36. The Arrival of the Nemesis and an Agonised Yibo !

                                    

                                          
The Worst, the least 
curable hatred is that 
Which has superseded 
Deep Love.
- Euripides 



Chapter 32
The Arrival of the Nemesis and an Agonised Yibo !


A disturbed Xena walks into the library early in the morning. Heng is in the reference section while Ji Li and Guang Hu are getting photocopies of some notes done at the Photostat machine. Zu Ai is sleeping with her head down on a big fat book of human psychology. Xena is very unsettled as she goes to the librarian to return the books.

Flash : Yibo telling Xena everything about Zhan having seen him and Sam as supernatural monsters.

Just then, someone taps Xena on the shoulder from behind and she turns. Heng meets her with a big bright smile.

Heng ( sweetly )- Morning , madam! Since you just disappeared yesterday after college and didn't answer my calls, I thought I'd just check up and see if you remembered we were friends.

Xena ( recalling Yibo's warning )- N-Nothing like that, Heng. Am just ... ( rubs her forehead in tension)... well, tense. No... I mean, not well actually.

Heng ( scanning her face )- First decide what you want to say, Xena. ill or tense?

Xena takes her library card and turns away. Zu wakes up because Heng and Xena are whispering over her head.

Xena ( anxiously )- B-Both. I will talk to you later, Heng.

Heng takes Xena's hand and makes her sit on a chair . Ji Li notices this and narrows her eyes- inching closer to hear what is happening between them.

Heng ( pulling a chair next to her and keeping his volume low)- It's your brother, isn't it? He has told you that we shouldn't be friends, hasn't he? I saw you both talk outside the college and I could read Yibo's angry jaws from a distance. Tell me!

Zu ( intervening )- Heng! Have you left your brains in the deep freezer today? This is the college library. Don't create a scene here.

Ji Li ( pretending to look through books )- What's up with you, Heng? Your boyfriend eyes Yibo and you are eyeing Yibo's sister?

Xena gets angry at this and narrows her eyes at the book rack. Immediately, the whole stack of books falls on Ji Li , the edge of a book actually gashing Ji's forehead.

Ji ( falling )- OWWWWWWWWWWW!...

Heng and Guang Hu rush to her aid and Zu looks at Xena in confusion as though she doubts that Xena did something.

Guang Hu ( helping up Ji Li )- How many times have we told you to behave yourself, Ji ? See, how karma catches up with you!

Ji ( horrified at the blood on her forehead )- Shut up!.... Ohh ! Blood! I am going to die...Boo hoo! Call my Dad ! I need to be taken to the ICU.

Librarian ( sternly )- Jinia ! Enough! It is just a small gash. Guang Hu, take her to the infirmary, okay?

Guang Hu rolls his eyes and escorts Ji out of the library and all students return to their seats. Zu and Heng pick up the books and start lining them up in the rack.

Xena gets up and starts to leave but Heng blocks her way.

Xena ( irritated )- Heng, don't behave like a child. I am telling you that all is fine. I am good . Just leave me alone for sometime.