starry eyes ✮ slashers.

chapter 012.

twelve. breath out.

           She had originally thought it would be easier to make friends, that she'd join and just fall into a group of lovely people. But here she was, eating alone in the school canteen, sharing loving glances with Tom. He was chatting up a storm on the professor table, they were loving him. So why hadn't she had such success?

She was thinking of dropping out of college, originally going back to education was all she wanted, it gave her life structure and meaning. But now the only highlight was being around Tom, and she could do that at home.

She was lonesome and her classes were stressful, each one demanding a certain amount of hours in the day and with Brahms and Tom, she simply did not want to spend that many working.

Her thoughts are cloudy and miserable but she's torn from them by two boys as they approach her.

"Ow, Billy, you didn't have to hit me." The taller one whines, rubbing his shoulder hastily to get rid of the pain. They stand at the end of her table, looking at her with a look she can only describe as secrecy. They know something she doesn't.

"Hey, Lyra. I'm Billy, this big idiot is Stu." Billy talks smoothly, but it's deeper than that, there's a grit to it that lacks emotion, he talks like Harry Warden. Stu's clearly not happy with his description as he slumps down in the seat beside Lyra.

"How do you know my name?" She asks, not fearful, simply curious. Afterall, what was there to fear?

"We take cinema with professor Tom Hanniger together." Lyra smiles at the mention of him and nods to Billy, gesturing to the seat beside his friend. He takes it gratefully.

"Was it you two that left the note on my desk, 'what's your favourite scary movie?'" She recites suspiciously and Stu's quick to shake his head. Almost too quick.

"No, but we love horror movies though." Billy tells her, taking a bite from the burger that was laid on his plate. Stu didn't have any food with him, having been too nervous knowing this is the day they're talking to the pretty girl.

"Yeah, we do." Stu confirms, nodding at her. Lyra smiles, Billy's kinda freaky, but Stu's adorable. Immediately she takes a liking to the man who seems to do nothing but agree with his friend.

"We'll that's great, me too. Or at least I did." Her smile falls slightly, thinking about the movies she'd used to enjoy. How could she ever watch one after seeing what she's seen, knowing the people she knows. The murderers are made to be villains, and of course she understands that but they can also be beautiful, good people. That's something the movies miss out.

"Not anymore?" Stu inquires and she shakes her head, not anymore.

She meets Tom's gaze across the room, he's no longer laughing, telling jokes to the table, his glare is heavy and aimed towards the two boys she sits with. Who did they think they were? Sitting with Lyra? Bothering her?

Lyra smiles kindly at the two, prepared to dismiss herself.

"My break is almost over and I have no more lessons today, neither does my boyfriend so he's gonna take me home. It was lovely to meet you both, Billy and Stu." Stu grins at her saying his name, what a beautiful sound, he muses. Billy however, finds her rambling suspicious.

"Your boyfriend go here?" He asks and Lyra nods slowly.

"Sort of." And with that she grabs her bag and leaves, sending Stu a small smile as she passes him. Tom stands up, mumbling about having a word with a student as he glares at the boys watching him, his arm falling comfortably around Lyra's waist.

She knows it's his jealousy causing his actions, but he could be fired if they realise they're together and so she politely pulls away and allows him to follow her.

"Dude, is she dating the professor?" Stu asks and for once Billy agrees with his thoughts. That look was a warning, he told them to back off. Billy smirks and leans back in his seat, believing himself to be more dangerous than the man anyway. Little did he know.