"Bomb? What do you mean, Sir?" Jack called from the front.
"Something dropped through the window."Jack looked back and saw the piece of paper."Don't touch it," he said. He activated the car's self drive and got to the back seat with Harlan."This doesn't seem like a bomb, Sir," Jack said and took the paper.Harlan sighed in relief. Why would it have been a bomb anyway?Inside the paper, was another paper with few words neatly written on it.WE NEED TO TALK. SIMON.Harlan glanced at Jack."What does he want to talk about?""I don't have an idea. His friend didn't show up where we planned to meet two days ago," Harlan said."They must think you are jobless. You caused it, paying them because you wanted to hear their damn story," Jack said."Nonsense."***"I am happy for you." ElizabetHarlan was preparing to get some hours of sleep before the day breaks when he got a call from Roger. Did he get a hint that he is the CEO of 'where talent glows'?He answered the call and cleared his throat."Hello?""You are more brave than you look."Harlan wondered what that was all about."What?""For confessing to Elizabeth that you love her. You are really bold."Harlan quickly hung up. He ran his hand through his hair. He should have known that Elizabeth would not keep things like that from Roger."What the hell have I done?" He sat on the bed and dropped his phone on it.The two of them must have had a fun laugh while talking about his feelings.He clenched his fist. How dare Elizabeth toil with his feelings!His phone rang again. The call was from Roger. He didn't answer and it soon stopped ringing, but it started ringing
The next day, throughout the time Harlan spent getting ready for school, getting into the car, the ride to the college, everything seemed as if he was in a trance. If he had known that Elizabeth loved someone else, he wouldn't have told her anything that day. He would have kept his mouth shut. Why does he always have the same fate of getting rejected by the girls he has feelings for?"Sir, we are here," Jack said, managing to bring Harlan back to the present."Where?" Harlan stared at Jack who had opened the door and was standing by it."Healy law college.""Huh? When did we arrive?""Just now. I have been standing by the door for a few seconds now, Sir.""Oh, okay." "Sir, is everything okay?"Harlan nodded and got down from the car.Jack bowed slightly. He watched Harlan as he left. He shrugged. Things don't always go right for everyone.
Harlan turned slowly in Elizabeth's direction. He met her glance. For some moments, they maintained eye contact.Elizabeth smiled at him before looking at Cecilia. She gave her a hard stare."I wasn't the one—""Get lost," Elizabeth snapped.Cecilia clenched her fist. She picked her books from the floor and stormed off in rage.Harlan didn't know how to react to what was happening at first, but when he realized that Elizabeth might be doing this to save his face, he smiled.They both walked out of the library. Compared to the other times, only a small crowd had watched the scene happen.Harlan cleared his throat when they got outside."I appreciate what you did there, but I would rather you stopped acting.""What are you talking about?" Elizabeth asked."Stop pretending as if we are dating."Elizabeth glanced at Harlan. She had been hoping that Harlan wouldn't take what she said seriously. How was she supposed to explain to him about the stupid thing that Roger did?"Oh... That?""You
Jason turned off the television that had been ceaselessly giving nothing but bad news since he woke up. He heard a knock on the door and opened it. A young man, dressed in the hotel's black and white uniform bowed slightly before going to pack the plates that Jason had used to eat. He closed the door after the man had left.Feeling bored, he lay on the bed and took his phone. He checked the group chat for something to keep his mind busy.He saw a picture that had just been dropped some seconds back. He enlarged the picture.He could recognize Elizabeth fast. Who was she hugging? He scrolled up to have a better view of the person. "Harlan?" He muttered to himself.He looked at the picture well. There was someone with the two of them. The blue hair made him realize who the person was. Roger.Too bold, isn't it? Harlan is hugging Elizabeth in the full glare of everyone. Th
When Harlan opened his eyes, he found he wasn't in his room. He felt some heaviness in his leg. He stifled a groan as he tried to lift the heavy leg.He looked around and saw that he was in a hospital.He closed his eyes and tried to remember what happened. The memory came flooding into his head.The door opened and he saw Jack come in."You are awake, young Master?" Jack's voice was full of anxiety."Did you get the person?" Harlan asked.Jack nodded his head."How are you feeling now?""I feel as if my body is on strike. My head hurts a lot. What is the smell in this place?""Smell?""Everything here is disgusting. Geez.""You will soon get out here. You feel a lot of pain?""Yeah. The pain in my leg is the worst."Someone knocked on the door and it opened.Elizabeth entered.
"Someone from the Alberts?""Yes. They are the only ones I know who can be after you this way.""The only person from the Alberts who could send him to me is Jason, but I am not sure he wants me dead.""Do you trust him?"Harlan glanced at Jack, "not that much."Jack nodded, "I promise to get to the root of this, Sir."****Harlan had just come out from the examination Hall. As usual, Roger had not come for the exam. Jason had come into the exam hall five minutes before it was over. Cecilia had walked around the hall while everyone was busy writing away, even with the invigilators' warning that she should sit quietly, she hadn't stayed in a position for more than five minutes.Elizabeth, when Harlan glanced at her, had been busy with exam papers. The exam, just as always, was a work over for Harlan. Sometimes, he wondered if those who set the exam
When Harlan got home, he read the Alberts cases that Jack had sent to him since all these days. There was a case where a mother had filed against the Alberts claiming they killed her son in a car accident but didn't take responsibility for it but the Albert involved had claimed that the woman's son was on drugs and the Albert had gotten away with it.There were a lot more worst case. Harlan called Jack."Those things you sent to me, can you help me get more information? Especially from the victims?""Sure. All of them?""Expect for the case of the woman who had lost her child.""I get that, Sir.""By the way, do you have a girlfriend?""No.""Ever gone on a date?""No.""You are of no help then.""What's it?""I need to think of a place where I can go on a date with my girlfriend.""You co
Harlan opened the door leading to the Marsha's sitting room and got inside. He coughed repeatedly when he got inside. Apart from the smoke, there was a funny smell coming from the room."Are..." He coughed again, "are you burning fossil fuels here?" "You crept in again?""I am going to suffocate if you don't put this thing out, man," Harlan said, looking at Kelvin seated on the floor and smoking away.He grinned at Harlan and threw the cigar in his hand on the ash tray."Kelvin, what is happening?" "Just trying things out. You know, trying to be a real man."Harlan looked at him in surprise."Is this what makes you a man?"Kelvin took a gulp from the bottle beside him. He hit the CD player. The place sounded mad."Kelvin, I am talking to you," Harlan had to yell for his voice to be loud enough over the blaring music."I'm listeni