THREAD SIX: SUSPICION

“MEREDITH! Are you okay? What’s happening?” he worriedly asked in confusion as he approached her.

Sweat started to form on Meredith’s forehead and neck, her breathing became uneven, and her chest is moving up and down. She wanted to use her earphones but it’s useless because her phone’s battery is empty. She looked at Randall and tightly held on to his uniform.

“D-do you have an iPod?” she asked, trembling. Her grip on Randall’s arm tightened even more when the thunder rumbled again with lightning.

“Y-yeah.” Then he immediately rummaged through his bag. Fortunately, the sudden flash of lightning gave light somehow so he quickly get what he needed.

“Here.” She quickly took it and put on the earphone and play it.

When she heard the calm music, she turned up the volume just enough so that she could no longer hear the thunder.

Randall looked at her worriedly. “A-are you okay now?”

She calmed herself first and nodded.

“D-did I startled you?” she asked.

Randall nodded without saying a word.

“When I was seven years old, I was diagnosed with Phonophobia. When I hear sudden explosions I either have a panic attack or I will hyperventilate. So since then, I used to always worn earphones whenever I leave the house. Sometimes when I’m not in the mood I don’t even want to hear the sound of rain. When I’m at home, I always locked up myself in my soundproof room,” she said.

“Is that phobia hereditary?” he commented.

She shook her head. “No one in our family has this kind of phobia. Maybe it was just destined to happen.”

“What kind of music do you always listen to?” he added. 

“Classical music. It really calms me. It can also improve my mood.”

“We have the same taste when it comes to music. Classical music for me speaks out things for you that you can’t. It makes me realize that there is actually something more to this world, something deep, hidden, and mysterious which gives meaning to life.”

She smiled and raised the iPod in her hand. “Can I borrow this for a while until the rain stops?”

“Sure! It’s fully charge. You can use it even until tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” she smiled gratefully.

Meredith just froze when she felt something warm placed behind her.

“You might be cold,” Randall said after putting his black hoodie on her back.

“H-how about you? Aren’t you cold?”

“Don’t mind me. I’m wearing a t-shirt inside my uniform so it’s fine. You need that more than I do.”

She smiled at him then looked away while her lips were smiling too wide. At that time, she felt that it warmed not only his body but also her heart.

She felt warm and overwhelmed.

THE NEXT DAY, Meredith woke up from a deep sleep when she felt a pain in her neck. When she opened her eyes, she saw Randall’s face still sound asleep. It was only then she realized that she was laying on his thigh so she got up. What she didn’t expect was when she opened her eyes, she saw her cousin who was now shooting daggers at her while he was sitting on the chair like a king.

“C-cousin?!” she said, shocked, causing Randall to wake up.

“C-captain!” he said then quickly stood up. 

John Person crossed his arms and looked at Randall. “You! You told me that you were just going to get your phone yesterday but why are you here with my cousin?”

Randall swallowed. But before he could say anything, Meredith interrupted their conversation.

“C-cousin, t-this is not what you think—”

She couldn’t continue her explanation when John Person looked at her angrily, causing her to shut up. “I’m not talking to you.”

“C-captain, I was shocked yesterday when I saw her here, that’s why I forgot your instructions about the door. It was too late when I realized that–” he stopped when his cousin raised his hand to stop him from explaining.

Now it was her turn to swallow hard when her cousin look at her angrily. “And you? What are you doing here? Do you know that Aunt called me last night? You didn’t even call or text her! We’re all so worried about you!”

“I-I waited for you outside the locker room yesterday to give you the chocolate pudding I made. Then your colleagues saw me so they just sent me here to wait for you because there was no seat outside. But you didn’t come anyway and I didn’t know that your door was broken. Both of our phones are empty so we couldn’t ask for help,” she explained and lower her gaze after. 

“You should have texted me that you would give me something so that I could come here right away.”

“I’m sorry, cousin. I just wanted to surprise you.”

John Person closed his eyes tightly to calm himself before he ask her again. “So, where’s my chocolate pudding?”

Meredith and Randall looked at each other with wide eyes.

Meredith cleared her throat. “W-we were so hungry last night so we ate it all.”

He shook his head. “Make sure that you give it to me next time.”

Meredith smiled and nodded. Her cousin couldn’t stay angry with her for long.

John Person looked at his wristwatch. “You may now go home while it’s still early to catch up with your first class.”

They just nodded and hurried out.

When Meredith finally arrived at their house, her mother immediately hugged her. “My child! My darling! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Mom. Sorry if I worried you. I didn’t even know that we would be stocked inside the meeting room.”

“Did your classmate do something silly to you last night?” she added while examining her entire body. 

She quickly shook her head. “He even lent me his iPod last night when I was attacked by my phobia when there was a sudden thunder and lightning.”

He hugged her again. “Thank God you’re safe now! I don't know what I will do if something bad happens to you.”

“Calm now, Mom.”

“Alright, go to your room and take a shower.”

“I will Mom.”

When she went up to her room, she immediately charged Randall’s iPod as well as her phone. After a few minutes of showering and eating, she immediately returned to BSU. 

When she arrived at the school, she quickly looked for Randal in their classroom and saw him sleeping on his armchair. She hesitated whether to wake him up or not. But when she remembered how tired he was last night, she chose to return the iPod later during their lunch break.