Ten Days Before The Event
The end of the semester had finally arrived, and with it, the last exam that Jacob, Alfred, and Emma would face. As usual, Emma discreetly showed Jacob the answers, and he gratefully copied them down. When the exam ended, Jacob felt a wave of relief wash over him—his stress was finally over.
To celebrate, the trio headed to the college canteen for lunch. The atmosphere was light and carefree until Billy, the notorious campus bully and Emma's ex-boyfriend, appeared with his gang. They strutted over, sneers plastered on their faces. Billy, with his trademark arrogance, sneered at Emma, "So, good job, finally found your spot with these losers?" His gang erupted in raucous laughter.
Jacob and Alfred felt the sting of Billy's words, and Emma, sensing their discomfort, shot back, "Well, I'm too lucky to have broken up with a joker like you." Jacob couldn't help but laugh at Emma's retort, which only fueled Billy's anger.
Billy's face contorted with rage as he grabbed Jacob by the collar. "What, boy? Trying to shine?" he spat. Jacob, refusing to be intimidated, responded, "Oh boy, you're not the only smart one around here."
Billy sneered, "Sure, acting tough now that you've got a nerd for a friend. You're nothing but a fool." Emma, growing increasingly frustrated, stepped in. "Okay, Billy, that's enough. Don't take your anger out on them."
Billy, unwilling to back down, taunted, "Oh, feeling bad about your new boyfriend?" Emma rolled her eyes and said, "He's not my boyfriend, just a friend. And unlike you, I don't jump from one person to another."
Billy, now visibly irritated, turned his attention to Alfred. "Well, I don't do friendships with the son of a mad scientist." The words cut deep. Alfred's face fell, and Jacob, seeing his best friend's pain, snapped. "You don't know anything about him or his father. Keep his name out of your mouth."
Billy smirked. "Everyone knows how his house blew up. His father was a mad scientist, doing dangerous experiments that got them all killed." Jacob had always heard the rumors, but he trusted Alfred more than anything. Before he could respond, Emma spoke up, her voice firm. "I don't know much about Alfred's past, but he's a good person, and I don't believe that garbage story."
Billy laughed, clearly enjoying himself. "I don't care if you believe it or not. I've got better things to do than talk to a bunch of losers." Jacob, not wanting to let Billy have the last word, shot back, "Yeah, well, we don't have time to waste on losers like you either." With that, Billy and his gang stormed out of the canteen.
After the confrontation, Emma turned to Jacob, concern etched on her face. "I don't know much about Alfred's background. Was his father really a mad scientist?"
Jacob hesitated before answering, "I'm not sure. There are rumors, but I've never believed them. Alfred doesn't talk about it much."
Emma sighed, "I hope it's all just rumors." They walked in silence, both lost in thought. Meanwhile, Alfred had retreated to his hostel room, feeling the weight of the day's events pressing down on him. In a fit of frustration, he smashed the objects on his desk. The memories of that day, though distant and hazy, still haunted him. He was only 6 or 7 years old when it happened, but the impact of the tragedy had never left him.
Later that night, as Jacob was settling in, his phone rang. He was both confused and excited to see Emma's name on the screen—it was rare for her to call at night. He quickly answered, "Hello, Emma?"
Her voice was tinged with curiosity. "Hi, Jacob. Can you tell me more about Alfred and his life?"
Jacob took a deep breath. "Yeah, sure."