The rain poured outside as thunder boomed, echoing in the distance. Kian was supposed to be asleep right now. The first day of SPM examinations was tomorrow morning and yet here he was, playing LoL like the exam didn't exist.

"Bloody shit lah!" Kian shouted into his microphone. "I hope you all rot in Grandmaster!"

A flurry of curses could be heard through his headset as the game ended with a loss. He slammed his headset onto the floor probably breaking it when suddenly, his door burst open. Kian quickly tuned around, a cold sweat coming over him.

"KIAN!" His mother shouted. She stood at the door in her nightgown crossing her arms. "What the hell do you think you are doing?! Its bloody one in the morning!"

Kian could only look apologetically at his mother not daring to say a word.

His mother sighed and walked towards him standing in front of him looking at the computer. "Playing games again?"

"Y-yes..." his voice trailed off.

"You do know tomorrow is one of the biggest exams in your life, right?" his mother looked directly at him this time, her straight shoulder length hair being blown around by his stand fan.

"Yes mummy..."

"I know you are smart Kian." His mother's voice sounded softer this time seemingly having none of the anger when she first came in the room. "But please take this exam seriously ok?"

"But...mummy." Kian hesitated, bowing his head down before finally continuing. "I really don't want to study anymore. I'm good at this game. I really feel I can make money out of it."

His mother gave him a soft smile. "You know I will never get in the way of your dreams, Kian. And neither would your father. But you made a promise to him."

"Yes mummy," Kian sighed. "To enter university."

"I'm sure he would support you as well. But fulfil that promise, ok?" His mother held his shoulder softly.

"Ok, mummy." Kian looked up to meet his mother in the eyes.

"This SPM exam...please don't lose like in your game just now ya?" His mother giggled.

He couldn't help but smile as well. "Ok, mummy. I'll go to sleep...after one more."

"Nononono, go to sleep now." She tugged his arm.

"Tsk, fiiine." Kian groaned. He shut down his computer and went to bed.

Kian's mother wished him good night and closed his bedroom door. A few minutes later, he fell asleep.

▶

  Kian cursed his luck. He thought he could get away with coming late to class after working late on his part of the assignment. The lecture hall was dark because of a video playing and nobody would've known he entered the hall at all. Until, of course, the lights came on just as he was crouched down trying to walk towards the last row. The lecturer was lenient enough to allow him to sign his attendance, on the condition that he had to now send documents to the administrative offices. Kian walked up the last flight of stairs of the academic faculty and passed some lecturers, quickly entering the office and getting out just as fast.

Finally, a trip to the club room should be in order now. He walked down two floors and was about to reach the ground floor when he heard noises from one of the meeting rooms close to the stairs. Strange, it sounded like students too. Why were there students in here? I thought only staff were allowed to use these rooms. He looked around the corridor, the window reflections of him were the only other souls watching him. Nobody else was around and soon, curiosity got the better of him.

  He opened the door, which creaked as if it were playing its last symphony in a violin concert and felt the heat of eyes turning to look at him. An arrow pierced through his chest and sweat started forming on his forehead. RUN.

"Kris!" A familiar voice called out to him.

The voice knocked him out of his near flight. He scanned the room trying to find out who it was before he noticed an arm waving in the air.

"Kris! Over here!" Another familiar voice called out, a female this time. He looked towards the arm and saw a girl wearing glasses with pigtails waving at him. He recognized the girl as it was his club secretary, Goh. Kian timidly walked to her noticing Meng sitting beside her as well. Still, he felt as if everybody was looking at him. He may have heard a few whispers in his direction as well.

Is that the gaming club president? He's super tall, dude. Why is he so fair like a girl? I saw him in a cybercafé the other day.

Meng shot him a smile as he sat down. "You came, bro!" Meng whispered excitedly.

"Yea, I thought you didn't want to attend." The gaming club secretary, Goh, said to him. She adjusted her glasses and gave him a pamphlet for the meeting.

"I..." He gave a nervous chuckle, taking the pamphlet. "I changed my mind I guess." In reality, he would've just darted right out of there and sprinted all the way to the club room making sure nobody saw him again for a week.

Kian looked around him trying to see how many people attended. He recognized a few of them, Jian from the reading club, Sofie from the hiking club and Gomesh from the fitness club. No signs of Noel though. Bummer. The room was buzzing with the chatter of students discussing on what their events were going to be. Kian just removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. I don't like this already.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Alright, settle down everybody." A male lecturer clapped and all eyes were on him. Kian didn't recognize him but he guessed it was the lecturer in charge of club activities in the university.

He was accompanied by a lady, probably his assistant. "We've already briefed you mostly about the objectives and terms of our cause as well as the amount of additional funding you will be given after the students vote," The students cheered at this point being made. "It is finally time for the main order of business. The pairing of the clubs."

The lady took a box full of paper slips from behind her and placed it on the empty chair between her and the man. The man shook the slips around, all eyes on him, eagerly awaiting the first pairing of clubs. He pulled out a slip.

"The first club: the multimedia club." He threw the slip into a basket nearby. Murmurs started around the room.

The lady then mixed the slips around and pulled out one of them, opening it up, "Paired with," A silence fell upon the room awaiting the pairing. "The environmental club. These two clubs may now exit the meeting. Thank you."

  Kian heard instant chatter and looked towards the front. Two pairs stood up and each pair was eyeing the other all the way while walking out. The draw continued. Kian started sweating once again. Was it fear? Maybe the lack of air conditioning? He looked around feeling a bit intimidated at the members of clubs smiling at one another as the next clubs were being called out. Another two pairs were named before the gaming club was finally drawn to Goh and Meng's delights and Kian's horror.

"You will be paired with," The lady pulled out a slip. The three gaming club representatives held their breath, awaiting the club they were going to have to work for a semester with. "The netball club."

Kian was puzzled, a netball club? He never heard of that club. The room burst into a state of discussion and he might have even seen a few people heave sighs of relief.

"The netball club?! They so famous sia!" Goh exclaimed in a whispered tone. Well, maybe he didn't know them but others did. "They literally are the face of this university for sports."

"Are you for real?" Meng whispered back seeming worried. "Then what can we do to even match them?"

  Kian tried to listen in to the flurried conversation between his subordinates when he heard somebody clear their throat behind him. He turned around and planted his face right into a fit and built midriff. Other than the obvious heat he felt in his face from the embarrassment, he felt like he was being violently glared at. He looked up and met the brown, round eyes of what he assumed to be the president of the netball club herself, arms crossed. He stared at her and she stared back at him, both studying each other. He observed the dark-skinned girl's face; freckles, a sharp nose and short, almost boyish wavy brown hair. The murmur in the room was starting to increase in volume.

What's with the staring? She's gonna eat him up. Thank goodness I didn't get her. They're not working together for sure.

"The two clubs may exit the meeting now." Kian was brought back to reality by the lady at the front.

"Kris, we need to go." Meng slightly pushed Kian to get up from his seat.

Kian slowly stood up and was surprised. He was eye level with her and Kian was definitely not a short guy. He recollected himself and motioned with his hand for the girl to go first. "After you."

"How about you go first, gamer." The girl's voice was rough, almost like she shouted every day and never had her voice rest even once.

Kian looked at her confused. "O...kay then." He started walking towards the exit, followed by Goh and Meng.

▶

"So...what do we do now?" Meng asked Goh as the three of them stepped out of the room.

"I guess we discuss about what we're going to do for an event." Meng suggested. Goh nodded in agreement.

"Save it for later." The dark-skinned girl said holding the door. The two netball club members stood in front of them as the meeting room door closed shut between the two club's representatives.

Kian looked her up and down. She was wearing track pants and a crop top with a jacket over it. Probably so she wouldn't get in trouble going against the dress code.

"I'm sorry, I didn't get your name. My name is Low Yi Kian," Kian extended his hand. "People call me Kris." He noticed that the other netball club member was almost a head above Goh and Meng as well. Damn, these netball players are tall.

The girl looked at his hands and crossed her arms. "I'm Alexis. This is my vice president, Rui Wen." Rui Wen nodded and moved some hair from her face. Rui Wen was more conservatively dressed with blue jeans and a t-shirt tucked into them, not to mention her hair was tied up in a messy bun.

Kian put his hand down. Clearly, this Alexis girl wasn't the friendly type. "Ok...Alexis. So, how late is later? The discussion I mean."

Alexis and Rui Wen looked at each other then back at Kian and his gang. "I don't know what you gaming club people can contribute if I'm going to be honest."

Kian looked at his two friends and back at Alexis. "Me neither but I'm sure- "

"So, in the meantime, why don't you guys figure it out and then come to us, alright?"

Kian was stunned to be cut off like that. "I-I mean sure. But don't we need to discuss about some stuff first?"

"Not really," Alex put her hands on her hips. "I don't expect much anyways. We don't really need you guys."

Kian suddenly felt a surge go through his body. He never had a problem with people calling his club "boring" or "lame". Heck, even he agreed it was. But that was because it always came from people he knew. This "Alexis" girl on the other hand was being hostile from the start of their conversation and he didn't even know why. She was really getting on his nerves.

"Alright," Kian gritted his teeth. "Why don't you give me your number then? The least we could do is stay in contact." Kian took out his phone and extended it to her.

  Something seemed to have happened however as the confident, serious aura of the girl seemed to have mellowed out when the phone appeared in front of her. She stood there, stiff, as if she was a deer caught in a car's headlights. Kian wasn't sure what was happening however and just wanted Alexis to get this over with so he could go back to his ranked games. Rui Wen noticed the situation as well and nudged Alexis. Alexis cleared her throat.

"Oh, I would rather we collaborate through emails instead." Alex finally spoke up moving her hands to the back of her this time.

"No," Kian said firmly keeping his arm extended to her, phone in hand. "I would rather the presidents of the clubs be able to speak to each other properly and not through emails. Besides, I don't really check mine anyway."

Alexis eyed Rui Wen and sighed grabbing the phone. She typed her number in, at least Kian hoped she did, and gave it back to him.

"Well, Alexis. I hope we can- "Another two pairs of students burst out the door between Kian and Alex making a ruckus discussing about the profits they were going to make and which charity they should give it to.

The tight corridor caused Kian to be slightly nudged by one of the pairs and he somewhat lost his balance but Meng managed to keep him from falling. As he finally regained his footing, Kian spots Alexis and Rui Wen already making their way to the lift on the other side of the corridor.

"Damn, now I understand why they call that club ruthless." Goh crossed her arms.

"And rude." Meng added.

Kian just shook his head. "I'm going to the club room. My ranking is going down." He turned and headed for the stairway. Meng and Goh looked at each other, shrugged and followed him down.

GAME OVER: CHAPTER TWO