Chapter 3 How Much Did You See?

All the members of the student council were staring at me as if I was a freak or something, which I am not. 

Rude much.

On the other note, Patrick was looking back and forth between me and the student councils. Oblivious to the tension boiling in the air. 

It must be nice being a kid. 

Finally, Patrick looked at his brother. "Xander, do you know her?" He asked his brother and pointed at me. I frowned at his finger. Hadn't his parents told him that it's not nice to point your finger at people?

Meanwhile, Xander was still looking at me, confused about what to do. "I-uh-yeah." He stood up straighter. "Patrick, why don't you go to my room and stay there for a while?" 

Patrick raised an eyebrow at his brother. "Is that a question or an order?"

"Both. Now get going and don't come out until I say so." Xander said and pushed Patrick back. Patrick pouted at him and looked at Leo for help.

"Leo..."

Leo only gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Pat. But I think it's best if you follow your brother's orders for now." Patrick let out a huff as he turned his back to us and headed for a room.

"Adults are no fun." He mumbled, then he turned around to face me with a smile on his face. "Thank you for your help, Hailey! Let's play again next time." He said and ran towards the room.

As soon as the door closed behind him, the student councils were once again looking at me. And I have a feeling that I am now at the mercy of these people in front of me; The student councils/The Pandergriffs.

Keep it cool, Hailey. Don't break a sweat. Just turn around and don't look back. I repeat,don't look back.

And that's what I did. With my right hand inside my skirt pocket, I turned around to leave and closed the door gently behind me. I walked slowly and casually towards the hall as if everything was normal. But then, I felt two sets of hands grabbing my arms.

Crap.

Without any warning, I was dragged straight back into the student council room. Once I was inside, they made me sit on their black leather sofa. Sandy, the secretary, hurriedly locked the doors before joining the rest of the members standing in front of me. 

They were looking down at me as if I was a killer or something.

I feel like I'm the prey and they are the predators.

Even though I'm in this state, I chose to keep a cool face as I looked back at them. It took all my willpower not to flinch at their scrutinizing gaze.

"So." Sheen, the treasurer, said. Finally breaking the silence. "You're Hailey May Collins. The well-known Waynard High's cool girl who beat the crap out of a bully years ago, correct?" He asked me with his eyebrows raised.

Now, why ask that all of a sudden?

Sandy glared at Sheen and flicked his forehead.

"Ow! What's the big idea, San?" Sheen asked while holding his forehead.

"You don't have to scare her like that." She chided him as looked back at me. "Sorry about that."

Wait. What did she say? Me? Scared? No way!

I looked at Sandy straight in the eyes and forced my face to remain expressionless as possible. "If you don't mind me asking, I would like to know what I am here for." I said and crossed my arms over my chest.

Sandy didn't say anything, but Sheen started to let out a whooping sound. "As expected of her. She goes straight to the point!!" He clapped his hands while Sandy gave him an annoyed look.

"Would you stop playing around and be serious?!" She yelled at him.

I averted my gaze at the two as I looked at the two remaining persons in front of me, who have remained silent throughout the whole conversation. As expected, they too were staring at me. But I just couldn't help but point out the difference in their gazes.

Leo's gaze was more calm and friendly. If you look at him more closely and focus more on him, you can see a light coming through from heaven as it shined on him and only him. And you can hear the angel's voice singing a soft melody to match the mood. And to make it grander, the corner of Leo's lips moved and formed into a smile aimed at me.

Looking at him makes it feel nice to be alive.

But all that happy mood changed as soon as I met Xander's gaze. He has a murderous intent in them that makes you want to crawl somewhere dark so he wouldn't find you. His look was so dark that you would feel as if you were suffocating in black water. He's a demon.

And I thought he was supposed to be the 'happy-go-lucky' guy with smiles and everything?

"Miss Collins." I averted my gaze at Xander and went back to Leo. Did he just call me? "We don't mean to take a lot of your time." He said. "All we wanted to know is what have you seen just a moment ago?"

"Yeah! What did you see? No. How much did you see?" Added Sheen.

My mind went back a few minutes. To the moment Patrick and I entered the student council room. Then to the moment that I realized that the student councils and the Pandergriffs are one. How much have I seen?

Well, I would say a lot.

But I have to be wise in choosing my words here. So I went for the safer route and just trusted my outer cool character to handle things. "Nothing worth speaking of."

Nah! It's actually worth speaking of. Just imagine the uproar once the media hears that The Pandergriffs are, in fact, just regular students from Waynard High. Our school would be so damn famous.

The group was taken aback and they looked at each other as if not knowing what to do or what to say to my response. I smiled evilly at their confused state. 

A good start. If I keep this up then they might consider letting me go.

"Speak clearly. We're not joking around here!" Xander raised his voice as he glared at me. Not mentally prepared for it, I flinched a little.

How dare he speak to me like that!?

"Xander." Leo gave him a warning look, but it seemed to have no effect on him as he continued to scrutinize me with his eyes. As much as I want to shiver and run away in fear from his gaze, I chose to stay put.

I gulped. No way am I going to let him scream at me like that without a fight. "Raising your voice won't do you any good." I said and was a bit stunned that I hadn't stuttered. This is the power of the outer me. "And as for your question." I got up from the couch. "I have seen a lot to be able to put the puzzle pieces together, Gabrielle Xyler."

The stunned look on the student council's faces says it all. They're scared. Scared that I have found out about their secret.

Damn. Perhaps I might have gone too far. But I didn't mean to! I have to fix this mess.

"What do you want then?"

I looked at Xander who had his hands curled into fists. I gulp. He isn't going to use that to me, right? "What do you want?" He asked again when I didn't answer his first question. "Money? A position? Tell us."

Money? Hah! Position? Psh!! 

What I really want is...

THEIR AUTOGRAPHS! 

Or a date with Leo.

But since I still have my cool side, I couldn’t say it to them. So I just laughed out loud and started to walk towards the members. Then I tapped Xander's shoulder. "Don't worry. I have no intention of revealing anything. It would just be a hassle as I have to collect proofs." I said and took that opportunity, seeing as they were all still frozen from either shock or panicked to brisk walk my way out of the student council room.

Once I was safely out of the room, I was finally able to breathe. But I won't make the same mistake a second time and be captured once again.

With that in mind, I started to run as fast as my feet could carry me. I even had to hug my shoulder bag as I ran so it wouldn't be in the way. I don't have to worry about the students though. Most of them had already gone home or headed to malls with their friends since the program was already over. For now, I just have to focus on going back home safely.