Our Blessings: Ch. 02

An hour ago…

I glance at the swiss-made watch on my wrist.

“He’s late, as usual,” I mutter under my breath.

Medical school has been awfully demanding, especially now when I am in my third year. Most of the time I am out-station, learning from mentors in various hospitals. Since I have the rare opportunity to be back in school for mass lectures today, I decide to meet up with Clavier for lunch, together with my group mates who so happen to hit off well with him.

“Clavier’s late,” Amanda whines.

“Studio, or library?” Brenda proposes.

“Studio,” is our unanimous reply.

My phone buzzes. I glance at it.

“Yep, he’s still in the studio. He’ll meet us at the canteen. Calista’s joining as well,” I inform the group as I stow my phone away into my pocket.

“She’s coming along too?” Amanda blurts out. She makes a pouting expression.

We snigger. “Our little princess Mandy is jealous!”

“I’m not…” Amanda pulls a sulking face and denies blatantly.

“But I thought Calista and you are like inseparable siamese twins?” I ask for the sake of asking.

“Not since they decided to compete fairly a few weeks ago,” Brenda whispers in hushed tones.

“Well, essentially we are still besties… It’s just that we have a slight conflict of interest and decided on the ‘may the best woman win’ policy,” Amanda explains.

“More like sharing the same interest,” I tease.

Amanda tries desperately to conceal her grin as we continue to tease her on the way to the canteen.

We spot throngs of students heading towards the multi-purpose halls.

I do not seem to recognise anyone on campus…

“Is it just me or are we aliens in our own school?” I question humorously.

“There’s an event held by the Law Faculty and the law students from the other schools are also invited. So naturally…” Brenda’s voice trails off.

That explains the unfamiliar faces.

We saunter through the park which is on the way to the canteen. On a bench under a tree, a girl snug intimately to a boy wearing one of those trendy snapbacks. The purple headband on her head is the first thing I notice. She smiles radiantly at the boy while clinging onto his arm like a koala bear. Beside her is a pile of law books. The first one read “Law of Equity and Trust”.

So she is a third year student too… Wait… It can’t be her. My eyes must be playing tricks on me. I take a closer look at them.

“Aww… Don’t be jealous, Zachary. Go get yourself a girlfriend and you can be lovey-dovey like them!” Brenda chides. Yet it comes out more of a suggestive hint than a reproaching tone.

“Nah… She’s just someone I used to know.”

We walk on, determine to make Clavier treat us as penalty for being late.

So she’s here as well… I wonder if Clavier knows…