Something was Wrong
Rachelle wanted to find a place that was public, yet allowed her to talk with Zafiq in private. Public because she did not want to be seen as another girl who tried to flirt with him, and in private because the matter she wanted to talk about should not be heard by others, and definitely should not be spread around. She pondered over this while their MUET teacher, Mrs Aminah, taught them about what was required when speaking in English.
Okay, so library’s out, she thought. The silence when she was there made her feel like she was at the graveyard. It was perfect to talk in whispers, though. She absently tilted her head, looking at her open reference book but reading it. Where else, then? The canteen was a nice place for you to talk to someone without being the center of attention, but only if that someone was not popular. Unfortunately, Zafiq was.
She looked at Jannah. The girl was listening intently to what the teacher said. Should Rachelle asked her about this? ‘Jannah,’ whispered Rachelle. ‘Where do you think I should confront Zafiq about, um, what I’ve said to you last night?’
Jannah gave her a second of a glance before focusing on Mrs Aminah again. ‘I don’t know. In his class, maybe? It’s just next to ours, after all.’
‘Well, it’s Dafina’s class too. And I’m not saying I’m scared of her; I just don’t want to make any drama.’
‘Yeah, you’re right,’ Jannah said, her voice barely audible.
This was the time when Rachelle knew her friend was under the teacher’s spell. She groaned inwardly and return to pseudo-reading her book. She glanced at Manisha and saw the girl was just as captivated as Jannah. Most likely even more so. She sighed. Apparently, the two students by her sides did not understand that they should talk during a class, that that was one of the few advantages of surrendering your ears to the monotone voice of the know-it-all.
That’s it, she thought, I’m going to take care of this myself. I’ll venture through the uncharted water, confront the crocodile to stop setting his eyes on Jannah. After that, she would realize I’m her savior and would tell others of how I stood up against the irresistible reptile. Realizing what she was thinking, she remembered her mother. Mum always expressed her dislike on Rachelle’s imagination.
Well, she was not here, so there was that.
*
It appeared Dafina did not come to school today as Rachelle went to check her class, peeking from the front door. The middle table at the front row claimed by Dafina was empty. However, her girls were around that position, chattering and giggling. Zafiq was at the back with his own pack of loyal followers. She could hear their loud voices, but not his. He only smiled and reacted accordingly to his friends’ words. He isn’t just a crocodile, she thought. He’s also a snake who had devoured others before Dafina. She wondered why he sticked to Dafina. That was something to consider at another time.
She did not use the front door. Instead, she walked along the corridor and went through the backdoor. If only Zafiq did not sit at the corner, it would save her time. Alas, this was a mission she had to finish, and so, she strode confidently to the circle of crocodiles.
‘Damn, hot girl is here,’ said one of Zafiq’s friend, Haziq, smirking at her. He was a bulky figure, formed by everyday’s workout at the gym. Rachelle knew because she heard he preferred to work out rather than do his homework during his free time.
No wonder he was dumb. ‘Zafiq, outside,’ said she. ‘I want to talk.’
Haziq nodded. ‘I see it now. The cat’s gone. Clever girl.’
Rachelle did not look at him, her eyes set on Zafiq. ‘Shut up, Haziq. Lunch time would end soon, so let’s get over this quick, Zafiq.’
Zafiq, who was looking at them with a smile on his face, nodded, and rose. ‘It must be important. I would be glad to help somehow.’
Haziq snickered. That brat was starting to get on her nerves. She turned back, walked out of the classroom, not waiting for Zafiq to prepare himself. She rested her arms on the balcony, looking up to the sky. For a second, she wished she was in a plane, excited to explore a new location, to see what was out there that she should not miss. Stuck in a position called student was horrible.
‘What is it?’ said Zafiq, now standing beside her.
‘You should stop checking out Jannah,’ said Rachelle. The more to the point she was, the sooner this conversation would end. ‘I’d seen the way you look at her, but she didn’t notice. I didn’t want her to be confronted by Dafina again, when it was you Dafina should talk with.’
Zafiq’s relax posture remained; his smile did not waver. ‘I admit Jannah intrigues me. It isn’t the same with Dafina, but she seems different somehow.’
Rachele could not believe what she had heard. Instead of being ashamed for having interest on another girl, he talked about it as casual as talking about the weather. But then again, this was Zafiq, the experienced predators. Maybe he had changed his methods to switch girls; instead of breaking up before starting a new one, he wanted to start early by gradually shifting his attention to someone else.
‘Look, you don’t understand what you’re talking about - what you are doing. It’s not you who would get the bad end of this; it’s Jannah. For all I know, Dafina’s head over heels with you.’
‘Dafina... she wouldn’t hurt Jannah.’
‘You don’t know for sure.’
‘I know what she’s told me. After what happened, I think harming Jannah is the last thing she would do.’
Rachelle wanted to argue, but stopped herself. What did he mean with ‘after what happened’? What actually happened? What had Dafina told him? She shooed away the questions and focused on what she should say. ‘I don’t understand what did you mean by that, but I want you and your eyes to stay away from Jannah. If not -’
‘If not what?’ hissed Zafiq.
Rachelle could swear his eyes were void of reflections, that they were obsidian. She blinked, and the reflections were there again. Perhaps she was imagining it, but she sure did not imagine his change of tone It made the hair at the back of her neck stood up. She was not expecting this sudden change of moof from him. She looked back to the class, and it seemed no one was paying attention to them.
She turned back to Zafiq. ‘If not,’ she whispered, ‘I swear you’ll never set your feet into the school again. I’m serious, Zafiq. Back off.’
Zafiq raised his eyebrows, and the smile returned to his face. ‘You do know I’m not doing something that breaks the school rule, so you can’t really do anything about that. I do what I want, just like what you’re doing here. And that is that.’ He did not wait for her reply; instead, he walked into the classroom and join Haziq and others.
She stared at him. That guy was smiling, his eyes sparkling with happiness, but the sight of his obsidian eyes flashed through her mind. Something was wrong with him, she was sure. What she was not sure was what the thing was. She should tell this to Jannah. If Jannah could accept the unusual things happened to her, Rachelle was sure she could accept this. Or, well, consider it. Either way, she needed to tell someone. She left the balcony to go back to her class, clutching her hands to stop shaking.
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