CAMPUS CLINIC*

Rook joined her with a bigger smile.

CAMPUS CLINIC*

Roonie brought Pearl in ten minutes ago, and though the nurses offered to take care of her, he declined.

He took over a ward, and a tray full of treatments is ready.

Pearl came out of the adjoining room, dressed in new clothes. A short jean jumpsuit...not too short though and not too tight, but her curvy hips are obvious.

"You should go change too" she told Roonie who's standing beside the bed.

"Sit down" he told her, and she could even feel the coldness in her system.

She sat grudgingly in bed and he gave her a bottle of flusher liquid.

She took it and drank from it.

They only had to wait for a minute before she retched and threw it up, but the liquid is slightly black this time, containing all the smokes she inhaled.

He raised her head up and flicked her lids open with his fingers, then he released eyedrop inside.

After her eyes calmed, she made to stand, but he pushed her back down.

She tried it again, and he did the same thing, then she broke down.

"Why are you like this? Say something, anything! Talk to me ok? You've been acting distant since you knew about my trauma last night and it's not funny! You answer my questions in monosyllables and you didn't even tell me you'd be going to Madrid today. Then you came back and saved me from the fire only to go back to pretending not to see me! What's the purpose of seeing you when I can't fuçking talk to you! I want you to talk to me like a human, I'm right here in front of you!" She ranted, standing up to him.

The tray fell, and everything on it shattered and scattered on the ground, but she doesn't seem to care.

Her chest was rising and falling as she stood in front of him like a kid, her height only reaching his chest.

"Are you done?" Roonie said, still blank.

Her shoulders fell.

"Roonie...

"The coffee you drank, who bought it?" He asked.

"It was Rebekah who suggested it, but Lizzy payed when we got there" she muttered, turning her face down.

He gave her a stare for long before raising his hand to her face, making her look up.

His hands are still gloved, and it's warmer.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" He asked softly.

"No" she shook her head, and a nurse came in.

"Clean the mess" he told her

"Sure" she replied, and Roonie took Pearl out.

They met Sybil and Teal waiting in front of the clinic.

"You guys didn't go back to the library?" Pearl asked.

"How could I when my cousin is hurt?" Sybil made to take Pearl from Roonie, but he pulled Pearl to his side.

"We'll take her from here" Teal tried too, but Roonie pulled Pearl away again.

Teal fell on her knees.

"Ahh!" She winced as the knees began bleeding.

Pearl said nothing, just looking at Roonie who looks satisfied with Teal's fall.

"Teal!" Sybil squatted beside her.

Roonie pulled Pearl away, and she didn't even look back once.

"Will you eat lunch with me?" She suddenly asked before she could stop herself.

"What ya eating?" He faced her, still not letting go of her hand.

"Fish, I love fish" she smiled.

"I know" he replied, pulling her towards the school cafeteria.

Pearl wouldn't stop smiling.

*

LECTURE HALL*

The students returned from the library just now, and Jeremy gasped when he couldn't find the inhaler in his bag.

He began searching frantically, scattering everything in that angle.

He was scratching his head as he searched for it, and he hurt his scalp in the process, drawing blood

Rook is on his seat, resting back and watching him interestingly.

Romeo and Juliet joined Jeremy, and when he told them what he's looking for, they joined him in the search.

The girls dropped their books and left the class.

They were chatting nonstop till they got to the cafeteria, and immediately they entered, they all gasped.

Roonie and Pearl on a table for two.

Pearl is busy eating fish, and he's staring at her without blinking, though he's not eating.

His arms are crossed on the table.

"Oh wow, I'm definitely the biggest fan" Rebekah smiled.

"I'm not ready for this" Morgan pouted, and Rebekah laughed as she pulled her to a table for three.

Lizzy joined them slowly, and then their phones buzzed at once.

Same with the phones of everyone in the cafeteria.

Roonie made a post on the school page since he's an admin.

BANKS: Whoever is behind the fire, you have tomorrow to show up in front of me. Won't be funny if I find you myself.

Roonie looked around the cafeteria after making the post, his dead eyes landing on the girls table.

• Seriously?

• That gave me the chills!

"Will the person really show up?" Lizzy asked.

"Wait till tomorrow" Rebekah replied, sipping juice.

*