•SALOME ALAN•

"That was epic!" I exclaim and slam the cab door behind me. Theodora throws her head back in laughter, stretching some cash to the driver who simply receives it, flashes us a smile, then zoom off.

"I told you, didn't I?" She raise a brow, adjusting her thin bag properly on her hoodie as we begin walking down the walkway. As planned, we didn't spend much time in the luring art school.

I nod excitingly, reminiscing how I felt when I stepped into the glamorous huge gates with the name, 'Owen University' designed on it.

"Honestly Dora, I loved it so much that I feel like going back over and over again." I tell her, swinging my hands around. It's gradually getting dark and the vehicles passing by splashes us cool breeze. I inhale deeply, a wide smile on my lips.

Theodora chuckles, tilting her head to see my face. "You want to go back?"

"Yep!"

She hums, nodding. "Okay then, we can just..." She leans in to me, "Sneak out again, right?"

My eyes pop out and my lips twirl upwards. Hell I want to say yes. It was my very first time but it felt as though I belonged there, like the school welcomed me with opened arms. But as much as I want to, something deep down, something I'd call fear, pricks my skin.

I laugh dryly. "Yes... Of course, let's just hope we haven't gotten into trouble for today."

Theodora pout her mouth. "Hmm, you're right."

Heaving a deep breath, I squint my eyes, the familiar camp buildings drawing near. For some reason, heat crawl all over my body, the taboo of the risky thing we did making my heart beat faster than I can control. I gulp down, trying to melt whatever is bothering and making me think negative.

"Uh..." I glance sideways to see Dora fumbling with her bag. She dig in her hand, bring out her cellphone and pop it on, the eerie pink light eliminating her face. She turns to me. "It's 6:30."

My mouth form an 'o' and I smile faintly, mentally begging my pores to reduce the amount of fear I'm starting to feel. Funny enough, when I entered the school, it all disappeared. The fear I once had vanished into thin air as I watched how the students indulge themselves in different things. Some seated and chatting on the field, some laughing without worries, and some walking in groups. I even overheard a girl talking to someone else about how filthy her roommate is.

But now... The fear is back, increasing as we approach the exact wooden small gate we followed out.

Dora step forward, using the system of unlocking the bolt by pushing some overgrown flowers, groaning as she tries to reach the lock from a hole in front of the gate. It make a small sound and her face lit up as she straighten up before pulling it open. She flashes me a 'I know I'm cool' smile before walking in. I follow behind, careful enough not to make the rustling sounds of the dry leaves sound louder. Cautiously, I close the gate behind, heaving a deep almost relaxed sigh.

Theodora grins at my reaction. "How come I've always felt you'd be this snubby kinda person," She turns to me. "You're actually really cool."

I laugh softly, nodding. "Well...glad you saw it yourself, but why did you think that way?"

We begin strolling down the overgrown weeds, taking one steps at a time in order not to get our clothes tangled up with prickly stems.

Dora shrugs, then glance at my rear. I grasp loudly, almost bursting into laughter at her indirect presumption. The reason why she must have thought that I'm snubby is because of my size. My curves.

I shake my head, kissing my teeth then whisper; "I'm hurt."

Theodora burst into a full blown laughter, almost tripping forward. She staggers and tries to balance herself, her laughter failing to stop. She flashes me her chalk white teeth.

"Hurt?" She ask, chuckling. "Come on Salome, it was just my thinking. I mean, who would have this attractive body and would still be this friendly?"

I point to myself. "Me."

Theodora shakes her head in sheer disappointment, her shoulders quivering at her light snickering. I fold my arms around me, the cool evening breeze starting to have it's way into my skin.

"Seriously though, you're one of a kind."

I tear my eyes from the blue flowers beside me at her words, a small smile spreading on my dry lips. She isn't looking at me, just keeping her face ahead as the structure of one of the buildings comes in view.

I gently poke her arm, smiling. "You too."

Theodora pout her mouth as she deep her hands in her pocket hoodie. Guess the breeze isn't affecting just me after all...

We stroll to the end of the bushy path in comfortable silence, my mind involuntary taking me back to my conversation between me and aunt Jenny. She called after I'd presume was our 'history class,' asking me to gist her about camp life, and telling me that it's a mild taste of been in university.

Of course I did want to tell her about what I saw in my dad's room, If she knows about it or has ever come across something like that at home, but I just.. Couldn't. I mean, how would I put it?

Uh... Aunty Jenny, I saw something that looked like a gun in my dad's room and I don't know if you've seen something that scary?

Nope.

What if I'm not even sure of what I saw...

What if it just looked like a gun, but not actually one? Exactly, so blowing out something that I'm not so sure of wouldn't be a good idea.

"Salome?"

I drag my eyes up to Dora's voice. I was so in thought that I didn't know we're now at the back of the building I noticed from afar.

"Hmm?" I hum, hoping she won't sense how distracted I was.

"I was thinking one of us should go in first so it wouldn't be suspicions," She tells me, her eyes darting from the building to me. "I don't know if you understand, so it wouldn't seem like..."

Her words trail off as I nod rapidly. I fully get what she's trying to say.

"It's okay, I understand. You can go in first," I say, taking one step back. Theodora looks at me skeptically. She raise a brow, indirectly asking if it's fine with me.

"It's fine, honestly. I'd just wait till you enter, then I'd go in." I add.

"Okay then..." She begins walking away, waving. "See you inside!"

I nod again, smiling as I wave back at her.

So sweet...

Dora turns to her front, her steps a tad faster as she passes the side and walk to the other building where our dorm is. I sigh heavily, slowly taking my steps to the edge of the tall building, my hands wrapped around me like it can prevent that chilly breeze from penetrating through.

At times like this, taking a stroll would be relaxing but then, the force at which the breeze is flinging my hair and clothes is the issue. One step at a time, I gesture toward the exact route Theodora followed, kicking a smooth round stone to while away time as I walk.

Mindlessly, I raise my head, and the indulged cold in my body make me freeze, stagnant, unable to take another step.

No, It's not the cold. It's a person.

No, Not just a person. It's Mr. Alex.

From nowhere, my heart begin pumping fast like it could fly out of my chest any moment from now. He hasn't seen me, but from the way he's uneasily looking around, few steps from me, the only thing slapping my head hard is exactly what I don't want to think of. His white joggers is somehow tangled with flower's pricks and his unbuttoned jacket flowing to the direction of the breeze.

He sharply turn around and I almost tripped on my own feet, my hands still wrapping my body. He looks... Bothered, so bothered I can feel it with every part of my body. Not just that, he looks angry, restless, worried, all kinds of emotions married on his face. His eyes meet mine, and even though it's now darker, I can see how his face soften as he sigh sharply, matching towards me.

I've barely walked out of the edge I was but with how fast my heart is beating, I slowly take back a step back, staring directly at him walking closer and closer.

He's going to yell at me. He would. He has been looking for me. It's obvious that I'm in trouble.

My breathing seize when he stop right in my front and my eyes drift down to my feet. I can't look at him, I can't even dare... If he's going to shout at me, it's better I don't see his face, if not I'd tear up instantly. I just can't -

"Salome."

I stiffen again when I heard my name from him, still looking down. I don't know but I think I can hear how fast he's breathing, like he's trying to calm himself from leashing out shouts on me.

Big hand raise up my chin and my head act according as my teacher take up my head to meet his face. I look at his brown eyes, not too long before dropping my head back. Not like he let me because he raises it back up.

"Sir..." I mutter. It's hard maintaining stares with him. It's so hard and I know that I'd never get used to it. He lets go off my chin, opens his mouth to talk but close it back, shaking his head instead.

He's mad. I know.

For reasons I don't know, I watch Mr. Alex take off his black jacket and adjust the hands. My heart practically waved my body as he steps closer, wear his jacket around my shoulders with his facial expression still the same. Blank and full of emotions that I can't cut through.

I don't even want to.

While he takes his time making sure his jacket, which is a lot bigger than me, is covering my body, I keep my eyes over his head to sight someone who looks like... Sean? I don't know. I'm already dazed enough with the scent of my instructor feeding my nostrils, my body unable to feel my legs beneath.

Mr. Alex retreats himself, the pink shirt I saw him in earlier today now in view, his bulging biceps revealing themselves. I swallow, speechless, nervous, and unable to take the weight of his stare on me.

"Just follow me." Mr. Alex finally says, walking away.

That seem to repair my legs as I quickly follow behind, not wanting to piss him off more than I've already done. Yet, he isn't walking too fast, nor too slow, just moving in strides that I'm able to catch up with.

We arrive in front of my dorm and he turns over his shoulders, "Go in." He glance at the door and mistakenly, I got to see how pale his eyes look. He looks like he hasn't slept for days...

I nod slowly, unwillingly tearing my eyes from his as I walk to the door, turn the knob and walk in, closing it behind me.

I'm... Confused.

***

•ALEXZANDER JNR•

Leo didn't say more than that. He sigh sharply again and the strain thought that strick my head make me veer back a bit.

"I... I think we should try searching around first before informing the other teachers." Leo says, while I try to gather my thoughts together. I'm all of a sudden dazed again at the Sicky news he just told me. I nod slowly, stumbling back to grab my phone and jacket, not spending more than three seconds taking engulfing them in my hands.

"Two girls, Alex." He turns the door knob open and I silently don't want to hear their names. I don't want to believe it's who I think. He opens the door, breathe harshly and blow out his cheeks. "Theodora and Salome, the girls we drove here."

My hand freeze on the door handle, my brows twitching in confusion. My chest tightens beyond control as I race out of the room, not caring if I leave the door open or not.

Those girls doesn't even know nowhere. I mean, how could they just...just go out? Just like that?

Something is wrong. Greatly wrong.

Leo's footsteps race after me and I couldn't hear mine anymore. It's better to think this through, to think logically about how and why they went out in first place but my legs and the fear in me overshadowed all of that.

"Alex, wait!" Leo yells from behind me, panting as he jog closer to me. I stop abruptly and turn around, my head twirling in slight dizziness mixed with fear.

"Should I tell the other teachers now?" He asks as he steps close, his gaze shifting from me to the door by our side which happens to be that of Mr. Tai's. "It's be up to twenty minutes, the person who reported that departure also said-"

"Who?" My brows furrow as my heavy breathing seize to subside. Right now, I can't seem to control how my chest raise and fall unsteadily. "Who reported them?" I add.

"Their friends, they came to tell me immediately they noticed."

Sighing sharply, I nod, unable to interrogate more. The main thing now is to get them back from wherever they went to.

"Okay, okay. Thing is," I start, walking again in fast strides with Leo gaping behind me. "Let's just try and search ourselves, if we don't see them in an hour, we'd let the other teachers know."

"Cool," Leo breath out as we race down the stairs. "Those girls better find their way back unless they'd be in big trouble." He muttered the last part but I heard and honestly, it could cause a suspension or even escalate to been expelled.

Can't even imagine Salome been expelled.

"Okay so, I'd go that way." I point to the direction I saw the girls walking around earlier today. Leo nods rapidly, moving toward a total different direction.

***

I'm drained in drowsiness. Apart from the hamming reactions of the pills I took hitting my head, I can feel my feet gradually taking away by the second.

It's been an hour since Salome and her friend has gone missing, no traces of them around the camp venue that I had to leave to the street if they wandered off and couldn't find their way back. I've called, texted, voice mailed, yet none went through.

I don't want to think she did this purposely, I don't want to assure myself that Salome openly sneaked out even though she knows very well that it's an abomination.

I shut my eyes and blow out my cheeks as I push the gate open, inwardly hoping they would have found their way back to camp. Stepping in, my phone makes a buzz and I waste no second pulling it out from my pocket to see who texted, my heart thudding faster, at the same time a tad relieved, secretly wishing it's a text from her.

-Leo; It's past an hour now, I'm going to inform the other teachers. Or you seen them?

A bile raise in my throat as I feel my body weaken more. Now strolling down the student's dorm to report them missing from camp, I catch sight of a girl running toward the door, her eyes darting around as though she's making sure that no one notice her entry.

"Hey!" I call before I can stop myself, walking towards her in fast steps before she think of running away. I get to her as she distinctly shift back, blinking fast like she's thinking of what she'd say.

"G-good evening Mr. Alex," She says in a no one, her fingers intertwined and her eyes on her feet.

I tilt my head to see her face only for her to avoid my gaze.

Okay...

"Where are you coming from, Theodora?" Not only did I see how she instantly freeze but also her agape mouth. "Hmm?"

"I.. I was uh..." She take up her face briefly and drop it again. I sigh sharply as I turn on my phone.

Me; Don't worry Leo, I've found them. I'll see you when I get back in.

The message tick blue immediately and I look at the trembling girl again. With the way she's fiddling with her fingers, I think I already know the answer so instead, I ask;

"Where's Salome?"

She quickly snap up her head, but not meeting my eyes. She raise her shaky hand to a corner at the back, where I saw her appear from.

"There..."

I nod, muttering a 'okay.'

"You can go."

She finally meet my eyes, hers wide with fear.

"S-sir?"

"Said you can go." I repeat, walking away. From the corner of my eyes, I see her staring at me, obviously astonished as to why I said she can simply go without been reported or punished.

Of course she would, after I see the second person she sneaked out with.

Salome.

The name that kept haunting me and currently making me loose my sanity, my sleep, my patience.

Following the somewhat narrow way she pointed, my eyes follow the few students walking around, and since it's getting darker by every blink, I fasten my steps so I won't loose sight of her. Squeezing my hands in anger and frustration, I corner the back of the building, straining my eyes to see a particular body build.

One last turn did it all.

One last turn and there she is, staring straight at me like she had seen me looking around; her arms wrapped around her body, I sigh for the umpteenth time today; my brows furrowing as I walk closer, tiredness warning me for the last time as another hard pain hit my head.

As I walk closer, she steps back slowly and from her reaction, I can tell that she knows I'm pissed.

Well, I am.

I'm tired, sleepy, annoyed, bothered, and no doubt, I know that if I should spend more than five minutes still outside and not allowing the pills I took work on me, I'd fall face down.

My legs gradually feel light as I finally stand in front of my student.

"Salome." Although I'm pissed and all, and the temptation of yelling and pouring it all on her inks me, I can't help remembering the instances I noticed from her lately. Like I thought, something's wrong, and been harsh would only make her veer away from me.

No, I don't know much about her but I'm currently glad for knowing that me been harsh only made things worse for her.

My hand, on it's own, raise up her chin for her to see my face. Right now, I have a lot to ask her, even the ones she never know I've noticed, also what leaded to the extent of sneaking out. I open my mouth to talk but close it back, releasing her chin.

The total opposite reaction came over and I take off my jacket, step even closer, and wear it over her shoulders. Even if she wanted to sneak out, she would have at least wore something thicker. I withdraw myself, my eyes starting to duplicate her due to the reaction of the pills.

"Just follow me." I tell her, walking away and inwardly praying it won't get worse than this. If anything, fainting in front of an already trembling girl would freak the hell out of her. I turn over my shoulders to see her following.

"Go in," I manage to say when we get to the front of her dorm. I glance at the door then to her, and unexpectedly, she's looking at me with... Worry?

I don't know.

Salome nod and gesture to the open the door while I push myself to the teacher's dorm area. It got to the point that I had to help my wobbly feet by placing my hand on the wall, taking one step at a time. Thankfully, no one is around here to see this awful weakness.

If I make it to my room before I get away to the neat cut grasses beneath, at least the deed is done.

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At least the deed is done😌
I think he's talking about Salome😇

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