"See yah!"
The door clicked shut behind her, leaving me alone in 1501. My phone sat on the desk—silent. Max hadn't called.
My eyes trace back to the phone I left on one of the front desks in the hall.
Is he still interested in meeting up? Did he forget?
While 1502 is the original room I instructed Maxim to meet me in, I wasn't planning on my father occupying it when I arrived. Supposedly, his assistants mistook 1502 for 1501 when moving all his materials for the study.
My phone screen lights up and it buzzes twice in quick succession.
I walk back to the front of the classroom.
The faint sounds of wind whistling outside and the hum of the hall's heating system almost mask my footsteps within the empty lecture hall.
I take my phone and open the home screen.
A notification from an unknown number appears. Below it, the text reads "Eyyyyyyy."
Odd... I note to myself.
No one in my social circle starts messages like that.
Spam and messages tend to use more formal language.
+++++
Eyyyyyyy
It's Max!
+++++
It is Max.
+++++
Greetings. It's Diana I type into my phone.
Are you here?
---
Yup! he quickly responds.
1502 right?
+++++
I pause for a moment.
My fingers hover over the keypad.
I start to realize that I still haven't had a chance to clarify to Max that we are meeting up at 1501 this time.
+++++
I meant to update you on the room number. I apologize I type swiftly.
Please head to 1501 instead. My father's study is in 1502.
+++++
I press send and place my phone on the desk.
From my bag, I take out several binders and textbooks and place them beside my phone on the desk.
Everything is set nice and, in its place—ready for a productive session.
I sit down, waiting in anticipation.
I pick up my phone again.
+++++
Max? I inquire.
+++++
The lecture hall's heater hums in the background.
A murmur from a singular voice in 1502 can be heard—probably my father speaking to his participants.
He still isn't here yet.
+++++
Where are you? I add.
+++++
The murmuring from the other room stops.
I weave my fingers together.
At any minute now, Max is going to enter the lecture room.
I imagine him scratching his head—maybe panting or exhaling deeply. Possibly a stiff wave of the hand or, alternatively, a comically large wave of his arm. Each would be accompanied by that smile of his.
However, with each passing minute, the urge to grab my phone grows.
A light glows from my phone screen.
It was a notification from Luis: Looks like we're starting!
Now? I think to myself.
I swipe away Luis' message and open my chat log with Max.
No responses—
+++++
Whoops Max responded.
I'm in 1502
+++++
Wait... He's not supposed to be there!
I immediately call his number.
The ringer goes off once. Then silence.
"Hello?" Max answers quietly, static overlapping his voice.
I bolt upright. "Max!"
"The one and only. What's—"
I stand up from my seat. "Are you inside 1502?" My gaze falls upon the wall that separates 1501 and 1502.
"Yeah?"
"Get out!" I leave my seat and make my way towards the exit.
He doesn't respond.
"Max, please leave the room!" I urge.
"What do—"
I stop in place.
Did something happen?
I open my mouth, but no words come out. My body tenses up.
From the phone, I could hear Maxim exert himself and a loud metallic clang following right after.
A quake that shakes the building quickly erupts beneath me.
I run out of 1501.
"Wait!" Rose's voice echoes in the night.
I turn left and see both Rose and Luis run off into the distance.
"Diana!" a voice beckons from my phone. "What's going on?"
I hold my phone. "I-I..."
What do I say?
"You were not supposed to be there..." I walk in the direction where Rose and Luis ran off.
"It's okay..." Max answers, venom in his voice. "I-It's my bad. I probably should've messaged first..." Rather than me, the venom seems directed at himself.
I find myself in the parking lot in front of 1502.
A loud crunching sound of metal and grit rings in the air.
The other parking lot...
I quickly enter the gym facility, hoping to retrace Luis and Rose's path.
Multiply voices from my phone crackle in my hand.
I hold up my phone to my ear.
"—Rose!" I manage to hear Luis' voice order through Max's phone.
Ahead of me, I can see Luis standing just outside the doors. His attention is focused on something to his right.
"Yeah...!" Max exerts himself. Something ruffles against the phone speaker. "...to dinner, please!"
Wasn't expecting a tongue-in-cheek banter from Max.
Max inhales quickly.
"Nah, fuck it, we're killing him!" Rose spits with absolute malice.
It sounds like she's in front of Max.
She's serious.
I watch Luis' face drop in front of me.
He's about to witness Rose following through with her words.
"Rose, stop!" I order as I begin to run.
I exit through the doors of the gym facility and approach Luis.
"Uhhh..." he says, dumbfounded, watching something in front of him intently.
I follow his gaze and see Rose turning her attention to something behind her.
Between Rose and us is a wrecked lot. The impact crater and broken call box appear to be something that Rose has left behind. On the other hand, the white spear was a product of Luis' design. Based on how the spear protrudes from the ground, it must have been handled by Rose.
Luis slowly exhales and brushes an open palm over his head.
I turn away. "Where are you?"
"There are exams happening right now, right?" Max thinks aloud to himself.
Rose suddenly appears in front of me and raises her brows.
"Diana?" Max's voice calls out to me.
I lower my phone and put it on speaker.
"My apologies, I thought you were talking to yourself again," I say.
Luis joins Rose and me.
"Yes," I answer his question, "there are some exams taking place today."
Luis also raises his brow.
"Yeah, don't wanna be a bother..." Max's voice trails off.
"I don't mind you talking to yourself." I defend as I can feel Luis' and Rose's eyes staring at me. "I think it's an interesting methodology you have there—verbalizing your thoughts to organize them."
"Oh sorry, I meant 'bother' as in bothering other students taking exams. I was thinking about making some noise."
Rose recoils, her mouth going ajar.
Luis puts his hand on my shoulder and shakes me with an open smile.
"Very courteous of you..." I say, curious about Rose and Luis' responses.
"I need a place to go to..." he notes to himself.
ERC, Rose mouths to me.
Library! Luis mouths, pointing towards the library besides the plaza.
"I have a couple places in mind," I propose.
He doesn't respond.
"Maxim?"
Rose and Luis watch my phone intently.
"Sorry Diana, I've got to go," Max says, then hangs up.
Rose takes a step back. "Well, shit."
"Max, huh..." Luis crosses his arms. "Not bad on his feet. Is he on any of the sports teams?"
I shake my head. "I don't know."
"Who was that guy anyway?" Rose scratches her head.
"What program is he in?" Luis' eyes match mine.
"I don't recall the name of it," I say, putting away my phone. "Something to do with video games..."
"Video games?" Rose says with distaste.
"Is he a friend of yours?" Luis inquires.
"I think so..." I say.
Going by definition, I guess he would be considered a friend.
"Welp," Luis exhales, "no point in dwelling on it." Luis points at me. "You go to the bus roundabout." He turns to Rose. "Rose will check out ERC and I'll head over toward the library."
"Yes," Rose nods with enthusiasm.
"Afterwards we should expand our search toward the RISC building, since that building is dedicated to programs for students in the IT field." He turns to me. "If anyone finds him, make sure to call."
I nod. "And what of the parking lot?"
Rose looks away and attempts to whistle.
...
"I'm sorry about your friend..." my father speaks into the phone, his tone low. "If I had double-checked the email I was sent this would never have happened."
I sit down on one of the benches around the perimeter of the bus roundabout.
"Unfortunately, we still need to address the problem at hand. He's seen too much. We have excuses for the lights and the memory loss. Everything else—like the cameras and the alchemical rupture—can be handled with a few calls."
"It's just one person," I argue.
"It only takes one person," father states. "Look, we're all leaving in two days. I don't need any more issues that could postpone our flight."
"I understand," I acknowledge.
"We'll fix things here at UP. You focus on assisting Luis with the search."
"Understood. And what about the parking lot?"
"That's...." I can hear father take a breath in and hold it. "I'll get on that as well... Take care."
"You too." I end the call.
Switching over to my call history, I call Luis.
"Diana?" Luis greets.
"Any updates?"
"Rose just called me. She thinks we should start heading towards the RISC building. Says she caught a whiff of his scent."
"I will start to head over as well."
"See you there."