Chapter 22: Preparation
Zein's Point of View...
I don't know how I fell asleep last night because of Supremo's smile. I mean, it's once in a blue moon, I've only seen it now but that's how it affected me.
I strongly shook my head. I stood up when the bell rang, a signal that it was lunch break.
"Where are you going? Aren't you eating with us?" Mia asked curiously, as she was also packing up her things.
"No, I can't. I have something to do with supremo now."
"Something to do?" Matt asked with a frown. "What are you two going to do?" Emphasizing 'you two'?
"Do, as in as a secretary. Gosh, Matt. Since when did your mind get dirty?" I asked, shaking my head.
I'm not slow, so I know what he means. I'm not innocent, nor am I green-minded. I'm open-minded.
"You guys! Zein, maybe..." Vanessa narrowed her eyes at me. "Do you have a crush on supremo?" She asked with a grin.
I winced at her question before rolling my eyes. "Be afraid of what you're saying, Van. We're not even friends, let alone lovers? I don't know about you!" I answered evasively as I pretended to clean something.
But it's true. How could I have a crush on Supremo? He's worse than someone on their period, well, except last night when he was possessed by some good spirit, but overall? He is still a complete monster. And I guess, that's an enough reason for me to hate him.
"Tss..."
Suddenly Matt just left, messing up his hair. He only does that when he's annoyed or angry.
Dave and Jerome looked at each other before laughing. What's with them?
"Boss walked out! Do you know why?" Dave asked me, laughing.
"Hungry?" I answered absentmindedly.
I don't see any reason for him to walk out. Unless he's really hungry and can't hold it in anymore.
"Or maybe, nature calls?" I added. "UGH! Nevermind, I have to go! He might lecture me again." I said my goodbye as I slung my backpack over my shoulder.
"Take care. Someone loves you!" Jerome shouted, which I just ignored.
Those guys are really crazy. I stopped walking when I saw the people coming. Roxane and Mr. Poser, I mean Raze 'kuno' (supposedly).
Roxane raised an eyebrow at me before linking her arm with Raze's and pressing her chest against him. Bitch.
Is she showing off her boyfriend to me? Leader of DG W? King of HU?
I just shook my head. If only she knew.
"Hi. Ms. Shion." She greeted me in an affected manner.
I glanced at Raze, who averted his gaze. Pft. Guilty. I thought Raze was scary? I thought he was terrifying? Why does he seem afraid of me?
HAHA.
"You probably know who I'm with, right?" She asked affectedly, then looked at Raze, who was now staring at me. "You've already tasted his wrath. Right?" She laughed loudly.
"Yeah. And I must say, it tastes like hell." I answered with a grin. "I was so scared that time." I added.
Roxane laughed loudly. "Next time, don't mess with me. If you don't want to disappear from this world quickly. Let's go babe." They passed me.
I couldn't help but laugh. Poor Queen Roxane. Pathetic powerless queen. I know something you don't know, a secret that will destroy your world when you find out.
When I arrived at the SSG Office, a mountain of papers immediately greeted me, piled on my table.
"What's this for?" I asked Onel, who was also busy with his work.
"Put them in the stock room, Supremo said." He answered without even looking at me. He must be too busy, huh?
My gaze landed on Supremo's vacant table. "Where is he?" I asked.
"Checking students and those who break the rules." He answered with a laugh.
Listlessly, I carried the papers on my table. I was about to leave when Fritzy suddenly entered with a pout.
"Wait for me!" She said to me before getting some papers from her table and carrying them too.
"I'm not his secretary anymore, but the way he orders people around! Hmp!" She muttered annoyedly.
I laughed, so she glared at me. Supremo ordered her too. It's a good thing because I don't know how many trips I would have to make before finishing these.
We walked together and my companion was still muttering and muttering.
"So? Is it fun being Supremo's secretary?" Fritzy teased me annoyingly.
"It's okay."
"It's okay? He doesn't make you carry papers every day? Buy all sorts of things? Lecture you? Haven't you tasted his harsh words?" She asked me.
"You're right. Well, that's just how he is. What can I do?" I gave a short answer to her long question.
That's just how Supremo is. But he does have some kindness, when he's possessed by a good spirit, but all the time an evil spirit is with him.
I suddenly remembered his smile last night. Will that happen again?
"Why doesn't he just carry these himself?" Now I complained because the stock room was still far away.
"What? Supremo? Make him carry these papers? In your dreams! He probably hasn't even wiped his own table! He always orders me to do it!" She complained.
I suddenly remembered when he helped me wipe the tables in the cafeteria. "Not true." I answered.
"What do you mean not true?! Oh gosh! I don't know about you!"
When we arrived at the stock room, we immediately dropped the papers and left because of the smell of dust. How many decades has it not been cleaned?
"I'm tired!" Fritzy said, stretching. "Let's get some juice from the cafeteria first." She said without even waiting for me to agree or not.
What a different kind of girl. I just followed her, shaking my head. I was thirsty too anyway. It's tiring to walk far carrying those trash papers.
Many people were eating because it was lunch break, but I didn't see my friends. They're probably in the dorm, they prefer Matt's cooking over the chef here.
I winced when Fritzy suddenly cut in the long line: "What the?! Gorgeous first!" She shouted, so the others had no choice but to back away to give her space.
I just went to the back of the line because I'm not like Fritzy who's an over-taker in line.
"Hey! What are you doing there?" She asked me.
"In line. Is it not obvious?" I replied sassily because her eyebrow was also raised.
"There's a policy here! Gorgeous first! So stand behind me!" She said.
I bowed my head and just went behind her because I didn't want to hear her deafening shouts that could be heard all the way outside the cafeteria.
Where did she even get that "gorgeous first" policy? This girl, such an inventor just to cut in line.
I'm thirsty anyway.
"Where's my order of guava juice?! It's bad to keep a goddess waiting, you might end up with bruises." she said impatiently.
"Just a moment please, Miss..." said the woman pouring juice into a glass.
"5 seconds!"
I just laughed at this girl's drama and rudeness. The glass with the juice was handed to her immediately.
It's my turn.
"What can I get for you, Miss?" the woman asked me.
"Orange ju-"
"Give her, guava juice." My eyes narrowed when Fritzy suddenly spoke.
Is there no freedom to choose?
The woman looked at me hesitantly. I just nodded because I knew Fritzy wouldn't back down and guava juice isn't bad anyway.
"There! We're partners!" Fritzy happily said, even clinking our glasses together.
The taste wasn't bad, but I still preferred orange juice.
It was already afternoon when Fritzy and I finished transferring the papers. Her dramatic flair added to the time; she reapplied makeup, rested on the bench, and glared at everyone we passed, which is why we finished in the afternoon.
I was about to leave the SSG Office when the supremo arrived, looking visibly tired as well.
"Done?" he asked. I just nodded.
His hair was messy and his glasses were askew.
"What is so funny?" he asked with a frown, which made me stop.
"N-Nothing." I replied.
He's grumpy again. I knew he was just possessed last night. Psh.
"Are you ready?" he asked me, which made me frown.
"Ready for what?" I asked.
He shook his head and rummaged in his drawer. I was about to leave when he spoke again.
"Wait." He handed me a rectangular box.
"What's this?" I asked. Is it a gift? Why isn't it gift-wrapped? It's not my birthday.
I just hid it in my backpack and started walking home. I suddenly remembered that the bloody week starts tomorrow.
When I arrived at the dorm, I covered my mouth. There were many sharp blades on the table that Matt, Dave, and Vanessa were gathered around.
"What are those for?!" I blurted out. They all looked at me.
I approached them and observed the blades. They were so sharp that it felt like you would get cut immediately if you touched them.
"We need to prepare." Jerome said.
"No way! No matter what happens, I will not touch those!" Vanessa said from a distance.
Preparation for the bloody week? Gosh! Even I wouldn't be able to handle touching something like that. It's scary.
"This is just for emergency purposes only. We'll just keep it in our bags." Dave said.
I looked at Matt, who clearly disagreed with this too.
"That's a bad idea." I said.
"Starting tomorrow, death will be right beside us, so if you don't want to go with him, you'll take one of those and keep it in your bag." Dave said, clearly the one who planned this.
My eyes narrowed when I saw Mia take one.
"I won't use this unless it's really necessary." She said.
Dave nodded at her before looking at Vanessa, who was shaking her head.
"Not me." She said before walking into the room.
Jerome just sighed and took two. Probably for Vanessa.
Now they were just looking at Matt and me.
"I don't want to..." I said.
Matt looked at me, clearly worried. "I'll get two, just in case you change your mind." Matt said.
"My mind won't change. I won't use those blades. No matter what." I said determinedly.
"We are in danger, Zein. If we don't help ourselves, who will help us? No one." Jerome said.
I shook my head. "I just don't want to." I repeatedly replied.
They couldn't do anything else, so they packed up the blades. I lay down beside Vanessa, who was deep in thought.
"Do you think, we can survive this?" she asked absently.
I sat up and forced her to sit up too. I faced her towards me; she was losing heart, I needed to strengthen her.
"No one will die among us. Remember that." I said.
"How can you be so sure? We are no longer in control of our lives!"
Her face crumpled and she looked out the window.
"We are just beside you, we won't leave each other starting tomorrow. We'll protect each other."
She looked at me again and smiled. I couldn't help but smile too.
"I hope so, Zein, I really hope so..." she said.
I couldn't fall asleep right away and just watched Mia and Vanessa who were already sleeping.
"I won't let anything bad happen to you." I said into thin air.
My gaze fell on my backpack and I remembered the box that Supremo had given me earlier. I went over to it and opened my bag.
I looked closely at the wooden box. I wonder what's inside? Why did he suddenly give it to me?
I slowly opened it. My eyes widened and I dropped the box. I covered my mouth and I could feel my heart beating fast.
Shit!
What is this?