Entry A-6 “Detective Venus — II”
Venus froze up at her locker when she picked up the distant voice of her classmate Elise. Her senses went sharp as she realized that the voice was definitely drawing closer and coming from her left. Why was Elise still here? She was sure Elise grabbed her backpack as she left the classroom - a surefire signal that she was about to go home. Venus pushed herself a little further into her locker, as if to hide. She held her breath as she was passed straight by without so much as a word. The steps faded away as a classroom door closed. She exhaled, feeling herself thawing to room temperature again.
Venus could hear a muffled conversation start in the classroom; her detective instincts promptly switched on. She didn’t feel bad about breaking taboos in the name of justice. She closed the locker as a show of resolve and tiptoed up to the classroom door, putting her ear to it.
The voice of an adult was clear now. She spoke with a calming yet stern demeanor. Venus had never faced the brunt of that tone of voice from a teacher before. It was a little unnerving.
“Well, Elise, you can’t just push your classmates off heights like that. Someone could have gotten hurt.”
“But Ms. Cabby, Alice would have fallen down anyway...”
Miss Cabalkiller didn’t respond immediately, leaving a short pause.
“Well even so, it’s not nice to push your classmates, okay?”
“Okay...”
Elise never listened to her classmates, or teachers, or even her big sis. Ms. Cabby was an exception. She was the type of teacher who garnered real respect. She was kind, but serious when she needed to be. She covered up well for her occasional scatterbrain.
For a moment, silence fell. The sound of Venus’s heartbeat drowned out everything else she could hear. The exchange continued after a longer pause.
“So how are things at home, Elise?”
“Big sis is very busy right now. She isn’t home a lot.”
“She’s busy with work, right?”
“M-hm. When she comes home from her job, she has to go to her other job.”
Cabalkiller was silent for a bit before responding.
“...I see... is that hard for you?”
Venus heard no response. Nothing. Ms. Cabby asked a slightly different question.
“Is Meridian working today?”
Again, nothing.
“Want to help me with the garden today? There’s a reward in it for you~”
“What kind of reward?”
“It’s a secret~ But if you’d rather go home right now...”
“I’ll help you miss Cabby!”
Elise sounded excited. Then she said something very unexpected.
“And Venus can help too!”
Venus froze solid upon hearing her name. There was no way Elise could have possibly...
Suddenly someone got up and started walking, fast; Venus panicked when the realization hit that someone was coming straight towards her. Before she could even try and run away the door swung open and she was met with a smile - that smile. Venus fell on her butt in shock.
Ms. Cabby approached behind Elise, wearing a puzzled expression.
“I- I-... ah...” Venus stammered, desperately reaching for an excuse that sounded believable. Nothing.
Cabalkiller and Elise towered over Venus, each giving their respective smiles. But there was no warmth coming from Elise at all, since she always did that.
“I love you, Venus! You are so cute!” Elise said in a tone Venus could not parse. The words felt like taking a frying pan full of sizzling oil to the face.
“Venus... were you curious? You can come help with the garden too~” Miss Cabby chimed in, as if to soften the blow.
Venus felt every conflicting feeling that could only just culminate into a pathetic rage. Tears were just starting to form out of frustration. Miss Cabby just didn’t understand at all.