Stone Cold

Chapter 1

She was sitting on a wooden chair holding a book in her small hands. A glass window located on the side allowed sunlight to enter the room and illuminate her soft features.

Greyish-blue eyes were fixated on the tiny words. Jet black hair held in a messy bun on top of her head. She pushed a stray strand behind her ear as it lingered in the corner of her vision and disturbed her peaceful reading. Skimming through the text, her eyes would squint every once in a while. She seemed like a reader who emotionally bonded with the characters, feeling their each and every sentiment while reading a book.

The library and the people around her dissolved as she immersed herself deeper in the book she was currently reading.

She should've been socialising with her friends. Friends she didn't have.

She huffed as the thought crossed her mind.

She had specifically chosen this college so that she could make a new name for herself. She wasn't a loner. She did have acquaintances. But that was all she had.

No lover.

No close friend.

No one she could trust.

It had been like this for a long time.

"Faith." Someone called her name, breaking her chain of thoughts.

The chair beside her screeched as she turned her head to find April smiling down at her. April was a petite blonde with big blue eyes. Her soft features made her look like a real life doll.

She smiled back at April and replied, "Yes"

"We're planning on going on a short trip. You know, travelling around, visiting the nearby towns. Would you like to come?"

April was a social butterfly. They shared most of their classes. She had this special quality to charm everyone she met with her bubbly personality, befriending them immediately. That was how Faith knew her.

"Uh.." She looked at April's questioning eyes, contemplating her own decision. She did want to go. She was tired of being stuck in this new place. But an unnamed fear was holding the 'yes' down on the tip of her tongue. She was afraid. Afraid of burdening others. She didn't want to be their baggage.

She looked down chewing her plump rosy lip. She had had these insecurities since a long time ago. Insecurities that ate away at her confidence slowly and turned her into a nervous wreck.

"Come on. You've been cooped up in this college since our admission. Let's go. It would be fun."

This was her chance of a change. She had travelled a long way for this. Maybe she'd be able to make new friends on this trip. Maybe, she would indeed have fun.

With that little bit of self-motivation, she looked up at April and smiled.

"Okay."

"No, I'm not liste- " April's eyes widened. "What did you just say? You'll come? Yes! I promise you Faith, you won't regret it."

That bubbly girl kept babbling about their trip details while Faith drowned out her voice. She kept hoping inside that It wouldn't turn into a big mistake.
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‎‎She was excited as well as nervous for her upcoming trip. She kept having second thoughts about the decision made by her in the spur of the moment. What if she did something stupid and became a laughing stock? What if they think she's too boring and she ended up becoming the ultimate loner of the college?

She gave hundreds of pep talk sessions to her ownself, everyday, till the day of their departure arrived.

"Whatever happens. I can at least reassure myself that I tried. I tried."

So with this resolution in her mind, she boarded the train with others. I'm going to have the time of my life on this trip, she thought as she stared out of the window.

The place they had in their mind was Rye, a medieval town in East Sussex. There were three girls, April, Alex and Claire and two boys, Duke and Caleb accompanying her on this trip. All of them were nice to her. But she couldn't keep up with their talks. They knew each other so well. She felt out of the place.

She sat silently, smiling once in a while. No one noticed how she slipped out of the conversation as she closed her eyes and placed her head against the glass window.

"Faith."

She was standing alone in the dark.

"Faith." The voice said again. This time, aggressively.

"Who.. Who are you?" Her voice was trembling.

She saw a man come into her view. Cladded in black. His face was hidden from her vision.

"Why did it take you so long? WHY?" All she saw was his white fangs before he lunged towards her.

"Faith!"

She woke up gasping for air. April looked at her alarmingly.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. Just a bad dream."

"Get your bag sleepy head. We're here already."

She looked around. Everyone had left except for her. She blushed with embarrassment. Picked up her bag and tried to pat her face nonchalantly to see if there were any traces of drool left.

"No. You didn't drool." April laughed as Faith blushed harder.