Getting to their room, Gwen opened the door and walked inside not minding the darkness covering the room, the room was so dark that one couldn't make out any object inside, she stopped in front of the bed and stared at June who was lying on her back, her hands were on her belly, she laid straight on the bed with her head facing the ceiling and without the blankets on her, Gwen stood unmoving, her eyes holding emotions unfathomable, she finally adverted her gaze and walked to the wardrobe to change her clothes.
******
"Did you hear about Derek being missing since Thursday?" June asked as they were heading to the bathouse.
"Yeah we did,we were at the odditorium, Elaine answered referring to Gwen and her, where were you, I didn't see you there?"
"Oh!, I was at the dorm"
"Didn't you hear the speakers?, the students should be at the odditorium"
"I did, but who would have thought it would be something this serious, and on that Derek" June answered
"Do you think something serious had happen to him?" Elaine asked in a low voice
"Wel-
"Please, enough of that!, Gwen cut in harshly, her words laced with distaste and anger, everyone keeps talking about the same thing, it's maddening, Derek here, Derek there".
"You know it's our classmate were talking about " Elaine said not liking Gwen's words.
"So?"
"Someone was announced missing and this is all you can say, what if something bad happened to him, and you just shrug it off, as if it's not a living person, that's cruel and heartless of you" Elaine explained her eyes holding disgust towards Gwen.
"People like you, always so ignorant, he's not the only person to have been announced missing, people like you act as though they are the most caring and sympathetic, when in truth, you can't even do anything to help." Gwen retorted harshly looking down at Elaine, and with that, she left Elaine and June standing at the middle of the hallway.
Elaine was dumbfounded, she had come to know Gwen as aloof, but also caring since she had helped her with the assignment, but what happened now proved her wrong, all she saw now was a heartless being who lacked common human sympathy for others.
"Um..., don't take her words seriously, please, June tried to talk to Elaine as she could see the distaste Elaine now showed towards Gwen, she had been more grumpy than usual since this morning, she must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed, she'd come around"
"Haven't she always been like that" Elaine stated, not convinced with June's words.
"You know she doesn't mean it that way"
"That's exactly what she said"
"Sh-
"Can we go to the bathouse now, I can go by myself if you still want to stand here"
"No, let's go together, June said holding her arm, let's use the steam room, it would help you relax better ".
*******
Elaine and June were at the dinning, unlike the other days were they would talk and talk, they were just quiet, the only thing they could hear was the chatters of other students which of course was about Derek.
"Is this the first time a student is reported missing?" Elaine asked in a calm voice, almost sounding guilty.
"Umm..., well no".
"If it isn't, why is everyone reacting as if it is the first time?"
"It's different, whenever someone is reported missing, they show up the next minute, so it's never taken seriously, but right now it's been almost two days and I don't think anyone knows where he is, but hopefully it would be like the rest and he would show up"
Elaine only replied with a hum because somewhere she knew it wasn't like the rest, she just had a bad feeling about this, she just felt as though he wouldn't be showing up, ever.
Elaine looked around, hoping to see Gwen but she wasn't at the dinning.
"Why do I even bother?" She said to herself when she caught sight of Allan leaving the dinning hall, she had almost forgot that she wanted to speak with him.
"Um, June, I have to go now" she said getting up quickly.
"Uh?, where are you going?" June asked not knowing why Elaine was suddenly leaving.
"I want to meet someone, I'll be back" she answered already leaving
"Who?!" June yelled but it didn't seem as though Elaine heardd her.
She walked out of the dinning hall with quick steps as she chased after Allan.
She stepped into the hallways that was empty, and walked faster, she even ran at intervals, but there wasn't even a trace of him.
"How fast does he walk she asked herself?" As she had left almost immediately after him, but now she had walked for minutes in the empty corridors, but still no trace of him.
"What do you want?"
She heard someone's voice from behind which made her jump and yelp as she hadn't expected anyone to be there, she turned to look at who it was, Allan.