Hectic

"Thea, how is the events' reports?" Lucas said as he sat on the table with the core members of the student council.

"I have checked all of them with Karin. We're ready." Althea said as she looked at Karin and both of them nodded.

"Rin, what about the budget allocation report?" Lucas turned to a girl on his left.

"They're all ready, Pres." Ririn, the girl who is responsible for the organization's treasury responded.

"And the others?" Lucas went on calling each person responsible for certain matters to which they responded swiftly.

Today was the day for the end of year meeting.

The student council will report to the teachers, the student supervising board, head of each club activities and some normal students related to the events and activities the student council has done during the last year.

Not only that, the newly recruited members of the student council will also attend to plan for the events next year.

Thus, the meeting lasts for two days with most of the time filled with discussions.

In actuality, the meeting itself ended at around 7 pm in the evening.

However, Althea and the student council members needed to delegate some tasks to the new recruits afterward, evaluating their discussion for the day on what to plan for the next.

Thus, it ended quite late for the first day.

"Are you okay, Thea?" Karin softly asked as she watched Althea massaging her head after the meeting. It was 8 pm in the evening and they were still in discussion with the new members.

"Ah, sorry. I'm okay. Just a bit tired, I guess." Althea smiled and focused on the discussion again.

To be honest, however, she didn't feel well. Her head had been throbbing painfully and she fought back the urge to sleep repeatedly.

She needed to finish her work properly and plan for her studies after the two days are done. Then after the final exam, she can finally get some rest... and join her last activity of two days leadership camp.

"As for how the second panel tomorrow needs to answer related to the report, you can ask Althea and Karin here." Lucas instructed.

"Yes. We have compiled the summary of our reports which we will give to you tomorrow morning. Please come to the student council's office on 6." Althea added.

The discussion rolling on until it was around 10 pm, and Althea tried hard not to show her worry on how to face her mother afterward.

"That's all for today. It's already late so please head directly home. Thank you." Lucas concluded and Althea heaved a sigh of relief.

"Everyone, I'll be heading back first. Thank you for your hard work." Althea tidied up her book and pen and stuffed it in her bag as she waved her colleagues goodbye.

She raced to the parking lot to take her motorbike.

'Please don't be mad, please don't be mad, please.' Althea prayed silently as she remembered her mother.

It was only after she reached the parking lot that she felt eerieness crawled on her skin.

The parking lot was located behind the school building, close to the open field for P.E. Usually it was packed with bicycles and motorbike brought by the students, but since it was already late there were only some left. Moreover, as Althea excused herself first, the others haven't reached the place and she was alone.

Her heart raced wildly as she saw the barren parking lot with only dim lights on some spots.

'There's no such thing as --' Althea didn't dare finish her thought. She mumbled to herself on how big of consequences it would be for her to go home any later and braced herself to quickly took her motorbike and drove it home.

By the time she reached home, she was mentally and physically exhausted. The dance performance from two days ago still makes her body sore but she didn't even have time to recuperate.

Click.

"You're home." Althea heard her mother said. She just opened her room's door and looked at Althea with a usual judging glare.

"Yes, mother." Althea gulped. She thought her mother was already asleep by this time.

"You went home without any greeting as you enter?" Kana scrutinized Althea's appearance as the latter nodded deeper.

"I'm sorry, mother. I thought you're already asleep and I didn't wanna wake you." Althea answered, trying to mask her fear with a calm voice.

"Don't do this again. Greet properly when you're home and you better don't get home this late anymore." Kana went back to her room before slamming her door shut which made Althea flinched.

Her mother is a little too scary.

"I'm back." Althea said softly as she turned on the light on her room. She sent a message to Ray saying she's already home and went to change her clothes to pajamas.

Today she won't study. It's Sunday tomorrow and she still had to attend the meeting.

She felt like going crazy.

"Fuuu... Finally I can sleep." Althea laid exhausted on her bed and opened her phone to find a reply from Ray.

"You should get some rest." it said.

"Yes I will."

"Yep."

Althea scowled. Their talk had been like this since the time she had the dance performance. Apparently Ray was displeased by her insistence on wearing the costume.

Not like she could force him to like it though.

Althea felt so tired of all the things ongoing these days. It felt too much for her to handle.

Her own expectations on herself which she didn't fulfill, her mother's demand of her, Ray's restrictions, and the duties she has to fulfill as a student and a council member.

"When will you talk to me normally?" Althea asked Ray.

"When you properly listen to me."

Ray's reply made her feel vexed. Why does she have to listen to him?

She understood that he asked her to regulate her meals and sleep due to her health, which she admitted guilty of not listening, but it was weeks ago.

About the costume she had to wear, it was clearly for her team so she couldn't do anything about it. And to be away from boys... She can't really do that, can she?

She wouldn't mind even if Ray is close to girls either as long as he stays faithful. So can't he do the same?

Why does he need to be so possessive?

She has it hard as it already is and he's just adding her problems.

"Okay. Good night." she decided to give the last reply before heading off to sleep.

Tomorrow should end early, and she wished more than anything that she could put things back in places tomorrow.

Please.