《Can I Borrow @You?》
prologue: pleading an infiltration
Hello world, finally as today, I¡¯m about to commit my first major crime of my life. Not that I intend to, I was backed against the wall. This time I couldn¡¯t able to slip off the hook.
She said a story should start like this. ¡°It should start with suspense. you¡¯re a worthless insignificant human person so obviously nobody knows you well. Unless you do something to get their attention, they don¡¯t want to hear your story at all¡±. Not that I want to tell anybody. But that was her idea to write a story. And her persuasion skill is off the chart.
So there I was standing in front of our department¡¯s back gate wondering how to get into the building. Its locked because it¡¯s almost middle of the night. One cannot get into their classroom in the middle of the night. And one cannot bear to stand outside of their department in the chilling night. So, it¡¯s a dilemma. As I was saying earlier, I am here to commit a crime. A legal (or illegal), genuine crime, for which I could be rusticated from the college if I get caught.
Okay. At least I¡¯m not scared of ghosts. But standing here alone sure creeps me out. I have to think something quick. There should be two guards posted in front of our main gate. As I¡¯m not a burglar I can¡¯t pick those locks. I have to trick those guards to get into the building.
There¡¯s only one who is snoozing in his seat. Guards post is a just a small room with two chairs and a table. It¡¯s somewhat relieving that the horrible Rocco (let¡¯s say the name of the guard was Rocco) isn¡¯t present at the moment who doesn¡¯t listen to any excuses. Maybe went to pee or taking a shit. Can¡¯t lose this chance.
¡®excuse me¡¯
No response. It seems he¡¯s out cold. I went through the room there¡¯s no sign of swapan da¡¯s equipment, or anything. He¡¯s not here. And it¡¯s easy to bribe this fool newly posted guard. Okay. He¡¯s sleeping, that gave me time to think how should I make him open the gate for me.
As I started to strategizing about this so-called infiltrate, another thought keeps poking through my mind. After tomorrow, 4th semester exam will start. While I don¡¯t have any particular preparation, I really should be in my room burying into books and internet. Have to finish this fast...
¡®O, hello, excuse me, u alive man?¡¯ as I was shaking him he finally came back in life.
¡®what u need?¡¯ he is in genuine angry mode. ¡®what the hell do you need now? Go get some sleep, and let me sleep.¡¯
¡®I really need you to open the gate for me. I forgot my wallet in my classroom today. Please. It¡¯s very important.¡¯
Come Monday, and if you bother coming again tomorrow again, I¡¯ll kill you¡¯
What a pain. He¡¯s acting like a punk. What an idiot. His idiocy will cost my life.
¡®it¡¯s really important. I need that wallet now.¡¯Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
¡®you shouldn¡¯t have left that at the first place¡¯
¡®as if I left it intentionally!¡¯
No answer. He¡¯s faking as if he¡¯s sleeping. Now what? He must be instructed not to let anybody in or something like that. He won¡¯t react. Well, let me fake something too. Take this kick. It¡¯ll hurt for sure, I have confidence in my kick.
As I said. It hurts. He couldn¡¯t help react. He reached out his baton and shove it on my face and asked, ¡®you really are a daring boy, aren¡¯t you? How would you like to taste this? I¡¯ll assure you, it¡¯ll hurt a lot more than your little kick.¡¯
Keep calm. He¡¯s not going to hit me. that will be illegal. He¡¯ll lose his job for that. so, keep persuade him. he¡¯ll snap.
¡®I am not that brave to disturb you at a time like this dear sir (yeah that somewhat sounded hilarious). I¡¯m in a dire situation that made me do things like this. I forgot my wallet and there are some documents which I need to print my admit card. And you know without it, I can¡¯t even attend the exam. It¡¯ll take just a moment. I¡¯ll just go to the classrooms and find it and get out of there. I¡¯m not playing any prank here.¡¯
¡®whatever you say man, I can¡¯t help you. How should I know that you¡¯re telling the truth?¡¯
¡®listen, why shouldn¡¯t I tell you the truth? You know me, I¡¯m from this university, this department, I see you guard this building every day. I was so scared when I went to my place and saw that my wallet missing. The day after tomorrow is my exam and I can¡¯t afford to waste a moment. I don¡¯t have any preparation. That thought made me careless, and now I can¡¯t sit the exam without your help.¡¯
¡®I get it, I get it. you said that before. But you now. I don¡¯t have the keys. Those are in the office. If you come¡.¡¯
What I said was I think is very trustable. I didn¡¯t elaborately said things because that would sound fishy. A panicked person shouldn¡¯t be able to arrange his words. The new guard became calmer than before. Now just last bit of push will break him.
¡®if I get my wallet back, you can take the money inside. I just need those documents. The money can be a token of appreciation. Please brother. Somehow let me search for my wallet. Look its really cold outside. Too cold for pranksters (maybe not too cold for criminals). You really have to believe me.¡¯
He scratched his back for a bit. Then he asked, can I see your id? You know, if you cause some problem, I at least have to know your name. it¡¯s so dark hare, I can barely see your face.¡¯
I can give him the id I have right now. But I don¡¯t want to use it here. When I searched his room, I noticed a torch. And he may even have a mobile phone with a flashlight. So, I said, ¡®that is in my wallet too. You see, that¡¯s very important to me right now. All the documents I need to get me admit card are in that. I intend to print that on the way of my home. You see¡.¡¯
¡®okay I get it... fine I¡¯ll fetch the keys for you. Anyway, not that I really need those money¡¯
¡®you can take those money, just leave a little bit, as I need return my hou¡.¡¯
¡®stop¡ you talk too much¡¡¯
As I watching him disappearing into the dark background, I felt a mixed feeling about that I fooled the guard but it cost me my precious money. I could¡¯ve offer him a little less.
Well anyway. First step maybe complete. At least I get the pass to enter the building. Now I have to find those papers they are talking about. What are those papers that make them blackmail me? well I can deduce at least that it¡¯s not legal. And it¡¯s illegal in a very high level. I Should have decline them without even listening to them. Nah, I¡¯m sure they have various ways up in their sleeve to make me agree. The moment they spotted me, I was doomed. I shouldn¡¯t have strolling at night of two days before the exam. It¡¯s the results of my sin of slacking before exam.
masks and ghost
I was bored. I mean reeeaaaaly bored after I came back home from college today. And frustrated. I just wasted my blood sweat for a month for an entrance exam and now the next day I realized there¡¯s semester final exam breathing on my neck, and when I saw the notes and problem sheets, one thing I realized that I¡¯m going to flunk this semester. I don¡¯t understand these shit (should be problem sheet, but well anyway, both are same. She told me not to use any bad language in this story though. I think shitting is allowed.). so, realizing those things made my mind clear. All hail to supplementary exam. I¡¯ll knock that exam, forget about the regular exam.
So, I went out, for almost no reason. Its just to clear my head maybe. or maybe just couldn¡¯t stay in the home. Staying in the home before exam without study will cause continuous nagging. My relation with my parents is already bad. Don¡¯t want to make it worse. Why should I have to prepare for the semester exam anyway? I just gave an entrance exam to another college. Way better than this one. It¡¯s not like the current college I¡¯m studying Is a bad one. Its also one of the prestigious one in the country. But the problem is its way close to my house. I¡¯ve always wanted to stay away from home. And for that sole purpose I tried hard once. And it was hard to explain why I want to waste a whole year to move out to another college. The only way they would agree to pay my tuition fees for another first year is to get a even better college than the current one. And why didn¡¯t I target this college at the first place? Well I can think of two reasons. One is that I didn¡¯t studied that much. It was all casual one. As the college was just walking distance from my house. Laziness dragged me down from reaching out to another college. And the second reason is well sometime it¡¯s become way too hard to do something for my myself when no one going to appreciate that. Its eventually becomes way too much drag. and another motive was to print me an admit card from a friend¡¯s computer (I don¡¯t have a printer). Yeah, the whole thing I said to the guard, that admit part was true. It another matter that if the guard searched me, he would¡¯ve found an admit card right away in my pocket and my story would¡¯ve been gone to heel along with me.
And so, after a long walking and spending time with my friend (not from same college so he doesn¡¯t have exam right now), went to our college canteen. They serve a really great chilled coffee and French fries. I don¡¯t usually able to afford and even I could afford, I don¡¯t really like to spend money. But today is a stress reliever day. I have to relieve stress. So¡ be it. although I felt that I was being watched the whole time I was eating. Hmm¡ probably for the French fries, as I think its girl¡¯s food (didn¡¯t want to offend someone I know) so people are watching me. but I realized what was that ¡°being watched¡± feeling soon.
It became dark outside. I looked at my phone (don¡¯t have any wristwatch), it¡¯s 7:00, it¡¯s been three hours since I left. Its already this late. I planned to run a bit. Well whatever, I was slacking anyway. Let it be, I slacking off my whole life anyway. And then it happened. as soon as I step out of the canteen, two hooded masked guys captured me!
I was so scared. I am a sacredly cat at the first place. Not to robbers or muggers, but to all people. I hate to talk with anyone. I mean afraid of them somehow. I can¡¯t look at their eyes Whenever I go to talk to someone, as soon as I looked up on their eyes, my subconscious alerts me that they are plotting something terrible against me. This alert even remains active when I talk to the girl I secretly like. That make me feel guilty. She¡¯s like¡
Well I¡¯m in a kind of a sticky situation and here I¡¯m talking about the girl I like. What kind of writer I am who couldn¡¯t even keep track on his writing. She said I shouldn¡¯t write anything about these, but then later she said I should be honest with my feelings when I¡¯m writing. So I can write about my feelings about the girl I like, but that I can write in another phase of story not now where I¡¯m about to be mugged or worse be killed.
So. Two hooded guy kidnapped me in front of my own college canteen. That¡¯s cool. How funny could it be? They whispered, ¡®if you don¡¯t want to ruin your social life, you should stay silent.¡¯
That was a weird threat. As much I know, I don¡¯t really have any social life. My friends are¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡. Forget I said that. the thing is I was surprised. I said, ¡®you know me? I don¡¯t think I ever did anything to offend you. I guess.¡¯
¡®silent, come with us.¡¯
So, I remain silent. Its college campus for crime¡¯s sake. I honestly believe I can¡¯t get killed here? Or can I? I don¡¯t know. Five minutes of walking, then we came to a very well-known place. The infamous lake of our college, where students (not me) generally come to flirt or well whatever make out probably. I promised myself I wouldn¡¯t come here without a girl but here I am with two definitely non-girl characters. They said sit, I sat. they even offered cigarette, I took one from one of them. they sat in front of me looked each other and the one with brown-black hoodie threw me the lighter. I caught it¡¡ they looked again each other. Now the other one said, ¡®have a cigarette, it¡¯ll reduce your humbleness¡¯ a bit.¡¯
I remain silent. But I thought replying would have been better, so I was going to say something when they stopped me. one reached out to me and slapped me. and there I was about to be fooled by their friendlier behavior. Kidnappers are kidnappers. They are violent.
Other one with a black-white hood, asked, ¡®why aren¡¯t you asking anything? Or don¡¯t you want to get free from us?¡¯
¡®I was never kidnapped before, and you know, you asked not to talk. And I thought you are checking if I obey you or not, so I was scared to talk.¡¯ The slap kind of made me desperate somehow.
¡®ok, so I ask you again, why aren¡¯t you smoking after taking one?¡¯
¡®well, you asked to have one so I took one, you asked to light that, I could but, I don¡¯t really smoke, so¡¡¡¯
¡®you really are a fun guy, we were right about you. Your idiocy could be exactly what we wanted. Do a job for us, and you¡¯re free to go.¡¯
¡®not that I really want to die but, what was the social life threat thing? Am I allowed to know?¡¯
¡®why are you acting so respectful? You know you¡¯re not really kidnapped or going to die, just your seniors asking for a favor to you.¡¯
¡®so, I can just walk off, right?¡¯
¡®that you cannot.¡¯ Black one probably smiled. I can barely see their chin. They carefully hid their faces in the mask and the hoods.
¡®then? What was the help and if I don¡¯t obey you what will you do?¡¯
¡®well, we want you to go into our department, and bring something for us, go to the room beside HOD¡¯s, you know, the abandoned surface chemistry¡¯s lab. A paper should be there. You just have to bring that to us. Then you¡¯re safe.¡¯
¡®hold on a second. Why can¡¯t you bring that yourself? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not that lazy. you¡¯ve even kidnapped me for that.¡¯
¡®that¡¯s because, we need it today.¡¯
¡®today? Department closed for today.¡¯
¡®that¡¯s why we can¡¯t go¡¯
¡®and you think I can go there because¡¡¡¯ I asked for tips¡ or do I have a hidden secret power?
¡®that you know. how you would bring that back that¡¯s your problem, if we knew how to do that, shouldn¡¯t we be doing it already?¡¯
¡®that¡¯s right.¡¯ For being kidnapped first time, I¡¯m not really that scared. And for some reason I can communicate well enough with them to keep a conversation. I¡¯m sure I will recognize these voices, and I¡¯ll find them. But then what? What will I really do with them then later? I can¡¯t beat them, or I can¡¯t just hand them over to police for asking me for a paper. Okay that I¡¯ll decide later, first thing first, what could be the paper? Questions for the upcoming semester exam? Well if that¡¯s the case, then that¡¯ll help me too. But, our college¡¯s students are talented enough to pass on their own. Even back then I was thinking about supplementary exams, but I now, I now i can pass too. We don¡¯t really care about questions. Then what could it be? Some super-secret formula of bio-weapon? Nah, that only happens in films. Well they are asking me to get it, so I have a chance to look at it right? Okay, that settles the papers. Now the threat about my social life. That¡¯s the real puzzle. What could it be?The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
¡®oh that?¡¯ they started laughing. And keep on laughing for a minute. That was very disturbing believe me. at last when they settle d down, brown one said, ¡®we have your love confession video!¡¯
¡¡¡a minute later¡¡¡..
¡®hey scum, why are you started running all of a sudden? Can¡¯t you see were nerds.¡¯ black one sat on his beforehand position. He was breathing heavily as he was chasing me. yes, me. when they said they have my love confession video, It took a minute to realize what they are talking about. And it took less than a second to realize what they are going to do with this if I don¡¯t bring them the paper. Don¡¯t blame me that I choose running as an option, I¡¯m a good runner, but panic and darkness made me stumble and now maybe I have some scratches on my elbow.
¡®sorry, really sorry. I panicked, I wasn¡¯t thinking straight.¡¯
¡®thank god that you fell, have you run away, and we have to show the video to your whole class. And also to the girl¡¯
¡®okay okay, you got me. I¡¯ll do everything. Just don¡¯t do that.¡¯
¡®That¡¯s like a good junior.¡¯ Black one light another cigarette and said, ¡®if everyone¡¯s like you, obeying their seniors, the world would have been better place.¡¯
Yeah, go and reform the world. Better keep this thought myself. ¡®can I at least watch the video?¡¯
¡®what you have some weird fetish or something?¡¯
¡®¡¯at least let me confirm that you have it.¡¯
¡®show him¡¯ black one said.
Brown one brought out his phone. It¡¯s iOS, model no I don¡¯t know. Well at least its confirmed that he¡¯s not poor. He swiped for a bit and face the screen to me.
It was in the 3rd floor classroom, some of my evil classmates and me talking about the girl I liked before, I carelessly told them that I love her and I¡¯m going to tell her. When did this happened? This is not edited is it? oh yeah, I remember, it was six months ago. I mistook them as friends and told them everything. Who would¡¯ve thought it¡¯ll cost me this? Who recorded it anyway? Next time before confessing I¡¯ll think thousand time and yeah still wouldn¡¯t confess. And it was when first month of the college. Every first-year student wanted to fall in love back then. I don¡¯t even like her now
¡®had fun?¡¯
¡®yeah, I said barely.¡¯ Looking back to your past make you ask questions about your sanity and stupidity? In any case, I watched the video to guess who recorded that, but watching this, a clip of six months old video, it really didn¡¯t matter. I don¡¯t remember anything of that time.
The video problem was cool. But I think it won¡¯t pose any problem to me. I haven¡¯t even talked to the girl for a month (studying). And come to think of it I really don¡¯t care about my social life. Breaking into my college sounds fun. For this cause if they order me not to sit for the semester exam then maybe it¡¯s cool too. I don¡¯t have to hide from my family that I haven¡¯t taking texts
¡®how would I enter there? The guards are bound to check my id which I don¡¯t have right now(lie).¡¯ The video problem was cool. But I think it won¡¯t pose any problem to me. I haven¡¯t even talked to the girl for a month (studying). And come to think of it I really don¡¯t care about my social life. Breaking into my college sounds fun. For this cause if they order me not to sit for the semester exam then maybe it¡¯s cool too.
¡®hmm¡ that¡¯s a problem¡.¡¯ Black looked at the brown and said, ¡®give him your id.¡¯
¡®what? You can¡¯t be serious. I can¡¯t just give him my id¡¯
¡®what does it matter, it¡¯s not that we¡¯re committing a crime¡. Well whatever, take mine.¡¯
He reached out his inner pocket of his pocket and gave me an id. 4th year Chemical Engg of this university. I still can¡¯t believe he just gave up his id¡ Sure not looked like a fake. Then it has to be someone else¡¯s the easiest one steal are classmates. So I can be sure these two are 4th year guys of our department. They said alright that this is their department also. Our 4th year have 54 students. Around 35 are male. My suspects are them. It could be 3rd years too. But even if, I can easily find out them.
And that¡¯s how I got into their hand¡. now looking back writing this, even I think it was funny how they got me. but it sure was not when I was there.
So¡. Enough of these flashbacks¡.. Let¡¯s come to the point where I was waiting for the guard to show up with keys of my freedom.
The guard showed up eventually. Ordered me to follow him. he opened the door with keys and flashlight (see, he really had a phone with flashlight) and told me to get inside. And now he started to follow me.
¡®you¡¯re coming?¡¯
¡®yeah obviously.¡¯
¡®then who¡¯s going to watch the gates while we¡¯re inside?¡¯ I asked like a concerned student.
¡®you¡¯re right... I give you ten minutes. Run along and if it takes more than ten minutes, you¡¯re going to stuck inside.¡¯
¡®okay, but don¡¯t really close the door. I have an exam (which I don¡¯t really care about).¡¯ I brought out my phone¡¯s light and started to climb the stairs with the bundle of keys he gave. He really is stupid one. He just knows how to act tough. He could¡¯ve asked me the room and gone himself to find my wallet. Instead he gave me the keys.
Well he just gave me ten minutes¡.. what a joke was that, keys are with me. how can he even lock the door? He really didn¡¯t think anything.
It isn¡¯t really an abandoned lab. It¡¯s just a lab with broken equipment and dust. There was an accident two years ago which caused this. I heard a professor and two post graduate students died. The cause of accident never really interested before but now it kind of creepy how I slowly shrouding by the fear of their ghosts which is inversely proportional to the distance remaining to the lab. Well I believe I said that I don¡¯t believe in ghosts or spooky things. But while running through stairs I saw a fine line of fluorescent light (tube light). I wouldn¡¯t deny that for a second I thought the three dead became undead and doing experiments. But still I stopped to look into that. it¡¯s coming from the abandoned lab where light coming under the door. Someone must¡¯ve forgot to put out that. well whatever, it should not be my concern, I have to get the papers.
I opened the doors. It¡¯s not that dusty as I¡¯ve imagined. I didn¡¯t have to looked around, there¡¯s the papers on the front desk. Like they are waiting for me to get them. I took a look at it, hmm, it¡¯s not organized. Why? Is it another test by those two? Or to save myself, I should arrange it properly?
At the end I arranged it, to be safe of course. I¡¯m not that studious but what I understand is it¡¯s something about a project about a drone. The author of the papers let¡¯s say it was Hector wells. I know a Hector wells. He¡¯s my senior. He¡¯s not the topper, but most of us knows that he knows a lot more than the topper. Am I stealing his papers? Why would he leave that here in the first place?
Ah it¡¯s a pain to think in a supposedly haunted place. I looked around in the room. There¡¯s an old colorimeter¡ there¡¯s some dusty test tubes¡ a new backpack¡ a non-dusty parka, newer one if I have to say¡a wooden rack¡
Wait a minute¡¡ I saw what? I mean really, ¡®WHHHAAAAAATTT??¡¯
Till now, I didn¡¯t even make but a faint bit of sound. I opened the lock carefully, the door was old but somehow, I managed to open it swiftly. I took the papers silently. It¡¯s my instinct to do anything silently. You guys can call me master of sneak art. But just now, a ¡®what¡¯ sound just came out from my mouth as soon I saw two legs sticking out from the parka. A girlish foot. A dead body? Those two were trying to put the murder on me? And as soon as I said that, ¡®is someone here?¡¯ question with a female head pop out exactly from my left. Under the parka. It¡¯s not a dead body.
They tricked me. they knew here¡¯s a ghost of a girl live here. That¡¯s why they send me to die here. Me and my luck. Survived the kidnappers and now in the grasp of a ghost. How much adventure do I need to end this day. All I know I don¡¯t want to die. But I want to see the ghost too. What should I do?
At last curiosity won before fear, as soon I turn my head to the left, a test tube struck to the wall near my head and broke. Damn it¡¯s a poltergeist. The German ghost I¡¯ve read about who scares people by throwing things around. His target is me now. This time it was a mere test tube, a whole table or distilled water tank won¡¯t be funny.
¡®sorry for the intrusion. I leave your solitude to you alone. You know, I like to live in solitude too, I respect that, so please don¡¯t kill me miss ghost¡¡¡¯
¡®don¡¯t just stand there. Get out!¡¯
The voice¡ I think I¡¯ve heard it before¡ yeah probably that¡¯s how my grandmother talked before she died, she ended up here? Why? Did she love science? I don¡¯t think she ever did. Anyway, its grandmother, so I think she won¡¯t kill me.
¡®sorry granma¡. It¡¯s me. no need to throwing stuffs¡. ¡®I still didn¡¯t able to look at the ghost, but anyway, I hear it¡¯d be transparent anyway.
¡®who are you calling granma? Just stop being afraid for a moment and look at me¡. oh no, don¡¯t look at m¡¡.¡¯
I already made the mistake of looking at the ghost. And what I saw was scarier than the ghost. It was my classmate what was her name? anyway that girl is sitting on a bench, half dressed. The fact I realized that I didn¡¯t saw her beforehand was that she was lying on the bench covered with her parka. She was sleeping here?!
As I saw the whole thing, the made-up poltergeist threw a test tube again, which I ducked this time. As I rushed through the door, the furious lady bolted, ¡®just get out of here and let me get dressed!¡¯
punch and smile
Chapter 2
Okay then, let¡¯s take some time and organize my thoughts a bit, because it now a total mess at this point. Right now I¡¯m in our department, at almost mid night. And I am here to steal papers, I guess at this point I¡¯m pretty sure that it¡¯s stealing. And I saw a girl from my class is unfortunately stuck here somehow.
So, what to do now? My whole thought process finished at handing over those papers and head to home. Now here¡¯s a classmate, I talked to her before once or twice. I think her name is¡¡ well I don¡¯t remember her name. Should I talk to her? Or part way as soon we get out of department? And how the hell I¡¯ll deliver these papers?
I was waiting outside for her since she yelled at me to get out of the room. A couple of minute she came out. I was sitting on the stairs and stared her the whole time. But she came out spotted me, well sotted my light source (cell phone) and slowly walked towards me. I was going to say at least ¡°hi¡± or something like that, but she passed me while completely ignoring me. So, I remain silent. Just kept watching her as she slowly headed towards downstairs.
As I expected. Either she doesn¡¯t have a phone with her or that phone is dead by now. I kept sitting there waiting for her as she returned to me and said, ¡°your phone.¡±
¡®what?¡¯
¡®give me your phone.¡¯
¡®excuse me? Why?¡¯
¡®can¡¯t you see there¡¯s no light? How can I get out of here?¡¯
¡®your phone?¡¯
¡®no battery.¡¯
¡®okay let¡¯s go. If I gave you my phone then how I am going to get out of here?¡¯
The hell. I expected some kind of reply. But she remained silent. So, me too, started to follow her. After all I have all the keys too, and according to the guard, its way past 10 minutes. I think he won¡¯t say anything after seeing this unexpected progress of the situation.
It¡¯s really awkward situation when you two are the only person nearby walking towards the same direction and you aren¡¯t talking. You want to talk but don¡¯t know how to start. And now that I noticed something I really want to talk to her¡
Finally I said it. Couldn¡¯t stop myself, ¡®you¡¯re that embarrassed?¡¯
¡®What?¡¯
¡®I mean I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t noticed you before in the room. But it¡¯d be more embarrassing if I noticed you soon enough when you are sleeping like that.¡¯
¡®well excuse me. I¡¯m not embarrassed a bit, and FYI (now, some people use abbreviation for ¡®for your information¡¯ too) I was full awake the whole time. I just didn¡¯t hear you coming, then I¡¯ll be prepared to kill you. You got me by surprised, so I spared your life.¡¯
¡®well¡¡.¡¯ I hesitated a bit. I know if I say this, she will correct her mistake of sparing my life¡ but still, this is important so, ¡®I know you¡¯re embarrassed. There¡¯s no need to hide that. Anybody would. Even me¡¡¯
¡®yeah... I know, because you¡¯re a girl, right?¡¯
¡®then how could you forget and left your backpack at the lab. I bet you don¡¯t have any servants here with you, who will carry that sack?¡¯ I was going to ask that nicely, but her last word wasn¡¯t that digestible.
And so, I was waiting for her in the dark while she went to fetch her bag. Well I had no obligation to wait for her. It¡¯s just she took my cellphone with her for light as her cell was long dead. I could wait outside of the building but then it¡¯ll be a pain to talk things out with the guard without the girl. Damn I even don¡¯t know her name. What kind of pathetic classmate am I? I hope she knows my name. or else if the guard started to doubt something else then it¡¯s going to be another problem
¡¡. Couple of minute later¡¡.
This time she ignored me too. Straight went outside of the building. Didn¡¯t even looked at me. I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t only darkness which removed my existence.
Another couple of minutes later when we came out of our department, the guard here was waiting for us, ¡®looks like you found your wallet.¡¯ I can¡¯t really able to see the smirk on the guard¡¯s face but I bet it there, when he said that line looking at the girl.
¡®bigger than I expected. And took more time too. I expect your wallet is loaded as I expected?¡¯You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
¡®yeah, take everything you want.¡¯
¡®you know, I¡¯m going to report that you fooled me with a lame wallet excuse, then you brought a girl inside the building, and now you¡¯re trying to bribe me? I don¡¯t know what you did there, but that¡¯s¡¡.¡¯
¡®Hey Mr. guard, hold it right there, don¡¯t try to add me with his scandal. I¡¯m sure your accusations are right, he may have done something wrong somewhere else, but not with me. you can report whatever you want nobody will believe. i was stuck here unfortunately and why did I end up like this at the first place? Isn¡¯t closing and opening the doors and gates your duty? He saved me, and for my appreciation, I won¡¯t allow you to report him. if you report to dean or HOD about us, I¡¯ll complain him about you. Closing me in a room on me at the first place.¡¯
She insulted me. She somewhat thanked me. and moreover, she startles the guard too much to check my id or even taking my money. Because no sooner than she finished her statement/threat against the guard, she grabbed my hand and started walking.
Well walking in the middle of the night while holding hands with a girl, sounds nice. but it¡¯s not actually that sweet or romantic for me at this moment. It could¡¯ve been more romantic if we walked together, but in that case, she¡¯s pulling me. And to make things worse, as soon as we turned left and went pass the range of the lame guard, something sure happened and I fainted on the road.
¡¡¡¡¡..someone talking¡¡.. a girl probably¡¡¡. a bright light¡. someone is trying to wake me¡¡. unbearable pain on the left jaw¡.. yeah, I got punched by someone¡¡. I became senseless¡.. the girl, is she okay?...
I finally able to open my eyes. Total dark everywhere. Suddenly a blinding light and I saw the girl preparing herself in a stance as if she¡¯s going to KICK ME!!¡¯
¡®hey I¡¯m awake, I¡¯m awake¡. Don¡¯t kick me please¡. I¡¯m already in unbearable pain right now¡¯
¡®I knew you were faking it. trying to get my attention.¡¯
¡®I wasn¡¯t faking even if I am, you just going to kick me?¡¯
¡®boys like you deserve that. became senseless by a mere punch? Even the attackers were laughing on you.¡¯
¡®and you, too right? Instead of helping me, you joined with them and made fun of me.¡¯ I somehow able to get up. ¡®anyway, thanks for not running away with my phone while I was unconscious.¡¯
¡®your phone is cheaper than mine.¡¯
¡®more useful than yours.¡¯ Shit it really hurts when you get punched out of nowhere. The papers I stole are gone. As I expected. Well they could¡¯ve asked me sweetly. I stole it to give them anyway, ¡®those two didn¡¯t do anything with you right?¡¯
¡®I drove them off.¡¯ Said without flinching.
¡®yeah, right. How long I was unconscious?¡¯
¡®about 5 minutes.¡¯
¡®who were they? They didn¡¯t really mug me. And they left you unscathed too.¡¯
¡®No idea. as long you don¡¯t tell me everything, I can¡¯t state my opinion.¡¯
¡®what everything? don¡¯t try to act like a famous detective.¡¯ I looked around. Not that they will be here still now, but still. I guess it¡¯s just intuition. ¡®let¡¯s get out of here. It¡¯s not safe here at night, as you can see, there¡¯s a mugger running around in our campus¡ and don¡¯t talk to me right now, I¡¯m having hard time talking as I got punched, please be silent for a bit.¡¯
She didn¡¯t say anything. I¡¯m really not in the mood of talking and that pain while talking is not bearable. I sensed two attackers. Her account confirms too that there was multiple person. They didn¡¯t ask me. is it because there¡¯s another person with me now? I guess they didn¡¯t wanted to made that deal public. And that¡¯s why I shouldn¡¯t tell her anything either. I searched my body. As I suspected, nothing else is missing except those papers. I felt like I still have that id, in that darkness, I can¡¯t check that, and I don¡¯t want her to think that I stole an id. There¡¯s something weird going on in our department. Not that my problem. But its bugging me, how some guys made fool out of me. It¡¯s not acceptable. The problem is tomorrow is Sunday. That means a whole day is a waste. I can¡¯t do anything till Monday. I just want to know what I have done and what is its importance. Because now I¡¯ve committed a crime. It not going to hurt me later isn¡¯t it? and speaking of being hurt, as the girls with me, she isn¡¯t aware that she¡¯s just aided in a crime. At least everyone is going to doubt that as she gets us both out from the guard. And how the hell she¡¯s going to get home tonight?
¡®hey, where do you live?¡¯
¡®oh, you finally started talking, you can¡¯t hold it any longer? You¡¯re really regretting that you said to a girl not to talk right?¡¯
¡®listen, I really can¡¯t take your joke right now¡I¡¯m in kind of a¡.¡¯
¡®¡situation?¡¯
I couldn¡¯t say anything. It¡¯s obvious that she felt something weird, suspicious going on with me. she¡¯s with me that¡¯s only because its midnight. She must be anxious to go home. Even I want to send her home safely. Why didn¡¯t my mom call me yet? Its 11:30 now. Doesn¡¯t she even care for me? what about her? She didn¡¯t even called home yet. Maybe she didn¡¯t remember number and phone is dead.
¡®still, you have to go home. They must be worried sick, as you¡¯re so stupid that you got locked inside your own department.¡¯
¡®You¡¯re right. Let me make a call okay.¡¯
She brought out my cell phone from her jeans. Right. She had that all along. Well she¡¯s one of my classmate. That¡¯s why I¡¯m not doubting her right now. But I¡¯ve read in many thriller books that in these situations the hot girl is most likely to be a partner of crime. So, its possible that she¡¯s with me only to observe me. If I had been doing anything wrong, she was ordered to pounce me.
I turned at her. She finished her call. Nah! I don¡¯t think she¡¯s accomplice or something. I mean I know her. If anything happens with me. I can totally drag her down. She¡¯s one of the top tier students in class. She wouldn¡¯t throw her career.
¡®I¡¯m good looking, right?¡¯ As I was looking at her, she asked me after finishing her call.
¡®so how are you going to go home now. So, you live nearby?¡¯
¡®I don¡¯t live nearby. I use public transports for college.¡¯
¡®then? Your father bringing a car or anything? If you have to wait somewhere, I can stay with you.¡¯
¡®why? Because I¡¯m pretty?¡¯
¡®No. Even I can¡¯t leave a girl alone in the middle of the night.¡¯
¡®you probably don¡¯t realize how vulgar your supposed to be cool statement just sounded.¡¯
¡®shut up.¡¯
¡®oh, don¡¯t worry, I told mom that I¡¯m crashing to one of my friend¡¯s house for exam preparation.¡¯
¡®Wow, you lied to your mother. That¡¯s good, you choose not to stress your family. your friend lives nearby?¡¯
¡®well I didn¡¯t lie exactly. I was supposed to that. But then she had some problem and she bailed on me. Apparently, her mother hates me.¡¯ She smiled a little
¡®they should hate you.¡¯ I laughed too, ¡®then why are you going to their house?
¡®who said I¡¯m going to their house?¡¯ as we get past or campus, a light of a half open shop shines on her face, I could see her beautiful smile, which somewhat felt pure evil because she continues, ¡®I¡¯m staying with you today darling.¡¯
north and south
¡®what did you say?¡¯
¡®I¡¯m staying your place tonight.¡¯
¡®you don¡¯t even know me. And¡¡¯ well, I can guess what my mother is going to think when she¡¯s going to see us together.
¡®It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know you at all. No matter how little we know each other. You helped me. So, I need to pay you back too. After that we can go back to being strangers. Okay?¡¯
This girl can say some nice stuff after all. I looked at her and asked, ¡®how do you intend to pay me back?¡¯
¡®well, but before, where do you live anyway? I guessed you live nearby, but where exactly?¡¯
¡®from here straight 5 minutes.¡¯
¡®wow. That¡¯s neat. Its way too close to college.¡¯ She paused for a second, then asked, ¡®then why are you absent all the time?¡¯
I didn¡¯t expect her to remember me. I thought everyone forgot me as I skipped classes for a month. And I don¡¯t remember talking to her before that.
¡®none of your business. Give me back my phone. I need to call my mother to inform about you.¡¯
¡®I was curious about you a little nothing else.¡¯
¡®are you interested in me or what? For your information. I have no interest in you. I don¡¯t even know your name.¡¯
¡®that really hurt. At least know your classmates. I¡¯m Emilia (due to this Emilia girl¡¯s threat, I¡¯m not using any real name here. Obviously, he name is something else. But for now, lets pretend she is Emilia). And I¡¯m not interested in you. At least not the way you¡¯re pointing.¡¯
¡®then what?¡¯
¡®you got the highest marks in the entrance exam. So, as I consider myself somewhat studious, I wanted to beat you.¡¯
¡®then you probably beaten me already. I scored 58% on the last semester. And I¡¯m planning to give up on next week¡¯s exams too¡¯
¡®I got 92% on the last semester¡¡¯
¡®don¡¯t show off your numbers. They are just numbers.¡¯
¡®I¡¯m not showing off. I¡¯m asking what happened that we have 34% difference between us. And you won¡¯t take the tests anymore? And you do skip classes a lot.¡¯
¡®what are you, my mother?¡¯
¡®I¡¯m going to ask your mother too. She didn¡¯t ask you?¡¯
This girl way too much annoying. Oh, I just realized. My high school friends were saying the same thing too about me, that I¡¯m way too much annoying. Listening to this girl¡¯s blabbering made me sympathetic to my old friends who tolerated me.
I used my right to remain silent as she continued, ¡®if I had done something like that, my mom would¡¯ve killed me by now. And I¡¯m now more curious about the incident happened just now. Why did you get punched in the middle of the night? What were you doing in the college at this hour? You didn¡¯t even know my name. its hard to take that you came to save me. That was accident I can tell how you reacted when you first time saw me. You¡¡¯
¡®SHUT UP!!! Give back my phone. I have to call mom.¡¯
¡®I won¡¯t.¡¯
¡®Why?¡¯
¡®you can make a run after getting your phone back. You¡¯re not trust worthy at all.¡¯
¡®if I¡¯m not trust worthy then why are you coming with me?¡¯
¡®it¡¯s just because your mother invited me.¡¯
That¡¯s news to me. ¡®my mother, what?¡¯
¡®when you were dying¡¡¯
¡®I wasn¡¯t really dying.¡¯
¡®whatever. When you were intentionally lying on the road, your mother called. i picked up, because, well then things were pretty scary for me. A body in front me and two people could attack me again from anywhere. So, for help I answered your phone. I told your mother that we were studying for the exam and we lost the track of time. its quite late to return home. So, you offered me to stay at your place for the night. Your mother is very much understandable as she welcomed to your house.¡¯
¡®LIE!!!¡¯
¡®why would I lie?¡¯
¡®I live alone.¡¯
¡®don¡¯t bluff now. Your mother did really call. Look.¡¯ She opened the call history from the phone and showed me. Okay mom really called. still I said, ¡®mom didn¡¯t ask why you answering the phone?¡¯
¡®of course. I said you¡¯re paying.¡¯
¡®For what?¡¯
¡®well we are studying since¡well when did you leave your home today?¡¯
¡®about 4.¡¯
¡®that¡¯s great then. We were studying since 5 to 11. So off course we need some snacks. So, you were paying for the foods in the cafeteria.¡¯
¡®mom bought that? And what kind of cafeteria is open till midnight¡¯
¡®I guess. She didn¡¯t say anything. If not then it¡¯s obvious that something going on between us and you¡¯re bringing me home for something else. Well that¡¯s pretty much the outcome will be¡¯
¡®that¡¯s a pretty bad outcome for me don¡¯t you think?¡¯
¡®well. You¡¯re the one who asked me to stay in your home as we are studying late. you¡¯re the one who want to force yourself to me. I¡¯m in a helpless situation right now. I have to consider myself to you. I don¡¯t want to stay outside in this chilly weather.¡¯
¡®what is your inspiration for these stories?¡¯
¡®well that¡¯s pretty much you¡¯re going to be accused for.¡¯
¡®give me my phone.¡¯
¡®as I said, I don¡¯t trust you. Can¡¯t give you. If you can, then take it. I¡¯m not going to give you. And you¡¯re not telling me about everything happened tonight. Like you know those people who attacked you. As was there with you, now I¡¯m part of that too. It better not affects me later, okay? You¡¯re not telling me that means you¡¯re going to take care of that right?¡¯
¡®I intend to.¡¯
¡®And it¡¯s not only for staying tonight. I now intend to stay tomorrow too. I seriously mean that I¡¯ll stay with you tomorrow too. Forcing you to study. I think that will make me even for saving me.¡¯Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
I wanted to say ¡®that won¡¯t help me. Go teach someone who want to pass the exam.¡¯ But even I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t said anything else. Maybe because I can¡¯t really snatch a phone from a girl¡¯s pocket. Or maybe the more I¡¯ll say the more she¡¯ll ask me questions. For now, I¡¯ll trust her. I gave up on calling home. in any case, she doesn¡¯t have a place to go right now. She kept insulting me all the way but now she¡¯s showing appreciation. Inside the cover of her insults, she¡¯s a really nice girl.
SHE DID LIE AFTER ALL!!! When mom opened the door, if she was unaware of the situation, first natural question comes to her mind is, ¡®who is she?¡¯
I looked at her. Why that damn girl is smiling that brightly? For the first time I really wanted to kill someone. Mom asked again, ¡®is this some kind of girlfriend situation? Do I really need to handle this now? elope?¡¯
I had to stop her, ¡®don¡¯t get carried away now mother. Its not like that.¡¯ Yeah, I need to handle the situation rather than getting angry. But nothing came to mind so I pointed at Emilia, ¡®say what you have to say.¡¯
¡®why can¡¯t you say?¡¯
¡®he¡¯s kind of embarrassed about the whole thing. He¡¯s always like that.¡¯ What is she saying again?
¡®he¡¯s embarrassed?¡¯
¡®well it was hard for him to even ask me to help him study.¡¯ She¡¯s going with the study excuse again. ¡®so, it took all day to point out the important parts to pass the exam. But then I realize he¡¯s too dumb to study on his own. So, I offered him to teach him.¡¯
¡®your family is aware of that right? Can you call them? I need to confirm that.¡¯
¡®oh, off course. But one request.¡¯
¡®go on.¡¯
¡®I didn¡¯t tell them my friend is a boy. I didn¡¯t lie to them either. I just didn¡¯t mention the gender. Is it possible¡¡¯
¡®hmm¡¡¯
My mom isn¡¯t going to drive her off or anything. That I know. She¡¯s not going to scold or warn me anything either I think. And Emilia didn¡¯t explain anything much either.
¡®can I go inside? If you have any confusion about the situation ask her. She¡¯s all yours. I¡¯m going to sleep on the hammock, give her my room and please show her around our house.¡¯
¡®if you two are lying, then you¡¯re going to drop her to her place then you can go inside. Till then stay here.¡¯
¡®if I could drop her then I would¡¯ve done that. And Emilia, you called your house, right?¡¯
¡®yes. Trust me.¡¯
You¡¯re in position to say that. Mom¡¯s already speaking with her parents. The way she¡¯s speaking probably its her mother. After a minute of confirmation. It looked like she did call her home after all. And mom didn¡¯t mention either that it¡¯s a boy¡¯s place. So, all looked like green signal.
¡®last question, why was your phone was in her pocket?¡¯
¡®he wasn¡¯t concentrating on study, checking texts etc. so I took it.¡¯
¡®I have no problem letting you stay here if its only for study related problem. But still, he asked you to teach him? Right after exam?¡¯
¡®ma¡¯am exam isn¡¯t over yet. Its tomorrow as its twelve past by now.¡¯
¡®no, I¡¯m not talking about that.¡¯ My mom looks a lot relieved. Well I can understand why. She must be thinking I am not confident enough about the entrance exam so I have now decided to fix this exam. But she doesn¡¯t know. I¡¯ve wasted one month to get into the college. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going get rejected.
¡®so, can I go now?¡¯
¡®not hungry?¡¯
¡®not really.¡¯
¡®I¡¯m hungry.¡¯ That shameless girl said by raising her hand.
¡®that¡¯s perfect. I only made for one person after all.¡¯
Half an hour later¡¡¡.
¡®what¡¯s with this awkward family of yours?¡¯
¡®what?¡¯
¡®already asleep?¡¯
¡®I thought I would be.¡¯
¡®get up. We¡¯re going to study.¡¯
So that¡¯s how it happened. I couldn¡¯t go to sleep. About a half hour later after having supper she came and dragged me to study.
¡®if you want to prepare for exam then you can study on your own or else you can go to sleep. You really don¡¯t have to bother with me.¡¯
¡®what are you talking about? From your mother¡¯s perspective I¡¯m your girlfriend and I need to take care of you.¡¯
¡®what are you talking about?¡¯
¡®well your mother and I bonded well. You don¡¯t have to worry when I¡¯m going to marry you.¡¯
¡®oh, good luck. What else you talked about?¡¯
¡®wanna know?¡¯
¡®no leave it, its going to be a joke anyway.¡¯
¡®you know intelligence isn¡¯t a gift.¡¯
¡®oh¡¡¯
¡®so, what was that exam your mother was talking about?¡¯
¡®not your concern.¡¯
¡®haven¡¯t saw your father.¡¯
¡®not your concern.¡¯
¡®my father is dead though.¡¯
¡®please don¡¯t joke about that.¡¯
¡®err¡ I was telling the truth though.¡¯
After entering my room, I looked at her first time. her expression looks unchanged. I said, ¡®my father is alive though.¡¯
¡®I didn¡¯t mean that. Okay next question. Will you answer that?¡¯
I gave up. ¡®what?¡¯
¡®do you have any problem with your mother?¡¯
¡®not really?¡¯
¡®her son came home with his girlfriend yet she didn¡¯t ask anything.¡¯
¡®that means she believes in me.¡¯
¡®believe? In you? Not at all. She kept asking me questions yet didn¡¯t ask you at all. I don¡¯t like this partiality.¡¯
¡®what did she ask you?¡¯
¡®how we met, my academics, about us.¡¯
¡®how long you¡¯re going to put the girlfriend act.¡¯
¡®okay then teacher act. Let¡¯s see. How much you¡¯ve covered your study material so far?¡¯
¡®oh, let¡¯s see, nothing.¡¯
¡®nothing means really nothing?¡¯
¡®don¡¯t know what¡¯s in the test.¡¯
¡®oh, I understand. That¡¯s why you gave up. Understandable. Okay you can sleep now. and let me sleep. It was my fault for trying to help you.¡¯
Wow this went better than I expected to be. I thought it would take a lot more time to convince her to give up. I was headed to the hammock in the corridor but then again she said, ¡®how did you got into our college anyway? If you¡¯re that dumb?¡¯
¡®I¡¯m not dumb.¡¯
¡®how did you get that much more than me in the entrance exam?¡¯
¡®I got lucky.¡¯
¡®impossible. It¡¯s the best college in the state. You can¡¯t get accepted by being lucky.¡¯
¡®why are you so stuck up on beating me anyway? And heck you already did
Beat me. Is getting better grade is that much fun?¡¯
¡®I just want to beat you fair and square. That¡¯s it.¡¯
¡®and if you can¡¯t?¡¯
She kept staring after me. Well that¡¯s natural. Both of us didn¡¯t expected that. What the hell am I doing. Why I¡¯m getting worked up?
Finally, she answered, ¡®if you beat me in this semester, I¡¯ll do anything.¡¯
Well exam¡¯s tomorrow. I can see where¡¯s that confidence coming from. Its obvious that she¡¯s going to get more marks. Again, why I¡¯m going along with this game. ¡®how can you believe that I haven¡¯t studied anything? I could¡¯ve lied to you about that.¡¯
¡®your mother confirmed that info. She said that you wasted your whole six months by playing computer games.¡¯
¡®okay. I can ask anything from you right? Including your body?¡¯
¡®eh¡ you¡¯re going to ask my body? Really?¡¯
¡®I dunno.¡¯
¡®okay.¡¯
¡®Then¡good night.¡¯
¡®you¡¯re not going to study?¡¯
¡®oh, I need my laptop though.¡¯
¡®I¡¯m telling you I¡¯m not taking this bet as a joke though.¡¯
¡®hmm¡¯ I left.
Monday morning¡..
¡®aaahhh¡¡¯
¡®why are you sighing?¡¯
¡®your mother was great too. It feels sad to leave like that.¡¯
¡®I know.¡¯ Did you wanted to stay here forever?
¡®we¡¯re going to college together. How¡¯s that from your point of view?¡¯
¡®haven¡¯t thought about that yet. But more important is that how I¡¯m going to handle my mother? Have any idea?¡¯
¡®just say her we love each other. But was too scared to act both night. That will¡.¡¯
¡®any decent idea?¡¯
¡®I don¡¯t know. You¡¯re not a girl. Shouldn¡¯t be a problem, why are you asking me.¡¯
¡®and you still want to beat me?¡¯
¡®yes, I am, but man, you really want my body. You guys¡¡¯
¡®you won¡¯t understand like I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯ll get y scoring more marks than me. It¡¯s a very big deal. A huge deal to order a girl to anything for me.¡¯
¡®wow.¡¯
¡®you won¡¯t understand the grief of people like us. Who spent their most of the live being a shut in.¡¯
She smiled a little. ¡®you always talk that much?¡¯
¡®not really.¡¯
¡®have you studied at all? Why are you smiling? Where does our confidence come from anyway?¡¯
¡®I don¡¯t know I can beat you or not. But I¡¯ll try for sure.¡¯
That¡¯s enough then. So, lets part our ways here. I don¡¯t want to be seen by others with you.¡¯
¡®I don¡¯t care. I have no friends.¡¯
¡®why are you laughing proudly?¡¯ okay I may have laughed a little.
As she went ahead. I started to think about what will be the after effect of the stealing. Well I expected there¡¯s some after effect going to hit me about what I did that day. Buti didn¡¯t expected the turns of events now going to happen from now on. She was really great at motivating me, her procedure was somewhat silly though. I even felt that I can score over eighty on todays exam. And I felt too that I can make her a friend. Who doesn¡¯t care about others. Says what she likes. She literally abused me for two days but she always made that up with her slight sweetness. And on Monday, at 10:45, fifteen minutes before of the exam. We will probably be going to be just classmates anyway after the exam if I don¡¯t get more marks than her. That I don¡¯t want to happen. First time someone wished me luck before exam. And that¡¯s when it happened¡.
HOD and couple of teacher and that lame guard from that night entered the room. Surprisingly they know my name, and that bastard identified me quite easily. I¡¯m sure not cut out for a criminal. I was prepared for something to happen but not before the exam. They called me out of the room. And before I knew anything. I was suspended for unlimited time. If I tell them the girls identity who was with me that night, they¡¯ll allow me to come to college after having suspended for the week. That means the whole semester exam.
There¡¯s no way I could do that right? She said we are parting ways. And I said I will take care of these problems. The moment they dragged me out from the exam hall, I saw her face, she was so shocked which I ant even explain. That moment, everything just went south.