---Catastrophe---
Early in the morning, I woke up from the noisy alarm clock on the side table. I reached for it with my hand and when I got it I threw it to the wall and it broke. I pull the duvet over my head and continue sleeping.
"Do you know what time it is?" a manly voice speaks. I wanted to answer him; I don't give a shit. But I just can't. "Catastrophe, you have to get up and get ready for breakfast. I will lead you there."
I sat up like a zombie and looked around me and ended up looking at this delicious man standing next to the half-open door. He is wearing a blue long sleeve shirt with two buttons open on top. His hair is messy but he looks gorgeous on it.
"Good morning, Catastrophe." He smiles formally. I rubbed my eyes and slipped off from bed.
"Morning has never been good," I murmur and walk towards the bathroom.
I jump into a hot shower with a pleasurable sigh. Water never failed to give me a soothing feeling whether it is cold or warm. After a shower, I dry my golden blonde hair that has blue, green, red highlights everywhere. The color that never fades is a natural color blue like water, sometimes it becomes green. I try to dye it blonde but the highlights always go back.
After drying my hair with the hairdryer, I put my uniform on. A white, long sleeve blouse, red neck-tie, black blazer, and black and red plate's skirt with a badge of the school sign which is M and has flowers and twines design around the M. I put a light powder on my face and little lip balm. Then I got out wearing slippers and went to the couch-bed on the edge of the four-poster bed. I put my boots on. He is still leaning on the wall probably waiting for me.
"You don't need to keep waiting for me," I told him.
"You are my apprentice and it's my responsibility to tour you around. There are rules here that you should know." He gestures at the door and I get out first and he follows me.
We walk on the corridor and the girls stalk gaze at us. Perhaps they are gazing at the gorgeous man with me. He explained to me about the girl's dormitory. Then there's a kitchen full of food but the meal is served in the dining hall. So, we directly went to the dining hall.
"Good morning Mr. Gregory." The girls greet him. He smiles and nods at them. They chuckled and whispered at each other something, about him as hunk and still young.
Then, there is a girl who stopped in front of us gaping as she saw me. Of course, I know her. She's one of Adhiti best friends. Eliza Marine.
"Adhiti..." she murmurs. I was taken aback when she hugged me tightly. "You came back..."
"Eliza..." Nick called her.
"I am not Adhiti," I say bluntly and she stopped and pushed herself from me. "Who are you?" I asked her.
"I—It's me, Eliza." She looked downcast.
"Eliza, please meet my new apprentice, Catastrophe. Catastrophe, her name is Eliza Marine. Adhiti's best friend." Nick said formally. I extend my hand to her for a handshake.
"Nice to meet you, Eliza." She looked down on my hand for a moment and when she was about to hold mine someone called me so I put down my hand and turned to see the running Marissa wearing fabulous pink shoes.
"Hi!" she waved and scooped my arm. "She will be our new best friend." She told Eliza with a playful smile and had those wonderful wide eyes.
I looked at Eliza who forced a smile and nod. She faced Nick and implied something behind us. So, that's another issue. I feel like they get attached after the death or missing Adhiti. I look at Marissa at my side and she makes twinkling eyes on me. Yeah, she can be annoying because of her childlike attitude.
"I will take her from here," she told him.
"Perhaps I can both join you at breakfast?" Nicholas asked nicely with a friendly smile.
"Of course you can," Eliza answered.
Act like a robot Catastrophe, that's what you are now. Even if you are in front of Adhiti's friends, you gotta act like a f-cking robot.
So in breakfast, I eat silently while Marissa almost does the talking, and Nick will just answer and then Eliza will agree. It seemed to be awkward between the two. They will ask me a few questions and I will answer it monotonously with a lie if I have to lie. They are digging into my background and my background should be invisible as a ghost. George had covered it up with the help of a friend that I also treat as a father. I am a little confident to do my act. Two years of practicing it are enough to be a pro.
I can feel a few people around watching us secretly and will look away immediately before any of us can catch them. Nick had left us alone after he had received a text from someone. I was left alone with Eliza and Marissa.
"Are you sure that you are not Adhiti?" Eliza asked frankly. I looked at her straight in the eyes.
"Are you still doubting that I was her?" I asked her. "How much do I look like her?"
"Very much alike." She answered reading my emotions. Her eyes sparkle when she's doing that.
<><><><>
I wanted to go back to my room instead of joining Marissa around. Everyone is in what they call the study building while this building is a dormitory. On the other side are for males and on this wing, where I am walking, are on the way to the female's dormitory. Everything is made of archaic... rock walls. Every post of the walls has torches.
I stopped from walking straight in front where there are corners at my sides. I looked to my right to see a girl in a uniform. I can see two figures and a tall man is leaning on the wall. The girl sounds flirty and I know that voice. I stepped two backward and two sidewards to right.
"It's not her, Nick."
"It's her," he insisted. The girl groaned complaining at him.
"Are you going to break up with me because she's back? Nick, Adhiti is dead! She's not Adhiti, look into her eyes."
"I don't care, Liza!" Oh, he sounds frustrated.
"Nick, I love you and you are mine. Adhiti is gone and accept that she won't ever come back." She sounds so desperate. Oh, so much of oh... I heard his heavy sigh.
"I don't know how to work with this, Eliza... I thought that you can make me forget about her..." I heard clasping of clothes and kissy noises and moaning. When I peek, I see her pinned on the wall and her legs are spread wrapped around his waist.
My eyes are suddenly piercing.
Traitors...
---Nicholas---
I tried hard to resist Eliza. But there's something about her. She cornered me and pinned me telling me that it wasn't Adhiti. I have to do the act too if Adhiti or let's say Catastrophe is into it.
She was kissing me but I wasn't voluntary after I remember that I don't like her or love her. Someone just gets into my head. I don't know what's happening or maybe she's putting a spell on my head when I say those words… "I thought that you can make me forget about her…" but I'll never forget my Adhiti.
My eyes are open as Eliza kisses me. A woman gets into my head with those black slithering spirits. I pushed her gently.
"I'm sorry. But, I told you. I don't love you, Eliza. And I will never forget Adhiti. If Catastrophe is not Adhiti, then at least I have to protect her. Sleeping with you and sharing my depression with you didn't help."
She stepped back from me and I left her. After I left her, a few meters, the heavy feeling in my head and my body disappeared. I am not a fool. She might not be Eliza that I know. But something is indeed controlling me. Might be a demon, But I have to fight it. Now that Adhiti is here. I have to do everything to protect her.