Take Me Away

The sun drooped from its throne, casting colors in its departure. Clouds soaked in wine, like cotton absorbing blood from a wound, plunging the world in an eerie and mysterious glow. "You all may be excused!"

the general drillmaster announced to the freshmen of D University. Loud exclamations of elation accompanied by groans of exasperation boomed across the stadium.

"After such grueling hours that we endured, finally, we're free!"

"I'm too exhausted to even open my eyes. My whole body is protesting with every move I make."

"The training just started and you're already complaining. How will you even survive the whole month?"

In the midst of the crowd stood Fiona, cracking her neck and wincing from its stiffness as she approached the canteen along with the rest of her peers. She caught Spencer out of the corner of her eye. The drillmasters seemed to have gathered and were in the middle of a heated discussion.

"Fiona! What are you looking at? Let's go. We'll miss dinner if we dally much longer." Sophia linked their arms together and dragged her forward.

"Alright." Fiona smiled and moved forward with Sophia.

"Hey, Fiona!"

Fiona turned and saw Ryan approaching her with a few bags in his hands.

"Hi, Ryan!" Sophia greeted him.

Ryan paused, catching his breath and said, "I brought supper for the four of you. I didn't know your preferences, so I bought everything I think you would like."

"Thank you, Ryan." Ella relieved him of his burden and gave him a smile.

"Your efforts are admirable." Pursing her lips, Leona offered a shy smile.

"Thank you for putting us in consideration, Ryan," Sophia said. "Are you trying to earn our favor, Ryan? Your actions may lead us to think that you're trying to impress one of us. Will this be a regular occurrence?" Smiling slyly, she settled her glance to her friend, Fiona.

"You're holding me too high, I am not that considerate. Consider this event as a one-time-thing," Ryan jokingly replied.

"Many thanks, Ryan." Shyly, Fiona nodded her head in thanks.

Ryan's eyes softened as his gaze fell upon Fiona. "Are you weary?" he gently asked.

"I am not." Fiona shook her head.

"How come you only ask her, Ryan? Do you not care whether I'm weary or not?" Sophia asked, her voice teasing as a smirk played on her lips. "You seem more alive than drained."

They were immersed in their conversation as the drillmasters rushed towards the canteen except for Eric and Spencer, who walked leisurely. "Can I give my greetings to Fiona, Spencer?" Eric asked.

"Oh? What is it you wish to say to her? Are you well-acquainted with each other?" he replied.

"Do you have a reason as to why you pretend that you are a stranger to her when you want to be her drillmaster?" Eric murmured. Spencer's eyes darkened slightly.

"Seems like I would not be greeting Fiona today," Eric sighed. He rubbed his nose exasperatedly.

"Our drillmaster must hold a high position," Sophia said seriously as she glared at Spencer. "No one disciplined him even when he was unexplainably rude and unruly." "I agree with Sophia," Ella nodded. "If he wasn't so handsome, I would have mauled that arrogant, self-centered and vigorous man. He didn't even give us his name." Listening to their conversation, Ryan turned to look at Spencer. Intimidation and dominance filled the air as they sized up each other. One was gentle, the other fierce. Silence reigned over Fiona. Her anxiousness growing every second as she hoped Spencer wouldn't call her name.

Slowly, Spencer inched closer to Fiona and her group. Every step shortened the distance separating them.

Ella noticed him first. Raising her hand to wave at him, she said, "Hello, Mr. Cheng!"

Fiona flinched, replacing her bouts of anxiety to annoyance.

Spencer stopped his approach when he heard the greeting. He ran his gaze through the girls and then stared at Ryan. He nodded and walked away.

Sophia let out a giggle as they passed the by. "He is so cool," she said. Fiona rolled her eyes secretly.

'He is a monster!' she thought to herself.

Suddenly,

Ryan's phone rang. He excused himself and looked away as he answered the call. "Hello? Hmm...I see. All right. I'm on my way."

"What's up?" Sophia asked.

Ryan explained briefly, "I have to leave. The members of the student council are rehearsing with vigor for the upcoming celebration that will be held in two weeks. We will give you our sincerest welcome then." "Are we able to participate in the said event? I have quite a talent for dancing," Ella said with her eyebrows raised. "I can do classical, folk and jazz."

"You are most certainly welcome to participate," Ryan warmly replied. "The more participants, the more festive the celebration will be."

"Do you have any special talent worth mentioning, Ryan? A lot of girls gush over you. You are quite the ladies' man! You must live up to your name! I bet you'll ensnare a lot of hearts as you present to the stage," Sophia said.

"I don't think I'm as good as they say I am." Ryan chuckled. "It seems that I'll cut our time short. I must leave now." As he bade goodbye, he glanced at Fiona and said, "Please eat your dinner and get proper rest tonight."

Fiona agreed with a nod. Timidly, she glanced up as his eyes and he smiled. She felt her blood rush to her cheeks. She felt like a flower, blooming and nourished at the mere sight of him.

Leona observed their interaction with a bitter heart and bile in her mouth.

As the four girls retired to their dormitory for the night, all fell victim to their exhaustion and fell onto their beds.

A chime resounded in the room.

Fiona reached over to the phone to look over the message. It read, "Room 201, Building 8. Come here now." It was from Spencer!

Fiona groaned. With a huff of indignation, she get off her bed, albeit unwillingly.

"Do you have somewhere to be, Fiona?" Sophia asked. She groaned, exhausted.

"I'll he heading out for a moment." Fiona quickly put on her shoes and rushed out of her room before anyone could ask more questions.

The location was a bit far from their dorms. It housed foreign students and teachers alike. The drillmasters resided in the building as well.

As she arrived, Fiona let a sigh of relief.

As she trudged up to the second floor of the building, she could make up two people standing at the door to Room 201. They nodded to her in greeting. Fiona replied with a nod, steeled herself, and opened the door.

Inside sat Spencer, busy going over some files. Not even giving her a glance or a greeting, he said, "Make the bed for me."

"I beg your pardon?" Fiona froze at the door, questioning if she heard him right. "Is this what you summoned me here for?"

"Problem?" Spencer asked as he put down his pen and fixed his gaze towards her. "Did you assume that I would ask you to sleep with me?"

"What?" Fiona geared up to give him a full retort when she was interrupted.

"Alright." Disregarding whatever the retort Fiona was about to unleash, he continued, "If you have any plans to stay, the bed is big enough to hold the both of us."

Fiona gawked. Closing and opening her mouth like a goldfish, she exclaimed, "Shameless!"

Spencer shrugged, his posture aloof with false resignation. "The bed won't make itself if you just stand there. Consider it as punishment for playing with your phone during today's drills."

"Need I remind you that you were the one who sent me that message? I was not playing with my phone."

"I did send you the message, but it was the phone in your possession that rang."

"What is the reason behind all of this? Why did you want to be a drillmaster?" Fiona didn't even bother to hide the anger in her tone as she spoke.

"Will it be hard to believe if I say that I'm here for you?" He approached Fiona slowly. "Are you happy to hear that?"

Fiona backed away, only for her back to hit the wall. Frowning as she was trapped by Spencer, she scoffed, "No, not happy at all. Did Grandpa send you here?"

Spencer's only reply was to raise his eyebrows.

Fiona eyed him skeptically and sighed. "Whoever sent you here, please don't give anyone an indication that we are acquainted," she said.

Spencer's expression hardened. He expected Fiona to be elated by his presence, that she would be assured that she would be taken care, given the nature of their relationship. He didn't expect for her to ask of him to pretend that they didn't know each other. Spencer sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Damn," he cursed under his breath.

"Are you ashamed to be known that we knew each other?"

Fiona avoided his gaze, not willing to show him an ounce of vulnerability as she said, "I find it unpleasant for people to be knowledgeable about our relationship."

"Is that so?" Spencer curled his lips and in a voice so soft and sultry, he whispered, "How do you describe our relationship?"

Her words were stuck in her throat as she struggled to give him an answer. 'Why are you acting like this? Do you have any shame?' she asked inwardly.

As they approached stalemate, the door flung open and Eric entered the room.

Startled, Fiona unceremoniously shoved Spencer backwards.

"I could turn a blind eye to whatever you two have been doing." Eric recovered from his shock, dismissing it with a wave and a sly smile.

Pivoting towards the intruder, Spencer dropped his arms to his sides said, "Do you know that it is quite rude to stare? It is even ruder not to announce your presence with a knock on the door before entering a room."

"We were not doing anything, Spencer! Stop giving other people misleading ideas!" Fiona said defensively.

Spencer looked at her incredulously and sighed. "You heard the lady, nothing happened."

"My lips are sealed," Eric said while making a zipping motion on his lips.

Fiona felt her heart lurch, realizing that Eric must have misunderstood them.

Spencer cleared his throat and asked, "What urgent matters do you have that you graced us with you presence?" He did not bother to hide the venom or the displeasure in his voice.

"It pertains to a classified file." Eric playfully waved the portfolio in his hand.

Spencer reached out for the portfolio and then told Fiona, "Make up the bed."

She went and did her work without a fuss.

Eric quietly slithered out of the room as Spencer settled back down to his desk.

Too immersed with her work, she almost missed the feeling that someone was staring at her. She spun around and caught Spencer's eyes. "Why are you staring?" she demanded.

He wet his lips and said, "Grandpa was sent to the hospital again."

"What? How come? I called him yesterday, and he sounded fine."

Spencer rubbed his temples, distress imminent in his features. "He played chess with his friends. He was furious when his friends all took their grandchildren with them."

"Did I hear you correctly? Please tell me that this was one of your jokes," Fiona said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I'm not joking." After saying that, Spencer was deep in his thoughts.

"Why are you so silent? How about I go visit Grandpa?" she asked.

"No need." With a shake of his head, Spencer added, "His condition is stable. He will be alright."

Fiona glanced at her watch and said, "Oh my, it's already late. I'd better leave. I'll call Grandpa."

"Alright." Spencer nodded. "Do you need me to accompany you back to the dorms?"

"No! I am more than capable to send myself off, thank you!" Fiona squeaked, flustered.

She slammed the door a little too loudly in her hurry, leaving Spencer to himself. His mask slipped as he wallowed in helplessness.

'Grandpa wants us to have a child as soon as possible. What should I do?' he thought.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐