Chemistry Lab. Faculty of Dental and Medicine.
Asyraf heard about the commotion that happened during the new student's orientation week.
"How're the girls? Are they okay? Did they recovered well?"
His inquiry makes another student in the lab furrowed his eyebrows.
"I never know that you're so thoughtful, Ash. Usually, you will condemn those people as attention seekers." John pinched his friend's cheek. "Are you Ash?"
Asyraf slapped John's hand away. His face is clearly expressed if he(John) didn't answer his question right now, he's dead!
"They got send home. What else?" John understood his silent threat, immediately replied. "The dean didn't want any bad rumors circulating around the campus. So, he reconsidered the parent's demands and will extend their medical leaves. This is done to shut off their mouths."
"Are you sure they get possessed by a ghost? I mean, seriously?" Asyraf scoffed. "Those girls might be too afraid of the dark and started imagining something ridiculous on the spot."
"Yep, you're Ash. The heartless and indifferent Asyraf, my friend." John nodded his head.
"You shouldn't say something like that. This is why girls are afraid to approach you, Ash. You said a hurtful thing that stabbed right on other's sore spot without care." Sarah sighed. "Did you know? One of the girls is still unconscious. I don't think the girl is an expert in pretending dead while being examined by doctors. She's comatose, and even the doctors cannot pinpoint the exact reason why she is unable to wake up. She is healthy, that's for sure. But, the fact she is still laying motionlessly on the hospital bed cannot be denied."
"What's wrong with her?" Asyraf asked with a wrinkled forehead. "The other two are okay. Why would she..."
"I don't know. I am not a doctor. If the expert couldn't diagnose the problem, how would you expected me to answer your question?" Sarah replied. "Perhaps, there's something that happened during the commotion that night. And it's affecting her mentally. Maybe she refused to wake up out of fear of the unknown. Just because we cannot see those supernatural creatures doesn't mean they didn't exist, silly. We're not the only one living being in this vast world."
"But..."
"Right now, the dean is making a new set of rules. He will compound any students that wandering outside of their dorm after midnight. The security guards will be patrolling the area in the college to ensure the students obeyed this rule. Unless you have a letter of reason with the authorized sign from lecturers/wardens to stay outside. If not, Rm50 will be deducted from your wallet on the spot. The second time you get caught, the compound will be double. And, the third time? You'll be suspended." John informed. "This is matter is related to the student's safety. So, no compromise."
Ravi shook his head. He sends a pitiful look towards Asyraf. Those kinds of gazes are infuriating Asyraf for some reason.
"Sometimes, you need to relax your mind. Be more open-minded to receive other's opinions. By the way, are you sure you are not the people who fall into the category of the scared one? That's the reason you adamantly refused to accept the existence of such a thing in the first place, right?"
"I am not." Asyraf is gritting his teeth. "Who said I am afraid of such nonsensical things?!"
"Your reaction is overboard."
"I hate you, Ravi. You're making me speechless with your stupid comment."
"My pleasure, then. I am finally able to make the sharp tongue, Asyraf, speechless today. What an amazing achievement for me."
"You..."
"Okay, stop!" Sarah snapped. Her voice is too loud that it is attracting the attention of the lecturer in front.
"The group in the back! What is the commotion about? Do you guys already finished with the experiment?!" Madam Suhaila asked in her angry tone. "I wanted the report regarding this experiment before five o'clock, on my desk in the staff room! Do you guys understand?!"
"Yes, madam!" All the students in the lab replied right away.
"What?" John's eyes bulged out in shock. "Before five? Our class will be ended at exactly five. When will we have the time to finish writing the report? Tsk! These are your faults! The three of you!" He glared at the three main culprits.
Sarah pinched the bridge of her nose. She should control the tone of her voice before lashing out. Ah, since both of them are pissing her off, she accidentally snapped at them loudly. Look at what happened. Damn it.
"Sorry." She could only apologize for her mistake.
While Asyraf and Ravi decided to ignore John's outburst and started writing their report urgently.
***
Student Residential College(Jupiter Building).
Block A, Level 3.
Zhou Wei just got off the lift when he saw his juniors, Lee and Fakhrul, standing outside their apartment.
"Is something wrong?" He asked. "Why would you guys stand outside? Why didn't you guys entered the house?"
"We lost our keys, senior," Lee answered with a pitiful expression.
"The both of you?" Zhou Wei felt shocked when he heard that. "Wait a minute. Where's Izzat? Shouldn't you be with him, Fakhrul? I found it weird seeing you alone without him."
Lee coughed. While Fakhrul is averting his eyes and refusing eye contact with Zhou Wei.
"The both of them gotten themselves into a useless and childish fight," Lee informed Zhou Wei. " This guy here wanted to apologize. However, his stupid pride gets in the way. So, it's been two days since they last talked with each other. And, he keeps badgering me about his best friend's condition since yesterday."
"We're not fighting. Don't twist the story into another direction." Fakhrul glared at Lee.
"And then?" Zhou Wei wanted to know the rest of the story. " I never thought Izzat is the stubborn type. He is a lenient person. Did he also refused to step forward and apologized?"
"Izzat must felt very angry or frustrated. That's why he ignored this guy. I never saw him raised his voice like that before. He is usually apathetic toward his surrounding. Someone must annoy him enough to make him lashed out like that."
"Fine. Please stop talking about that matter already." Fakhrul snapped. " I'll fix this as soon as possible. Ugh, everything is my fault, anyway."
Zhou Wei took out his keys. He opened the gate and the door one by one.
"How come the both of you lost your keys on the same day?"
"Err...I might leave the keys at the faculty. Or, maybe the toilet?" Lee admitted his fault shamelessly.
"I, uh...never brought my keys with me. Since Izzat always brought him, I figure that it a waste of space to bring mine."
"Simply speaking, you acted spoiled because of Izzat's nature."
"Hmm...you are right..."
Click!
"You guys are lucky that my class ended early. If not, you will stay outside until 7 pm. Senior Asyraf also had classes until 10 pm."
"You're our lifesaver, senior Zhou Wei." Lee tried to flatter him. "Next time, I will keep my keys safe in the bag and not leaving them out somewhere!"
"That's the basic thing you should do, idiot. And don't forget, please report the loss of your keys to the Residential Office Management."
"I will get punished for that." Lee sighed. "Another points deduction."
"You lost your keys before this too?!"
"But, I found the keys back after a week!"
"I shouldn't entrust you with something important after this. You are making me worry right now with your short-term memory illness."
"My memory is quite good," Lee argued. "Everyone said that."
"You only remember the difficult terms in engineering. Why would you memorize those words? It's not practical, and you didn't apply them in your everyday life."
Lee is unable to refute the fact. That's true.
The three of them finally released a relief sigh after they entered the house. Home sweet home. After all, nothing can beat their own house.