(UNDERGOING REWRITE) Crime & Chaos [ ᴊᴏᴋᴇʀ ]

Chapter 8: Uninvited and Unhinged

Crime & Chaos

" UNINVITED AND UNHINGED "

by alwaysgeia

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Julie spent the next few days in a state of high alert. The memory of the Joker's intrusion haunted her, but she knew she had to keep moving forward. She couldn't let fear paralyze her.

The sun crept over the horizon, casting a pale light through the curtains of Julie's bedroom. Julie sat on her bed, trembling with exhaustion and anxiety. She glanced at the clock: 6:30 a.m. Her mother's footsteps echoed down the hall, and she knew she had to pull herself together quickly.

With a deep breath, Julie wiped her tears and smoothed her hair, trying to look as normal as possible. She opened the door to find her mother standing in the hallway, a concerned expression on her face. She had hardly slept since that Saturday, with the Joker constantly plaguing her mind.

"Julie, are you alright? You look like you haven't slept at all," her mother said, peering at her with a worried frown.

"I'm fine, Mom. Just had a rough night. I'll be down in a minute," Julie replied, forcing a smile.

Her mother nodded, still looking unconvinced, but she turned and headed downstairs. Julie closed the door and leaned against it, taking a moment to steady herself. She needed to act normal, but how could she, knowing the Joker could return at any moment?

After quickly changing into a fresh set of clothes, Julie made her way downstairs. Her mother was in the kitchen, making breakfast. The smell of bacon and eggs filled the air.

"Here you go, honey," her mother said, placing a plate of food in front of her. "Eat up. You need your energy."

Julie nodded and took a few bites, though she barely tasted the food. Her mind was elsewhere, replaying the events of Saturday night and Sunday morning.

She grabbed her phone, seeing multiple notifications pop up on her lock screen.

Maggie: 'Hey Julie, did you get home alright?'

Beth: 'OMG! I heard what happened on Saturday!! Are you okay??'

Clarice: 'JULIET EVANS ANSWER YOUR PHONE RIGHT NOW!'

Answering them all back one by one, she gave the same excuse. One that just said she hadn't been feeling great and felt ill since Saturday. After all the texts were sent, she placed her phone face down on the table, feeling sick just looking at it.

*

Julie walked through the entrance of the college, clutching her lanyard. The security guard eyed her with a certain look on his face, but she didn't glance at him long enough to decipher it. She simply walked past, planning to get to her class quickly.

Reaching the door, she pushed it open and caught the worried eyes of her friends.

The classroom was stuffy, and the air was heavy with the afternoon heat. Mr. Lloyd droned on, but Juliet couldn't focus. Her mind was elsewhere, tangled up in the chaos of Gotham and the Joker's chilling presence. She glanced out the window, her fingers absently tapping her pen against the desk.

"Evans," Mr. Lloyd's voice snapped her back to reality. "Care to join us?"

Juliet blinked, feeling the eyes of her classmates on her. "Sorry, Mr. Lloyd," she muttered, trying to look attentive.

Mr. Lloyd sighed dramatically. "Try to keep up, Evans. This will be on the exam."

Juliet nodded, though she barely heard his words. As the class continued, she felt her friends fawning over her, their concern thinly veiled with curiosity. Clarice, usually supportive, seemed slightly jealous of the attention Juliet was receiving.