To Love And Be Loved

Chapter 32

"Let's go do something," said Victor.

"I've got a paper in about five minutes," said Cass. She glanced around the hall, looking for Fatima.

"I'm sure you can ace whatever it is with your eyes closed."

Cass laughed. She finished her search and sat down. Fatima was late, as usual. The hall had a hushed atmosphere, like the solemnity of a funeral. The only difference was that there weren't people in black, with tear filled eyes. The hall was partially filled with students doing the last minute binge reading.

"Haha, funny," she said. "Some of us have to go to real schools with real lecturers and write real exams."

"Damn it. Now I regret telling you about my online degree."

"It's okay. Its not so bad."

"You see? What paper are you writing?"

"You sure want to know?"

"Try me, babe," he said. "The Vic can handle anything."

Cass snorted. "Theoretical Nuclear Physics."

"I do not know what that means but that sounds incredibly nerdy," said Victor.

"Yeah, nerds do nerdy things." Cass checked her watch, there were just three minutes left.

"Come save me, Cassie, the nerd," said Victor piteously. "Lets have lunch after your paper. Please."

Cass gave a mock sigh and sighed. "What do I do with you, Victor?"

Victor snickered. "I feel like a puppy."

"I've always wanted a puppy."

"And you've got a hot one."

"Come get me in an hour's time," she said.

"Okay, nerd."

She hung up and dialled Fatima's number. She picked on the second ring. "Hello." Her voice was groggy.

Cass stood up from her seat. The hall was getting louder. This was the famed rush seconds; the moments when students tried to cram twelve weeks load of studying in one minute once the invigilator had been sighted. "Good Lord, don't tell me you are still in bed."

Fatima yawned. "Why? Whats wrong?"

Cass lowered her voice as ominously as she could. "Fatima Ibrahim," she said. "You better get your ass off that bed and somehow find a way to teleport right here, right now."

Fatima yawned again. "What are you talking about?"

"Nuclear Physics 102."

"What," said Fatima, her voice suddenly clearer. "What day is it?"

"Its a freaking Monday."

There was a moment of silence and suddenly, Fatima screamed. Cass held the phone away from her ear just as the invigilator entered. He was a stern looking man with a bald head and a thick moustache. "Put your stuff away," he said. "And get ready."

An hour later, Victor and Cass were headed to lunch at a seaside restaurant. The sun glared from the sky like an angry eye. The Jaguar ate up the asphalt with a warm purr. Cass raised her hands to shield her eyes from the sun as they alighted in the beach's parking lot.

"This place was empty the last time we came here," she said.

"Its November, it wont rain." Victor locked his car and trudged towards the beach.

Cass followed, taking in the tall palm trees and the shinning bright sand. The sea was churning in the distance, a smooth calming sound. The breeze was cool and salty. "What makes you think that it wont rain in November? Weather is a phenomenon."