VIII

Chapter Eight

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The gymnasium buzzed with the energy of a hundred bodies, the rhythmic thud of basketballs bouncing against the polished floor a constant backdrop to the hushed whispers of anticipation. But for Winny, the air hung heavy, thick with unspoken anxieties. Days had bled into weeks, each one a slow, agonizing crawl towards the dreaded day of Prom's apology. Winny, ever the loyal friend, had warned Fourth not to trust Prom, his words echoing the silent anxieties that gnawed at Fourth's heart. Satang, usually the voice of reason, had agreed, his usually jovial demeanor 

clouded with a somberness that mirrored Fourth's own.

They were caught in a peculiar dance, a delicate ballet of trust and betrayal. Prom, the enigmatic figure at the heart of it all, would only approach Fourth when he was alone, his intentions shrouded in a veil of uncertainty. His words, laced with a honeyed sweetness, were a siren's call, luring Fourth into a false sense of security. Fourth, torn between a lingering fondness for Prom and a growing distrust of his motives, found himself caught in a web of confusion. He desperately wanted to believe Prom's apology was genuine, but the nagging doubts planted by Winny and Satang refused to be silenced.

Meanwhile, Gemini, a silent observer to this unfolding drama, kept his feelings for Fourth locked away, a prisoner of his own conflicted emotions. Stolen glances across the crowded cafeteria, a fleeting touch as they passed in the hallway, a whispered word during a late-night study session – these were the only ways Gemini dared to express his affection for Fourth, his heart a captive audience to his own silent longing.

Winny, ever the observant friend, noticed Gemini's silent torment. He saw the way Gemini's eyes would follow Fourth, the way his smile would falter when Prom was around, the way his shoulders would slump with despair when he was alone. He tried to cheer him up, his attempts at lighthearted banter falling flat against the backdrop of Gemini's melancholic gaze. But a question lingered in Winny's mind, a nagging doubt that refused to be silenced: if Prom and Fourth were truly reconciled, why wasn't Gemini reaching out to his beloved? This question, a silent echo of Gemini's own internal struggle, propelled Winny into action. He yearned to talk to Gemini, to unravel the tangled threads of his friend's emotions, but every time he tried, Prom would appear, a specter haunting their every interaction. Winny couldn't shake the feeling that Prom was aware of their unspoken conversations, his presence a constant reminder of the power he held over their lives.

Today, however, Winny had a chance. He and Gemini were paired for their P.E. class, a rare opportunity to talk without Prom's watchful gaze. As he finished changing into his uniform, he left Satang, Ford and Fourth in the locker room and a surge of hope coursed through him. He entered the gymnasium, his eyes scanning the room for Gemini.

Prom, a predator disguised in a charming facade, appeared, his smile a mask hiding the darkness within. He called out to Fourth, his voice laced with a honeyed sweetness that belied his true intentions. "Hey... can you accompany me to buy waters for us? Prof asked me to, Perth doesn't want to come with me." His eyes, cold and calculating, darted towards Ford and Satang, gauging their reaction.

Fourth, ever the trusting soul, hesitated. But knowing his nature, Ford and Satang could only nod in agreement. "Then, we're going inside now," Ford said, a touch of unease in his voice. He patted Fourth's shoulder, a gesture of support that felt hollow in the face of Prom's manipulative charm. Satang followed silently, his intuition screaming at him to stay, but his loyalty to Fourth bound him to this dangerous game.

Prom, his victory evident in the way he held himself, smiled triumphantly. "Let's go," he said, his voice dripping with false camaraderie. Fourth, his instincts screaming at him to resist, found himself drawn into Prom's web of deceit. He followed Prom out of the locker room, his heart sinking with a foreboding he couldn't quite define.

Winny, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination, entered the gym. He found Gemini huddled in a corner, his shoulders slumped with despair. As Gemini saw Winny, a flicker of hope ignited in his eyes. He stood up, a fragile smile gracing his lips. "I am confessing to him tonight," he said, his voice a whisper barely audible above the din of the gym.

"What?!" Winny exclaimed, his shock momentarily eclipsing his own anxieties. "Yeah, I can't hold it any longer," Gemini said, his voice laced with a longing that mirrored the pain in his eyes.

"Before that, let's talk about Prom first..." Winny finally managed to utter, his voice trembling with a mixture of concern and apprehension.

"What about him?" Gemini asked, his gaze fixed on the entrance of the gym. The professor's voice, calling for attendance, cut through the air, a jarring reminder of the reality they were trying to escape.

"Where are your friends?" The professor's question hung in the air, unanswered. Ford, his voice betraying his unease, stepped forward. "Uh, Prom told us that you asked him to buy water." The professor, confused and suspicious, looked at the students, his eyes landing on Gemini, Winny, Satang, and Ford.

Gemini's gaze, sharp and piercing, landed on Perth, who stood hunched over, avoiding his gaze. A cold dread settled in Gemini's stomach. He knew, with a certainty that chilled him to the bone, that something was terribly wrong.

"Where is Prom?!" Gemini's voice, sharp and demanding, cut through the silence. He jumped towards Perth, his hands gripping Perth's collar.

"Gem, calm down!" Winny, his heart pounding with fear, tried to pull Gemini away, but his efforts were futile. Gemini, his eyes burning with a desperate intensity, ignored him.

"I am asking you for the last time, Perth. Where is Prom? Where did he bring Fourth?!" Gemini's voice, a roar of anguish, echoed through the gym.

"I-i'm sorry, Gem, I tried to-" Perth stammered, his voice trembling with fear.

"Where the fuck they are?! Answer me, Perth!" Gemini's voice, raw with pain, pierced the air.

"To the old library..." Perth whispered, his voice barely audible. Gemini, his mind racing, released Perth and bolted out of the gymnasium, Winny, Satang, and Ford hot on his heels.

The old library, a forgotten relic of the university's past, stood shrouded in shadows. The air inside was thick with the scent of dust and decay, a chilling reminder of the forgotten stories that lurked within its walls. Fourth, his body battered and bruised, knelt on the cold, hard floor. Two students, their faces twisted with malice, held his arms, their grip tight and unforgiving. 

Prom, his smile a cruel mockery of his earlier charm, stood over Fourth, his eyes gleaming with a sadistic delight.

"What are you doing this, Prom?!" Fourth yelled, his voice hoarse with pain. His eyes, swollen with tears, reflected the horror of his situation. His lips, cracked and bleeding, spoke of the violence he had endured.

"Why are you stealing my friends?" Prom's voice, laced with a chilling indifference, echoed through the library.

Fourth, his mind reeling from the betrayal, struggled to comprehend the situation. He had trusted Prom, believed his lies, and now he was paying the price. He wanted to fight back, to scream for help, but the students holding him were too strong. He was trapped, a helpless victim in the clutches of a monster he thought he knew.

"I didn't steal anyone of them," Fourth said, his voice a mere whisper. His defiance, a flicker of hope in the face of despair, was met with a slap that sent him reeling.

Prom, his laughter echoing through the library, reveled in Fourth's pain. He signaled one of the students, a silent command that sent a wave of fear crashing over Fourth. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the inevitable blow.

The door of the old library burst open, the sound shattering the silence. Gemini, his eyes burning with a desperate intensity, stood in the doorway.

"Fourth!!!" Gemini's voice, a cry of anguish, pierced the air.Prom, his smile faltering for a moment, quickly regained his composure. He signaled the students holding Fourth to let Gemini in. "Only, Gemini," he said, his voice laced with a mocking amusement.

"Prom! Why are you doing this?!" Gemini's voice, a mixture of anger and despair, echoed through the library. He stared at Fourth, his heart breaking at the sight of his beloved, battered and bruised.

"I don't understand you anymore, Prom.. I do you favor. I tried to understand you but not anymore. I can't believe you're doing this." Gemini's voice, trembling with emotion, was a testament to the depth of his betrayal.

Prom laughed, his laughter a cruel echo of the pain he inflicted. "You're acting like you're not enjoying seeing him being hurt just like this," he said, his eyes cold and calculating. He signaled one of the students to kick Fourth, a gratuitous act of cruelty that sent a wave of nausea through Gemini.

"Stop it, Prom! Please.. I am begging you," Gemini pleaded, his voice breaking with emotion.

"This is why I don't want you to be friend with a loser, Gemini," Prom said, his voice dripping with disdain. He watched as Gemini's eyes welled up with tears, a silent testament to the pain he was enduring.

Gemini, his heart breaking with each passing moment, knelt down. "I am begging, Prom. Stop doing this. If you want to hurt him, hurt me instead." His tears, a torrent of anguish, flowed freely.

Prom, his gaze fixed on Gemini's tear-streaked face, wiped his tears away. "This is not you, Gemini," he said, his voice laced with a strange mixture of pity and cruelty.

Fourth, his body wracked with pain, gasped. He threw up a mouthful of blood, his body rebelling against the relentless assault. "Don't beg him," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Fourth felt a wave of numbness wash over him. His world, once filled with hope and dreams, was now a swirling vortex of pain and despair. He closed his eyes, his vision blurring as darkness enveloped him. He could only hear Gemini's cries, a desperate plea that echoed through the library.

"Fourth!!!!" Gemini's voice, a heart-wrenching cry of anguish, filled the air. He ran to Fourth's side, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and desperation. The two students holding Fourth panicked, their faces contorted with fear. They ran towards the door, their escape thwarted by Winny, Satang, and Ford, who had followed Gemini into the library. The officers, alerted by Ford, rushed in, their presence a beacon of hope in the darkness.

Prom, his face pale with shock, stood frozen in place. The officers, their voices firm and authoritative, ordered him to come with them. "I didn't do it," he denied, his voice a pathetic attempt to maintain his facade of innocence.

"Fourth. Fourth..." Winny and Satang called out, their voices filled with concern. But there was no response. Ford, his eyes filled with tears, watched in horror as his best friend lay unconscious on the floor.

"Help us! Help us, Prof!" Satang yelled, his voice filled with desperation. The professor, arriving on the scene, rushed to Fourth's side, his face a mask of concern.

The old library, once a place of quiet contemplation, was now a scene of chaos and despair. The air hung heavy with the stench of violence and betrayal. Fourth, his life hanging in the balance, lay unconscious on the floor, a victim of Prom's twisted games. Gemini, his heart shattered, watched helplessly as the officers led Prom away, his mind reeling from the horror of what he had witnessed.

End of Chapter Eight