Another Strange Occurrence

Avic walked down the hallway with his hands stuffed in his pockets. He gave a bothered sigh. While everyone else was outside, he had been instructed to go to the principal's office.

"Man, where am I anyway? Custos is the one with the map of this stupid school... How do they expect me to find the principal's office? I'll tell you what... If I find a bed first, that office ain't getting a whiff of me," he murmured.

Just then, a small squeal shot through Avic's ears followed by the sound of a breaking vase. He pulled himself to a stop. He had recognized the voice. It was Eliisabet. It had come from a small room just up ahead.

"Eliisabet..?" He muttered to himself as he ran toward the room.

As Avic closed in on the room, he could hear the sound of chatter. He couldn't hear what was being said but he was certain he heard the voice of a man.

Avic glanced up at the door to his left. On its wooden surface, the words "Medical Room" were written. However, Avic didn't care. Without warning, he flung the door wide open. His eyes immediately caught sight of a tall man standing over Eliisabet, who was curled up on the side of a bed like a child. She appeared to be crying and her eyes were full of fear as if she could collapse from anxiety at any moment.

"Avic..!" Mumbled Eliisabet with a sense of relief in her voice.

"Hey, you! What the hell do you think you're doing to Eliisabet?!"

Slowly, the man turned around. He had long mousy drab mid-brown hair and charcoal-colored eyes. He had quite a handsome face and an attractive smile but there was an intimidating look deep in his eyes that kept Avic on guard.

Avic also noticed that he was wearing one of the hazmat suits, similar to the ones the people from the medical team had been wearing.

"What awful timing," began the strange man with an oddly friendly laugh. "Well, I guess it can't be helped. I wouldn't want to cause a scene here now, would I?"

"Who the hell are you?" Questioned Avic boldly.

The strange man did not answer. Instead, he turned back toward Eliisabet one last time, wiping his hand gently across her cheek.

"It seems our time together has been cut abruptly short, Regina. Well, I guess I shouldn't complain too much. It was already a surprise that I found you here of all places. It almost seems like it was fate. We will meet again."

The strange figure then turned around and walked toward the door. Avic stood motionless, watching intently as the man waltzed right past him without a single word. His "friendly" smile was still cast across his lips and his gaze was held straight before him. However, before long, he disappeared down the hallway.

"Eliisabet, who was that guy? And why did he call you Regina?"

Eliisabet opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Instead, she averted her gaze from Avic, looking down at the floor.

"Avic, thank you for coming in when you did..."

"I'm glad I did. Who knows what that creep would have done if I didn't..! Did he do anything to you? You were crying when I got here. Because I'll make that bastard pay for laying a finger on you if he did!"

"No, Avic! Don't!"

"Huh..? He didn't touch you then..?"

"He didn't..."

"Then why were you crying?"

"It's nothing..."

"How can you say it's nothing after all of that? If I didn't come in here, who knows what that guy would have done to you?!"

"Avic, please... Just forget about it for now..."

"Tsk! Fine... If it bothers you that much then I won't pry. But should I at least let Custos know?"

Eliisabet's eyes widened as if she had just seen someone close to her get brutally murdered. Her reaction gave Avic the chills.

"No!! Please don't tell Custos! Please keep this a secret, Avic! Don't tell anyone what you saw here today! Please!"

Avic's eyes softened. He felt a little saddened seeing Eliisabet's reaction.

"I see... I guess it's always like this so I shouldn't be surprised. Sometimes, I just get this feeling that you and Custos are hiding something from me. You rarely tell me anything. But I guess I shouldn't be that guy who has to force his friends to tell him stuff either..."

A teardrop then fell from the corner of Eliisabet's eye. She opened her mouth to speak, but once again, she couldn't. Instead, she bit her lip, took a deep breath, and gave a forced smile.

"Avic, I'm sorry, okay? But I need to be alone right now."

Avic didn't answer. Instead, he nodded before turning around and quietly leaving the room. As he closed the door behind him, he saw Principal Palem approaching. By his side was another student who looked around the same age as Avic. He had spiky red hair and energetic brown eyes. He had a small band-aid on the side of his right cheek and a spirited smile was spread across his lips.

"Oh! You're that guy who refused to do the Hemo Control test!" Exclaimed the unknown figure excitedly.

"Huh? Am I famous now or something?"

"You bet! That caused quite a stir with how you were just ignoring the instructor! You've got balls of steel! Hey, my name's Agni! Agni Bojro!"

"Cool. My name's Avic."

"Hmm... So Avic's your name," interjected Principal Palem. "You're that same student from earlier who has social anxiety! You're also friends with Custos, right?"

"Well, more or less..."

"Good then. You've garnered just a little more of my interest now, Avic. But you were supposed to be in my office by now, correct?"

"Sigh... I guess. I was here hoping that your office had a bed, Old Man Palem."

Principal Palem laughed, "It does. Come with me. We have lots to discuss."