บท 9: A Chase - part 2
I ran to the room where all P.E-related things are stored.
I looked inside if for a while, thinking what exactly am I looking for.
After a couple of seconds of thinking, I started opening drawers.
...
I'll look for jumping ropes. That's the only thing I could use to tie him down.
I opened up drawers just looking for those.
...
Why do we have so much drawers that contain nothing?!
Well, they do contain papers and some weights.
...
Alright, 2 drawers left.
I opened the drawers, and found two jumping ropes.
...
Why are these placed on the farthest drawer? Isn't this a gym for P.E. Classes?!
...
I grabbed the ropes and ran back to Paul.
Well, more like finding him.
...
I saw a man hole with 1/4 of it cover still intact. A single step could make it break down.
This school needs maintenance, or just change the cover.
I could also use this to trap the guy. I could lure him into running towards this.
But I guess I have no time for that.
...
I saw them run around the school building, going in and out of classrooms.
...
I entered one classroom that I expect Paul to enter.
...
As he stepped inside the room, I threw the ropes at him.
"You're still alive. Nice." (Josh)
"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?! I'VE BEEN RUNNING FOR HALF AN HOUR NOW, JOSH!" (Paul)
"Give me the jacket. Find a way to make him trip and fall down." (Josh)
"That's a really vague command, but I'll find a way."
"Hey, I'll be the one running now so you can take a break too."
...
I wore the jacket and left the room.
Alright. Why is this guy so slow? We already had a conversation in a classroom and he's still not close.
I was about to run when Paul threw the other side of the rope to me.
I grabbed it and held it down.
...
Oh.
The guy did trip and fall.
Wow. I did not expect this to really work.
...
Wow.
His box cutter got off his hand too, so I immediately grabbed that.
...
"Alright. Why did you actually chase me for almost half an hour?! It's stupid at this point." (Josh)
"Hey! I ran longer than you! I should be the one complaining here!" Paul came out of the room.
"And did you not notice it's a different person?! Also, you ran really slow! Why did you even continue running all this time?!" (Josh)
The guy got up and sat at the floor.
"I.. Uhh.. I thought that since I already started chasing you as if I'd kill you, why not keep it up?" (The guy)
"Yeah, if you chase down a guy you're seem to want to kill, the terror appeal comes off after a while." (Josh)
"Wait. You seriously thought to continue chasing me because you started threatening him of murder?!" (Paul)
"I did want to kill him." (The guy)
"Ah right, and if you did kill me, what do you think will you do next? You'll confess to Shaina?" (Josh)
"Y-Yeah.." (The guy)
"And committing a murder will make her love you?" (Josh)
"It's not that she'll know.."
"I'm the guy she's been with for a while now. Do you think that when I stop being present, it won't make her think about it?"
"I'll tell her that you don't matter."
"And do you think saying that to someone who's wondering where I am will believe you? Won't she doubt you even more?"
"I.. Uh... I just wanted to be in a relationship with Shaina."
"Why... Exactly?" I pause for a while.
...
"Because she's hot and cute at the same time. She's elegant as if she's a princess, and hanging out with her is like you're a prince she's in-love with."
"Do.. You think that reason is enough for you to pursue her?"
"I won't get to know her if I don't start talking to her just because my reasons are shallow."
"True. But if you start to notice her attitude isn't that good, won't you regret it after?" (Josh)
...
These questions I ask him... Resonate with me. It's more like I'm asking myself rather than asking him.
...
"Yeah, but I think it's something that's fine with me. If someone like her actually accepts me as a partner, then I'd have no problems with her attitude because I myself am a horrible person." (The guy)
...
That.. Isn't an answer I'd give to that question. I know I'm good enough.
But...
I think that itself is the problem.
...
"But if you're uncomfortable with her attitude, won't that make the relationship annoying for you? Her good looks alone can't save your enjoyment in the relationship."
"Well, in the first place, if she accepts me as a partner, I wouldn't find any of her attitudes as annoying, or bad."
"Wow.. That's actually a really nice answer. Well, I do disagree with that but it's still nice to hear."
I turn to Paul, who I saw looking at his phone, freezing.
Then I heard a familiar voice, that I know I shouldn't hear from here.
"If you think of her as someone without any faults because she accepted you, then I think it's acceptance that you want, not love."
"Huh?!" I turn around in confusion.
Shaina sits beside me.
...
Wait..
WHY IS SHE HERE?!
...
I looked at her in extreme confusion.
"If you think of your partner as perfect, then you'll feel that you don't deserve her. And from what I've heard, it seems that you think of yourself as a horrible person." (Shaina)
"I.. I-I might not deserve her, but I feel happy knowing she stayed with me." The guy struggled finishing his sentence.
"If a long lasting relationship is what you're after, having that mentality will destroy it. Won't that make her feel as if she chose the wrong person? If you call yourself that, then you're saying that she chose a horrible person?" (Shaina)
"That's.. Uhh.."
"If you love her, won't you want her to be with a great person so that she'll have a good life?" (Josh)
"Well, if I do succeed with the girl I want, this mentality of mine might change. And that's exactly why I choose to go for the girl even without knowing her personality." (The guy)
"Look, your goal isn't harmful. But the procedure you plan to do is. Do you think you can gain a person's heart just by murdering and persuading?" (Josh)
"I can talk to her, get to know her, and earn her heart if you aren't in the way!" (The guy)
"Sure. You want be with her, but there's someone already in your place. But does that matter? If getting to know a person is your goal, then her having other friends won't matter." (Josh)
"But I want her to be my girlfriend!" (The guy)
"Well if she chooses you over of the other friends she has, doesn't it show that she really wants you?" (Josh)
"If I don't do anything, she'll just choose some other person than me!" (The guy)
"You can still show her that you're interested in her, and that you care for her." (Shaina)
"Uh.."
"It's not a matter of you taking down others. It's a matter of proving yourself to her, and letting things happen naturally." (Shaina)
The guy stayed silent.
"You don't have to force yourself in being someone she'll like. You just have to be yourself, and you'll see if the person accepts you." (Shaina)
"What happens if she doesn't like me then?"
"Hmm.. I guess your personality doesn't interest her and there are things you should improve about yourself, or she just doesn't like you. There's no harm in that." (Josh)
"But that defeats the purpose of my attraction to her! If I give up on pursuing her, my love won't just disappear!"
"True. That's how love is. You can't figure out how to deal with being there and leaving, but you can figure out how to deal with it while it's there.
You can't stop it from coming, and you can't push it away either.
You can try to stop yourself, and avoid her if you know she won't like you. You can try to make her like you, and prove your love to her. But you don't have to involve other people with it.
You can only try.
But there's nothing wrong about it." (Josh)
The guy sighed.
"You know what, it somehow makes sense." (The guy)
"Heh. If I think about it more, I might find things that are wrong about it. But I'll leave it alone for now. This seems like a speech good enough for him." (Shaina)
"I just probably humiliated myself. I'm sorry." (The guy)
"Oh, you sure did." (Josh)
"Hey! We're comforting him, not bringing him down even more!" (Shaina)
"Hey, self humiliation is an evidence that you realized your mistake and decide to avoid it. Knowing it's humiliation makes you learn." (Josh)
"Sure, but this guy already tried killing someone! Bringing him down can cause him to extremely hate himself." (Shaina)
"Look. Let's just finish this off." I turned at the guy and added,
"You might've given us a really bad impression of you, but I think it doesn't really matter if you try to change for the better."
The guy nodded and smiled at the both of us.
"Allen. Allen Nicofuerto. Here's the cutter. I'm sorry." The guy introduced himself.
"Josh Soronio. Keep it. It's to remind you that you actually considered murder for once."
"Josh! What the hell?!" (Shaina)
I laughed and Allen chuckled as well.
Allen waved and left the school.
...
Well, that was a unique experience.
...
"Hmm.. Being friends with someone who tried to kill you is truly weird." (Josh)
"Of course it is! You could've died!" (Shaina)
"More importantly, why are you so worried and alarmed? This feels so out of character of you." (Josh)
"Someone almost died, of course I'd be worried. How are you that calm anyways?!" (Shaina)
"Oh, don't misunderstand. My legs were shaking until he left. I just tried to hide it." (Josh)
"Ah, impressive." (Shaina)
...
We settled down for a bit.
...
Wait, I haven't heard Paul speak the entire time.
...
I turned to see Paul.
He's still glued into his phone.
Shaina and I continued watching him to observe.
...
He placed his phone into his ear, and immediately stood up.
"WHERE ARE YOU?!" Paul shouted.
I couldn't hear the conversation.
"Alright, I'll head there!"
The call ends.
"Yo? What's wrong?" I asked.
"The manhole!" Paul shouted as he ran tow
...
The manhole?!
...
We arrived at the location, and heard someone shouting for help.
Paul immediately crouched down.
"Are you okay!?"
"It stinks here! And I can't climb up!"
Paul reached out his hand into the hole.
Shaina and I helped in pulling Aira out.
...
Huh. It was anti-climatic.
...
Aira stood up and tidied herself.
"Thanks guys! I almost died there." Aira smiled at us.
"For a sports-minded person, you're quite clumsy." I gave a remark.
"Oh you sure don't hold back huh?" Shaina hit me with her elbow.
"Are you okay?!" Paul held Aira's shoulders with a very worried look.
...
"Alright. Why were you here?" I immediately asked.
...
I guess I'm still kinda pissed at her.
...
"I.. I saw Paul run back here, and I had to follow. And I stepped on the cover." Aira explained.
"But I thought you were with your group as you left?" (Paul)
"I was curious because you looked really stressed when I passed by you." (Aira)
"No, don't worry about me! I do some shady things that I don't want you to get involved!" (Paul)
...
"Ah, yes. The drama line." I whispered under my breath.
"Ah, yes. The remarkable commentary from you." Shaina whispered back.
...
Wait. Aira cares about him that much?
She didn't do that to me but she did to someone she knew for a day!
Paul, I'm envious and proud.
...
"I kinda follow someone I just knew around to know things about them. Well, when they seem nice." Aira said.
"Creepy." (Shaina)
"Wait. Did you do that to me too?!" I couldn't stop myself. I had to ask.
"Uh.. Yeah! I know that you live alone too." Aira replied.
"Shouldn't you refrain from saying that? That makes you sound like a stalker!" (Shaina)
"She is." (Josh)
"That makes me a stalker? I just wanted to know some stuff about you!" (Aira)
"You could also ask people, right?" (Paul)
"Oh right!" Aira looked up as if she just understood something.
...
Oh right. I saw her as a very positive person.
...
I now realize she's just an airhead.
...
Shaina and Aira introduced themselves to each other.
Aira became a popular girl since I wasn't hanging out with her anymore, so there wasn't that much pressure.
We managed to reach the last bus ride, and got home safely.
...
That was fun.
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