May Peace Grace Us

Chapter 8: Meeting

As Aila had predicted, Jemma had developed a habit of going to work. Not that she's complaining, the girl's presence ensured certain sales in her name, and that is good for her paycheck. So Aila is really looking forward to the other's coming over.

Then a month went by. Most students are already starting to prepare for the upcoming opening of the new school year; their hyenas are also part of that group of students. Since Aila didn't enroll this year, her friends had changed some of their life plans.

Their goal was to graduate in the same year and become successful in their respective fields. Aila will be an accountant, Bella a psychologist, Felix an engineer, Travis a doctor, Harry a lawyer, Liza a teacher, Albert a public administrator, Eugene a businessman, Jerome an economist, and Alexa an agriculturist. Their ambitions were grand and they had an enlightenment of how hard things are after they leave school. They saw how Aila had been, so they started adjusting their plans.

Today was a day off for Aila. The hyenas made the day a meeting day to discuss the changes of plans. Every time someone has some ideas for their future, they always meet like this, adjusting for their code of friendship where they will advance and fall together. This is partly a huge reason why they were so surprised and enraged when Aila suddenly announced a big change to her life plans. They weren't informed and weren't able to make corresponding action plans for everyone's benefit.

Every time they have such a gathering, they act as if they are not friends but rather people with great responsibilities. Though, in a sense, they have heavy burdens when one of them has to make major changes in their life plans, others, after all, will follow suit and make their amendments on their own. So when this time comes, they all prepare their own pieces to say and plans to present.

The venue of their meeting was a coffee shop this time around. Located near University Street, it was a very convenient place to meet up. Especially for her friends who didn't take a break and had extra classes over the vacation.

The coffee shop was her favorite in the area. It serves the best cup of cappuccino, in her opinion, because she has been a frequent customer ever since she started college. Not to mention, the ambiance of the place was homey and classical. She really missed this coffee shop since it had been years since she had last tasted it.

This was also the very same place she was at when the end of the days started. She remembered the c*****e that followed when a zombie stumbled upon the doors of the shop. It first bit the concerned employee who tapped the zombie, which was a blond woman, then everyone panicked, aggregating the undead to attack others as well.

Fear flooded her being at that very moment. At that time, she had felt like she had lived ignorantly and passed her days in a complete dream-like state. She had treated the new life she was born into with a cold indifference, despite the nagging feeling she always felt that this world was wrong. Those things are still not what they should be. When the day came, it was like she was dozing in the cold water of the reality she now lives in.

She felt a regret that seemed to scar her soul. Of all the people, she had received the most warning signs and she failed to realize it sooner. She caused her loved ones' suffering.

"Aila!" Bella said as she hugged Aila from behind. "Did you wait for long?"

Aila had actually arrived an hour ago. But she delayed entering the shop as she was enjoying the sun for a while. It was only a few minutes before she went inside.

"No, I just got my coffee." Aila replied as she showed her cup to Bella, who was looking down on her from their position. "Are the others still coming?"

"Well, those guys had better come over else they'll be my next practice partner for a whole week." Bella said as she took a seat beside Aila. "I'll give them half an hour to arrive."

Aila could only feel cold on her spine as she heard what the ginger-haired girl had uttered. She remembered being a practice partner of another once upon a time and she broke some bones over the whole course of the practice. She remembered lying and making excuses they made when their respective guardians had discovered their " injuries". With Bella putting this as an attachment for them to take note of, she thinks to herself that no one would think of delaying their arrival unless they had a very valid reason to do so.

"Did you inform them of that sanction you just told me?" Aila said as she took a sip of her cappuccino, noting that she should order some cake to match it.

"I haven't told them yet." Bella then fished her phone from her purse. " I'll just send my decision to the GC. Can't have them saying I didn't inform them."

Aila lit a candle for her friends. If they still dally their time coming over, she'll only visit them in the hospital over her days off. There's a reason why she is the leader of this group of crazy people.

After Bella sent that message during their chat, the GC was very lively. Aila imagined the panicked expressions they must be sporting at the moment. But apathetic enough to say ' at least I'm not in their position".

Bella heeded no care over the chaos in her phone and focused her attention to Aila instead. They started talking about various topics that came to mind as they awaited the others to arrive. The ginger head specially asked some leading questions about her current lifestyle, which Aila answered the best she could without giving away some crucial things her friends did not need to know.

Around fifteen minutes or so, someone finally arrived. It was Harry who was wearing a stormy look upon his face. Apparently, Bella's sudden announcement gave him some minor problems that he would be sorting out after this meeting is over.

They didn't get to pry over the subject as the others arrived one after another with Albert being the last to arrive.

"Why am I the last to arrive?"Albert bemoaned as he slumped into the remaining vacant seat at their table.

Their table was set up like a long conference table. Aila asked the owner of the shop to arrange it for their group. The owner immediately arranged as he had heard similar requests from other students who held their study sessions in their shop. They were then ushered to a private space where they shop prepared for such requests.

"Well, be thankful you are not late at the agreed time," Alexa said as she took her order. "If you're a minute later you get the prize of being Prez's partner."

"I'm not as free as you little maniac." Albert said with a glare.

"Maybe before, but nowadays I am certainly more busy than you, my dear." Retorted Aila.

The two eyes met and sparks flew. Another fight is brewing about how tense they are, but not today. Bella made sure to put a stop to it. With a bang, the upcoming arguments were dismissed on the spot as the people involved made a silent agreement to continue later. If they insist on going on with this unending rebuttal, the two will have the honour of being Bella's partner for a week. Bella promised that with a smile.

Albert took a sigh of relief as he was reminded of the reason why he rushed over. He almost made his bike fly just to get as fast as he could. Sending his gratitude thanks to the other, he took his order. And if he and Aila continued to be as naughty as they were a while ago, his hastened pace to reach their venue was useless.

"Now that everyone is here. Let's start talking about life." Bella said as she took out a small notebook and a pen. All ready to note down the contents of their talk.