Linda slowly washed her hands under the running water. She looked at her reflection and a black beauty was staring back at her.
"Hmm..." She hummed staring intensely at her reflection. She then heard a clicking sound. She quickly turned but there was no one around her. It was just her alone in the washroom.
"Who's there?" She shouted. Still no answer or movement. She finally switched off the tap after washing her face and walked towards the door in a hurry to meet up with the part competition. She turned the lock open but it wouldn't open. She tried a few more times but it didn't work. She paused to think for a while and it finally hit her!
"Fuck! The clicking sound!" She screamed as she started banging the door.
"Who the hell locked the door? Hey! Is there anyone there?" She yelled.
"Of course, there is someone. Who would lock the door if there was no one?" A familiar voice relied from outside. Linda paused.
Wait. I know that cold masculine voice..... Williams!
"You petty phyco! How dare you? Open the fucking door, right now!" Linda commanded.
"Miss Linda, cursing me won't help you out. Don't you like to escape? When you're tired of staying there, you can throw a tantrum and escape. Isn't that what you're quite good at!" Williams said and chuckled. He felt so good hearing her scream and curse him without been able to throw her legs at him.
"Mr Williams, please open the door!" She yelled in a pleading tone. "I already apologized for that day, didn't I?"
"Do you even know what an apology is? Is hitting my stomach an apology?" He asked resting against the door.
"Okay, I'm sorry. I said it, okay?! Now open the damn door!" She yelled back, anger clear in her tone.
"That's not a nice way to apologize, Linda." He said checking his watch. "I have something to attend to now. I'll be back when you're ready to apologize." He added.
As Linda heard his footstep fading out, she reacted quickly.
"Okay! I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Mr Williams. I'm very very sorry. It was so stupid and naive of me to do that. I'll never try it again." She shouted, panicked.
"Wow!" Williams exclaimed. "The first sincere apology I've ever heard in years. I judt recorded that. Have fun in your sanctuary!" He said and left without looking back. Linda yelled and yelled but he left anyway. She collapsed on the floor, tired and angry.
"Just wait till I come out. I'll strangle you with my own hands, you mother fucker!" She cursed. But then, realization hit her.
No one knew that she went to the washroom. She didn't tell Ha Rin or Alex. No one! And the sport would last till 3 o clock and before then, she would have probably fainted of suffocation and hunger.
"Fuck you, Adam Williams!" She cursed hitting the door one last time.
----
It was almost time for the sport competition between the Red and Blue team. Ha Rin glanced around looking for Linda but she couldn't sight her.
"Where could she have gone?" She whispered to herself. She felt a bit worried but soon relaxed. The match had not started and there was still a few minutes left.
A while passed with her turning around every second to check, but Linda had not arrived. The match was just about to begin. Now, Ha Rin felt panicked. Linda wasn't a type that disappears for such a long time without letting her know.
Ha Rin brought out her phone and dailed Linda's number. The phone rang for a while but wasn't answered. She tried her line a few more times but there was no reply.
"Oh my God! Where the hell is she?" She asked herself trying Linda's line again.
Just then, Alex walked towards her, sweating and looking exhausted.
"Hey, Cheesy face!" He greeted playfully, like he always did. He then noticed the unpleasant look on her face but didn't think much of it.
"What's the problem, feather brain? Already scared of facing the Blue team?" He asked smiling teasingly.
Ha Rin shot him an annoyed glance.
"I'm not in for your silly jokes now, okay!" She snapped.
Then he finally noticed the panicked look on her face and realized that something was going on.
"What happened?" He asked, now serious.
"Shit!" Ha Rin cursed when her phone went dead.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! What's up? If there's something wrong, you should tell me. Relax, okay?" He said holding her shoulder.
"I don't know. Linda... isn't here and we have a competition." She said, her voice heaby with worries.
Alex smiled and then bursted into laughter.
Ha Rin sighed angrily and punched his shoulder.
"Ouch! What's the problem? Can't I laugh over funny things? Gosh, I knew it was about the competition." He said, now giggling.
"You bitch!" She cursed angrily. "You never take anything serious." She added, turning away angrily, as if leaving. Alex quickly stopped her.
"Hey, sorry! Don't worry about Linda. Maybe she's just delaying a bit. She's not a kid. She'll be here any minute from now." He said, trying to sound assuring bit Ha Rin still felt something off.
"Can you try to reach het with your phone?" She asked quickly.
"I said___ no problem!" He sighed and brought out his phone. After trying her line for a while with no answer, he decided to go and search for her in the school building. Ha Rin wanted to go with him but the competition started and the coach disqualified Linda when he called her name and there was no reply. So she had to quickly joined her team.
Ha Rin couldn't rest easy during the race. She kept on thinking about whether Alex would find Linda or not. Her team was lagging behind with two of their best athlete missing___ Ha Rin absent-minded and Linda missing the game.
As Ha Rin was running the last lap, she sighted Alex running back to the sport ground, tired and panicked. She totally lost focus and tripped falling flat on her face close to the finish line. The leading Blue team runner zoomed past her and cut the finish line. The crowd roar on joy while the Red team fans gasped surprise. Alex quickly ran to get Ha Rin on her feet.
As soon as she stood up, Ha Rin grabbed Alex, her hand shaking.
"Did you see her?" She asked quickly.
Alex hesitated and then shook his head slowly. Ha Rin's hand slowly slipped off Alex's shirt and she fell on her knee.
"Linda___ is missing." She whispered.