The Beats of Your Heart

Chapter 8

FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK!!!!!!!

I clamp my palm over her mouth and she bites into it. I jerk my hand away and try to hold on to her as she struggles.

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!” Seban shouts over the din of her screaming.

Plastic rips and objects tumble down onto the floor of the car. Her nails claw their way into the flesh of my cheeks and I feel a slick wetness start running down my face. I grip both her shoulders, pinning her hard on the backseat. “SHUT UP!”

She keeps screaming.

“YAQUEL! WHATー

I find myself starting to drift off again and sit up straighter. I notice my phone in my hand, glance at the screen, and immediately lock it. What the fuck. I look around the classroom. People minding their own fucking business. Good. I pull my phone closer and discreetly lower its brightness from the locked screen. Only then I unlock it and sigh.

Brown, vibrant eyes crinkled at the corners, mid-laugh, smiling up at me.

Hanna…

Hanna…

..Hanna?

"Yaquel," someone calls from behind me.

I freeze and feel my heart try to crawl up my throat. My hands start shaking and I grip the phone tighter. There’s a ringing from nowhere

“Yaquel?”

I turn around in my seat and look at him.

“What.”

Reiner furrows his brows. “Whoa, are you all right? You look pale.” he says. He stops twirling his pen.

I look back down at my phone and see the face of Hanna smiling up at me. I lock it and put it inside my pocket. I stand up and feel a sudden head rush, clutching the back of my chair for balance. A pair of hands steady me.

“Whoa, whoa, Yaquel,” Reiner says. “Do you need to go to the clinic? I can take you there. Layla, call the uni ambulance.”

“No, no, no, I’m okay. I’m okay.” I take slow, deep breaths. My vision doubles as I hang on to the chair. The room starts to be filled with murmurs and speculations, noise, noise, NOISE.

“I SAID I’M OKAY!”

Blessed silence.

I shrug off Reiner’s hands and start lumbering towards the direction of the door. I grab hold of the knob with clammy, shaking hands and pull. I leave the room with Reiner calling out my name.

What is happening? What is this? Why am I back here? Am I dreaming? Is this a dream?

I continue walking without a particular destination in mind.

Yes, yes, this is a dream. It was.. What was I doing… I, it was, there was a car. We were in a car. I, I asked Seban for a favor… He borrowed a car from one of his girlfriends… And we went to the mall, and… Oh god.

I start running. What have I done?

•●○●•

"Don't mention it. You're a good kid, Abot." she says with an expression on her face I can't quite place. She seems to come out of it rather quickly though. "Remember, practice later. Don't pick fights with your other members, unlike your brother, and be careful! See you when I see you."

I wave goodbye to her and start to leave the food court as well.

I take a sip from my smoothie as I walk by the other foodstalls. Ooooh, they have donuts… Will try that next time.

“Excuse me,”

I pause and turn towards the sound of the voice.

Partly tied-back, shoulder-length straight black hair, black shirt with the university logo printed on the breast pocket, and black pants.

I raise my eyebrows at him and put down my smoothie. “Yes?”

He looks a little shaken and jumpy. “I’m sorry,” he starts, reaching out a hand and then letting it drop to his side. “I just wanted to tell you to be careful because they just mopped the floor here.”

“They still haven’t put on the sign.” he finishes.

I look around me and see the wet patch he was talking about just a few inches away from where I’m standing. I turn back to face him andーHuh?

I scan around for the stranger amongst the immediate crowd, but find nothing. Huh. Must be in a hurry then.

Someone lightly taps me on the shoulder, catching my attention. “What happened?” Lorraine says.

“A helpful stranger.” I say.

Lorraine raises an eyebrow but doesn't say anything more. "You wanna go to the office now?"

I take another sip from my smoothie before answering: “Yeah, let’s go.”

•○●○•

I stare after them as they leave the cafeteria, just to make sure.

She’s okay. She’s.. I rub my face. She’s okay.

I take a deep breath. My phone buzzes and I take it out.

yaquel
new recruit
band royalty

I stare at the screen. From Lorraine. This is..

“Waiting for someone, Yaquel?” A familiar voice says.

I slip my phone in my pocket and face her. Of-fucking-course, it’s Jaiza.

“No.” I snap and start power walking the hell away from her. I don’t wanna deal with that shit.

I retrace my way back to the Engineering Department, towards its parking lot. I get on my motorcycle and start it when I hear Reiner’s voice shouting above me from the second floor of our building.

"Yaquel!” he shouts. “What happened?"

I look up and see him at the second floor of our building, leaning precariously over the railings. I give him the hand signal for “Office”, to which he pauses, frowns, and then nods, albeit with uncertainty.

I take my phone out and go back to Lorraine’s chat.

tell her to attend practice today

how’d u know it’s a girl?

just a hunch

did you tell her

elaine did

I exit her chat and go straight to Elaine’s. I see her typing a message.

Elaine: Major One, we have a new recruit. She just came by earlier. You should meet her; she's Alexei's legacy.

Thank you for informing me
otw to band office now

I relock my phone and leave the parking lot soon after.

I will set everything right.