Marie Part 3

After the bell rang, all the students went to their respective classes, and so did me and Muggie. We were already sitting pretty on our bench. Not long after that, the supervising lecturer entered our class with various papers in his hands. "Good morning, everyone," said the lecturer, greeting us. "Good morning sir!!" said all the occupants of this class together. "I will share the exam questions and prepare your stationery," he said again, which we immediately complied with. The exam questions were also distributed. My gaze accidentally glanced at the chair Marie usually occupied and how surprised I was when I saw the ghostly figure of Marie sitting there as if she was also going to take this exam. She turned towards me and smiled. Before long, I saw the disappointment on Marie's face. It must be because she didn't accept the exam papers. That's only natural. After all, no one could see her figure other than me. To everyone, her seat must have looked empty. I decided to take my eyes off Marie. I had to concentrate on my exam. Of course, I don't want to fail this exam. My hard work studying yesterday was worthwhile. I could work on these questions satisfactorily, even though some made it quite difficult for me to do them. After 2 hours, the time to work on the exam questions was up. We all collected our answer papers, and one by one, we left the classroom. "Leslie, Leslie." I heard someone's voice calling my name. I looked around me, looking for the owner of the voice. I found it when I saw some of my friends gathering, and Muggie called my name. I immediately approached them. Friends from the same major as me, Muggie, Mai, Nina, and Leyna, were gathered together. When I saw Leyna, I was reluctant to join them even though I still approached them in the end. "Leslie, I just heard some sad news. You remember asking me about Marie this morning, right? I just heard the sad news about her." Muggie's words made me cringe and interested me in joining them. "What about Marie?" I asked enthusiastically. "This morning, we got news from Marie's mother. She told us that Marie died last night," answered Nina, Marie's roommate in the dormitory. "We wanted to attend her funeral but it was not possible. The distance between her house and campus is very far, plus tomorrow we still have exams, so we have to study." This time, it was Mai who spoke, just like Nina. She was also Marie's roommate. Hearing their explanation, I also understood why I saw Marie's spirit last night. She had indeed died. But I don't understand why her spirit wandered around this campus. What keeps her from being able to go to her realm? I should be the one to investigate. "I'm sorry to hear this news. It seems I can only go to her house after the exam is over." It was Leyna who spoke, and all of us agreed. Only after the exam is over can we go to her house. We would have gone today if Marie's house was just a short distance from campus. "I have to go first guys." "Where are you going, Leyna?" Muggie asked Leyna, who had just said goodbye to us. "Sean and I promised to have lunch together today. After that, we will study together in the library," she said while glancing at me. She also smiled. A smile that seemed to tell me that she had succeeded in taking Sean away from me. My heart is agitated and sick. She walked away from us. "Haah… what was that? She had lunch with Sean? We can't let it, Leslie. Come on, let's go to the cafeteria too!" Invite Muggie, but I refuse. I don't want my heart to hurt even more after seeing them together, like when I was in the library yesterday. "Isn't Sean your boyfriend, Leslie? Why is he having lunch with Leyna? He should be with you?" This time, Nina asked that with a confused look on her face. "C-could it be that you and Sean broke up already, huh? Then now he is dating Leyna." "No, no, it's fine. Sean and Leslie haven't broken up yet. Leyna was just going too far to take Sean from Leslie. You can't just stay quiet Leslie. Let's go to the canteen, too!" Of course, Muggie said that. I didn't want to go there, but because Muggie, Nina, and Mai kept pushing me, I finally agreed to go to the cafeteria. I only went along with Muggie because Nina and Mai decided to return to the dormitory. Inside the cafeteria, we saw Sean and Leyna sitting together. They chatted and laughed together, making me even more reluctant to be here any longer. Muggie grabbed my hand and forced me closer to them. "Hey, Leyna, Sean. Can we join in?" said Muggie, with the usual cheer in her voice. "There are still many empty tables. Why should you join us?" Leyna voiced her refusal. Something that didn't surprise me was that she didn't want her time with Sean to be disturbed by us. "It's okay, Leyna. Let them join us," Sean said, which made my eyes pop. "B-but Sean..." "Sit down, Leslie, Muggie." I was so happy when Sean ignored Leyna's refusal. I also returned Leyna's treatment of me earlier. I glanced over and flashed a smile at her. A smile that seems to say, 'You won't be able to take him away from me that easily because he still cares about me', although I doubt she can read the meaning of my smile. But I'm satisfied to see her face reddened with anger. I sat beside Sean while Muggie sat beside Leyna. Sean and Leyna had been sitting face to face from the start. "How was your exam today, Sean?" I tried to start a conversation with Sean, even though I couldn't deny I was afraid he would ignore me. "Smooth, how are you?" he asked back. I am very relieved that he did not ignore me this time. "I can also do it smoothly, even though there are some questions that make it quite difficult for me to do it." "Maybe your studying is still lacking. You have to be more active," he said again, smiling at me. I smiled back, too. Is my old Sean back? I feel him again being gentle to me. "Sean, try this spaghetti. It tastes good. You like spaghetti." Leyna tried to get Sean's attention. I knew that very well. My emotions started rising when I saw the spaghetti in Leyna's hands. It looked like she wanted to feed Sean. Oh, come on, she had the nerve to do that before me, seducing Sean right before my eyes. "I-I don't feel like eating spaghetti." Sean refused, which relieved me even though I was pretty irritated because he said that in such a soft voice. "Come on, open your mouth, Sean. This is delicious." "Fine, I'll taste it, but I can eat it myself." "No need to be ashamed. When I was in junior high school, I often fed you." I'm shocked to hear that. Is that true? Is it true that when she was in junior high school, she often fed Sean? I, whose official girlfriend has never even done it once. "Please, Sean," she said with a pitiful face. Sean was silent but finally opened his mouth to receive the spaghetti from Leyna's hand. What I'm feeling right now, this pain stifles me. "Y-you sure are shameless, huh, Leyna? How dare you feed Sean in front of me!!" I snapped at Leyna. I got up from my sitting position. I don't even care even though now I'm the centre of attention of everyone in this canteen. "So what? This isn't the first time I've fed Sean," she said lightly, increasing my anger. I want to grab her hair right now. "Come on, Leslie. Don't scream. Aren't you ashamed to be noticed by everyone?" Sean said while holding my hand. "You too, Sean, I'm so disappointed in you!!" I snapped at Sean, too. I don't care anymore, even if I have to fight again with him. Sean took my hand and led me away from the canteen. Where will he take me? Our footsteps stopped when we were in a quiet place. "Stop being a bitch, Leslie," he said. His words, of course, made me even angrier. "I'm the one who should be telling you that. What was that earlier, why did you want to be fed by her? Even though I was beside you. At least respect my feelings." "Leyna and I have been friends for a long time before I even met you. So stop being jealous of her." "It's only natural that I get jealous when I see my boyfriend being so close to another woman. Aren't you jealous if you see me close to another man, Haah?!" My anger still hasn't subsided. I don't care anymore about Sean's reaction; I keep yelling at him. "I won't be angry because I'm not jealous like you," he said lightly, accompanying this anger now with disappointment in my heart. "I thought you were an adult, but I was wrong. Your thinking is still like a child. Come on, Leslie. I don't want to continue this ridiculous fight." He just walked away, leaving me. I don't want to cry. I have shed enough tears because of Sean's treatment of me. However, my heart may be too weak because, in the end, I can always not hold back these tears from falling. Unsteadily accompanied by my eyes that continued to shed tears, I went to my dorm.