9. Vengeful Spirit

Fakhrul kept glancing at the main door every five minutes.

It's almost seven in the evening. It is worrisome. Where is Izzat? The lecturer canceled their class. He should be back two or three hours ago.

He felt uneasy. He cannot calm himself unless he sees his friend is safe and sound in front of him right now.

"Didn't your class is canceled? Where is your anti-social friend went off to, Fakhrul? Did he have another friend to spend his time with?" Zhou Wei asked Fakhrul. Although they barely knew each other for less than a month, they could already grasp the others' personalities and attitudes. After all, boys tend to get closer faster than most girls.

"I don't know. Since you mention it, I also find it weird for Izzat to be this late." Fakhrul had a worried expression on his face. "He hates socializing. If not because of the classes that he needed to attend, he will never set his foot outside of his comfort zone."

"Are you able to contact him?"

"No. That brat didn't answer my call. Or, Izzat purposely ignores them."

Lee looked at them and pondered for a while.

"Oh, come on, guys. Izzat is an adult. Don't treat him like he is some lost child."

Zhou Wei glanced at Lee.

"Lee is a bit dense, right?"

Fakhrul nodded his head, agreeing with Zhou Wei's statement.

"On top of that, he had a short-term memory."

"You need to tell him straightforwardly. No need to beat around the bushes when speaking with him. He cannot comprehend flowery words as a normal person does."

"Yep, that's true."

"Why did I feel that you guys badmouthing me?" Lee asked in an unsatisfied tone.

"We are badmouthing you," Zhou Wei confirmed.

"I am not dense! I only need some time to process my thought!" Lee exclaimed.

Fakhrul snorted when he heard Lee's exclamation.

"Yeah? And it's almost a month! You never once realized the hints we gave you. Your processing thought is slow and outdated. If you are a computer, you'll get thrown away immediately."

"Isn't this unfair? Why are you bashing me? We're talking about Izzat just now. How come you suddenly changed your target to me?"

"Forget it." Zhou Wei patted Lee's shoulder. "And, Fakhrul, stopped teasing him."

Fakhrul tried to hold back his snickers but failed.

"Sorry."

"You guys are so mean sometimes!" Lee abruptly stood up and went into his room. He stomped his legs, expressing his chagrin when his housemates kept on teasing him.

The door slammed with a loud thud. And Lee immediately locked the door.

"Huh? Why did he lock the door? I'm still outside. Lee?" Zhou Wei is flabbergasted. He hastily knocked on the door multiple times. "Lee, please open the door. Come on. Don't be angry. We're kidding, okay? Lee!!!"

***

Asyraf and Izzat meet each other in front of the Administrative Building.

Izzat wanted to go home, yet, the bus had already left. He needed to wait for the next one in another thirty minutes.

Izzat is staring at the horizon. Orange color donned the dawn sky, and his surroundings became bleak as darkness descended. While walking, he stumbled upon his senior from the same house.

Could you understand the awkwardness they both felt? 

From the first time they meet, Asyraf felt uncomfortable staying around this junior. He didn't despise him, nor did he hate him. It just-

Izzat is a person that can easily understand someone's feelings with just one look. He can see, Ayraf's likeness point towards him decreasing day by day. He cannot guess the real reason. But, he thinks, Asyraf's dislike of supernatural and horror stuff is affecting his judgment.

"Why...are you here...alone? It's almost dark. Aren't you afraid...?" Asyraf might dislike him. A little bit. Even so, he is qualified to feel worried for his safety. After all, he is Asyraf's junior, and they lived in the same house. They have seen each other almost every day. Of course, they couldn't help but feel a sense of duty toward each other.

"The bus just left." Izzat shrugged his shoulder. "And, walking to the residential college is not a good option."

"Oh..."

Both of them keep avoiding eye contact. Izzat scratched his neck. The awkwardness is unbearable.

The silent atmosphere they both created suffocated them. This intolerable atmosphere vexed both.

Should I do him a favor and drive him home? The older male mentally thought.

Izzat pursed his lips. His eyes are darting in the opposite direction, legs twitching in discomfort, intending to move.

"I...I'll drive you home. We're..." Asyraf decided to end his waiting torture and ask anyway.

Seeing that Asyraf had difficulty expressing his kindness, Izzat immediately nodded, conveying his agreement over his senior's invitation. The surprise on his face disappear. A smile grazes over his lips instead.

"Okay. Thank you, senior Asyraf."

Asyraf looked relieved that he agreed right away.

"Then, let's go."

***

Izzat hated to go back to the residential college when the sky was already darkening. He preferred to go home during the day.

Why do you ask?

Izzat closed his eyes for a while and took a breath or two to calm his racing heart. Sorry, his heartbeats are not rapidly pounding because he will soon meet a girl he likes. It's utter nonsense!

His heart is racing because of the horrific sight in the parking lots. The scary-looking girl with dismantling limbs is here, taking an evening stroll. Izzat sighed.

Practices make perfect. Izzat frequently saw the girl. Right now, he could maintain his expression when he came across her in the presence of others. He no longer flinched nor accidentally shrieked when meeting her. Thank goodness.

"Senior, could you park your car directly in front of the building?"

"Oh, I can. But, why?"

Izzat bit his lips, hesitated to tell him the truth.

"Just because."

Izzat's eyes wandered everywhere. However, his eyes avoided looking at the middle of the parking lot. And Asyraf noticed that. He painfully tried to swallow his saliva. Goosebumps started pricking all over his body.

"This way is okay?" He parked his car away from the hot spot as he felt uncomfortable with Izzat's subtle reaction to that place.

"Perfect. Let's go before that girl-I mean before it's too late. It's almost eight, senior." Izzat hurriedly went out of the car and ran towards the lift.

Asyraf acted calm, but only God knows how nervous and scared he felt right now. He followed Izzat, who had been waiting patiently for him in the lift.

"Why are you...err...running?" He couldn't help but ask. He was curious.

Curiosity is a must but such a hassle thing to fulfill.

Izzat helplessly smiled.

"I just wanted to go home as fast as I can, senior."

"Is that the only reason you acted like this?"

"You see, senior, sometimes, it's better to pretend you didn't know anything rather than admitting it. Besides, if I tell you, are you sure you'll be okay?"

Asyraf's panicked face makes Izzat chuckles lightly.

"See? Just forget it. And, thank you for driving me home. I thought you would ignore me and go home by yourself. I appreciated your kindness, senior."

"I..."

Ting! The lift arrived at level 3.

"After you." Izzat gestured for him to go out first.

Asyraf went along with his suggestion and walked in front of him. He sometimes looked back at Izzat, using his peripheral vision to observe the boy's reaction. Izzat kept glancing at the same place with a wrinkled forehead. Did he see something over there?

***

"We're home."

Fakhrul whipped his head. He saw Izzat enter the house with Asyraf. Finally! He heaved out a relieved sigh as soon as he saw his best friend was safe and sound.

Izzat glanced at Fakhrul. He didn't overlook the fretful look on Fakhrul's face.

Look at that mother hen. He must be worried. Izzat saw the twenty-something missed calls and several unread messages from Fakhrul. He should call him back to ease his uneasy feeling. Yet, Izzat loves to play mischief on his friend.

Yes, Izzat decided to ignore him. Let him experience the frustrating feeling Izzat usually felt when Fakhrul kept annoying him. If it is too much for him to take, Izzat will apologize later.

Fakhrul followed Izzat to their room. Like a chick trailing behind its mother in silence.

"What?" Izzat raised his eyebrows.

"Iz, can we talk?" Fakhrul asked. "Please?"

"..." Izzat felt the need to stop this useless fight, so he reluctantly agreed. And, Fakhrul had this guilty look on his face. He probably shouldn't tease him any longer than this. Enough is enough. "You're right. We need to talk."

Just like that, they should amend their slightly rocky friendship back to normal.