The theatre drama club rehearsed the whole play. Cattleya already informed Miss Madeleine that she'll miss dinner in the dorm. So, after the rehearsals, she decided before going home she'll buy some food.
"Where are you going?" asked Maxon.
"I'll buy some dinner." she
"I'd like to come with you but I have another appointment. Be sure to be safe okay?"
"MadMax. I'll just buy something across the street. I'm perfectly fine on own but thanks for worrying."
Maxon went to the parking lot with the other club members and Cattleya went the opposite direction. She arrived at the convenience store and went to get some noodles. She felt like eating ramyeon. She went to the cashier and pay her food.
She sat down on an vacant table as she wait for her ramyeon to cook. Cattleya felt someone was watching her so she looked around her surroundings but saw no one. The ramyeon was ready and she proceed to eat it.
After finishing her ramyeon she got up and went out of the store.She heard someone came out too and he was staring at smiling, creepily. Cattleya being nice, she nodded at him and smiled and crossed the street. But the guys also crossed the street so Cattleya walked faster so she could reach the guardhouse; unfortunately, the guard on duty was not there. She looked back and the guy was still following her. She entered the campus and walked faster and faster almost running. She could almost hear her heartbeat.
She went down to the right leading to the dorms but her anxiety grew bigger since the light from the lampposts were not lit. She looked back again and saw the shadow of the guy who was following her. She ran again, now panting but she fell when her foot hit a rock.
She was about to stand up when he heard footsteps behind her.
"Well, well. It must hurt huh babe?" said the guy. He looked at Cattleya and smiled creepily.
Cattleya couldn't scream, no voice was coming out from her mouth. It was her first time to be this scared and she didn't know what to do. The guy reached for her face which she avoided.
The guy laughed at her reaction and was about to touch her again when someone grabbed him by his collar and punch him really hard.
Cattleya couldn't process what's going on, she just stayed on the ground as she watched Dylan punch that guy. The guy also punch Dylan back then there was a flash of light. A roaming security guard whistled at them . The creepy guy tried to escape but Dylan caught him and is restraining him. Then another three security guards arrived, whistling, pointing the flashlight at the two guys. The creepy guy was captured by the security guards and was turnover to the police.
Dylan rushed to Cattleya's side, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you? Did he touch you?"
There were so many questions that made Cattleya dizzy so she just shook her head and leaned her head on Dylan's chest. The dormers and the dorm managers went outside to see the what happened because of the sirens. Then Miss Madeleine saw Cattleya sitting on a bench with Dylan and a police officer standing in front of them , asking questions.
"You sure you did not know this guy?" the officer asked.
"N-o sir. I saw him c-ame out of the store af-ter me then he f-ollowed me here in the- campus."
The officer was jotting down her answers.
After a couple of more questions for Cattleya and Dylan, the officer left.
Dylan went home to his dorm too.
Cattleya was supposed to go to the hospital with the Miss Madeleine but she said that she was not hurt except for a bruise. They returned to the dorm and Cattleya's dorm mates were waiting in the living room.
"Are you okay?"
"Are you hurt somewhere?"
"That's so scary."
These were some of the questions that her dorm mates were asking and some were saying. Miss Madeleine told them to go upstairs and sleep. She brought Cattleya in the kitchen and gave her some warm milk to drink, to calm her nerves.
"Maddie? Please don't tell my parents about this please?" she said/
"Why not?" asked Miss Madeleine.
"I'm just...I just don't want them to be worried, again. Please? This is the last time I'm asking you for a favor."
"Lea..."
"Please?"
"Okay, but on one condition."
"You will tell them."
"But..."
"Lea, me not telling them, I can do that but they have the right to know what happened to you. They are your parents. You are their only daughter. It would be better if it comes from you."
Cattleya nodded. After finishing the glass of milk, Cattleya went upstairs and changed her clothes. She looked at her phone. She was contemplating if she'll call her parents now or tomorrow. Then her phone rang and it showed the caller ID. She answered it.
"Hey Dylan.Are you okay?"
"I should be asking that.Are you?"
"Yes,I'm fine. What about your knuckles?"
"Don't worry about them, they're still intact."
Cattleya somehow smiled and felt at ease when she heard Dylan laughed.
"Hey, Dylan...don't tell anyone okay?"
"But a lot of dormers saw..."
"But they don't know our names so the news about someone entered the school and attacked one of the dormers will somehow spread tomorrow...I know that our names won't be known."
"Well, you are correct. Okay, I won't tell the guys."
"Thanks Dy."
"Now, go to sleep."
"Okay, bye."
"Bye."
~*~
Cattleya was right, the news about them spread like wildfire but she's still thankful that their names weren't known and it's Saturday so only little people got the news and somehow when Monday arrives the news will die down naturally.
It was 9:00 o'clock in the morning. She's on the bus station waiting for Antonio to arrive since the other day he texted her that they'll meet at the bus station.
9:15.
9:25.
9:45
10:00
Still no sign of Antonio. She tried calling and texting him but no answer. She quietly observed people walking in and out of the bus.
1:30
2:00
Her phone's dead. She forgot to charge it last night because of what happened. She kept waiting for him.
3:30
4:00
5:30
The sun already set and still no sign.
The sensible thing to do was go home after an hour of waiting or two but Cattleya stayed almost 8 hours at the bus station waiting for Antonio to show up. She stood up and got a taxi and went home.
"You're home early." said Miss Madeleine when she saw Cattleya entered the dorm.
"Ah, yeah." she responded.
"Something wrong?" Miss Madeleine asked.
"No, nothing's wrong. I'll head upstairs Maddie. I already ate dinner."
"Okay."
Cattleya went upstairs and entered her room. She put her camera bag on the table and then lay on her bed. She buried her face on her pillow and cried herself out.
