Love me. Choose me.

{4} Love me

Like a vamp emerging from a dark oasis into the light, Sawyer leaned close to me, her perky eyes almost squeezing the life out of a rodent.

I slowly stepped away, taken aback by her eerie behavior. It was unsettling but not entirely surprising. My heartbeat steadied as I sat in the chair next to me.

"What's your problem, weirdo?" I asked firmly.

"I'm astounded that you're from France," she exclaimed, her excitement hard to believe if I hadn't witnessed it firsthand.

"Okay—"

"I'm from France too," she sighed. "Though my mom is from Oklahoma." She returned to her side of the room and plopped down on her bed, folding her legs.

"That means your dad is from France," I said with a mild smile. "That's cool."

She grinned. "Isn't it majorly weird that you're from there?"

I gulped. "I should be saying that I like your eerie vibes," I lied. "It reminds me of a vampire movie."

She chuckled. "You never know, I might be a vampire or something scarier," she whispered with sincerity.

After this, I considered changing dorms.

I returned to my bed, and my phone dinged three times. Reluctantly, I picked it up, staring at the screen. Three messages from Trent:

Hey, beautiful.

Let me guess, you're about to sleep.

Let's meet tomorrow at the campus café.

"Who's that?" Sawyer asked, peering at my phone.

 
"A message from a friend," I replied.

She sighed. "Glad you have friends. I don’t have any. I wish I did, but everyone on campus seems to keep their distance, like I have a ghost mask on my face," she said, her tone melancholic.

"That’s because you give off eerie vibes. Sorry to hit the nail on the head, but your black attire and uncanny sense of style contribute to that impression," I said, trying to be gentle.

"What's wrong with being different?" She shrugged, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"In your case, everything."

I tried not to hurt Sawyer's feelings, which was trickier than I anticipated. Yet she didn’t argue; she seemed ready to listen.

"I’ve always loved this style. Black makes everything look right. And I adore vampires; they’re cool and captivating," she said, glancing at her outfit before looking back at me. "But you’re right. Maybe it’s time to step out of this black bubble."

My furrowed brow relaxed a bit. "I’d be glad to help you," I said with a smile. At least then I could sleep without worrying about being strangled in my dreams.

                      ∞

It was uncomfortably cool as I walked out of BIO 101, heading toward the lecture hall for my next class. I wrapped my coat tightly around me to fend off the chill; my face felt as if tiny needles filled with ice water were pricking it, and I could see my breath misting in the air.

Winter is one of my favorite seasons. The layers of clothing make things easier for me. My slender figure was hidden beneath a thick mohair coat. I trotted down the hallway, taking the stairs to the top floor when I spotted Trent with two other guys. I diverted my gaze to my cellphone, quickening my steps.

"Noelle!" he called out, but I ignored him, heart racing uncomfortably. As I walked away, I silently hoped he wouldn’t come after me. But then, I felt a hand grasp mine, making me halt and almost stumble from the shock.

"Why are you trying to avoid me?" Trent asked, his hand still holding mine. His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized my profile.

 
"I'm not trying to avoid anything. Besides, I'm rushing to class," I stammered, meeting his gaze, which made mine feel like it was on fire.

He sighed. "No one’s going to scold you if you skip. Chill, babe." I noticed the two guys he was with earlier approaching us. One was average-looking with thick tufts of hair—neatly styled with a perfect side cut—and a jawline that could've been chiseled from an Instagram model. The other had short, partially curled black hair and a smile that seemed more menacing than friendly, with sharp blue eyes.

"I don’t want to miss this class," I said quickly, almost cursing under my breath.

"I get it; it’s normal to want to keep up." He released my hand. "Meet my friends: Dylan and Thomas."

"Hey, hottie," Dylan said, his eyes surveying me like me he's asked to compare.

Thomas didn't say anything but nodded at me, extending his hand for a brief handshake. I returned the gesture with a polite but firm grip, not wanting to seem rude in front of people I barely knew. "Nice to meet you both."

"You're new here?" Dylan asked, curiosity evident in his eyes.

"Yeah, I moved here last week."

"That’s cool. Braden University has got you," he said, exchanging an odd glance with Trent before looking back at me. "We’ve got you."

The way he said "got" raised doubts in my mind. Trent turned to me, his eyes glistening with excitement. "I'll be waiting for you at the café. Please come on time."

I managed a smile as I watched him walk away with his friends, regaining my academic consciousness. I ran down the hallway to my next class.

Hey, yo!

We've come to the end of this chapter, the fun has just begun. Well, yesterday was like a dream to me, trust me. You don't wanna know what happened.

Questions: What do you think about Sawyer wanting to change?

What's your favorite season?

What do you think about Trent's friends?