Crimson Ties

Chloe closed the door softly behind her, leaning against it as she let out a shaky breath. Her heart was still pounding from the encounter in the hallway. She couldn't stop thinking about how Vince had handled her so easily, his hand pressing against her mouth, his arm around her waist. Why did I just freeze? she asked herself, sliding down the door to sit on the edge of her bed. Why didn't I scream? But she hadn't. She hadn't even tried to push him off. Instead, she had stood there, feeling the heat rise between them. It wasn't fear she felt. No, it was something else.

Her fingers brushed her lips, still tingling from the touch of his hand. What is wrong with me? she wondered. I should have done something. I should have been... stronger. Yet, as the thought crossed her mind, she couldn't help but admit that part of her had wanted him to keep going. That strange, intense moment had left her breathless and... excited.

She shook her head, standing up and walking toward her desk to distract herself. Get a grip, Chloe. But it wasn't that easy. Every time she tried to focus on something else, her thoughts went back to Vince—his steady gaze, the way he had spoken to her so calmly, so confidently. Even when he had her backed up against the locker, she hadn't been scared. No, she had felt... alive.

Stop it, she told herself. He's just some guy. Just some guy you don't even know. But the more she tried to push the thoughts away, the more they crept in. There was something about him, something dangerous but also... magnetic. Am I really thinking about him like this? She sat down at her desk, running a hand through her hair, trying to clear her mind. This is insane. It was just a weird encounter. Nothing more.

She closed her eyes and tried to steady her breath, but her heart kept racing. I just need to focus on something else. I need to forget about him. But even as the words crossed her mind, she knew they weren't true. Because in the back of her mind, she couldn't stop wondering what would happen next. What would he do next? What did he want from her?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a faint sound—a soft click of the door handle turning. Chloe froze, her eyes snapping wide as she whipped around toward the door. Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw Vince slipping into the room, his silhouette dark against the dim light coming through the window.

She jumped, startled. "You didn't knock!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and something else she couldn't quite name.

Vince simply raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "I figured you'd prefer it that way," he said quietly, stepping further into the room.

He looked around the room, eyes scanning the walls, the soft pastel colors, the neat little trinkets scattered across the shelves. He raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "I see you've got a bit of a... quaint style going on here". His voice was teasing, a playful tone slipping through despite the tension between them.

Chloe, still trying to shake off the surprise of him entering her room without warning, narrowed her eyes at him. "Quaint? Really? It's called 'cozy' Vince," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "Some of us don't live in the Stone Age, you know?"

Vince chuckled, clearly amused. "Right, cozy. Cozy with a side of... too perfect" he teased, glancing at the neatly made bed, the candles that were strategically placed for atmosphere, and the soft glow from the bedside lamp.

"Well, you're welcome to look around more if you're so fascinated by my cozy life" she said with a playful grin, sarcasm dripping from her words. "Maybe next time I'll give you a tour of my panty drawer. If you're really into that kind of thing"

Vince smirked and shook his head, clearly enjoying the banter. "I'm not sure the panty drawer is going to reveal much more than your... interesting taste in room decor. But I'll take your word for it"

Chloe rolled her eyes but shot him a sly smile. "Pervert"

He laughed softly. "Fair enough".

Chloe, still amused by their exchange, focused on the paper in Vince's hand. Her curiosity piqued, she leaned in. "What did you find in there?" she asked, her voice quiet now, almost hesitant. "What is it? Why is it important?"

Vince pulled the paper from his coat pocket, gently unfolding it. Chloe watched closely, her eyes narrowing in on the plain sheet of paper. There was nothing written on it—just a blank piece that looked like any other. She raised an eyebrow. "Uh... is this a joke? What's so special about this?"

Vince didn't answer immediately. Instead, he pulled a pencil from his jacket pocket, a simple one with a worn-down eraser, and began to run the side of the pencil along the surface of the paper. Chloe blinked, confused, as his movements seemed casual but precise.

"Just wait," Vince said with a small smile. "You'll see."

He pressed the pencil harder along the surface, and Chloe leaned in closer, trying to catch any sign of what he was doing. The paper began to faintly darken, the lightest shade of graphite revealing hidden writing, the words slowly becoming legible.

"Maple Leaf Park..." Chloe whispered as the phrase emerged, her pulse quickening. She leaned in closer, her breath catching as the words became clearer, like a hidden message finally surfacing. "But... why would this be hidden?" Her eyes darted back and forth between Vince and the paper, her mind racing to make sense of it all.

Her fingers grazed the edge of the paper as she muttered to herself. "This doesn't make sense. Why would she hide this?"

Vince remained silent, watching her carefully. Chloe's gaze fell back to the faint writing on the page, her mind spinning. It was clear that Hannah hadn't meant for anyone to see it. The dark smudge from the pencil trick wasn't just a careless mark—it was deliberate, as if she'd wanted the writing hidden.

"That's not all" Chloe muttered, her brow furrowing in confusion. "The mark... it's almost like she wrote this on another page, then it bled through to this one". Her hand hovered over the paper, tracing the faint outlines of the words as if she could uncover more.

Vince's eyes flickered to the paper again, and Chloe's mind kept working, piecing things together. "Wait", she said slowly, "What if... what if she tore this page out of a notebook because she didn't want anyone to see what she'd written? Maybe she accidentally transferred the mark to the next page when she was writing, and that's why she had to get rid of it."

Chloe's gaze turned back to Vince, her voice barely above a whisper as she added, "But if that's the case, why wouldn't she just destroy the entire notebook?" She leaned back in her chair, eyes still locked on the paper. "It's like she wanted to keep the information, but also hide it at the same time. What was she trying to protect?"

Vince didn't answer immediately. He just watched her with an unreadable expression. Smart girl. He thought. The unanswered questions hung heavy in the air, and Chloe could feel herself being drawn deeper into the mystery.

She bit her lip, the urgency growing within her. "We have to find out what this means—what's at Maple Leaf Park. But why would Hannah keep it secret? And why would she risk tearing this page out? What's so dangerous about it?"

Vince's eyes narrowed as he processed Chloe's words. "We?" he repeated, his voice cautious. "There's no 'we.' This is my job, not yours." He gave her a pointed look. "I didn't ask for your help, Chloe. This is dangerous."

Chloe blinked, taken aback for a moment, but then her expression softened. She sat up straighter, her voice quiet but earnest. "I know you're trying to protect me, but I can handle myself. Besides," she added, her tone more gentle now, "I'm already involved in all of this, even if I didn't mean to be. You don't have to keep me in the dark."

She hesitated, her fingers fiddling with the edge of her sleeve as she looked down. "I don't know much, but I do know this academy better than you think. I know where things happen, where people go. I... I don't want to just sit by and watch you go through this alone."

There was a pause, and Chloe met Vince's gaze again, a soft sincerity in her eyes. "I'm not asking for a big role or anything. I just want to help, even if it's in small ways. I'll be quiet, I'll stay out of the way, but... I don't want to be useless either."

Vince studied her face, his expression unreadable. Chloe's sincerity seemed genuine, and for a moment, it made him pause. She wasn't trying to manipulate him or play some game—she simply wanted to be involved because she cared about what was happening.

He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair, clearly conflicted. After a long silence, he finally nodded. "Fine," he said quietly, his voice steady but reluctant. "But you stay close. Don't do anything rash. And if this gets too dangerous, I want you to step back, understand?"

Chloe's face brightened with a soft, relieved smile. "Thank you. I won't get in your way."

Vince gave her one last glance before standing up. "Alright, let's go then."

Chloe followed suit, her heart racing. She wasn't sure what the next step held, but for the first time in a long while, she felt like she was part of something important.