Chapter 35 (1/2)
Gibbs returned to his room that night… and saw Ray sitting on his bed while smoking. This is a new development. He actually came to my room?
Gibbs sat at the end of the bed. ”Been here long?”
Ray didn't immediately answer. Instead, he extinguished the unfinished cigarette. Gibbs saw that Ray's hands were shaking as he extinguished the cigarette on the Pringles lid. Gibbs once read that people with anxiety disorder would show a symptom of shaking. But wasn't what Ray had supposed to be depression? Ah, whatever!
”Just now,” answered Ray, brief.
Wow, good. He can answer questions now. Though Ray was still staring ahead without looking at Gibbs, Gibbs was still satisfied with the development.
”You okay?” asked Gibbs.
Ray smiled. The artist smile that Gibbs hadn't seen in a while. Even though the smile seemed hesitant, Gibbs accepted it as something positive. ”I'm okay,” answered Ray.
It became quiet for a moment. Quiet, but not awkward. Things were never awkward between Gibbs and Ray. Ray lit another cigarette.
”Thanks for saving me that day,” said Ray.
”No problem. Sofil who beat you, was he okay?”
Ray went quiet. ”He's in the ICU.”
”Serious?!”
Ray smiled. ”Nah. Just playing.”
Gibbs smacked Ray's shoulder - almost, but it didn't hit. Though relief started encompa.s.s his body - relieved because he had gotten back the old Ray.
”Where's KJ?” asked Ray.
”You know him. At Teratai block.”
”How come he's in so diligent to go there at this time?”
”Dunno. Maybe he's keeping a girlfriend.”
Ray puffed out smoke. His hands were still shaking slightly. ”Of course, you've broken the Musketeer Code. The others breaking it too is no problem, right?”
Gibbs was silent. ”Do you too feel that it's my fault?”
”What's your fault?”
”Because I started going out with Fara that everything happened.”
Ray inhaled the cigarette smoke deeper this time. Let more nicotine encroach on his lungs - maybe with it would come any ideas on answering Gibbs' question.
”If you don't go out with Fara, would you do so with Deepa? No, right?”
”There's no way I would!”
”End of story,” replied Ray, brief. Cigarette smoke started filling the room. Gibbs usually didn't like the smell of cigarette smoke but maybe because he's used to it, he didn't even smell it.
”n.o.body should be blamed when someone commits suicide,” Ray started being philosophical. Ah, how Gibbs missed Ray's philosophy.
”I just feel irked at the fact she ruined our senior year. That's it,” sighed Gibbs.
This time, Ray started at Gibbs. Gibbs realised that before Ray turned to face him, he seemed slightly nervous.
”Really? That's it?”
”Yup. Like you said, maybe the b.i.t.c.h wanted to make us psychotic with her death. And we shouldn't let her win, right?”
Ray nodded. ”Right. We shouldn't let her win. We should get the best senior year that we wanted all this while.”