chapter 13 : Her Happiness Matters

After the return of Reena Weevils, the students were relieved knowing that she didn��t go missing. It meant they weren��t in danger since Alisha killed herself, and she wasn��t murdered. That's why the authority announced the death of Alisha Andy to be a suicide.
Everyone was busy preparing for the trip. Vanessa was struggling to complete the pile of works she was assigned with. Becca, Alexander, Sebastian, and Lucas, all of them were helping her. Even though Sebastian was in a different department, being the college representative had its perks to help his girlfriend out in times of need.
��Becca, can you write an article about how exciting this trip will be?�� Vanessa asked her as she was eating a cold sandwich.
��Sure,�� she responded. ��Where shall I write?��
Vanessa pulled out the phone from her pocket and handed it over to Becca. ��Write a post and upload it from my social media. Let the students and a few annoying parents know how exciting the college trips can be.��
��Okay, Ness,�� Becca mumbled and took the phone. She started brainstorming ideas on how she could make the announcement interesting.
��Seb, your responsibility is to make sure we have sufficient food for the three days. Lucas, your task is to arrange enough tents for all of us,�� Vanessa instructed them. ��And Alex����
He interrupted her by saying, ��I am gonna wait here. Thanks.�� He was sitting on the benches inside the empty classroom along with the others, looking at something on his phone.
��Then you will sit here and help Becca write the post,�� Vanessa said, leaving no space to argue. ��If you don��t, then I will make you collect the funds from the students which is my task.��
Alexander said with a tight-lipped smile, ��I would rather help Becca.��
��Well then.�� Vanessa glanced at Lucas and Sebastian. ��Get up. We need to do our work.��
They got up from their seats and followed Vanessa out of the classroom, leaving Becca and Alexander alone in the room.
Becca, who was sitting two rows away from Alexander, got up and told him, ��Scoot over, will you?��
Alexander shifted his gaze from the screen of the phone to Becca. ��Why should I do so?��
��We have to write an exciting article and publish it. So, we have to work together.�� Before he could say anything else, Becca forced him to scoot over and sat next to him. Inhaling a deep breath, she looked at the notepad of the phone. ��How do we start?��
��How will I know?�� he deadpanned.
��Alex, come on. You should know the texting pattern of Ness. What if my writing pattern doesn��t match with hers?�� She pointed out, People will know that someone else wrote it from her account and they might end up saying that Ness makes others do her work.��
��Does she not?�� he asked, getting slightly confused.
��She has piles of work so she needs help. And we are the ones she can count on,�� she explained.
��If she cannot handle the workload, why does she volunteer in the first place?��
Becca pouted and then replied, ��Look, the students are still traumatized thanks to the suicide of Alisha Andy. They saw her hanging there lifeless. Ness is just trying to make sure everyone enjoys and can be themselves. They need a breather.��
Alexander��s eyes pierced through hers as he questioned, ��Are you traumatized?��
She was taken aback at that question. She didn��t expect him to ask that question. Her mind shifted to the days her father used to torture her. He used to abuse her physically. With a small smile playing on her lips, she said, ��I am used to pain.��
Alexander could feel the heaviness in Becca��s voice. What did she mean by that? he wondered. Did her father do something bad to her? He had no idea of it but he wanted to know more about Becca, by staying next to her side. Besides, the more he would know about Becca, the closer he would get to the vampire potion. And the best way to learn more about her was to go on the trip with other students, so he had to attend the three days of camping.
��Anyway,�� she breathed out, making Alexander snap out of his thoughts. ��Let��s check the previous writings of Ness and then start writing about the camping.��
��Okay,�� he said and they started to read the previous posts.
Two hours have passed since the post about camping in the jungle on social media.
Becca was in the library, trying to find books on the vampires, but surprisingly she found no interesting and informative books on the subject. Almost as if someone checked out all the vampire-related books at once. Becca chuckled at that thought. After all, why would someone take all the vampire-related books at once?
While looking for books, her cell-phone rang all of a sudden. She pulled it out of the pocket of her jeans and looked at the caller ID.
Dad
Terror started to build in her. Hesitantly, she swiped the green button and placed the phone over her ear.
��Hello?��
��Becca Hertford,�� Shier said harshly, ��What is going on? Are you going on this trip arranged by your department?��
She bit her lips. ��I am thinking of going,�� she replied politely.
��What? Have you forgotten the rules?�� Becca��s father shouted through the phone. ��This trip is not compulsory and it is camping in the jungle. I am not allowing this.��
��But, Dad���� she was interrupted by her dad.
��No ifs and buts. You will not go on the trip,�� he said sternly. Before Becca could say anything else, he ended the call.
Groaning in frustration, Becca pulled out a chair for herself and sat. Then she opened her notebook and started scribbling on it with a pen.
Alexander, who was secretly watching Becca while hiding behind the next bookshelf, heard everything. He was there to see whether Becca found any vampire-related book or not since he had taken out all of those books related to the vampires.
He got out of the library quietly and took out his phone. He dialed Sebastian��s number who picked it up on the third ring.
��Dude, I am with your sister if you are looking for her, which I suggest you shouldn��t cause we are in a position you should not see,�� Sebastian said in one go and started breathing rapidly.
Alexander had the urge to roll his eyes, but he didn��t, and said calmly, ��I need you to write a fake yet convincing email saying that this trip is compulsory.��
��What?�� Sebastian asked, ��And whom do you want me to send it to?��
��Shier Hertford,�� Alexander replied curtly and he could already picture the smirk on Sebastian��s face.
��Consider it done,�� he said and ended the call.
Since Sebastian was in the IT department, he was the perfect person to send a fake email to Shier Hertford because Sebastian would be able to make it seem real enough to convince Shier.
After waiting outside the library for a few minutes, Alexander watched Becca walking out of the library with a big grin on her face.
As soon as Becca saw him, she jumped in happiness and pulled Alexander into a hug.
��My dad agreed,�� she chirped.
Alexander was surprised at the sudden hug. He felt sparks all over his body and warmer than ever. His heart, which was supposed to not beat, started to beat faster. Then a genuine smile formed over his lips.
He felt happy, seeing her smile.