Chapter 1 (Goodnight at Morning)

Kaegal Eris POV

It’s a quiet rainy night, and all I could hear is the sound of falling raindrops in the roof. It’s also a busy Monday for a teacher, there’s a coffee at my left side, a laptop in front of me and a tons of papers at my right side. I’m currently checking my students paper works in my subject— English. I was about to take a sip of my coffee when a video call started to pop up in my laptop’s screen, it’s from my squad’s group chat. I immediately connected my earphones and put it to my ears then answer the call.

I saw Armand first, and I started to see Deo at his back waving at me.

Deo speaks excitedly, “What’s up Eris?!”

“Eris?!” I looked at Deo and shaked my head annoyingly.

“Why you look so exhausted? You look like a sloth who haven’t had a nice sleep” he added while laughing sarcastically.

I mocked his laugh and replied, “I rather be look like a sloth than to be look like you.”

“Deo, stop, you know Kaegal is busy with his work as a teacher,” Armand defended me. “How is...” Armand added but got interrupted as the rest of the squad started to join the video call.

“Gosh. I’m still working, what makes you call Armand?!” said Maxine as she rolled her eyes.

“What’s the commotion here?” Rissey asked seriously.

Deo teased Rissey as he said, “Why so serious Ms. Gaviz?”

Rissey stare at Deo as she raised her one eyebrow and give him a poker face.

(Deo will always be clown of the group, he never changed since the first day we met him. He keeps on teasing us whenever we’re too serious. Rissey, she’s always the serious one who often laugh but once she started laughing everyone will start laughing too. This two are the cat and dog in the group who always fight.)

The rest of the squad in the group call are starts teasing the two wanting to start a fire.

“Okay, okay. Before one of us get pissed off. What makes you call at the middle of the night, Armand?” I asked peacefully to break the dyeing momentum.

“Oh. Yeah. Ummm. Mine and Deo’s contract will end on Friday, and we have months to renew it so we are planning to have a get together with you guys on Sunday. Since we’ll get home by Saturday,” Armand said.

Deo contradicted Armand and said, “we are already at...” Deo stopped talking as Armad put his arms to Deo’s shoulder and messes his hair, then Armand speaks giggly, “dude. Shut your mouth.”

Armand started to look at us again and asked us if we are available on Sunday.

“Is it your treat? Cause if not we are all not available on Sunday and will never be,” Jave silly replied Aramand.

All of us laughed hard and agreed on what Jave said, and starting to tease the two to treat us.

“Guys,” said Rissey to catch our attention. “Armand and Deo, both of you can say no, and it’s not a sin. What’s the use of our work if we can’t pay a single meal that will benefit ourselves?” Rissey added.

After Rissey speaks we stopped teasing the two and after a moment we started laughing so hard.

“Why are you being so mean and serious again?” Ira asked Rissey while shivering from laughing.

“I’m just stress out and bombarded, sorry,” said Rissey and started smiling.

“So guys, are we all free on Sunday?” I asked them in dovish way.

“Is it their treat? Cause if not... I’m not,” Trevor said as he laughed.

“Okay, I will pay half of the bill,” Armand said.

“Wow. Trevor, you’re earning hundred of thousand a month. So stingy,” Chesa told to Trevor. “Anyways, thank you Armand,” Chesa added and chuckles.

(Trevor and Chesa were lovers before but remain friends as they broke up.)

It was a conversation full of laughter until...

“I have to go now, update me where and what time on Sunday, okay? I still have lots of things to do,” Maxine said autocratically.

The rest of the group also left at the group call since they still have unfinished businesses to do. Meanwhile, me, Nyla and Armand remain in the call— Deo find a food to eat.

“Kaegal, have you seen our Alumni’s facebook page? It says there that there will be a reunion by next month. I’ll update you once there’s a group chat for our batch, okay?” Nyla told to me while fixing her hair.

“Oh. Okay then, once I had a news about it I will update you as well,” I replied to her. “Nyla, can you update Elyze, Febbie and remind the others on our plans on Sunday?” I added.

Nyla nodded and said, “yes, of course, I’ll call them or send them a private message maybe after doing my lesson plan. Okay? Bye then.” After saying good bye she immediately left the group call.

(Nyla, she’s my closest friend among the squad. Aside of we have the same profession, we grow together, we’re childhood friends.)

Armand and I remain in call where an awkwardness between us started rising. I was going to say goodbye when he speaks and asked me how am I.

“I’m mentally and physically stable like I used to be,” I answered him cheerfully while grinding. “You, how’s you and Deo there? Is there already a ship sailing?” I asked him meticulously and chuckles.

“Ship sailing?” Armand said as he kept on thinking. “Oh... No. I don’t have. Ask Deo, he’s hooking all the race in the ship,” Armand replied me defensively.

“Why are you acting like you just commit a crime? Why acting so guilty, Mr. Zara? Opss. Captain Zara. My bad.” I tease him more while laughing and giving him a salute. “Aye! Aye! Captain!” I added and chuckled.

Armand started rising his eyebrows and massaging his forehead with his fingers using one hand. “You really never changed, you always teasing me like when we were in high school,” he said to me and started chuckling after speaking.

“But seriously, how are you?” I asked him genuinely.

“I’m doing good. It’s just I miss you...” Armand suddenly stopped when I spit the coffee I was drinking after what I heard.

“I’m sorry...” I apologize as I tried to clean my self from the coffee I spit on my shirt.

“You... the squad, family and of course TJ,” he explained. “How’s my son? Kaegal?” Armand added.

“TJ...” I stuttered. “He’s doing good, he’s sleeping in his room. He’s quite big for his aged but he’s totally fine. He’s also starting to like music and arts,” I told him.

“Sounds good, maybe because of you and your sister Winter,” Armand’s responded happily. “I’m happy that he is starting to find his talent as his future passion, maybe?” He added.

“Yes. He spends most of his day watching Winter doing her paintings and commissions,” I told him.

“And the singing were from you?” Armand asked me suspiciously.

“It’s when I just want to, okay? You know me. I don’t trust my voice that much. Cringe,” I told him.

Armand chuckles and said, “but seriously, thank you for taking care of my son while I’m not with him.”

“Don’t mention it. TJ is a nice kid...”

“Because of you,” Armand interrupted me.

“Lol. I love him like my own son, I discipline him unlike how we were disciplined before,” I whisper in the later part.

“Owwww.” Armand reacted and chuckled. “So you haven’t hit him to discipline?” He asked.

“I’m not, am I the father? Cause if I hit him for disciplining him he might think that you could do something more terrifying,” I told him.

“You have a point. Hmmm. See you on Sunday then? I have to go now, and I think I have steel your time a lot,” Armand said. Goodbye with an awkward smile while raising his eyebrows.

“No, you didn’t, I’m already at my beginning of checking,” I told him and show him tons of piled paper works of my students.

“Sorry, sorry. Goodnight and have a sweet dreams,” Armand apologized.

“I’m just joking, those were already checked,” I defended and added, “Good morning and have a nice day ahead.”

We ended our conversation, but I saw a woman went inside his room before the call stopped. It’s kinda suspicious from what he said earlier, but it’s none of my business anyway. I chuckled and shaked my head, I’m being too malicious.

I looked on my unchecked papers of my students and took a glimpse in my room. It’s so quiet, the rain has stopped already, so I played a music in Spotify and realized I haven’t changed my cloth since I went home from school.

I decided to take a half bath after I finished checking all the papers and sleep.