Lilith

Chapter One: New Day

-The photo attached above is of Setani.

—

I have always wondered what it'd be like to live alone. To depend on yourself for the most part and not be able to ask for help at just any second. When I left for college and got an apartment of my own, I didn't have to wonder anymore.
It was surreal at first, walking around a place of my own, with rules of my own(aside from those issued by the apartment complex, of course). I could have friends over as I pleased, although the only people I socialized with were those I met in school.
There was Talia, who was, although smart, very reckless. She was usually the one dragging me to parties immediately after study sessions. She made up for her lack of height with quite an attitude, so her and I had our arguments more often that I'd have liked. We always made up again, though.
There was also Johann, the only masculine boy I could tolerate. He was like a brother to me, so when I found out he had feelings for me, it was in our best interests to turn him down. Unlike most other boys, however, he stuck around, even after being rejected. That meant the world to me.
He was usually the one defending me from any insults that came from guys, but there weren't many of those in the first place. They only really came about when I rejected a guy or mentioned that I liked girls. I was seriously thankful for him.
I was shaken out of my thoughts as an alarm sounded from right beside me. As I turned my head to glare at my alarm clock, I noticed that it said 7:50 am. It was about ten minutes early. "What the hell...." I mumbled, sitting up. That last ten minutes could've been what kept me awake for today's lecture, but the damned clock had to malfunction. I irritably slammed my hand down on the button to turn the sound off, but it kept ringing. It was getting increasingly irritating, so I quickly pressed the button again.
It kept ringing.
I huffed, reaching behind my nightstand and fumbling with the plugs before snatching the one attached to the clock out of the socket. Finally, the sound stopped.
I laid my head back on my pillow, my hair remaining a tangled mess under my head.
Ten more minutes won't hurt, I thought to myself, pulling the blanket over me. I usually had a little extra time in the morning anyway, so this was nothing.
Or so I thought.
—
I awoke again to the sound of my phone ringing. "What?!" I sat up angrily, so dazed that I barely noticed the sunlight now peeking through my curtains. The sun didn't come up like that at 8:00 am in the fall. I snatched my phone off my nightstand, looking at the caller ID. Why would she be calling me this early? We don't have to be at the lecture for another hour..
I answered the phone, frowning. "Hello..? Dude, why are you calling so early?"
The voice that came back was more panicked than I'd have expected. "Where the hell are you?! The lecture started fifteen minutes ago and everything we've learned so far sounds really important! The professor said that most of this would be on the exam and none of us can afford to fail that, not even you!" She sounded genuinely concerned, so I knew I needed to get there.
"I could've sworn it was only like 8:00!"
"What? Setani, it's 9:30! Hurry up and get here before your grade suffers the consequences." She hung up before I could respond, and I got out of bed with wide eyes. I usually woke up about a hour before I had to catch the subway just so I could eat breakfast, do my hair, tend to my plants, and get dressed. I didn't have time for any of that now!
I quickly grabbed at a pair of blue jeans sitting at the edge of my bed, and a tight black crop top on the chair at my desk. I grabbed purse and stuffed my brush, my keys, my phone, my earplugs, and a granola bar inside. I then snatched up my folder, which, thankfully, already had my paperwork for the day organized inside, and ran out the door. I slammed it behind me, locking it and making my way as fast as I could down the apartment stairs.
Fuck! If I don't catch the next stop I'm screwed..