Deep and Dark: A Crime Uncommited

I looked out of the clear glass window. The world around me whooshed by indefinitely, as I wondered why we were in such a rush. I mean, it was only school, right?

"Are you excited for your first day in Year 9, Aubrey?" Mum called back to me.

"Come on Mum, I've been going to school since I was four! What's to be excited about?" Maybe the fact that this year there was a huge school trip. Maybe because I was going to start subjects like Psychology and Business. Maybe it's just I'd just had 6 weeks without school.

I wondered what my friends were going to say about my interest. They are often more interested in lunchtime than school since it's the perfect time for us to do our planning. Today we were going to make plans to go to the black house. I do feel a bit excited about that, as well as a bit nervous. I mean, it was simple, right? All we needed to do was walk in, take a few photos and walk out. But if someone found us and alerted the police...

"I'm sure this year will be unlike any other," Mum replied.

It took me a second to catch up. "Oh yeah," I began, "Uh... maybe something will be different."

Maybe? More like definitely' and it wasn't to do with school either.

"Alright, we're here. And just in time. I was sure we were going to be late. Have a nice day, Aubrey!" Mum said.

"Bye Mum," I called back. We were late; that explains the speed.

I walked into the building. After having a look at my new timetable, I saw today we were going to have Maths, Science, History, English, and Psychology. I went to my first lesson in Maths.

The first four lessons today were fairly average, so I'll skip by...

"So should we enter through the front or the back?" Misty questioned.

"I think we should climb in through a window like those super spies do," Honey replied with excitement.

"Guys, are you sure this is a good idea?" I hesitated.

"Of course! Why not?" Milly, the group leader shot back.

"It just seems a bit too far, a job too big."

"There is no job too big for us. We're the Investigators."

"Then why are we breaking into a house?"

"That Penelope is not telling us something, and we're going to find out what it is."

"That sounds nosy."

"We've broken into tons of pretend houses before."

"But none of them were real. We'll break the law like this."

"We can handle it."

"It still makes me shiver."

"Well, you can stay here and make friends with that Penelope. We're finding out the truth, right girls?"

"Maam, yes maam!" Misty and Honey piped up.

I go into Psychology. "Hello, class! I am Miss Brookfield and I will be your Psychology teacher for this year. Please take a seat,” our teacher instructed us.

“Today we’ll start with a question. Why do you think people commit crime?”

A few hands went up, including mine.

“Go ahead, and tell me your name as well. I’ll try to remember it.”

“My name’s Matt and I think it’s because they don’t know how to behave.”

“I’m Jenny, and I think it’s because they’ve had a hard life.”

“I’m Aubrey, and I think it’s because they think it’s for a good reason.”

Miss Brookfield replied, “Well done children! Today we are going to take a lesson on this. Please write the date and title.”

“I’m so excited,” Penelope whispered to me.

“Me too,” I replied.

***

“That lesson was great!” Penelope said, “Miss Brookfield’s so nice.”

“Penelope,” I whispered, “I heard someone wants to try and break into your house tonight.”

“Don’t worry; we’ve got top security measures,” Penelope laughed, “If someone even sets foot inside our house without permission, they’re going to get it.”

I left Penelope at the turn and caught up with my friends.

“Guys, Penelope’s house is really well guarded, are you sure about this?” I asked.

“We need to know the truth. A rich girl living here, it doesn’t sound right.” Milly replied.

“I’m not coming.”

“Fine then, don’t come. We don’t need you.”

“Fine.”

The very next day...

I was eating my lunch, slowly and thoughtfully. I had no doubt Penelope was right about her security measures being top notch. And if they’re good at preventing super thieves from stealing precious valuables, there’s no doubt it could stop my stubborn friends. Out of the horizon, my friends walked towards me.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“You were right about the extremely high protection levels. We threw a foot-like rock in there and it was stuck to the ground and set off a huge alarm in an instant. Shortly after, the police arrived,” Honey explained, “It looks like we’ll need a different plan.”

Penelope walked up to us.

“Hey Penelope,” Misty taunted.

“Came to show off, Little Miss Rich?” Milly teased.

“Girls, don’t be rude,” I scolded before turning to Penelope, “Sorry, they’re just jealous.”

“That’s alright. Aubrey, I want to tell you something important. It’s my deepest, darkest secret,” Penelope told me.

“What is it?” I said, trying to keep the hesitant tone out of my voice.

She bent down until her mouth and my ear were nearly touching. Then she told me. For a second, I couldn’t believe it.

“Do you promise to keep it a secret?”

“I promise,”

Then Penelope got up and left.

“What did she tell you?” Milly demanded.

“Sorry, but I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone,” I smiled.

That afternoon...

“Did you have a nice day?” Mum asked.

I nodded happily.

“It was the most interesting of all my school days.”

I looked out of the window. We had only knew each other for two days, and she trusted me with such an important secret. I couldn’t tell anyone what she had told me; anyone including you. Sorry, but I made a promise.