CHAPTER THREE: The Aftermath

The bell just rang, signaling the end of recess. One by one the clusters of students scattered all over the campus started to disperse and head to their respective classrooms. The events of this morning gave the entire gossip-deprived community enough fodder. A certain witness to the events at the third floor stairway started the first round of gossip mongering, and pretty soon the story of a certain incident over coffee spread like wildfire. Tina’s prophetic words that were intended for Bette also rang true for everyone else in Redwind Academy. Now everybody knew her name. Everyone started to acknowledge the existence of one Christina Kennard among them. Gone was Tina’s anonymity. Gone was the quiet life and privacy she loved. Gone was her wish of graduating without drama.

"And oh.. I think that’s her!" A skinny tall girl pointed at Tina as she closed her locker door. Her friends all looked in the direction she was pointing at and eyed a certain irritated looking blonde as she made her way past the other students. Everyone had their eyes on Tina as they threw comments to one another in hushed tones. And no, they weren’t thinking that Tina was brave for standing up to Bette Porter. Nope, Tina Kennard was no hero. They all looked at Tina and saw the same thing.. a dead woman walking. Now all they needed was the signal – the red tag – and all hell would be let loose.

Tina walked briskly through the hallway with her head bent down. She knew everyone was looking at her and it made her a feel little uncomfortable and greatly annoyed. Thank God I have study period right now, she thought as she rounded the corner to a deserted hallway and continued her journey towards a familiar red door. Instead of going to the study hall, Tina opted for her safe place – her refuge when things got unbearably stifling inside this school. She stopped in front of the red door and sighed as she gripped the doorknob. After a few beats, she twisted the knob and pushed open the door. As soon as she stepped out, her hand immediately shot up to her face to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight. After she had adjusted to her new environment a few moments later, she breathed a sigh of relief. Finally.. an escape from the prying eyes. To anyone else, this place was just a simple balcony on the third floor overlooking the soccer field below. But to Tina Kennard, this little balcony was her haven. This place was often deserted, and she was lucky enough to discover it one day during her junior year when she was looking for a quiet place away from the unruly mob that was chasing a poor red tagged soul around campus. Normally, she just leaned towards the ledge in silence, taking in the fresh air and the nice view. But not right now. Now she just needed to vent. Have you heard of people shouting at the ocean when they’re mad? Well Tina settled for the soccer field just now. Whatever, Tina thought, shouting out your frustrations was therapeutic.