They managed to avoid the lab and T7 till the following Tuesday, where the fish suddenly boomed a question.

Why are you both so concerned about me and the fish next to me?

Iqball was still mopping the floor. Ballqis was about to finish cleaning the toilet. They both stilled with cleaning apparatus still in their hands.

The double tank had already been placed at a spot near Mrs Jogh's desk, which was visible to the two rows of singular fish tanks, of which five had been emptied.

What's going to happen in that big tank?

T7's voice boomed once again in their heads.

Ballqis quickly shut the toilet door, hoping to create a barrier between herself and the scaly mind-reader.

 Iqball quickly pushed the mop towards Tank 7. 

Hey dude, you can hear me, right? He said silently to the fish as he approached.

Speak, please. I hear you better when you speak. The fish requested, his tone almost pleading.

They're gonna place you in that big tank, soon, once they've made sure it has been properly conditioned for you, Iqball swang another thought. He could not afford to speak. Last time even if he was caught on camera talking to the fish, it may seem as if he was having a one-sided conversation. This time, not quite. 

Why? The fish asked further. Its body was moving a little erratically as it swam towards his corner at the side of Tank 6.

Ballqis had finally gathered enough courage to face the fish. She saw Iqball's face and saw that they were having a conversation telepathically.

"I told him that he's going to be moved into that big tank at the corner," Iqball whispered as he began mopping the area.

"It's my fault, I'm sorry," Ballqis quickly whispered to the fish, pretending to incite playtime using a hoop.

The fish jumped across the hoop dutifully.

Ballqis smiled. Maybe T7 isn't so mad at me, she thought.

I'm not mad, just sad that I'll be away from the fish next to me, the fish sighed. He sent the thought to both of them.

Iqball sent his mop into the store room and fetched a bag of pellets. He quickly fed the fish in Tank 6 and began to record the feeding behaviour report.

As he was within earshot, Ballqis whispered to the fish.

"Is that fish your mate? Is she interested in you?"

The fish shyed away at the bottom of his tank.

I like her, but she can't hear my thoughts from across the glass. I only speak to her when we both jump at the same time. Sometimes we do that, at night.

"Has she said anything to you?" Iqball whispered as he eye the innocent jumper in Tank 6. The fish was calmly feeding the soy pellets he threw in.

As he move quietly across the tank, he noted. She once said, 'Let's play.' That means she's friendly, right?

Ballqis and Iqball exchanged smiles.

"Dude, you're going to be fine. You're moving to a new home, and your neighbour will come with you," Iqball said.

The fish stopped swimming.

Is that true?

"Yes," Ballqis hissed as she tried to contain her own excitement.

T7 began to jump. At first a small arch, then it got bigger. After a few jumps, he settled back into his tank and began sliding his body across the glass facing to Tank 6.

"Whoa, someone would fit right in into his new tank," Iqball remarked.

The relief on Ballqis' face made her look pretty. Iqball beamed a grin back at her.

***

They made their way to the new pasta place outside the campus without thinking. Iqball and Ballqis were elated to see T7's reaction.

By the time they realised they had arrived at the pasta place, Iqball quickly seized the opportunity to ask Ballqis for some company.

"It's almost dinner time anyway. Shall we have that nice potato dish from the other day?"

Ballqis tried not to turn red and succeeded.

"I love that potato dish. Can't remember what it was called though. But I'm ready to try other dishes if we miss the name," she said.

They sat at a table for two set on a platfrom next to the window. The could see the campus' main entrance and the row of shops across the main road as well as the small park next to the university.

They skipped the potato for a plate of pumpkin gnocchi, house salad and water. They started to talk about classes they weren't sharing and even shared their first day at the university experience.

It was fortunate that they didn't get around to discussing about T7 as Molly suddenly showed up at the glass window. She made funny faces at the couple so Iqball and Ballqis waved her in.

"Am I interrupting something?" the pretty girl asked.

Iqball and Ballqis shared a laugh then pulled her onto a seat.

"I had my dinner early too, but I could use a drink," she said. She was already reaching out for the menu when she looked up and said, "Are you sure I'm not interrupting?"

"Naah," Ballqis said.

Molly grin evilly.  "You guys are being too kind, you know? But shall we share a plate of angelhair drenched in olive oil?"

"Go crazy, Molly," Iqball gave her the green light.

As she raised her hand to catch the waiter's attention, Micah's face popped at the window. Behind him, Aga was talking on the phone. They both came into the restaurant too.

"Hey what are you guys celebrating?" Micah asked.

The waiter that Molly called pulled the next table  and chairs to make some room for the newcomers.

"The extra stipend from last outing," Ballqis quickly said, which was partly true. Right before Molly showed up she and Iqball were just discussing Finland trip and Mrs Jogh's generous paycheck for their last effort.

"Oh yeah, we all heard about Mrs Jogh's award, I'm sure you all helped," Molly congratulated the team of volunteers, feeling a little left out.

Aga made eye contact with Ballqis and Iqball so they knew not to mention anything about the upcoming trip. But Micah blurted it out.

"I really hope Finland will be a blast! Mrs Jogh had already agreed to the trip. She's just finalising her plans for it. I heard not all the researchers are willing to go cause if they left the fish too long, they might have too big of a workload once they return. I bet they are all scared of having to deep clean the tanks in freezing winter water," Micah blabbed.

Molly's eyes widen.

"You're all going to Finland?"

The waiter came with her angelhair pasta dish and  drinks for the three new patrons.

Aga nodded.

"But nothing is final yet. For all you know I might get left out because I haven't done many outings with Mrs Jogh just yet," he said, trying to console Molly.

That, in spite of Mrs Jogh already telling them that she will bring as many personnel as her sponsors allowed because they all deserved a trip after making this semester especially successful for her.

Glumly, Molly nodded and began to scoop pasta into smaller dishes for everyone.

"You guys have so much fun. I'm dying with jealousy," she griped.

Aga nodded to Ballqis and Iqball.

"But next week we're going to the Zoo!" they all cried at the same time.

That got the girl with the waist long-hair laughing.

"What's so exciting about a zoo?" Micah grumbled, feeling his turn to be left out.