บท 12: Twelfth

"Pearl! Hurry the freak up! I still need to check the booths!" Tamitha complained. She's currently waiting for Pearl, she's already all glam up for the last day of their foundation week. They are all dressed up as cops or detectives, some even tried being funny and dressed up as an inmate. Tamitha wore a black leather jacket and a white shirt partnered with a jean and a boots, along with the prop gun and badge. She tried to look like Chloe Decker, which was from her favourite tv series.

She dressed simple yet she looked ravishing, Pearl took a long time because of her hair and makeup making Tamitha annoyed. "Oh, my gosh! So impatient. Just go ahead. Stop worrying already! Nothing happened for the past days, so quit being scared and just have fun, okay?" Pearl preached, making Tamitha rolls her eyes and just sigh in defeat.

"All right, just please message me or call me if something happens."

"Yes! Go best friend, go have fun and flirt!" "What the hell are you talking about?" Tamitha suddenly blushed with her best friend's remark. "Oh c'mon! Don't act so innocent with me. You've been having a moment with Pollux ever since the foundation week started." Pearl teased more while raising her eyebrows, making Tamitha more embarrassed.

"Shut up! He's just helping me to prevent the mayhem I saw in my dreams."

"Really?" Pearl sounding disappointed. "Well, he's a slow poke then, too bad. But I know you like him, why don't you make the first move?"

"N-No way! I don't like him. W-What are you talking about? Let's stop this nonsense." Tamitha paused for a while, trying to catch her breath because of talking too fast to defend herself. "I-I'm going already. Don't forget to lock the doors, all right?"

Tamitha run out of their dorm to escape Pearl's set of questions. She heard Pearl teased her more before completely closing the door. "Flirt well, bff!"

Tamitha tried to calm herself while resting her back at the door. 'There's no way I like him, Pearl's just delusional. Like I just met Pollux. Why would she think I like him! Plus, that's not what I'm supposed to be thinking right now, there's a possible mayhem bounding to happen today, I should focus on that first. Ugh, annoying Pearl! Feeding me nonsense, thought.' She tried arguing with herself while sauntering away their dorm room.

Tamitha went straight to the university's quadrangle where the booths are located. She ended up checking every booths' condition. She also checked out the stadium where the theatre group was currently performing a full-length play. It was jam-packed.

Everything seemed to go accordingly as planned. The fire trucks and ambulance are on standby. While the bomb squad are just blending in with the students looking for potential threat. This was all props to Pollux's bright idea. It was truly the best decision to do, although she rejected his first help, which she totally regretted.

Hopefully, this plan would help them prevent life-threatening havoc, while still being discreet to not cause panic to other students. Luckily, with this year's foundation theme, it helped them mask the reason behind all the fire trucks and ambulance on standby.

"Hey, Tamitha! How's it going?" Heath, their vice-president, greeted. "Hey, It's all good. It's nice to see that everyone's enjoying our week-long foundation." She roamed her eyes around to gaze at the students who had big smiles plastered on their faces, enjoying all the booths the committee prepared. Making her smile too, she's glad that the event's somehow successful, although she's still not sure about that because of the dreams she had.

"By the way, is everything set for the closing program later?"

"Don't worry, everything's right on track." After giving more updates to Tamitha, Heath bid his farewell to check out their escape booth. As for Tamitha, after few more checks to keep herself at ease, she headed to her favorite place to rest for a bit.

Her safe haven, the Rooftop.

She loves hanging out here because it's calming and peaceful. Plus, it helps her relaxed. By simply looking and observing those people below her. Busy with their own businesses or even those people who loved hanging out with those people special to them.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be enjoying down there?" Tamitha's body stiffened, not being able to look at the person's direction. She tried swallowing the big lump in her throat before answering.

"W-Well, I'm enjoying up here too." She tried acting cold, still not looking at the person's direction. Cause she knew that if she looks at him, she'll fell into the trap.

"Touche." Pollux accepted his defeat while smirking. He saw how stiff Tamitha's body. He then stood next to Tamitha that made the young lady look at his direction with wide eyes and took a step away from him. "What's with the cold treatment?"

"W-What are you talking about?" Tamitha denied and diverted her gaze back at their view. The sunset approached along with their peaceful day... Having no idea that the predicated accident was fast approaching.

***

"Where have you been?! I've been messaging you, the program's about to start." Pearl grouched the moment Tamitha went near her. But that immediately shifted the moment she saw who Tamitha is with. Pearl gave her best friend a meaningful look as if telling she understand now why she could not contact her best friend. Tamitha just pushed Pearl's face and rolled her eyes. "It's not what you think?" The lass defended.

"Sure, whatever you say best friend!" Pearl still teasing her best friend. They're in front of the stage right now, waiting for the program to get started. They filled the stage assembled in the school grounds with sound system and spotlight as if they were in a concert. This was all thanks to the effort made by the committee.

She got no plans for going down here, but since she's getting all awkward with Pollux's presences, she just enjoyed the program with her best friend instead. To her shock, Pollux followed her down here too. Hence the teasing she's getting from Pearl.

She's been arguing to herself for quite some time now whether she should confront him or just let him be. She started biting her nails, feeling agitated with Pollux's presences beside her because she can feel that the guy is straight up staring at her.

"Why do you keep staring?!" She half-shouted while leaning near the lad. "I just don't want to let you out of my sight." The lad honestly stated, not letting his stares drift away from the lass. Tamitha on the other hand gasped for air for the sudden counter back she tried to talk but she can't bring herself to, her mouth remained agape still fishing out for words.

"Whatever asshole." Tamitha rolled her eyes and looked away the lad because she felt her cheeks burning up, she doesn't want Pollux to see that he has an effect on her. But that didn't escape from Pollux, earning a chuckle from the lad. She just ignored him.

"Oh, hey Tammy, you're here." Castor greeted as soon as he got back from their seat. "Pollux? Hey, man! I'm glad you're here too." Shock was evident to the lad's face when he saw his brother, but he can't help but noticed how his brother kept staring at Tamitha, making him laugh. "I see you're both friends now."

"No, we're not." "Well, not for long?" Both said in unison. "What is that supposed to mean?!" Tamitha diverted her gaze back to Pollux, but in return she only got a wink from the lad, making Tamitha more annoyed than she is earlier. Her best friend and Castor was just laughing at them while the two kept bickering.

As the night falls, everyone's in cloud nine right now jumping when the beat drops and singing along with the band with their hearts out. It was now the band's final song everyone's bummed out, but they just enjoyed every bit of the party.

After the final song, the headmaster gave his final remarks. He then called the attention of the President of the student government. Making Tamitha with no choice but to go up on the stage because Pearl kept pushing her. She took the stage; the headmaster led her to the middle, making her feel more awkward than she is before.

"Why do I have to do this?" She whispered to the headmaster making him laugh and just tapped Tamitha's shoulder assuring her she can do it.

"Well, good eve–" When she was about to deliver her speech the power suddenly circuited making the students panicked. They started murmuring, asking what just happened, looking around and trying to adjust their sights from the darkness. Tamitha suddenly can't feel her body, she can't move a bit fearing that her dream was about to happen.

"Heath! Ask what's happening!" She shouted, still not moving. Heath started calling, contacting all the people to know what caused the power shortage.

Moments later, the light came back. Relief was evident to Tamitha's face and on other people's faces in here right now. But a loud screeched echoed the ground making everyone looked where it came from. Tamitha tried looking up and the moment she did, a huge object started falling right before her eyes.

It paralyzed her from her place, she's hearing voices shouting her name telling her to move away, but all she could do is look at the object fall unto her. A tear fell from her eyes when she closed her eyes, simply accepting her fate. But everything happened so fast, she felt a strong wind near her and then she's suddenly on the other side of the stage–safe and sound in Pollux's arms. The moment she opened her eyes, it immediately met Pollux's worried face. She's confused what just happened, she can't process anything right now, everything's too vague for her.

Everyone's panicking, shouting, crying in the background. Tamitha's entire body was shaking, it was still in shocked. Pollux tried calming her by locking her into his arms and carefully caressing Tamitha's head. Tamitha looked at the huge spotlight that almost took her life, still not understanding how she escaped that.

What the hell just happened?