Part 1: The Steal

It wasn't the clearest of nights but it wasn't the darkest either.

Two young boys were sneaking around a few hundred metres away from the security post right in front of the college entrance. With their mobile phones as sources of light, they were careful not to make any sound as they tip toed from the far right of the security post towards where all the motorcycles were parked.

Including one very unfortunate motorcycle which belonged to a campus security guard who was on duty going rounds behind Kolej Artiara.

"I hereby declare that this is a stupid idea, again." Said one of the boys.

"Johan, stop that. This is the hundredth time. You're here anyway, now pass me the wrench" his declaration was retorted.

"I said this was stupid, never said that it wasn't fun" Johan replied.

The careful level went up a notch. With Johan's phone in his mouth with the tip emitting light pointed towards the front wheel of this one particular motorcycle, Harris started to pry open the front wheels of the motorcycle very slowly.

"Studying automobile mechanics before going into Literature finally came in handy, eh?" an appropriately sarcastic remark uttered by Johan.

"Shut up. I would prefer to not remember that." said Harris.

Both of them came with the clothes on their backs, their mobile phones, and a few solid steel tools. They left with a front tyre of a kapcai. Running and screaming in their heads towards a residential college.

"I told you not to run!" Harris screamed, as loud as his heart was beating.

Johan didn't want to argue, when the security guard's flashlight was pointed towards them, all he realised that he was wearing yellow. He had to run. He had to run fast.

Harris was having a hard time catching up the former high school national running runner-up, but his adrenaline just pushed him beyond his sanity.

They finally stopped running when they suspected that there were no signs of any blue shirts chasing them.

"Johan. We're in Entwisle college."

"uh.. And?" Johan couldn't think of a respond. In his mind, he just wants to get back to his room. In his hand, a greasy tyre he wants to get rid of.

"This is the girl's side of the college!" they both knew Johan wanted scream oh so much louder.

"We're dead. You're lucky Amelin's around doing her short semester, follow me." Johan was surprisingly calm at that moment in time.

Johan took Harris to the east most side of the residential college, rather far from the rooms but still deemed forbidden. There were a few benches, unoccupied. All that was there was a few dim flourescent lights.

"I just texted her. She'll be here soon" Johan said.

They both finally got their heart rate steady. Harris leaned the tyre at the side of the wooden chair.

"Really, my ex? You couldn't have contacted any other girl from the millions of girls you have in your contacts?" Harris clearly had some doubts about what were they doing there.

"She's the only one with a car here, can you not be so picky of who's going to save our lives now?" Johan wanted to end the argument but he knew his reasons weren't good enough.

"You guys.. You guys are crazy." A soft noise came from behind them.

"Sorry I was late, had to fix the tudung. I don't usually get a text from my ex's best friend telling me they just stole a security guard's motorcycle tyre" Amelin continued.

Amelin sat with them and Johan explained everything to her while Harris just sat there holding his tongue, holding his heart. It was only two month since Amelin left. Harris counted the days. It was one of those I-thought-you-were-the-love-of-my-life. To Harris alone, at least.

But that's another story for another time.

He can't really object to anything now, it was the only help for them there. Besides, Johan was already close to Amelin even before Harris met her.

"So let me get this straight, you got a saman for wearing shorts inside campus.. So you stole the guard's motorcycle tyre? For what? To get even?" Amelin sums up everything Johan told her for the past 3 minutes.

"I don't know.. Revenge? I was in a rush. I think going to class unbathed wearing shorts is better than not going to class at all, I told that stupid guard that." Johan talked like there were no consequences if they got caught.

"You, need to control your temper. You, Harris, need to let go." Amelin looked at Johan.

Silence just filled the air.

"Uhh, Amy, car?" Johan was clearly starting to get very worried. Not about being caught, but about Harris and Amelin. Harris very well knew Harris had a very unstable temper.

All three of them walked to Amelin's car, passing through parts of the college that was empty because of the long holiday. Harris looked around, trying not think much about things around him, he just thought about how fragile the security system was at that place.

They made haste, not conversation.

Amelin pressed the button of her car remote, but suddenly opened the trunk of her car.

"Get comfortable boys. I can't really let you sit in the comfortable side of the car. We have to pass a lot of security post to get to your college." Amelin said without so much of a studder.

"Seriously?" Harris finally spoke, in objection.

Suddenly bursting, Harris raised his voice. "Get in the boot, quick!"

From the corner of his eye, Amelin saw a blue shirt coming towards them not too far away. She just literally pushed them into the boot of the car.

She quickly starts her car and rushed towards the exit. As expected, she was stopped by the guard.

"It's almost 3am, where are you going?" the guard asked. He looked very much like he was ready to interrogate.

"A magical place called taman tasik none of your business" Amelin looked at the asking guard right in the eye.

Not wanting to continue the drama, she just drove to A Samad Said College, or Assac, as she knows oxygen is quite valuable for the two boys she hid under her car boot.

It took her less than a minute, but for the boys it felt like an eternity. Especially when Amelin just ran over bumps without any intention on pressing down the brakes.

Amelin stopped the car just outside of Assac's grounds near a bus stop which was obviously empty. She knew Harris knew a back route behind the bus stop they can use to smuggle themselves back into college. Amelin used to pick him up there in countless late nights.

Amelin popped the trunk of her car, the sweat from the boys' pores were still pouring.

"you guys will live. Just drink some water later" Amelin said.

The boys climbed out of the boot. Their shirts were covered in sweat, they don't even know now whose sweat belonged to whom.

"Oh. Damn." Johan started to sweat even more.

He frantically looked around and around and around. In the car, under the car, above the car. He circled the car and he circled his thoughts.

"where.. is the tyre?"