Hell University-Chapter 30 - 29: Craziness

Zein’s Point of View

I never thought about this. Not even for a moment did it cross my mind that this could happen. I couldn’t believe it. The man I admired, the one I trusted with everything, the one who made me smile... was a member of a gang.

I didn’t want to think about it. I didn’t want to accept it. I didn’t want to say it. This isn’t Matthew, this is not him. He wouldn’t do this. He couldn’t join evil. Damn it! This is not Matt.

I stepped back and bumped into something behind me. I glanced over, it was the guy with red hair, grinning at me. I didn’t know why, but his smile sent chills down my spine.

"Is there a problem?" he asked, smirking.

I couldn’t help but feel nervous. Was he already suspicious of me? "N-Nothing," I stammered, my words faltering.

I turned my gaze back to the front, and paled at what I saw now in Nazzer’s hands.

Shit! No, Matt! Don’t do this!

Nazzer was holding a hot iron. At the tip, a snake was engraved, the symbol of the Black Blood Gang.

Matthew Hart!

I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. I wanted to pull him away, but it felt as though I had been turned into stone where I stood. It seemed like I was trapped in a nightmare, and I desperately wanted to wake up. Someone needed to slap me, just anything to bring me back to reality.

"Are you ready?" Nazzer asked with a grin, clearly delighted by Matt’s decision to join them.

Damn it.

"I am."

Matt rolled up the sleeve of his shirt, preparing his arm. Nicky removed Matthew’s mask, surprising everyone present.

Matthew glanced at her, but she remained calm, casually smiling at me.

She did it so I could see for myself that the man behind that mask was indeed, my friend. You’re really something, Nicky.

My breathing grew heavier. I could now clearly see the emotionless Matthew. He didn’t seem like Matthew anymore. He didn’t seem like the man I had spent so much time with. It felt as if everything about him had changed, and I would never accept it.

"Ahh...!"

I squeezed my eyes shut at the sound of Matt’s strained groan. I couldn’t bear it. Tears threatened to fall at any moment. I didn’t want to hear his pain, his suffering.

I knew it must hurt. It fucking hurts. And that hot iron... it would leave a permanent scar on Matt’s arm, a lifelong mark of the Black Blood Gang.

Why did everything have to lead to this? Why did Matt have to do this? No matter what reason I tried to imagine, I could see none. I could see no reason for Matt to join the monsters.

I keep thinking now, what really sets Matt apart from them?

I felt my feet start moving on their own. At first, slowly... then faster. Before I knew it, I was running. I didn’t know where I was supposed to go, or where I belonged.

I didn’t want to believe it, but my own two eyes had seen it. I had seen it clearly. Matthew was a member of the Black Blood Gang, not just a member, but the co-leader. Great.

I realized that I was already at the back of HU. Tall trees surrounded the area. Was it frightening? Yes, but I believe nothing is more terrifying than what I witnessed earlier.

I now find myself regretting why I even went out in the first place.

"Ahh!" I shouted in frustration.

I wanted to cry, but it felt as though my tears were frozen. "Why?! Why is this happening?!" I screamed once more.

I no longer cared if someone heard me. I didn’t care anymore. It felt as though a part of me was missing, something only Matt could fill.

It fucking hurts. I couldn’t help but hate myself, and I couldn’t stop thinking about Matt.

"Why?! Why did you have to do this?! I hate you!"

No matter how much I screamed, it felt as though this pain would never fade. "You are better than this," I murmured absentmindedly.

"You’re too noisy."

"I don’t care-"

I froze and carefully studied the man now standing before me. His dark eyes, one of them red. The black aura surrounding him. The chilling presence he exuded. I couldn’t be mistaken. The man standing in front of me was none other than-

"Raze."

He smiled briefly before glancing around. "Do you know that it’s not safe for a young lady to be out here in the middle of the night?" he asked.

I couldn’t find an answer. It felt as though all my strength had left me. He was truly a monster. I could say without hesitation that he was the most terrifying being I had ever seen in my life. That red mask.

The leader of the Devil God Warriors was now standing before me. I could clearly sense the danger emanating from him. His presence alone was enough to make anyone uneasy, sending chills down the spine.

He looked at me, and I swallowed hard. "The way you’re looking at me... are you afraid of me?" He chuckled lightly at his own question.

Damn! Who wouldn’t be?! You’re one of the scariest people alive! Always accompanied by death itself , ready to fetch anyone you desire. Right now, shouldn’t you be feared?

"You shouldn’t be scared of me. He is far scarier than I am," he added. "He is the man you wouldn’t want to go against."

"What are you talking about?"

"I know what’s bothering you," he said with a smirk. "Did they really think some newbie could kill me?" He let out a quiet laugh.

I knew exactly what he was referring to, and I couldn’t stop the anger rising within me. "Don’t you dare," I threatened, as if I could actually do anything about it.

His expression suddenly turned serious, and my knees went weak. Matt was in danger. Damn it.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn’t kill him."

A reason? I had so many, too many, but I knew none of them would matter to him. So what reason should I give?

"If you can’t give me a reason, then-"

"Because of me," I interrupted. I didn’t even know where that answer came from.

He can’t kill Matt because of me? What kind of reason is that, Zein...

"Because of you?" he repeated, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Y-Yes. Please."

I was almost begging, no, I was begging. I was pleading for Matt’s life.

"Alright. You are reason enough," he said. "Do you know why?"

I remained silent, my nerves tightening.

"You are the reason behind all the reasons. And I have my own reason to protect you. Perhaps a reason for destruction, you are a hindrance. Yet that same reason will keep you alive. A reason that no one would ever dare to stand against."

He left me hanging. I couldn’t fully grasp anything he had said. The only thing I understood was this, I was the reason. But why?

"Shall we go?"

I looked at the man standing in front of me now, a man who was also one of the reasons I had gone out tonight. Dave.

I wanted to ask him so many things, but it seemed I was too weak to even open my mouth. All I knew was that Dave was supporting me.

Did he know? Surely he did, but how much did he know? And what was his reason for being out at this hour?

"He really is scary as hell. I couldn’t even move from where I was earlier. I had to wait until he left before I could come get you," I heard him say.

So... he heard everything too?

Sigh.

This information was too much to handle. I never imagined things would turn out this way. My only plan was to find out what they were doing outside every night–

Come to think of it, what do they do at this hour? I should have been suspicious, but I couldn’t bring myself to doubt them.

When we arrived back at the dorm, nothing had changed. The two of them were still asleep. Sigh. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

I went to the kitchen to get some water.

"You shouldn’t be going out at this hour," Dave scolded me.

I almost spat the water straight into his face.

"I should be the one saying that," I replied, restraining my irritation so I wouldn’t wake the other two. "What are friends for? To lie? To pretend? To keep secrets? That isn’t friendship, that’s bullshit." I nearly cursed out of sheer disappointment.

"You don’t know anything."

"Because you never told me anything."

I set the glass down with a sharp clink and walked past him. I dropped onto the sofa and leaned back, exhaustion weighing heavily on me.

"We didn’t tell you because we didn’t want to drag you into this."

"That will never be a reason. There’s no reason to keep this from me. Tell me, what are you doing outside?"

He avoided my gaze, which made me glare even harder. "You won’t tell me?" I pressed.

"I shouldn’t be the one to s-"

"Fine!"

I let out a deep sigh and tried to calm myself. Then there was Jerome. Where the hell was he? Ugh.

"Keep this a secret," I said calmly. "Don’t tell them what happened tonight. I’m going to sleep."

I walked straight to our room and slowly lay down on the bed.

I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling.

Matthew... why?

The next morning, my exhaustion was obvious. I hadn’t slept well at all. I tried to sleep, but I just couldn’t. Too many thoughts weighed on my mind. I wanted to forget everything and act as if nothing had happened, but it was far from easy.

I could only sigh. I retreated to what I call my secret garden. Few people ever come here, and today, I was completely alone. The surroundings were peaceful; the rustling of the trees and the chirping of birds were clear and soothing, easing the heaviness in my chest.

I tried to act normal in front of them, especially around Matt. But it was difficult, truly difficult, to pretend that I didn’t know anything. Hiding my feelings was exhausting, and I felt like I might explode at any moment.

"Meow."

I almost jumped out of my skin when the black cat suddenly leapt beside me. For the nth time, he startled me again!

I narrowed my eyes. Why did it feel like he was following me? It had to be just a coincidence. After all, this cat couldn’t possibly be following me, I wasn’t even its owner.

"Come here," I took it and placed it on my lap. I stroked its fur.

"Are you following me?" I asked. "Why do you have to sneak up on me?" I asked again.

I laughed as it licked my hand. It tickled, so I couldn’t help but lightly bop it on the head.

"Haha. You’re so playful!" I bopped it again.

"Meow."

"What’s your name?" I asked.

If anyone could hear me right now, they’d probably think I’d gone crazy for talking to a cat.

"I’ve got it!" My grin widened as I thought of a possible name for it. "Hoy!" I called, startling it slightly.

[Note: Hoy means ’Hey’. Zein literally named the cat ’Hey’ TT]

I laughed softly at myself. "Now you know how it feels to be startled, huh?" I asked, chuckling.

I must be going crazy.

"From now on, your name is Hoy. You’re good at that, right?"

"Meow."

I stroked its fur again, just watching it circle on my lap. I decided I’d pamper it while its owner wasn’t around.

"I will adopt you temporarily. Just... don’t be a ghost, okay?"

I remembered the story Ate Allison once told me about a ghost pretending to be a cat.

"Are you done talking to your cat?"

I jumped in surprise at Supremo suddenly appearing in front of me. My eyes narrowed as I took in his appearance.

"Did you comb your hair?" I asked, frowning.

He blushed and glanced away slightly. "Huh? Why are you asking that?" he replied.

I couldn’t be mistaken. I knew Supremo’s hair well enough to tell, he never combed it.

"You did comb it... wait? Whoa! What’s that scent?" I asked, leaning slightly closer to confirm my suspicion. "Aha! You put on perfume!" I blurted out, almost like a scream.

He could barely look at me, his face burning red.

"W-What now?!"

"You’re handsome." I immediately covered my mouth after saying it.

"R-Really?"

I nodded shyly, embarrassed.

"Handsome... than Matth- let’s go!"

Suddenly, his gaze and aura returned to that cold, distant demeanor. He somehow reminded me of Raze.

"Are you bringing that cat?" he asked, pointing at Hoy, whom I was holding.

"Is that a problem? Besides, he has a name. It’s Hoy!"

"Insane," he muttered softly, but I heard it clearly. "Let’s go." He pulled me along once more.

Immediately, my attention was drawn to someone standing not far from us. In the past, I would have smiled and tried to tease him, but now, I just looked past him.

I ignored him. Matt.

A tightness gripped my chest.