When Hansel and Sam turned to look, they couldn’t see Miranda. Zach shrugged. “If I hadn’t said that, would you two have stopped fighting?” Hansel was lost for words, while Sam tightened his lips. Zach continued, “Is it too much to ask for adults to handle this maturely instead of resorting to childish tactics?” Sam replied, “He lost his temper and punched me first.” “That’s because you deserved it,” Hansel shot back. “Alright, calm down,” Zach said. “If Miranda’s really going to show up, you’ll both be sorry.” Sam’s jaw clenched, and Hansel fell silent. Calvin rolled his eyes. “Let’s head to the hospital first to take care of that wound.” “No need,” Hansel said coldly and glared at Sam. “Like I said, you’re not going to win her over. You might as well give up now.” “We’ll see about that.” Sam smirked. “Whether I succeed or not, at least I’m still in the game. You, on the other hand, are out.”
Hansel’s eyes flared with anger. He was ready to charge forward, but Calvin quickly stepped in and held him back. Sam threw one last jab. “Rage of the powerless.” With that, he opened the car door and drove off. Hansel shoved Calvin aside. “Let me go! He’s already left. What, you still think I’m going to hit him?” Calvin sighed. “Hans, why are you doing this to yourself?” Hansel’s eyes were red as he turned to Calvin. “You should ask Sam that!” They used to be close friends. So, why did Sam want to pursue Miranda so badly? Then, Hansel got in his car and drove off. Calvin and Zach stood there and exchanged glances. “I feel bad about all this,” Calvin admitted. Zach shrugged. “They’ve both lost it. What can we do?” Calvin asked, “What do you think is going on with Sam?” He wondered why he was so fixated on Miranda. Zach hesitated for a moment. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he said, “Sometimes, liking someone just doesn’t make sense. It’s not logical.” Calvin blinked in surprise. He couldn’t believe Zach was saying that.
Zach used to have a different perspective and believed there were plenty of options. To him, best buddies were like family, while women were just temporary companions. He used to talk about how there were plenty of women to choose from, and he could just swap them out like outfits.
As the morning sun bathed the earth in warm light, everything stirred from its deep slumber. The sky was a brilliant blue, dotted with fluffy white clouds, and the rhythmic chirping of cicadas filled the air. Silas stirred awake in the lab as sunlight streamed through the windows. He sat up, took a moment to gather himself, and stepped out of the drawing room. “Whoa, Paul. Did you get up early, or stay up all night?” Paul was intensely focused on his work at the lab bench. He didn’t bother to look up or respond until he finished the task, removing his protective gear and stepping away. “I woke up early.” “What time did you wake up?” “5:30 AM,” Paul replied. Silas gulped. “You’re really overdoing it. I need to head home today; I can’t take it anymore. I’ll come back tonight. By the way, can I borrow your charger? My phone’s dead.” “It’s in the cabinet. Help yourself.” “Why do you always put it back in the cabinet after using it? Just leave it on the lab bench. Don’t you think it’s a hassle to keep putting it away?” Silas complained. It wasn’t a hassle at all. Paul hadn’t touched his charger in days, or his phone, for that matter. After silencing it, he tossed it into the cabinet and forgot about it. Silas grabbed the charger and returned. “Hey, Paul, you’ve got some missed calls. Here’s your phone.” “Thanks.” Paul took his phone but then froze. He realized that Miranda called him twice. So, he quickly checked WhatsApp. Sure enough, there was a message waiting for him. “Dr. Jefferson, I have something I’d like your opinion on. Are you available?” It had been sent five days ago, and he hadn’t even read that message.