Fragile

Chapter 8

It had been a week since I saw Noah, but then again I had been too busy to notice. Exams were coming up and I had to make sure I knew everything properly. Learning 12 years worth of schooling in 2 years allowed me to barely scrape by and get my GED. College was different. I couldn't just scrape by. I couldn't disappoint Nurse Lucy. 

Which led me to receiving a concerned lecture from Kiera and Charles in the library. "Fay, it's already 9pm. You've been studying like a madwoman this entire week, it's not healthy." 

"These aren't even midterm exams," Charles offered. "And you're smart, you don't need to study this hard." 

Only they didn't know. I wasn't smart, I didn't have 12 years of schooling, just a summary I managed to cram into 2 years. I didn't go to high school, I was home schooled. and before then I only had Lucy to teach me things 8 year olds already knew, like multiplication tables and fractions. I wasn't smart, and I couldn't pretend to be either. 

"You guys can go back, I'll just finish these flashcards," I lied, offering them a weary smile. "You don't have to stay." 

"You shouldn't walk back alone this late," Charles said, his eyebrows knitted. Kiera tossed me an equally concerned gaze. 

"It's not that far," I lied again. "Go back, I'll be back late." 

I could tell they wanted to argue, but their own tiredness made them give in. "Have security walk you back at least," Kiera insisted as she pulled her bag over her shoulder. "No shortcuts or alleyways." 

I finally managed to shoo them away, and I could finally let out the exhale I had been holding in. As well intended as their concern was, it was thick and suffocating. Pretending to be a normal college student was difficult enough, but it was even worse when I knew I was failing miserably. As much as I hated it, being alone was the only time I could be completely relaxed, completely myself. If only I knew which people were safe, which ones weren't out to hurt me. 

Noah's face flashed in my mind. Why was I thinking of him? He was the most dangerous of them all. He was a notorious flirt with a cold attitude... but he also saved me twice. He also brought me cold medicine. He liked to follow me and taunt me, but then he also was nowhere to be seen all week. His behavior was so inconsistent and impossible to wrap my head around. That made him dangerous, far from safe. far from trustworthy. 

I left the library five minutes before it closed at midnight. The air was cold, and I shivered as I rubbed my arms and made my way back to the dorm. It was annoyingly at the other end of campus. I had always thought it was stupid to put a library at the opposite end of the dorm end. Why were college campuses so spaced out anyway? It felt like each campus was a mini city. 

The sound of leaves rustling made the hairs on my arms stand straight up. There wasn't anyone around me. Maybe an animal? Aside from rats, I wasn't familiar with wildlife. Something in the back of my mind, however, told me it wasn't an animal. 

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard a gurgled moan to my left. I was completely frozen in place, every inch of my body wanting to sprint the rest of the way to the dorm. But for some reason, my heart rooted me in place. Why was I frozen? Why was I staying with the danger, not running from it?

A small wheeze. The sounds it made were quiet, but in the black silent night it echoed in my ears. The shadow of what looked like a boot peeked out from behind a bush. That thing was a person? My entire body was on high alert. I found my feet slowly creeping forward towards the shadow. As I approached closer, smaller, labored gasps could be heard. 

"Hello?" My voice came out as a whisper. I mentally slapped myself. Those were the words one said in a horror movie before they were killed by the scary ghost. What if this thing wasn't actually a person, but something else?