Lessons were over and everyone trooped out of the class. Arlene headed for class, Greg tailing behind. There was just silence between them.
"So uh...what's your room number?" Greg asked, increasing his pace to meet Arlene.
"What do you want to do with it?"
Greg chuckled. "Nothing. Just asking." He replied, slightly nervous. He'd noticed Arlene's mood was off but he just couldn't ask what the problem was.
"Thirty-two." She muttered.
"I could drop by someday." He said with a nervous chuckle.
"Yeah, sure. That means I should get a wheelchair handy." She replied darkly.
Greg choked on his smile. With a slight cough to regain himself, he stared at Arlene in disbelief. A wheelchair? For what? "I really don't get what the wheelchair's for. I mean, why do you need one? You have a crippled friend?"
"Oh...don't worry. He'll get crippled soon."
"But..." He was cut short by his phone. It was ringing. With a loud sigh, he picked the receiver, but not after making some faces at his phone screen.
"What now?"
"I really can't come over, Jake."
"I'm busy dude!"
"Don't you even dare...fine!"
He hung off with a glare at his phone and turned to Arlene afterwards, his face holding a pleading expression this time. "Could you please excuse me? My next door neighbour needs me. Can you go to class alone?"
Arlene flashed a smile at him. "I'm not five, Greg. Scurry outta here." She said, giving him a slight push.
"Alright. See ya. Take care." He said, rushing out immediately.
With a slight chuckle, Arlene turned to continue on her way after some time. However, she ended up bumping into someone. She raised her head at the person in slight annoyance but then a scowl suddenly appeared on her face on seeing who.
Taking few steps back to regain her composure, she glared at him. "I wish to believe those eyes aren't just in their sockets for nothing. Weren't you looking or something?" She asked in slight annoyance, massaging her temples.
Zayde stared down at her, amusement flashing in his eyes, but then, his face was as phlegmatic as ever and Arlene hated the fact that she couldn't read his thoughts.
'Wasn't she going to apologize or something?' he thought.
"Aren't you gonna apologize?" He finally spoke, his deep monotonous voice sending shivers down Arlene's spine.
Arlene stared at him like he'd grown two heads. "Me? Apologize? Pfft. When ducks grow beards." She scoffed with an eyeroll. "However, that doesn't mean I need you godd**mned apology, old man. You're lucky my mood isn't as bad as before. You would've had a taste of pain. Get out of my way!" She added and tried to walk past him but Zayde's next action took her by surprise.
Next she knew, she was pinned to the wall, legs kicking in mid air. "Let me go you barbarous, hapless thing!" She shot admist quick breaths, trying to get off his grip. Zayde had pinned her to the wall while choking her with his grip.
Arlene struggled fruitlessly to release herself from his grip. She kicked and slapped his arm but they were all futile attempts. Tears brimmed her vision.
No.
No, she wasn't going to cry for this devil. 'Never.' She thought, trying to fight back her tears.
She was becoming weaker and was running out of breath too. Zayde knew and he couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't even apologizing. Him? Hapless? His grip got tighter on her neck and all Arlene could do was sniff.
"What...what did I do to you? Let me go!" She yelled. She felt her life slipping off slowly. Did he intend to kill her in the hallway? She raised her gaze, searching frantically for help nearby but found no one there.
No one dared to speculate. Especially when it involved Zayde. They knew better than to do that.
Her gaze met some men standing slightly distant from the monster. They were his men. She couldn't seek help from them.
Returning her gaze to the devil that kept choking her and mustering every bit of her remaining energy, she kicked him really hard in his groin and finally slumped.
Zayde felt nothing. He stared at the lifeless body in his hold. Who would prefer death to losing his pride?
He finally released her, letting her fall carelessly to the ground. His men took their gaze to him. "Take it away." Came his order as he took off his gloves for a new pair.
"She...what if..." A look from him was enough to relay his message and his men quickly carried the body.
"Take it home." His voice came again like he'd reconsidered.
Not uttering another word, he walked out, headed for his car. He walked into it and sat, inserting his car keys. He surprisingly paused.
That girl.
Who was she really? She didn't seem like she knew him very well. Her eyes had a fierce stance, he couldn't help not noticing. It was his first time meeting her too. Perhaps a new student?
Zayde raised a brow slightly. Why was he thinking?
His phone rang suddenly. Staring at the screen, he picked the call rigidly.
"Dad."
"I'm at your house, boy. Where you at?"
"School."
"Get your sickening ass back here this instant!"
"Yes Sire." He replied, ending the call.
He dialed another number and the receiver picked up at the first ring. "Change of plans. Take her to the other house, 101."
"But Sire.."
"Would. You. Just. Shut. Your. Damned. Wordhole. And. Be. F**cking. Complying?!" Zayde seethed icily, his voice still as calm as ever.
"Yes Boss." And with that, he hung the call.
What does his dad want this time?
A knock on his window got his attention. Jove stared through the window like he could see anything and kept muttering incoherent words. Zayde wound the glass down and Jove stuck his head in immediately. "Didn't you hear me?"
Zayde took his gaze to him. "The window is soundproof. Need a reminder?"
Jove let out a sarcastic chuckle. "You still are calm, I can see it. Zay, a student is missing and some people kept saying you were with her last. Choking her! What did you do?!" Jove ranted, ruffling his hair in desperation.
Zayde ignited the car calmly and finally turned to Jove. "You're getting in or we'll meet at home?" Jove let out a loud huff before rushing in immediately. He wasn't surprised. Zayde just didn't know when to relay emotions. He doesn't even know how!
Zayde drove out of the school compound, heading for his house.
Jove had calmed a bit. He wasn't scared. No. He'd seen way worse scenarios than this. What scared him was that the person in question was a female. Zayde never had anything to do with girls. Nothing. Carmella was the only girl he got in contact with and he was wholly aware of the kind of relationship Zayde had with her. He avoided anything that had to do with females, how then did he...
"You'd better start explaining, Zay. I'm dying to hear everything. Why did you take her? What did she do? Where is she? Who is she?" Jove rushed, turning to face Zayde.
Zayde kept a straight face. "Mr. Stoll called." He said after what seemed like ages.
"That wasn't...wait...your dad called? Why? What did he say?" Jove asked, fear gripping him. Worry seemed to etch on Zayde's face, but he was calm. "Don't know."
Jove massaged his temples. Why was Zayde's dad here?