Psycho

Chapter IV

*FLASHBACK* (First Encounter)

At the University of Evergreene, it was the last week of school before winter break begins. People were seen scattered around the large grassy campus grounds chilling or moving their things out of the dormitories. 

Benedict's POV 

If I leave now, I can catch the next flight out to Olvallay by five o'clock but I don't know if I can juggle all these boxes of apparatus on the bus. I could barely see where I was going right now with it towering over me shaped like a pyramid. I don't know why I agreed to do this in the first place.

"No!" 

Someone knocked my boxes all over the grass! I hope the glass beakers didn't break, but luckily the rest of them were made of metal and wood. 

"I'm so sorry," a female voice apologized from the ground, "I didn't see you there." If any of these were found broken, I could be in a huge amount of trouble. 

"Sir? Are you okay?" 

I don't have the nerves to open my eyes and see any disastrous outcome that may have occurred in the last couple of seconds, "Uh..." I nervously cackled, "please tell me nothing was broken."

"I'm not sure...but I think you should open them to check just in case it might be." 

I took a deep sigh before opening my eyes, but the heavy box I was gripping onto, I nearly dropped it after a faint tingle ran through my spine. It's her, the girl I was supposedly digging information on for the past couple of months. 

"Over here," She waved at me from afar after collecting the boxes and placing them on a nearby bench, "Can you bring the rest?" 

There were two little boxes by my shoes, I leaned down and catch hold of them before meeting her by the bench. 

"Thank you for helping, you can resume back onto your day now Miss." I was closing the lids back after inspecting to see if anything was broken.  

She took her bag and books from the grass before extending her arm for a handshake, "I'm Harper and no problem. It was my fault anyway but I'm happy nothing was dismantled."

"Benedict," I tried to avoid making any eye contact with her but was failing miserably, "No, no it's not your fault. I couldn't see where I was going with all these boxes blocking my view." I anxiously smiled, this could be a problem. The instructions were clear, I was not to make any physical contact with the target. 

"Where are you carrying these? I could help before I leave the campus." 

"Oh, no it's fine really." I had to get as far away from her right now but I can't run away at once with all these boxes. 

She wasn't backing off, "It's the least I can do after nearly breaking some irreplaceable equipment. Which building?" 

"Jumporeh Street."

"Oh, then...where do you park?" This girl was too nice and clumsy too. I remembered spotting her swiping up a mess she accidentally made when she tripped over a vacuum cleaner. The lady insisted it wasn't her fault and it was okay but she had to clean it up.

"Uh...I don't own a car," I never got my driver's license and prefer taking public transportation. It's better for the planet now that it has reached its critical stage. 

 "Then...how do you plan going home with all of this? Is someone going to help you?"

"No...just hoping I could catch a half-empty bus with my lucky charms," I jokingly said, obviously the buses are going to be nearly full at this rush hour. 

She placed the tiny boxes on my huge on and took the rest with her, "Okay, I'm giving you a ride, Jumporah is a stop to where I'm headed. You can't go on the bus alone with all these fragile appliances. " 

Maybe it's no trouble, I actually do need help with these and it probably gives me more time to pack for the trip. "Alright, you're right and I appreciate it." I got up and followed her back to her car, the spot where she parks every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. 

During the car ride, at first, it was silent but then she broke in a question for me. "Are you a professor at the university?"

"Nothing like that, I just do researches there. Although I would be dropping these off at a professor's house." I pat the box that was on my lap. 

"I never knew we had researchers at our school, what is it that you do?"

I hope wasn't making any bad choice by getting into her car, but it was nice to actually talk to her. I didn't know she was so pleasant and social. Usually, when I spy on her, she's found alone doing her own thing. "I'm not sure about the others but in my department, we analyse humans." 

"Like living humans?"

"That's correct, we made progress on this new invention that detects the progression of human external and internal growth in reverse." I turned to see if she had any reaction to it, most of the time when people hear this, they look confused but she didn't.

"You mean you get to see the entire development of a human body from the formation of their organs and bones?" 

She was quick-witted, I had never met someone who had an instant idea on what the research was about when I told them. "Something like that but yes, you know how every individual is different? As in the period it takes for them to develop or some may not even develop into their full-body potential. It's really hard to explain in a few sentences." 

"That sounds like a dumb invention," I almost laughed out loud by her opinion but I giver her points for her honesty. 

In a blink of an eye, we have arrived at my destination. I thanked her for giving me a lift to the professor's place and for helping me with the boxes. 

"No problem!" She waved goodbye to me through the unwinded car window and she even gave me a pack of sour gummy worms. 

End of Benedict's POV