Hell University-Chapter 19 - 18: Monster/Demon

Zein’s Point of View

Exhausted from all the cleaning, I quickly fell asleep. I only woke up when I heard the door open. I frowned upon seeing Dave come in from outside, drenched in sweat.

"Where did you go?" I asked, still feeling sleepy. He momentarily froze and seemed surprised.

I glanced at the wall clock, and it’s still 4:30 a.m., and the bloody night is still definitely happening outside. Wait... what was he doing outside?

"N-Nothing. Just getting some fresh air." He said and peeked in the other room where Matt and Jerome were still sleeping.

"Getting some air? ... During a bloody night? It’s not safe to go outside."

"I was just trying to feel sleepy. I’ll go to sleep now." He said and went to his room and locked the door.

Getting some fresh air, yet drenched in sweat? Trying to make himself sleepy, yet clearly out of breath? None of it made sense. Feeling drowsy once more, I soon drifted back to sleep.

I jumped out of bed when I heard Mia’s ear-splitting voice.

"Son of a wasp, we’re late!"

Vanessa also bolted upright and glanced at the wall clock. "It’s already 8:30," I muttered sleepily.

We’re in the same class for the first subject, which is Math and Sie Alvarez is our teacher.

"Wait, you guys are so dramatic! We can skip class," I suggested.

We can’t really do anything because the class will already start in 30 minutes, and on top of that, our first class has already ended. Even if we hurry our asses up, we still can’t be on time.

"It’s a periodical test today, Zein! You don’t know anything?!" Mia was close to fainting.

[Periodical test = quarterly examination]

"Right now? Hmm, I was not informed." I plainly replied.

So that’s why they kept carrying books the whole week because it’s already our periodical exam, and definitely, we didn’t get to take an exam on Sir Alvarez’s subject.

We went out and opened the door in the boys room who were all still sleeping. I laughed when Vanessa and Mia slapped them with a bunch of pillows.

"Wait! Why are you hitting us?!"

"What the fuck! It hurts!"

They were stretching their arms and still weren’t aware that we’re already late.

"It’s finished! We’re already late for Math." Vanessa was so disappointed.

"Wait! Why didn’t you guys wake us up?!" Daved was startled.

"Yeah, right!" Jerome agreed.

"Because we woke up late too! UGH! The periodical test is 60 percent! We will fail! Gods! How can we be in the Highest 10 in this state!" Vanessa was becoming hysterical.

I do not know why, but the smile on my lips slowly faded when I heard the words "highest 10." I simply went to the restroom to wash my face and brush my teeth.

Does that make me a bad friend, for feeling happy that they failed to take the periodical exam? I admit it: I was glad, because it meant they would surely fail Math, they would no longer be included in the H10, and they would not be allowed to go out of HU anymore.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, I could still hear Mia and Vanessa being hysterical. They’re really so over-the-top, haha.

"Good morning..." Matt greeted me with a smile.

I smiled back. His smile is really contagious.

"What’s so good about the morning? You didn’t even get to take the exam," I teased, laughing.

Matt just shrugged before opening the refrigerator to cook. Among our group of friends, he’s the only one who knows how to cook, he even outdoes us girls, haha.

"What are you going to cook?" I asked.

"What do you want?" he asked back.

"Sinigang!" I happily suggested that it made him laugh. "My favorite." I added.

"Aye aye captain." He saluted me before cutting the ingredients.

I only sat down and watched Matt. He’s really so ideal, kind, handsome, a gentleman, and is a great cook.

"Woa! You guys are

"Whoa! Just the two of you, huh?" Dave teased hyperly.

"You guys, I smell something fishy," Jerome added, fueling it even more.

I just rolled my eyes so they wouldn’t notice how flustered I was, but honestly, I know both of them already know how I feel about Matt.

We all ate together while Mia and Vanessa sat there sulking, looking like the world had collapsed on them. They kept saying all their effort in studying had gone to waste.

I left our dorm wearing my uniform since I still had a class to attend. Arts and Music, there was a periodical exam today too, but I didn’t even bother reviewing. What for?

"Miss Shion!"

I stopped walking when Sir Alvarez blocked my way with his furrowed brows. "Why did you guys attend the class?" He immediately asked.

"Ah, we all woke up late, sir." I confessed shyly.

"Is that right? Can we talk for a second?" He asked.

I already knew what we were going to discuss, so I agreed, after all, it was still early for my next class. We went to his office, since each teacher here had their own office.

"So? How’s being a secretary?" He began.

"Hell." I replied that it made him laugh.

Well, being the secretary is not really that hard, but if you are surrounded with a lot of monsters, then I can really say it was hell. I can’t even catch up with their conversations sometimes because I didn’t even know what they were talking about.

"Don’t worry about the exam, I’ll give you a high grade, together with your friends."

My eyes widened because of what he had said. He’s going to make us pass his subject? We didn’t even take the exam, but he’s going to make us pass?

"Never worry about your grades. I’ll take care of those, as long as you just do the help I’m asking for."

"Thanks sir, but I still have no idea where their hidden laboratory is. They don’t even mention it."

I haven’t heard anything from them about this anyway.

"Right. They won’t tell you anyway. Just do your job as the secretary. Keep an eye on their actions too, especially Lady Katherine."

"W-What if I get caught?" The thought suddenly crossed my mind.

What will happen to me? I am not yet ready to die as long as I have not freed my friends from this hell. I must save them first.

"That’s why it’s better if you take care, Zein. The safety of everyone rests in your hands."

I left Sir Alvarez’s office in a daze. If I failed, all of our plans could fall apart. Everyone would be in danger; I had to be careful.

"Stay away from him."

Only then did I notice Nicky leaning against the side of the door, gazing off into the distance.

She is in her usual intimidating presence. Wait, what is she saying that I should stay away from?

"Never, ever go against the HU Admins and the HU SSG Officers. You don’t know them, you don’t fully know them yet."

I was taken aback by what she said. She was right, by doing this, I was already going against the people behind HU as well.

"How did you know?" I asked.

This woman was truly mysterious. How did she find out about my plan with Sir Alvarez?

"You are easy to read. This is a warning Zein Shion, don’t continue what you’re planning. The catastrophe is coming, it’s better if you stay quiet so you won’t get involved."

She looked at me. No. I can’t stay quiet, what I need to do now is to be more careful. I’ll finish what I started, and I’ll make sure that I’ll end this in my own ways.

"I will do it not for myself, but for my friends."

"Acting like a hero huh?" She laughed. "Acting like a hero has no place in this hell. Besides, you will not last many more days, your death is drawing near." She then turned her back on me. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"I will fight, no matter what," I said absentmindedly.

"There is only one way for you to defeat them." She faced me again, a grin on her lips.

I always feel a chill whenever someone grins at me like that. She stepped closer, and I found myself rooted to the spot.

My hair stood on end when I heard what she whispered to me. It felt as though my heart had stopped beating.

"Be a monster, Zein. If they are beasts, then become a demon. Unleash the terrifying persona that has long been hidden within you. That is the only way to defeat them. Can you do it?"

I did not attend my next class. Instead, I went back to the dormitory and locked myself in my room.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

Could it be true?

Could it be that I, too, am a monster — a demon?