Lucas
Karma's a bitch.
Scarlett flipped the script on me and this time I'm the one to be stood up for a study session. We were supposed to meet in the library today at three so we could go over the now completed script and start the editing process, but she never showed. Unlike her, however, I wasn't waiting two hours for her to show up. Thirty minutes later and no sign of her I got my ass up and left. My plan was to go home and go right back to sleep given that I woke up early on a Saturday for her, but at the last minute, I made the decision to stop by her room.
One thing I learned about Scarlett is that she's very punctual. Almost to a fault. She's always the first one to class and I only know this because when Professor Simpson was grilling me for the fifth time about my lateness, he mentioned how my partner Miss Carmichael is always on time. If she wasn't going to show up she would have told me. The only reason why she wouldn't have shown is if something really important came up or she's hurt and as her English partner it would be a crime if I didn't at least check up on her and make sure she's okay.
Lee, one of the RAs for the building, set up a directory of residents by the main doors which makes locating Scarlett's room much easier. Right before I knock on her door I silently pray that my super stalker Juliette isn't there. It would be just my luck that I walk into the cougar's den. And I'm definitely not in the mood to be groped today.
I wait but no one opens the door. There's noise coming from the other side of the door so I know someone's in there. I knock again this time a little more firmly. Still, the cause of the noise doesn't answer. I aggressively knock again, the noise echoing in the otherwise quiet hall. A girl pops her head out of her room and gives me a scowl, no doubt annoyed by my excessive banging. I'm just about to go get the master room key from Lee when the door swings open revealing an unusually disheveled Scarlett.
"Oh hey, Lucas..." She leans on the door frame and crosses her arms over her oversized 'YALE' t-shirt, that looks like it's been through the wash one too many times. "What's up? Do you need something?"
"You missed our study session. I just wanted to make you were okay." I try to look behind her into her room but she shifts into my line of vision blocking my view.
"Shit.." She breathes under her breath. "I completely forgot. I'm so sorry Lucas I should've called or something."
"No big deal we can just work on it another day, but the real concern I have is are you okay?"
If I'm being honest Scarlett looks anything but okay. Her dark bags show through her makeup, a good indication that she probably hasn't slept in a day or two. She's jittery and on edge and is constantly playing with the bottom hem of her shirt. Her hair which is normally neatly done is sitting on top of her head in a messy bun, but the part that concerns me the most is her puffy and red-rimmed eyes. She has to have been crying for a while for them to look that bad. If there's one thing I learned about Scarlett it's that she's happy all the time. Sometimes she's annoyed but once that passes she's back to smiling, so it has to be something serious for her to be crying.
"I'm fine Lucas honest." She smiles at me, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. Speaking of her eyes, her normally sparkling deep chocolate eyes are completely void of any life. There's a dullness in them that unsettles me. I know something's up with her and if she doesn't want to tell me I'll find out myself.
"If you say so...Hey, I just got an idea. How about we work on it here. Right now."
Scarlett opens her mouth to say something but before she can get it out, I'm standing in the middle of her room.
