Chapter 82
Minji's eyes locked onto Shantel as they rummaged through the shelves, their fingers tracing the rows of bottles and containers. "Are you sure you know what you're looking for?" Minji whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of Chu Chu's dramatic coughing fit outside.
Shantel's gaze darted between the bottles, her eyes scanning the labels with a mix of determination and doubt. "I'm positive," she replied, her voice low and steady. "It's a small brown bottle with a white label. I'm sure of it."
Minji's brow furrowed as she pushed aside a stack of boxes, revealing a section of the shelf that had been hidden from view. "Let's hope you're right," she muttered, her fingers moving swiftly as she searched for the bottle.
Meanwhile, outside, Chu Chu was putting on a show, feigning dizziness and stumbling around the clinic. The female doctor, concerned, tried to examine her, but Chu Chu expertly dodged her attempts, keeping her at bay with her theatrics.
"Oh dear, I think I'm going to pass out!" Chu Chu exclaimed, her voice loud and dramatic. "Please, can you just get me some water or something?"
The doctor, flustered, quickly got up to get a glass of water herself. "Okay, okay, let me get you some water," she said, momentarily distracted from examining Chu Chu.
As the doctor turned her back, Minji and Shantel worked swiftly, their eyes locked on the shelves as they searched for the elusive brown bottle. Suddenly, Shantel's fingers stopped tracing the rows, and she grasped a small bottle, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
"Is this it?" Minji asked, her voice barely above a whisper, as she peered at the bottle in Shantel's hand.
Shantel's gaze locked onto the label, and she nodded, a look of determination etched on her face. "It's the one," she whispered back, her fingers wrapping around the bottle as she carefully pulled it off the shelf.
With the bottle safely in hand, Minji and Shantel exchanged a tense glance, their hearts racing with anticipation. They knew they had to move quickly, before the doctor returned with the water or Chu Chu's act was discovered.
"Let's get out of here," Minji whispered, her voice urgent, as they carefully made their way back to the door, the bottle clutched tightly in Shantel's hand.
As they peeked outside, they saw Chu Chu still holding court, the doctor returning with a glass of water, completely absorbed in her dramatic performance. With a nod, Minji and Shantel slipped out of the clinic, the bottle safely in hand, their hearts pounding with excitement and fear.
Minji quickly pulled out her phone and typed out a text to Chu Chu: "We got it. Time to wrap up the show."
Chu Chu's eyes flickered to her phone, and she caught the message. With a subtle nod, she began to wind down her performance. "Oh, I think I'm feeling a little better," she said, her voice still dramatic but less intense.
The doctor, still concerned, looked at her with a mixture of relief and curiosity. "Are you sure you're okay? Maybe I should take a look at you anyway."
Chu Chu smiled weakly. "No, really, I'm fine. Thank you so much for your help, Doctor. I think I just needed a little water."
The doctor handed her the glass of water, and Chu Chu took a sip, her eyes locking onto Minji and Shantel, who were watching from the doorway. With a slight smile, she took another sip and then turned to leave.
"Thank you again, Doctor," she said, her voice much more subdued now. "I really appreciate it."
The doctor nodded, still looking a bit puzzled. "You're welcome. Take care of yourself, okay?"
Chu Chu nodded and walked out of the clinic, Minji and Shantel falling into step beside her. As soon as they were out of earshot, Minji let out a sigh of relief.
"We did it," she whispered, her eyes shining with excitement.
Shantel grinned, the bottle still clutched tightly in her hand. "Let's get out of here before someone notices something."
The three girls quickly made their way across the school grounds, their hearts still racing with the thrill of their successful mission.
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****Sarah pov***
As I sat in my air conditioner class, the hum of the units and the murmur of my classmates created a soothing background noise, our teacher, was wrapping up her lesson, her voice growing more hurried as she glanced at the clock. "Alright, that's all for today, folks."
The class erupted into chaos, with chairs scraping against the floor and papers rustling as students gathered their belongings. I joined in, shoving my textbooks and notes into my bag with a sense of relief. As I zipped it up, a boy plopped down in the chair in front of me, spinning it around to face me with a smile.
"Hey, I'm Joshua, but you can call me Josh," he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he gazed at me with interest.
I raised an eyebrow, trying to appear uninterested, and focused on adjusting the straps on my bag. But Josh didn't seem deterred. "So, what's your name?" he asked, his voice friendly and curious.
I hesitated for a moment before deciding to ignore him, but Josh chuckled and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "Okay, mysterious girl, I like a challenge. Maybe I'll just have to guess your name then."
I rolled my eyes, trying to maintain my indifferent facade, but Josh continued to chat, asking me about my favorite subjects and what I liked to do in my free time.
As I tried to stand up, the boy's hand shot out, his fingers wrapping around the armrest of my chair, holding me in place. His eyes locked onto mine, burning with an unnerving intensity."What do you want?" I demanded, my voice rising in annoyance. "Where did you even come out from?" I was beginning to get furious at his persistence, my mind racing with questions.
The boy's smile was disarming, his face inches from mine. "I like you," he said, his voice low and husky, sending a shiver down my spine. I laughed, a mixture of amusement and irritation, trying to brush him off. "Look around," I told him, gesturing to the crowded classroom. "There are plenty of other people to talk to. Why are you fixated on me?"
The boy's gaze didn't waver, his eyes burning with a quiet determination. "Because I saw you first," he said, his voice filled with a simple conviction. "And I know you're different." I raised an eyebrow, skeptical.
As I tried to push past him, my palm connected with his cheek in a resounding slap. The sound echoed through the room, and the people around us turned to look, their faces frozen in shock. The boy's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, he seemed stunned, his skin reddening under my touch.
But as he recovered, his expression darkened, and he grabbed my arm, his grip tight. "Did you just hit me?" he demanded, his voice low and angry, his fingers digging into my skin.
"Le me go!" I demanded.
The boy's face twisted in a scowl, his eyes flashing with resentment. "You're ugly, anyway," he sneered. "No one would even bother trying to talk to you if you weren't so... unusual." His words cut deep, but I refused to back down.
Instead, I looked him straight in the eye, my voice cold and detached. "Let. Me. Go." My gaze locked onto his, a challenge issued.