The Masqueraded

5

The next morning Mel walked in through the double doors into the College main hall. She'd seen the notice board at the gate with the warning. There were two police guards at the entrance and the university was unusually quiet.

She was extremely unsettled by the turn of events that she hadn't been able to sleep peacefully until late hours last night. She'd looked at herself in the mirror in the morning and had noticed the dark circles peeping out.
She'd even forgotten to get some of the tablets from the medicine box for her brother, which she never forgets.

Melanie was a responsible child, she put her sister to school every morning. Since her parents were abroad nearly three quarter of the year ever since she was a kid, she'd gotten used to looking after her sister and brother. They had two nannies and a cook all for their own and a caretaker, Ms. Mindy, but she preferred to take care of her own things.

She cooked often, gave her brother his medicine herself since he refused to get them from someone else and put her sister to school every morning. She drove herself often since their driver was having trouble at home and often took leave since last year. With a sick brother and little sister who was still in middle school, she had a lot on her plate of course but she had done all that nevertheless.

Mel was rich enough to get all that done for her and her family. However, it wasn't easy managing things while her parents were away. They were both managerial partners of a big finance firm which had its main branch in Spain and although they had first considered moving,
Melanie's mom had decided that the calm and quiet town suited them better. Melanie herself had gotten plenty of trips to Europe since she was a child and she was quite fond of traveling.

Her responsibilities came first of course as well as her degrees. She did International Relations and Marketing major and she was a keen student who really wanted to finish up her education. Frederique College was one of the best in the country and she knew they gave good recommendations. Plus she loved her part time job at the Italian Deli downtown and wished to stay there.

Melanie was whisked out of her thoughts by a familiar voice. A voice she didn't like much. She scowled and turned around,

'Melanie, you don't look too good!'

It was the boy from yesterday. He seemed to have a significant aura about him which annoyed Mel. He grinned at her, completely unfazed by the obvious dislike. In fact on the contrary, it seemed to amuse him.  He wasn't doing anything particularly mean although she felt completely unsettled by his presence. He wasn't a bad person altogether, Mel knew it after what had happened yesterday, although she didn't want to admit it to herself or to her friends. Most definitely not to him.

However the guy had a knack to annoy her. Almost as if he knew she was annoyed.

Almost as if he knew!  Mel's eyes widened at her own thoughts. He knew he was annoying her and was amused by it!  She felt even more annoyed at the thought of it. She scowled at him even more intently as she tried to avoid his question. The guy didn't seem the type to give up easily. He stepped right into her path and stood there smiling gleefully.

'Well, I don't see how that's any of your problem!' She responded curtly, 'I don't even know you'.

'We met yesterday', he said, 'I'm sorry if I didn't introduce myself before. You didn't seem too interested'.

'You're right, I'm not interested', she said, wearily. Although, now her annoyance was mixed with somewhat of a curiosity.

What the hell was wrong with him? Why was he asking her so many questions and annoying her when he knew very well that she didn't like it! Don't people usually ignore the people who don't like them?

'I don't mean you, I meant the raccoon'. Mel looked at him quizzically. What on earth was he talking about!

'Huh?' She said, utterly confused, 'what raccoon?'

'The eyes', he said, grinning maliciously, 'Are you turning into one?'

Suddenly she realized what he was referring to. She hadn't had a good sleep last night and had dark circles under her eyes. She glowered at him and sidestepped swiftly and started walking towards the lounge in long thick strides across the hall.  She was both rattled and offended by this outrageously annoying transfer student. He walked next to her casually, while she was simply sprinting across the hall trying to get away from him.

'Hey, hey, hey! I was just kidding!' he said, as he broke into a sprint himself, midway. Melanie was now literally running away from him.

'Okay', she said shortly. Didn't this guy get the hint?

'I couldn't sleep a wink last night for a long time either, you know', he said, 'the police reports are coming in today. Do you think they'll call us?'

Mel had slowed down now, she was tired and it looked ridiculous. Running away from a guy.

'Why would they call us?' She asked, looking at him curiously.

'We saved her life'

'Well, I don't think they care', she said, less haughtily.

'Well, I think they should. I hope that girl is fine though. Do you know her?'

'Actually yes', she said. They were now automatically falling into step beside each other, unknowingly. She couldn't help it, he seemed genuinely concerned.

'Remember I told you I have a few theories?' he asked, thoughtfully. Mel shrugged.

'Well, what if the person who stabbed her with the uh- compass...ambushed her from behind and put the compass through her shoulder so she wouldn't see him?"

'Hmm...'

Mel couldn't help thinking of the possibilitIes. What if Wes was right? What if it really was going to be an actual mystery.

Now they had walked by the lounge and down the row of lilac rooms towards the cafeteria. Mel saw  Kira look at her surprised as she walked in with the transfer student.

The guy she hated.

She looked at him coldly and then walked towards the table where Kira and Mavis were sitting.

'Hey?' the boy called out to Mel. Kira looked at Mavis, grinning slightly. Mel turned around, annoyed at how persistently he kept getting on her nerves, 'I'm Stefan! Nice to meet you Melanie!'

With that he strode off, hands in his pockets.

Mel looked at him sharply before she sat down next to Mavis, with a non-committal shrug. The girls looked at her with a similar look. That quizzical, confused look she'd given Stefan.

'So, Stefan?' Kira asked, matter of factly.

'That's not a question', the girl said, ignoring her friends and taking out her book from her tote bag. She didn't like to be hounded with questions about the Stefan guy and was very happy when Gloria, one of the third years, came over to their table. The girls looked up.

'The Dean wants to meet all of you', she said stoically, 'the other three as well'.

'Three?' Mavis asked, confused, Mel knew who the third person was though.

She internally groaned.

'It's Stefan', Mel said, curtly to her friends. Then she turned and smiled at the senior,

'Thank you Gloria'.

After the girl went away she turned to her friends, 'let's wait for Wes and Ru and and get that idiot of a guy and go'.

He's going to be so cocky that he was right.

She couldn't help wondering meanwhile, if all the things he'd said could be true. Despite how well he managed to annoy the life out of her, she couldn't help admitting that he was a rational sort of guy.