Gantung Chapter 8

Even after a few minutes after the call ended, Khalil was still staring at his phone. He felt disbelief at the conversation that he just had.

Khalil sighed. This meant that he had to return to CGTSS. The place that he had never stepped into since 10 years ago, but in his mind, he went there every day. Because, ever since that tragedy, there's something in CGTSS that he found hard to let go.

And the person who called him was very much knowledgeable about that matter, as she too couldn't just forget about it.

Jeremy exited the auditorium with a satisfied feeling. All the preparation for his first staging seemed to be going well. Hopefully, his hard work would be able to resurrect the long-dead CGTSS Drama Club. He understood that the era theatre was considered cool had long since ended, but what he's trying to show this time was different from others. A combination of theatre and screen - pergh! Jeremy even felt proud of himself, imagining it in his mind.

Yes - many people said that Jeremy was an egotistical person. Acting artistic, acting they say. Jeremy never cared about those. What's important was that he could uphold art again. He would bring the era of glory back - yeah! That's the greatest dream!

"Woi! What's wrong with you? Freak!"

That shout instantly woke Jeremy from his daydream. Without him realising, his hand was clenched hard and raised to the air - like someone who's giving a spirited speech.  The problem was that he's giving the speech only inside his head. In reality, he was standing in the middle of an empty corridor, on the way to the dorm - and it was seen two other people who glanced at him weirdly.

Demmit, I was daydreaming again!

Jeremy quickly put down his hands and shyly continued his walk back to the dorm. He purposely slowed his steps… letting the two lol-ing guys walk ahead of him first. Once they were out of sight, Jeremy sighed. It wasn’t the first time this happened. Jeremy's a person who could easily have wild imaginations - making him the 'talking material' of his friends. Though, he didn't really care. Imagination was an artistic person's weapon, and he was confident that it bring him to the top!

"Yeah!!!" Jeremy cried.

"Hoi! You’re having a fit or something?!"

Jeremy started when hearing that retort. She saw a female student suddenly appearing in front of him. What a joykiller. When did she appear anyway!

Jeremy stared at the girl. If he wasn't mistaken, her name was Lina. A  girl from another cla.s.s.

"No wonder people always said that you're a weird guy," Lina suddenly commented. Oh, she's quite something. It's not like she's that normal!

Jeremy kept walking without caring about Lina, but she followed right next to him. Jeremy stopped and stared at Lina. "What is it with you? Following me like this."

"I wanted to ask something."

"What?"

"You're… living alone in your room?"

Jeremy's forehead creased yet he kept on looking at Lina. "Uh-huh… why?"

Lina gazed emptily in front, still walking next to Jeremy. "I'm living alone too," Lina said - more to herself than to Jeremy.

Jeremy's legs stopped. "Whoa, whoa… No no no no no," he said while turning toward Lina. "I know where this is going…"

"What?"

Jeremy put his hand on Lina's shoulder and gave her a sympathetic look. "I understand. It's not easy overcoming peer pressure at an elite school like this one. Adding on the fact that everyone's doing 'it'. But you know, you shouldn't be this desperate…"

"What?! What are you talking about?"

But Jeremy kept going with his motivational talk. Yeah, he understood - this girl may be in the denial state. It's his job as an artistic person to understand complicated things like this, to make people like Lina wake up.

"I know that you're of the weird species. Not many would want you. So you feel like you'd have a chance with another weird guy, right? But you should know that we're not of the same league. I'm the eccentric weird while you're the loner weird. Those are totally different."

"The h.e.l.l you're talking about?!"

"You want to stay in the same room as mine, or me staying in the same room as you… right?"

Lina was dumbfounded.

Jeremy let out a heavy sigh. It's not easy being rejected. As an artist, Jeremy understood that very well. "I know. Our school is not the conservative type. You can do things like 'that'. Making you really want to try it. But…"

"Hoi!! Could you stop talking for a while?!"

Jeremy was silent. His mood could easily change once people start snapping at him like this.

Lina snorted. "Listen. I have no intention whatsoever of staying with you, understand? Don't think stupid things like that."

Jeremy became angrier, but he held it in, asking, "Then?"

This time, it was Lina's turn to be silent. "Okay. I'm going to ask you something weird."

"If it's from you, of course, it's a weird one," Jeremy said and continued walking, showing that he wasn't in the mood to bother with Lina.

"In your room… have you been disturbed?"

Jeremy stopped.

It looked like he had to be diligent in attending to Lina.

Khalil arrived at CGTSS that evening with a nervous feeling. People said something like that would only happen to people who were in love. Khalil smiled, shaking his head.

He thought that he would no longer set foot here. Many things had changed, but the feeling was still the same. An exclusive school, not one bit conservative. A school that became an object of jealousy by students of other schools.

Even after the tragedy 10 years ago, this school was still attended by students coming from influential families. The powerful alums would not allow the school to be buried just like that.

No matter how gruesome the tragedy was.

Khalil sighed. He grabbed a Police shades from the left shirt pocket. This place is hot as usual. Filled with humans' sins.

With that, Khalil went to the counsellor's office.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter.