Winthrop Prep -- Episode #2 -- The Seven Deadly Secrets

Campus Security was useless. An hour after Alison called them, they finally agreed to send a real police officer over to question Bianca about her claims regarding Cynthia’s alleged death. 

Bianca had never been much for niceness, but she hated the way the detective seemed to be coddling her, as if he were simply humoring her. Why didn’t anyone believe her when she said she saw Cynthia dead? Sure, there was no body, and dead bodies didn’t tend to get up and move about on their own without sparkling and graduating from abusive jerk school, but Cynthia was dead! If only someone believed her…

Detective Carr: I know you’re upset, Miss Bishop, but I need you to tell me again what you saw. Maybe you’re misremembering. 

Bianca: We’ve been over this six times already. My story isn’t going to change. I went upstairs, I saw Cynthia dead on her bedroom floor. Someone had bashed her face in. I screamed, I came downstairs, told my boyfriend, Sam and Jasper Mancini, the headmaster’s son, went upstairs to check and –

Detective Carr: The body was gone?

Bianca: Yes.

Detective Carr: And, just where do you think this body went?

Bianca: I don’t know! I’m not the detective, you are!

Detective Carr: I think that will be all for now.

Bianca: You don’t believe me, do you?

Detective Carr: I think you’re confused. Cynthia’s room is empty and her car is gone from the parking lot. We have no reason to suspect foul play. I’m sorry.

Detective Carr hated these cases. Kids, thinking they’ve seen things they haven’t. According to the other students here in Dalton House, Bianca had something of a habit of instigation and causing drama. Why should he believe her? There was no proof.

As he headed for the front door to Dalton House, he ran into Roger Mancini.

Headmaster Mancini: I saw the police car outside. What’s the matter? 

Detective Carr: One of your students seems to believe she saw her dorm adviser dead.

Headmaster Mancini: What? That’s impossible. Cynthia can’t be dead. She just faxed me her resignation.

Detective Carr: The school year begins tomorrow. Why would she abandon her post? 

Headmaster Mancini: I don’t know. That’s why I came over here, to try to talk to her before she left. But, she’s already gone. She’s been very distant, though.

Detective Carr: You were involved with Cynthia?

Headmaster Mancini: We were engaged. This was going to be her last year as a dorm adviser. We were going to get married next summer. Truth be told, I thought she was involved with another man and, given her quick exit, I suppose my suspicions were right. 

Detective Carr: With this information, I won’t be pursuing an investigation. It’s clear she left of her own free will, despite Bianca Bishop’s claims.

Headmaster Mancini: Bianca Bishop was the student?

Detective Carr: Yes.

Headmaster Mancini: That explains it. She has a, um, rather colorful history when it comes to her mental health. I was made aware when she enrolled that she’d been admitted to the Reynolds Center for undisclosed causes. I only hope she isn’t getting sick again. She’s a very bright girl and one of Winthrop’s best pupils. It would be a shame if we lost her.

That was the last piece of the puzzle Detective Carr needed. She'd clearly imagined the whole thing. He felt sorry for her, but was glad his time would not be further wasted. There were real crimes that needed his attention, not the silly fantasies of a teenage girl.

Detective Carr: I think my work is done here. If there are any problems, feel free to call me, Mr. Mancini.

Headmaster Mancini: Thank you, Detective. 

Roger had hoped to avoid having this discussion with his son, but now it seemed inevitable. He looked all over Dalton Hall, not finding Jasper in his room, the rec room, the dining room or the exercise deck. Finally, he found him on the observation landing, atop Dalton Hall. He should’ve figured he’d be up there. Even as a small boy, Jasper had a passionate fascination with the stars and observing the heavens through telescopes.

Headmaster Mancini: Son. You’re up late. You should get to bed. I’ve seen Krowsky’s syllabus and he’s going to be hell first thing in the morning.

Jasper: In a minute. I’m glad you’re here, Dad. I want to talk to you about what Bianca saw –

Headmaster Mancini: The matter has been cleared up. Cynthia resigned.

Jasper: She did? In person?

Headmaster Mancini: She faxed. Look, I didn’t want to get into this with the detective, but – Cynthia and I broke up just before you and Sam got back from your trip.

Jasper: Why?

Headmaster Mancini: There was another man, a younger man.

Jasper tensed. Oh God, he thought. Dad knows. He knows everything about Cynthia and me.

Jasper: Did she say who?

Headmaster Mancini: No, and I’m glad I don’t know who it is. I’m an old man, my ego’s not as sturdy as it used to be. That’s why I didn’t want to tell you, my pride and I knew how much you liked Cynthia.

Jasper: Not as much as she liked me.

Good. Cynthia caused enough damage in their lives. She never loved his father, took advantage of him all the while making a fool of him behind his back. Jasper was glad she was gone, for his father’s sake and for the sake of their relationship. Hopefully, he would never know the truth.

Headmaster Mancini: Let’s just put this all to bed. Hmm?

Jasper: I can’t. I went up to that room and I didn’t see anything, but – honestly, I know Bianca. I know what ticks her off, I know what makes her deliriously happy and I know when she’s lying. She wasn’t lying tonight.

Headmaster Mancini: I believe she thinks she saw something, son. But, she couldn’t have. Cynthia resigned. Please, let this go. If not for Bianca’s sake, then mine.

Jasper sighed. He didn’t want to upset his father anymore, so he decided to let it go, for tonight, anyway.

Jasper: Alright. Goodnight, Dad.

Headmaster Mancini: Goodnight, Jasper.

The next morning, the residents of Dalton Hall woke up to the new dorm advisor, Grant Waters, knocking on their doors. He called them down early for a dorm meeting, which none of them ever liked.

When everyone was gathered in the sitting room, Grant addressed them.

Grant Waters: Looks like we’re all here now.

Bianca: Where’s Franklin?

Grant: Infirmary. I’ve already met with him.

Bianca: Is he alright?

Grant: I’m sure he will be, it was a minor injury. First, I want to thank you all for getting up early to have a dorm meeting before classes begin. I know this change in dorm advisers is sudden, but I intend to make the transition from Cynthia’s style to my own as smooth as possible. My door is always open, so if any of you need to talk about Cynthia’s resignation –

 

Bianca: She didn’t resign!

Grant: I was told she resigned.

Bianca: She died.

 

The boy next to Bianca, Grant thought his name was Sam, groaned.

Sam: Bianca, please, don’t start that again. 

Bianca: It’s true! I hope you’re not sleeping in her suite, Grant. You might get killed, too.

Grant had heard things about this one. Headmaster Mancini warned him to just ignore her, that she’d get bored and move on to a new mark soon. He could tell she was going to be difficult to manage.

Grant: I won’t be sleeping in her suite, as it’s on the girls’ floor. I’ll, instead, be sleeping on the lower level with the boys. As for Cynthia, I’ve seen her resignation myself, Bianca. Her signature was on it. Please, stop slandering her. She isn’t dead.

Bianca: Yes, she is! I don’t know why any of you don’t believe me. I lie about a lot of things, but I wouldn’t lie about someone dying.

Grant: Miss Bishop, I don’t know what Cynthia let you get away with when she was dorm adviser, but you’re going to need to learn to watch your mouth in my dorm.

Bianca, clearly offended, stood to leave, without being dismissed.

The boy next to her, Jasper, stood also, blocking her exit.

Jasper: Don’t talk to her like that.

Grant: Excuse me? Don’t think just because you’re Headmaster Mancini’s son you can speak to me in that tone.

Jasper: I’ll speak to you in whatever tone I want until you apologize to her. Whether Cynthia is dead or sunbathing naked on a beach in Maui, you have no right to be disrespectful to a student. Keep in mind, one word to my father and you will be removed, from Dalton House and Winthrop Prep. Is this meeting over? I’m late for Krowsky’s class.

Grant could tell, he was going to have his hands full with the two of them. But, if they thought they were going to control him like he thought they controlled Cynthia, they had another thing coming. He went to a boarding school himself, once. He knew how the rich kids thought just because they had money or just because their father was in a position of power they could run over people and get away with whatever they wanted. Not in Grant’s house.

But, Jasper was right, they were all late for their first periods.

Grant: Are there any questions?

Jasper and Bianca left. When they were gone, Noel Redding spoke.

Noel: We’re not all like that.

Grant: Let’s hope not. I think two is about my limit. You’re dismissed.

Krowsky was somehow worse this year than he had been last year. If wine got better with age, Krowsky got sourer. As Jasper sat on the fountain in the campus courtyard, he wondered how he was going to get through this semester if he’d struggled with one day.

When he looked up, he saw Bianca coming down the steps. 

 Jasper: Nice tights, Binx.

Bianca: Nice – well, I would say nice shirt, but since you’ve worn that outfit every day since we met, that seems kind of unnecessary.

Jasper: How was McMillan’s lit class?

Bianca: Boring. I don’t think the man’s capable of voice inflection. Krowsky?

Jasper: I’m convinced he knows Nazi war secrets the way he tortures us.

 

Bianca was quiet for a moment before, begrudgingly, speaking. And, when she did speak, Jasper derived slight pleasure from how much it annoyed her to say what she said.

Bianca: So, I guess I should thank you for standing up for me with Grant earlier.

Jasper: Nah, just helping you break this one in. I wouldn’t want you to get confused and think we’re friends or anything.

Bianca: Of course not. I think friendship with you has a disease panel as a prerequisite. But, thank you.

Jasper: You’re welcome.

When Bianca left, Jasper thought about her. He knew what it was like, being that bad seed no one believed, no one ever really liked. Sure, Sam was his best friend, but they’d been best friends since they were kids, before Jasper developed his heinous personality and before Jasper realized how much fun it could be to play the field, without any emotional connections whatsoever. Fun, and necessary. If you don’t give your heart to anyone, can’t get broken.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Rebecca and decided to go over and say hello.

Jasper: I thought I saw you sitting over here alone.

Rebecca: Just taking a few minutes to breathe. Why did my counselor let me take trig and calc back to back?

Jasper: Your counselor is Krowsky, right?

Rebecca: Mm-hmm.

Jasper: Well, I have a pet theory about him being a Nazi and knowing war secrets, but no proof to substantiate it.

Rebecca sighed. He knew something was weighing on her mind, but before he could ask what it was, she unburdened herself.

Rebecca: Do you believe Bianca?

Jasper: I do.

Rebecca: There’s something you should know about Bianca. She did a stint in the Reynolds Center.

Jasper: What’s that? 

Rebecca: A mental health institution. Court-mandated. I only know because I overheard Bianca and Cynthia arguing about it before dinner yesterday. Cynthia was threatening to tell if Bianca told something else. 

Jasper: Do you know what? 

Rebecca shook her head. 

Rebecca: Something about Franklin, but I don’t know what. Look, it’s none of my business, I just wanted you to know, she’s got a history of mental illness. I think she thinks she saw something, but we all know she didn’t.

Jasper wasn’t so sure about that, but suddenly was very concerned. What did she do that was so bad she was forced into a mental health institution?

Franklin Winters sat outside his third period, waiting for the aspirin he’d taken to kick in. His face was killing him. Fortunately, he saw his best friend, who seemed to, if not make the pain go away, distract him from it with her beauty. She was kind of hot, after all, for a girl. 

Of course Bianca, in trying to assess the damage, only made it worse by poking him in the eye.

Bianca: Whoa, nice shiner there, Winters.

Franklin: Ow!

Bianca: Sorry. Looks nasty, how’d you get it?

Franklin: You know me, I trip over air.

Bianca: Yeah. We missed you down at the lake last night. Why’d you bail?

Franklin: I was –

Bianca: Tell me the truth. You were with Cynthia, weren’t you?

He was. He’d been getting ready to go down to the lake with the others when Cynthia came by his room. She said she needed to see him, and though his skin was crawling, he’d gone with her to her room.

Franklin: Yeah.

Bianca didn’t like that answer.

Bianca: I told her to leave you alone! I almost had her out of here for you, Franklin, but then she found out about the Reynolds Center and what I did. I’m glad she’s dead.

Franklin: Dead, resigned, either way, she’s gone. I just hope we can all move forward from this.

Bianca: I hate her, still, for what she did to you, what she was doing to you.

Franklin: Please, Bianca. I don’t want to talk about it or think about it anymore. She’s gone, it’s over. Let’s just move on, okay?

Bianca: Okay, but you know I’m here for you if you do want to talk, right?

Franklin: I know.

She always was.

After classes ended for the day, Noel found Alison sitting outside, looking very deep in thought. Beautiful, sweet Alison. Just thinking of her down by the lake last night made his heart speed up. He hadn’t felt this way about anyone since Rebecca, and how he hated it now. His palms were sweaty and he was nervous and he wanted to run away, but somehow managed to approach her.

Noel: Hello.

Alison: Noel, hey.

Noel: Can I join you?

Alison: Please. Actually, I’m glad I ran into you. You’ve got something of a reputation for being a genius. Any chance I could talk you into prepping me on the War and Peace test for McMillan tomorrow?

Noel: Sure. I know the summer assignment was a daunting task. How much did you read?

Alison: Well, the first page was riveting.

Noel: You haven’t read any of it?

Alison: I applied late. I didn’t even know about a summer reading assignment until I sat down in McMillan’s classroom this morning.

Noel: Don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place. Give me your afternoon and I’ll have you quoting War and Peace in your sleep.

Alison: Thank you!

Noel: And, maybe in return, you might think about going with me to the welcome back mixer on Saturday?

Alison: You mean as a date?

Noel: Well, yeah. I mean, I know we just met and all, but I kind of like you, Alison. Look, you don’t have to say anything right now, you can think about it for a while, if you want. No pressure.

Alison: Okay.

Too bad for Noel, the only thing on Alison’s mind was when she would see Sam again.

Sam Winston was frustrated. Where was Alison? Classes had been over for two hours and she still wasn’t here. Jasper had said something about seeing her with Noel, cramming War and Peace, but he wanted her to be there, with him. He still hadn’t figured out how to tell Bianca it was over, but he would soon. Now, he was pumping iron, as exercising tended to help clear his mind.

Bianca came out onto the exercise deck a few minutes later.

Bianca: Working out. Color me shocked.

Sam: What’s up, Bianca?

Bianca: What’s up? I was going to ask you the same thing.

Sam: What do you mean?

Bianca: Do you think you could focus on me for just a second and not building your biceps?

Bianca: I can’t take this strain, Sam. I love you, but sometimes I feel like I’m in this relationship by myself. I don’t know what I did wrong, but I want to fix it. You’re so different now. There was a time when you would defend my honor with your life. Now, you’re sitting back and letting people talk down to me and you’re snapping at me and making me feel like I’m crazy. Did something happen this summer you’re not telling me about?

Yes, he thought. Something did happen. He met a wonderful, beautiful girl who he fell in love with. But, how did he tell her that? He knew Bianca. When she was hurt, she’d hurt the person she blamed the most, and she would blame Alison, as if it were somehow her fault Sam chose her over Bianca.

Sam: No. I’m just stressed. I’m sorry if you feel like I’m taking it out on you.

Bianca: I need you, Sam. I’m scared and I don’t want to fight you on top of fighting everyone else about what I saw. Please, can you just tell me you love me and that we’ll get through this together? That’s all I need.

 

She hugged him, wanting to feel safe and protected, the way she used to when she hugged Sam, but all she could feel was the distance. 

Alison was exhausted, but Noel had managed to, somehow, teach her War and Peace in the span of a few hours. She laid down to relax for a minute before dinner, but heard voices, coming from outside.

Alison moved out onto the terrace off their suite and saw Sam … with Bianca. She listened as Bianca pleaded to him to see her through this and she knew – she had to let Sam go.

Later that night, Sam and Noel were playing foosball in the rec room. Sam still hadn’t seen Alison. He’d thought about going by her room, but feared running into Bianca. Bianca was the last person he wanted to see right now. 

Sam: You’re kicking my ass, man. When’d you get so good at this?

Noel: Today’s my lucky day. Guess who just got a date to the mixer Saturday?

Sam: You and Rebecca back together?

Noel: No, the Rebecca ship has sailed. Instead, I will be escorting the lovely Miss Roberts.

Sam’s heart sank. That didn’t make any sense. Alison loved him. Why would she agree to go to the mixer with Noel?

Sam: Alison?

Noel: Yeah, I asked her today when we were studying and she told me a few minutes ago she’d love to be my date to the mixer. I’m so excited. She’s really a very sweet girl –

Sam didn’t want to hear anymore. All he wanted was to find Alison and get to the bottom of this.

 

Alison snuck out of her room for five minutes, hoping to avoid Sam long enough to nuke a frozen dinner. It wasn’t as nutritious as what she was used to, back on the farm where they had fresh, green veggies every day, but it’d do for tonight.

Alison was disheartened when, as soon as she started the microwave, Sam found her.

Sam: What gives?

Alison: Can we please not do this here?

Sam: We agreed we were going to find a way to be together. Now, you’re going to the mixer with Noel?

Alison: I can’t do this to Bianca. Sam, I was on the balcony outside of our room today and I heard the two of you talking. She needs you. She loves you.

Sam: But, I love you.

Alison: I know that. I love you, too. But, sometimes love isn’t enough. Can we be that selfish and put our feelings ahead of Bianca’s when she is clearly very fragile? Because, I don’t think I can live with myself if I’m responsible for her having some kind of nervous breakdown. She’s already seeing dead people. Do you really want to push this any further?

Sam shook his head, reluctantly, and Alison started to cry. It really was over, before it’d even began. How cruel fate was, to introduce her to someone as good and kind as Sam and rip him away from her like this.

She folded herself into his arms, holding onto him tightly one last time, neither noticing that they were being watched by Franklin.

Franklin had a lot on his mind. He’d been on his way to the boathouse when he stumbled upon Alison and Sam in the kitchen. It angered him, knowing Sam had something going on with Alison behind Bianca’s back. Bianca wasn’t a very good person, but she’d been the best friend he could ever ask for. And, now, as he burned the things Cynthia had given him – tokens of her love, she’d called them – he wished he could take care of Bianca the way she’d tried to take care of him.

He heard leaves crinkle and Bianca’s voice softly said:

Bianca: Thought I’d find you down here. It’s past curfew.

Franklin: I know. I just had some mementos to get rid of.

Bianca: I see.

They were ashes now. He wanted them to burn until they were nothing – but they would always be in his memory. They say these things stay with you until the day you die.

Franklin: I hate her.

Bianca: I know.

Franklin: Thank you for trying to fix things. She told me not to tell anyone that we were sleeping together, but I knew if I told you, that you’d try to stop it.

Bianca: It was wrong. It was bad enough that she saw to it Vincent got sent away, but then to make you feel ashamed of what you had with him, and to threaten to expose you to your family and the media if you didn’t sleep with her? I think whoever killed her should be given a medal. 

Franklin hoped she was dead. No one really believed Bianca, but Franklin did, simply because of that hope. Then again, death was too good for Cynthia. He wanted her tortured the same way she’d been torturing him ever since she found out about Vincent.

Franklin: You still think she’s dead?

Bianca: I do. There’s proof somewhere. No one leaves a flawless trail behind. There’s something that’s been overlooked, something that will prove what I’ve been saying is true. And, you know what?

Franklin: What?

Bianca: I’m going to go find it. If Detective Carr won’t investigate, then I will.

Bianca wasn’t scared very often, but the closer she got to the upper level dorm adviser suite, the more scared she felt. She thought about the Reynolds Center, and suddenly, in her mind, she was back there, to that night – that night she …

No, she didn’t want to think about that. It was all in the past. She made a terrible mistake one time, no need dwelling on it now. And, no need second guessing herself. Cynthia was dead and as soon as she found the nerve to walk through that door, she was going to prove it.

Jasper saw Bianca going into Cynthia’s room. He’d spent a lot of time in that room himself. Now, he wanted to burn it to the ground. Part of him didn’t want to go in there, to remember the things Cynthia had done to him in that room. But, Bianca was in there and he couldn’t let her go through this alone.

Jasper: I thought it was the culprit who inevitably returns to the scene of the crime?

Bianca: Just looking around.

Jasper: Find anything?

Bianca: A Three Musketeers wrapper in her nightstand drawer. And, she bitched at us about not keeping the kitchen clean and the ant infestation last year.

Jasper bit the bullet. He needed to come clean with her about what he knew, it was only fair to her.

Jasper: I know about the Reynolds Center.

Bianca: What? How?

Jasper: Rebecca told me.

Bianca: How did she know?

Jasper: She overheard you and Cynthia arguing about it. Franklin, you, me. I wonder if she was blackmailing everyone in Dalton House?

Bianca: She was blackmailing you?

Jasper: Do you think I would sleep with my father’s girlfriend of my own free will?

Bianca: I think you’d sleep with Janet Reno if you got bored enough.

Jasper: Cynthia wasn’t my type. Never liked the redheads much, I’ve always been more partial to brunettes.




Bianca smiled, and for a minute, Jasper thought the sun had come out early. But, the darkness returned as soon as that smile faded and he saw the tears sparkling in her eyes.

Bianca: So, I guess this means our deal is off? Now that you know my secret, I can’t use yours to force you to destroy Kansas?

Jasper: I would’ve done it anyway, you’re just very cute you when you think you’re being bossy.

Bianca: My real question is if you’re going to tell anyone?

Jasper: No. I figure we’ve all got our issues. Only difference between us is how they get dealt with. You want some help finding proof Cynthia’s dead?

Bianca was surprised. Of all the people to believe her, she’d never imagined it would be Jasper. They weren’t friends, they were strict mortal enemies, civil to each other only because of their mutual love of Sam. Weren’t they?

Bianca: You believe me? Even after knowing about the Reynolds Center? Why?

Jasper: Because no one else does and because I know you. If you say Cynthia is dead, then she’s dead. And, we’ll prove it together.

Bianca: Thank you.

Despite herself, Bianca hugged Jasper. His body felt strange against hers, but not entirely unpleasant. Warm. Safe. It’d been a long time since Bianca felt either of those things.

Jasper: But, I do want to know about the Reynolds Center. I know it’s none of my business, but –

Bianca: I’ve never told a soul about why I was in there. Except Franklin, but I tell him everything. Cynthia, I don’t know how she found out, the records were supposed to be sealed, but she had copies of them and she kept saying she was going to tell Sam and my friends and – you. Jasper, I’m afraid if you know, you’ll hate me.

Jasper: I could never hate you.

Bianca wondered if that was true. If Sam knew, she couldn’t bear to see the disgust on his face. But, Jasper was like her, bad all the way down to his bones. Maybe she could tell him and he would somehow understand.

Bianca: It’s bad, what I did.

Jasper: Worse than being a junkie blackmailed into bedding his father’s girlfriend?

Bianca: Worse. I did something horrible, even by our standards, something I can never take back, no matter how much I try. Sometimes, I hear people talking about how awful I am and I wonder what they’d think if they knew I –

Jasper: Knew you what?

She looked away. Jasper laid his hand gently against her cheeks, forcing her to look into his eyes, to see that the boy standing before her was never going to judge her or hate her. They would never be friends, but they were connected, knew each other on a visceral level, and that transcended any normal friendship either of them could manage.

Jasper: Binx, talk to me.


As he stroked her cheek, Bianca looked into his eyes. She saw herself reflected there and she knew, if ever she was going to tell anyone, she needed to tell him now. So, she took a deep breath and she said it out loud, the truth about what she did.

Bianca: ….I killed somebody.