"And that's all for today, Class is dismissed."
The lecture theatre erupted with clamour, jackets scraping each other and seats being folded, as the medicinal students rose and in an orderly fashion headed for the double exit doors on each side of the lecture hall.
'Well, that was boring, I kind of regret going to that lecture at all, it was just introducing the modules that I already know and regurgitating common knowledge we already know...'
Isobel sighed in relief it was over and headed straight back to her on-campus accommodation and decided to make herself some breakfast.
"Hmmm scrambled eggs sound really good right now…"
Isobel opened the door to find an unfamiliar face, and Eric, which was by the kitchen sink with his back turned. The unfamiliar face however donned a pair of striking hazel eyes and a sheet of jet black hair cascaded down her face and stopped at her pale shoulders, she was similar in height to herself at 5"5, but there was a rather feeble yet elegant look to her that made her seem a little smaller than she really was.
As Isobel opened the door inwards, she was almost face to face with her, causing Isobel to instinctively gasp and apologise.
"Sorry!"
"Don't sweat it, I'm alright" replied the hazel eyed girl.
"You must be Isobel, right? Eric was telling me a little about you earlier—"
"—Hey, you didn't have to say that Alex…" Eric chimed in.
Alex giggled softly before continuing, "He only told me your name, it wasn't much I promise!"
Isobel had a bewildered expression on her face that slowly began to grow redder each second.
"Oh, I see… it's nice to meet you Alex, was it?"
"Yeah, my full name is Alexandra, but nobody really calls me that so just go with Alex, I prefer it anyway."
As Alex began to engage in more small talk about something to do with social classes, Isobel moved set her bag on the communal couch and took a few eggs from the bottom shelf of the fridge and took her sliced bread and began to prepare her scrambled eggs.
Accidentally making eye contact with Eric, she felt forced to say something and blurted out:"So… what course do you study eric? I just came back from a boring introductory lecture that was supposedly meant to be about medicine."
Eric talked as he continued to wash his dishes.
"Uhh, I study medicine too, but I didn't go to the lecture you went to, I knew it'd be boring anyway.
"Oh, how come?" Isobel said with an imperceptible hint of surprise in her tone.
"I… I'm redoing my first year actually, I missed my first-year final exam… and here I am again."
Alex, who was listening in silently, coughed quietly.
"I see, I'm sure you'll pass this year this time around!" Isobel cheered on.
"Yeah, I'm sure…"
Before long, Eric hurried out of the door, muttering something to himself on the way out. Isobel had had just put two slices of bread in the toaster, and was about to crack her eggs when Alex said from behind her-
"Hey Isobel, I know it's a little random, but can I talk with you about something? It wouldn't take too much of your time."
"Sure, go ahead." Isobel responded, and whilst still facing the stove she listened attentively.
"Have you ever thought about how many people would help you if you collapsed on the street? I don't just mean giving you the proper medical attention you may need, because you wouldn't find a paramedic or someone who knows CPR conveniently near you. I'm talking about anything at all."
"Well, I'm certain someone would carry me somewhere inside a building or call the health services right away… That's common sense, right?" Isobel replied whilst searching for a fork.
"Nope. Not a single person. My uncle died of a heart attack in broad daylight whilst on his way to the pharmacy, and nobody even helped him. He just passed away, with over a dozen eyes watching him…"
Her elegant face briefly contorted into something else entirely, before she continued.
Isobel picked up her fork slowly.
"Sorry, I talk too much sometimes. You don't mind me continuing right?"
"Yeah, I'm still listening, and I'm sorry for your loss" Isobel said in a quieter-than-usual voice.
Alex waved it off, "No, no, it's not your fault, it's the dickheads who watched him die that should be sorry."
"As I was saying, society is utterly fucked, the way people can watch others die and move on with their lives is completely insane, it's like their brains are altered to ignore things that don't directly apply to their lives… It's revolting to think about the lack of compassion in this world."
Isobel cracked an egg.
"Like, I see people openly say they wouldn't want to help a girl with CPR because they fear getting sued for sexual harassment! Imagine that! Ugh, it pisses me off so much how people can be so self-centred, it makes me really wonder sometimes if they even have a shred of individuality to make decisions for themselves… but perhaps that's how society wanted the public to behave."
Isobel cracked another egg. Pieces of the eggshell are all over the eggs. She picks up the eggshells and discards them, before dashing salt and pepper over them and beating the eggs.
"On that note, I bet the reason our society is like this is because of the selfish pigs that are called the rich, their selfish ideologies plague the rest of society and turn people into unfeeling, selfish, living zombies! I just hope the rich all go to hell…"
Isobel's face turned a few shades redder, and hid it successfully by turning fully away from Alex.
Silence.
The eggs sizzled, breaking the silence. Isobel's flips and turns the eggs half-heartedly.
"Wow, that was passionate huh?" Isobel shakily said.
"I guess so yeah, sorry for the random outburst again." Alex muttered under her breath.
The scent of charred bread fills the kitchen. The burnt toast pops out of the toaster.
"Oh my gosh, my toast!"
"Ooof, good luck with that, that's happened to me too many times." Alex said with a smile.
Isobel put the burnt toast on her plate and hurriedly slid her half-cooked 'scrambled eggs' onto the toast.
"I have to go now, sorry…" Isobel said in the same quiet tone.
No worries girl, enjoy your eggs."
"You too!" Isobel said hurrying out of the kitchen door.