said. I couldn't decide if she was assuring us or herself. 

“Sarah,girls ,be darlings and check the bathroom please, guys split up and search outside please”.she added.

I'd always loved how she said please for every request, it was such a small gesture but it was so unlike most adults I'd been unfortunate to encounter while growing up.

“She's not in the bathrooms ma'am”. One of the girls reported back slighted out of breath.” The classrooms either” ,another reported too.

My fingers twitched.I very desperately wanted to rub the reassuring hilt of my pepper spray bottle but I forced my fingers to leave it alone. 

I had a really bad feeling about this night. 

Thirty minutes passed still no Vivian, the guys had since reported back with grim frowns,no sign of her outside .

The entire hall was tense at this point, even the students that had been too drunk to stand were sober now.

The local police were already on their way,the headmaster had phoned them a while back. 

Jake Pulman, Vivian's right hand man and vice president of the elite student council had gone with some girls to search the dorms in case she was trapped somewhere. He had this slight indifferent look on his face even though his brows were a bit furrowed. It was a bit unsettling even though I tried to ignore him.

–

That was the last semi-normal night we'd ever have in Valemonte Academy, things were never the same afterwards. 

Vivian hadn't been found and would be declared officially missing the next day. But on the bright side, prom had been fortunately cut short.

I was fluffing my pillows ready to call it a night after I'd tucked Vivian's bracelet safely in a hidden compartment I'd created under my floor board when I saw him for the first time.

Technically just his silhouette because I couldn't see his face clearly as he was in the shadowy part under the streetlights but still….

I could tell he had dark clothes on though,a sweatshirt because the hood was up, dark loose pants and definitely a nose mask too. 

He was looking directly at me, had he been there the entire time?...nahhh,I would have noticed. 

I slowly got into my bed ,then sat upright and glued my face to the window refusing to break eye contact.

I held what would have been real eye contact if his face was visible with the stranger for what, I didn't even know how long. 

The entire encounter should have creeped me out and I should have been frightened after tonight's events but I was embarrassly intrigued ... .something fascinating about an anonymous stalker watching you in the middle of the night after someone had just gone missing. 

Then he unexpectedly lifted gloved hands and waved at me before slipping back into one of the dark alleys  beside my dormitory. 

One second he was there, the next he'd disappeared. It was like he'd never even been there,like a fragment of my depraved imagination. 

I'd almost slept before I heard it….someone was ringing the huge bell in the  abandoned Bell tower, it was loud as fuckkk….see, this is why it wasn't used anymore!!!

“ Oh,you have got to be kidding….”

I groaned, sitting up in bed after stuffing my ears with my pillow didn't help. I tried not to pull my hair out from its roots because of all the noise that wouldn't stop.

It went on for a while before going quiet after the tenth ring. Finally able to breathe, I let out a long breath before reaching for my phone to  check the time. 

It was exactly midnight and this school wouldn't be the death of me ,I'd survived worse.