Early in the morning, Reena had already taken on the role of my alarm clock, waking me up for school. She tossed a plastic bag onto my bed.
"For today, just wear my brother's old school uniform," she said.
I frowned at the package.
"Your brother?"
"Yeah, he's studying overseas now. So just wear it for today!" She placed the package in my hands.
"What's wrong? Is it ugly?" she asked.
"Yeah, and worn out too… You really want me to wear this?" I was frustrated. Not only was I being forced to go to school, but now I had to wear this shabby uniform too.
"Relax, after school, we'll go shopping for your new uniform," she said casually.
"And where exactly are you getting the money for that?" I asked sarcastically, hoping to annoy her.
"Before my parents passed away, they owned a factory. Now that it's mine, I receive money from it every month," she explained in detail.
"By the way, where are your important documents like your ID? You need them to register."
I quickly shook my head.
"Ugh, then how are we supposed to register you?" She started pacing back and forth in the living room, clutching her head. I glanced at the clock on the wall—6:30 AM. Still plenty of time.
"I'll go get them!" I rushed toward the door.
"Where?" she called out.
"At my house, obviously! Where else? The zoo?" I shot back before hailing a taxi to my dad's house.
When I arrived, I carefully sneaked in, waiting for someone to leave.
After about 20 minutes, I chuckled in excitement as I saw Sara stepping out of the house, leaving the door wide open.
"How careless. If a thief gets in, she'll be left with nothing," I muttered, scanning the surroundings before dashing inside and heading upstairs to my room.
"I swear, I'm never coming back here again," I said to myself, shoving my important documents and belongings into my backpack before climbing out through the window.
---
"Alright, if you have everything, let's go!" She grabbed my hand to pull me along to school. I immediately yanked it away. She pouted.
"Come on, why can't we have a little moment?"
"Listen, guys and girls shouldn't be holding hands like that. It's inappropriate, especially at school," I said, irritated.
"You're handsome. I bet a lot of girls will flirt with you. I might even get pushed aside!" she huffed.
I nearly laughed at that. If only she knew the truth.
"And what's the problem with that?" I smirked, teasing her.
"Huh, such an arrogant jerk!" she snapped before stomping off ahead, leaving me behind.
"If you're sulking, I'm not apologizing," I muttered, annoyed by her childish behavior.
"So, your class is right next to mine!" Reena tugged on my backpack, leading me toward the classroom the principal had assigned me to earlier.
"Alright, this is your class. If you need anything, just call me—I'll be next door!" She playfully tapped my chin before heading into her own classroom.
"I'm not a kid!" I grumbled before stepping into my class, which was loud despite the teacher standing at the front.
"Ahem, err…" The teacher gave me a warm smile. I simply stared back at her with a blank expression.
"A new student?" she asked. I nodded slowly.
"Okay, class, attention please!" She clapped her hands against the desk loudly, and the room immediately fell silent. All eyes were now on me.
"We have a new student today, so please introduce yourself," the teacher said, folding her arms.
"Fariz Aidan. Just call me Fariz," I said shortly.
"Alright, any questions for Fariz?"
A girl eagerly raised her hand, followed by a few others.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked shyly, though I could see the flirtatious glint in her eyes. Disgusted by her demeanor, I ignored the question entirely.
"Okay, Fariz, go sit at the back next to Remy," the teacher instructed. I gave a slight nod and made my way to the empty seat.
"Hey, I'm Remy. Hope we can be friends." He extended his hand toward me. I merely glanced at him before giving a small nod, then turned my focus to the front. Friends? I didn't need any.
"Don't forget to complete your homework, or you'll be running laps around the field!" Miss Ina reminded us before stepping out of the classroom.
I rolled my eyes. Homework, a noisy environment, and classmates who were already trying to be overly friendly—this was turning out to be a nightmare.
The loud ringing of the bell jolted me from my thoughts. As expected, the students rushed out of the class the moment break time was announced, leaving me alone in the now-quiet room.
Finally, some peace to clear my cluttered mind.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
I ignored the knocking on the door, resting my head on the desk instead.
Screech! Screech!
A scratching sound came from the window. Who the hell was daring enough to provoke me like this?
I stood up abruptly and nearly lost my balance when I saw Reena grinning at me from the doorway.
"What do you want?!" I snapped.
"Come on, let's go for a break! You haven't even seen the whole school yet. Let me be your tour guide—I'm volunteering out of pure kindness!" Reena tugged at the hem of my shirt, trying to drag me along.
"No thanks!" I slumped my head back onto the desk.
"Ugh, such a cold-hearted guy… If you weren't handsome, I would've slapped you ages ago!" she grumbled, but her words were nothing more than passing wind to me.
"So what? Just go have your break. I want to sleep!" I glared at her, making it clear that I wanted her gone.
"Aren't you hungry?" she asked, her voice suddenly softer.
"Yeah, I'm starving. So before you become my meal, you better get lost!" I shot up from my seat and stormed out of the classroom.
Having people who care too much is such a hassle.
I wandered around a garden area filled with flowers and fresh herbs. My stomach growled loudly, making my irritation spike. In frustration, I kicked a flower pot with full force.
"I-I'm hungry…" I clenched my fists, fighting the dark urges creeping into my mind. But my other side, the one I always tried to suppress, was surfacing fast.
My hands trembled as I pulled out the knife I always carried with me. I took slow, deep breaths, massaging my temples in an attempt to calm myself down and push the hunger back.
But then—my steps halted.
A male and female student were locked in an embrace, hidden behind the bushes.
"Well, well, well… a new target."
Without hesitation, I moved toward them.
CRASH!
I kicked a nearby pot, shattering it into pieces. The two of them flinched, turning toward me in shock.
"Wow, I didn't know break time at this school was just another excuse for lovebirds to get cozy!" I clapped my hands, my laugh dripping with mockery.
"Hey, you better leave before I make you regret it!" The male student yanked his girlfriend behind him, shielding her from me.
I grinned.
"So, you want to play the hero? Well, heroes are meant to protect… not make things worse."
I stepped closer, slowly and deliberately.
BAM!
Out of nowhere, he landed a punch right on my face, making me stagger backward.
"Oh? You want to start a fight? Fine, let's go!" I shrugged off my blazer and tossed it to the ground.
"You little shit… Just because you're new doesn't mean you can act tough here!" He lunged at me, aiming for another punch.
But I was faster.
I dodged, maneuvering behind him in a flash. My knife was already at his throat.
"HELP!" The girl screamed in panic.
ZASSS!
In one swift motion, I slit his throat, then threw his body to the ground.
The girl gasped in horror, her entire body trembling.
"Since I've already committed a crime, I might as well go all the way!" I laughed, my excitement growing.
I grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the wall.
Her screams fueled my hunger.
I pressed the knife into her arm, just deep enough to break the skin. The blood that seeped out was dark blue.
"What the hell…" I wiped her blood onto her own face, smearing it messily.
"AHHH!!" She shrieked in agony, her skin already starting to blister.
"Since I'm hungry today, you two will be my meal!" I grinned.
I stomped hard on the male student's stomach, watching as he coughed up blood.
He tried to cry out for help.
But I clamped a hand over his mouth.
"Even on the verge of death, you still have the nerve to ask for help?"
ZASSS! ZASSS! ZASSS!
I stabbed him repeatedly in the stomach.
The blood gushed out in torrents.
His body twitched. Then, he went still.
Dead.
The girl sobbed, shaking violently.
I burst into laughter.
"You weren't scared when you were fooling around, but now you are?"
I yanked her hair so hard that a few strands tore from her scalp.
"AHHH!!" She fought back, kicking me in the chest.
But I quickly wrapped my fingers around her throat.
"You love your boyfriend, don't you? Fine, I'll send you to join him!"
I stomped on her stomach over and over until she coughed up blood.
I smiled widely.
ZASSS!
I slit her throat deep—nearly severing her head.
She died in an instant, just as gruesomely as her lover.
I licked the blood from my fingers, savoring the taste, the relief, the satisfaction of my hunger finally being satiated.
My body trembled. My clenched jaw tightened as an old rage burned inside me.
---
"K-Kill… I will kill you with my own hands, I swear it!"
His fists trembled with fury, veins bulging from his arms.
"No matter how many traps you escape, eventually, you'll fall right into one of them," he sneered, watching Fariz's silhouette disappear into the shadows of the garden.
"God is cruel… letting a monster like you roam free without punishment."
A single polaroid photo slipped from his pocket.
With teary eyes, he caressed the image, his chest heaving with suppressed grief.
---
I aggressively scrubbed my bloodstained clothes under the running faucet in the bathroom sink.
The bell rang, signaling the end of break.
I didn't care.
KREEEK! KREEEK!
The same scratching noise.
I stiffened.
First, I heard it in the classroom. Now, here?
The bathroom door creaked open.
A male student stepped in, his face flushed.
I froze.
My breath caught in my throat.
His face…
It looked familiar.
Like someone I should remember.
But my memories were blurry.
He stared at me, an unreadable expression on his face.
I frowned.
"What the hell are you looking at?" I snapped, glaring at him.
Then, I continued scrubbing my sleeve, erasing the last traces of blood.
Instead, he just walked into the bathroom and slammed the door shut.
"That guy must've lost his mind!"
Once I was done scrubbing off the blood, I wrung out the damp fabric and prepared to leave.
"Urgh… ahh!!"
I heard a strained groan from inside the stall.
Why should I care? He has nothing to do with my life.
I straightened my clothes and took a step toward the exit.
"Arghh, h-help me… I know you're there!"
His weak, pleading voice made a smirk automatically form on my lips.
"And what do I get if I help you, hmm?" I asked loudly from outside the stall.
"I-I… arghh, I'll repay you somehow!" His voice was growing fainter.
I burst into laughter, crossing my arms.
"How do I know you're not lying?"
"You can kill me if I run. I know everything about you. I saw what you did to those two students earlier..."
My entire body froze.
Reluctantly, I kicked open the stall door.
BAM!
The scene before me unfolded—a male student lying on the floor, blood spilling from his mouth.
"What the hell happened to you?!"
I grabbed him roughly, pulling him out of the stall and propping him against the wall outside the bathroom.
"Here, take this!"
I shoved a pack of tissues at him.
With trembling hands, he took it, slowly wiping the blood from his face and mouth.
"T-thanks…" He tossed the used tissue into the trash can.
"I ended up like this because—"
I held up a hand, silencing him.
Whatever his reason was, why should I care?
"I'm Amir. What's your name?" He extended his hand toward me.
I stared at it blankly.
"Fariz Aidan."
Without shaking his hand, I got up and turned to leave.
"Wait!" He grabbed my wrist, making me face him again.
"What now?!" I snapped, annoyed.
I was already two hours late for class—I'd get an earful from the teachers for sure.
"Um… about repaying your kindness—"
I raised a hand, signaling him to stop.
"I'll find you if I need you. For now, don't show up in front of me again."
Without another word, I walked away, leaving him sitting there, looking completely dumbfounded.
---
Luckily, just as I reached the classroom, Mr. Aizat was walking out.
"Oi, new kid! Why are you late? First day at school, and you're already skipping class?"
A male student slapped my shoulder.
I shot him a sharp glare before heading straight to my seat.
"Eh? Is the new kid mute or something?" He mocked, but I ignored him.
"Fariz, why were you late?" Remy suddenly asked.
"Had something to do."
I shut my eyes, not in the mood to entertain him.
"Hey, did you hear? The school's in chaos right now. During break, two students were murdered in a gruesome way!"
I opened my eyes and looked at him.
"And then?"
"The teachers said there was no evidence left behind at the crime scene. But the freakiest part? The victims' blood was completely drained by the killer…"
Remy seemed excited as he told the story.
"So?"
"So now the police are monitoring the school. They're afraid the murderer will strike again. We all need to be extra careful, especially when we're alone!"
He explained in full detail, as if enjoying the thrill.
I gave a half-hearted nod.
"You… don't know anything about it?" Remy suddenly asked.
I flinched.
"What do you mean?"
I kept my face blank, playing dumb.
Remy stared at me, blinking in confusion.
What's this guy's problem? Why does he care so much? Just stay quiet and mind your own business.
People like Remy—nosy, always poking around like some detective—are the real nuisance in this school.
"Huh? Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked calmly.
"Oh, nothing. This is just how my face looks." He grinned.