"Lemuel died two months ago."
"Covid?"
"I don't know. I just hear that he passed away. I don't know how he died."
"Maybe, it really is Covid," Terrence said, shrugging.
"Anyway," Ella turned to look at Ally directly, "it was Ferdinand's first day as the University President yesterday. They threw a party for him and maybe that's why we're only scheduled to come today."
"Or maybe they are aware that most of the engineering graduates are already employed," Terrence added. His eyes roamed around the other kiosks. "I heard everyone from ECE and ME are already working."
"Good for them," Ella said. "How about our classmates?"
"Fifteen of us are still unemployed."
"Eh?" Ella's forehead creased. She looked at Ally who seemed to be just as confused as her. But there's only sixteen of us who graduated Computer Engineering."
Terrence slowly nodded then pointed a finger at Ella. "You're the first—and only one—to get employed during the quarantine."
"Eh!?"
"Congrats," Ally said which only made Ella frown even more.
"Should I quit? It feels so odd that I'm like the most responsible one in our class."
"Our parents just didn't want us to go outside during the quarantine," Terrence reasoned out.
"Are you saying that my parents don't care about me?!" Ella screamed in their former class representative's face. She was killing him with her glare when she noticed how Ally looked down. "Let's change the topic!"
"You're the one who asked—"
"Shut up!" Ella stood up with one of her palms almost pressed on Terrence's mouth, shutting him up. Her other hand pulled Ally up. "Let's go, Ally. Let's get in the line so we'd be served first if ever the registrar decides to open their window today."
Terrence did not have the chance to say another word when Ella left. Ally just silently let the latter drag her away from the kiosk as well.
"Damn, there's already a long line?" Ella's shoulders dramatically went down when they saw how many graduates like them are lining up in front of the registrar's only window, which is still closed. "Well, what can I say, St. Louie, the university of endless queuing lines."
"Are we going back to the kiosk or are we going to line up?"
Ella heaved a deep sigh and looked at Ally. She was about to speak when she caught a glimpse of a guy who was looking in their direction. "Paul Ortega is looking at you again."
"Paul Ortega?" Ally turned to look at where Ella's eyes were fixated. She saw a familiar guy who was indeed facing their direction but immediately turned his back when their eyes met.
"I can really sense that that CE guy likes you," Ella said, her eyes squinting. "He was also a member of the Babysitter's Club, right?"
Ally nodded, returning her gaze to her friend. "One of the children we're looking after was his little sister. Their mom is a professor at the College of Nursing."
"Okay…" Ella said, still looking unconvinced. "I still find it suspicious that there are literal dudes in that club. I mean, are there really guys who are interested in taking care of kids?"
"There are." Ally smiled. "They actually do their job well. Especially Paul. All the kids like him."
"Just why did you join that club?"
"Haven't I told you before? Someone recommended it."
"That anonymous chat-mate of yours, from Louie's Friends?"
Ally smiled once again as she remembered their university's online messaging site that saved her during her college days. She nodded. "You told me to sign up for that."
"That's because you never told me about your problems. I thought, maybe you could tell a stranger? Thank God, St. Louie has something like that. The university that cares for its students but from enrollment up to now, makes us line up for hours." Ella's tone ended up being sarcastic. She sighed once again then smiled at her friend. "That site helped you, didn't it?"
Ally's smile grew wider. "More than you know."
"So, what's going to happen now? Don't students lose access to all university sites when they graduate? And you know nothing about the real identity of your friend from Louie's Friends. Will you be okay?"
"Of course." Ally had to take a sigh after answering. Deep inside, she had been struggling with the absence of that person she had shared all her worries with.
"Situation's still the same in your house?" Ella asked slowly, trying to be careful with her words.
Ally immediately felt her eyes sting with the thought of her fucked up family, but she still tried to smile. "Let's not talk about it," she said.
Ella could only bite her lower lip as she stared at her friend. She also took a deep sigh before nodding. Wanting to cheer Ally up, she thought of changing the topic. But before she could even say another word, a loud scream caught the attention of everyone.
Just like that, the silence enveloped the whole department. The positive energy of the men and women who were just having a mini-reunion after not seeing each other for a long time and graduating online suddenly disappeared. They all turned in the direction where the scream came from—at the front of the long line to the registrar's window.
Most of the graduates stepped away from the line, but Ally and Ella found themselves walking toward the chaos.
"Oh my God!" Ella covered her mouth with her hand as she gasped upon seeing what the commotion was about.
The college registrar that they have been waiting for was already there, in front of them, lifeless. The old lady who has been there all this time, now has her body hanging at the now-opened window of her office, with her blood dripping to the ground.
Everybody was shocked, but they all have an idea of what happened.
Murder.
Everything in front of them screams murder.
And they don't know what to do about it.
;