Awakened

Chapter 10

I closed my eyes and held my breath for a second. I slowly let the breath out while I sat on a bench outside of my dorm room building. I rubbed my hands against my arms trying to gain a little warmth. The temperature dropped from earlier and the wind had a little more chill.

"I must have a death wish." I sighed aloud. I mean I've done crazy things in the past, like walking around outside at three A.M. simply out of boredom and then finding myself in the forest soaking up the beautiful night sky and the rushing water, but nothing that could get me killed. I shivered but not from being cold just the thought of my secret clearing and river made me get up from the bench and start walking towards the parking lot. As I walked the streetlights started turning off one after the other and soon my walk became a run. I swore I heard a slight laugh but I didn't stop running.

I've done stupid things before too, but nothing like this. I couldn't believe I was out hopefully alone running through the parking lot heading to meet someone that pulled two daggers on me. Not one. Two.

"Yeah cause that would've made such a huge difference." I huffed out loud.

All of a sudden every single street light turned on blazing as bright as the sun. I could make out everything within the parking lot. I was alone. I stopped running and put my hands on my knees trying to catch my breath. I shook my head laughing, sort of wishing I took up Lacey on her offer to have a movie marathon.

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After the weird phone call from Michelle the suite door banged open scaring me again. Lacey made her way inside not being quiet about her entrance at all. "The hour is almost up!" She yelled as if our room door wasn't open. "Just figured I would give a five minute warning." She said and I could imagine the smile she had on her face.

I laughed grateful for the distraction while Jake groaned in protest.

At least he didn't get to ask who called me. I thought to myself.

Jake looked at me with a puzzled expression on his face, his eyes on the necklace that Michelle lent me. "When did you go into Michelle's room? I thought you left to do laundry?" His voice took on a note of concern.

I looked towards the windows past his head and had to do a double take. It seemed as if there was someone running into the woods but by the time I looked back they were gone.

I contemplated telling Jake the truth about the whole thing, but something held me back. That feeling plus Michelle's strange warning stopped me.

"She came down to the laundry room freaking out about this date that she has and we walked up with one another." I replied.

"Someone is going on a date with her!?"Jake laughed. "Have they met her?"

I shook my head but smiled, "Be nice!"

"I am nice..." he said walking around me. "To you."

He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to him. He held me against his

bare chest and rested his head on mine. "You okay baby? You seem a little bit off."

"Yeah I'm fine just tired." I turned and looked up at him, smiling, hoping he couldn't tell that I was lying.

"Didn't you wake up just a couple of hours ago?"

"That's why I'm tired. I overslept." I laughed.

Jake looked at me skeptically but only pulled me closer into a hug. After a minute he loosened his hold and I slipped out. He looked at me confused, "You sure it's just that you're tired?" I nodded my head but he didn't look convinced. He opened his to say something but paused. His eyes refocused onto my neck and he spoke. "Where'd you get that from?"

I fingered the necklace that was on loan from Michelle trying to think of something to say, unsure if I should say Michelle lent it to me. Before I could say anything he leaned into me again and pulled something out of my hair.

"Okay where did this come from?" I looked at his hand and laying in the palm was a thin shard of glass. I quickly grabbed it from him grateful that the edges weren't too sharp. I brought the piece closer to my face pretending to be confused and trying to see what the object was before I tossed it behind me towards the windows.

"Hey. What did you do that for? Was that glass?" Jake asked me confused knowing that I had a garbage right next to me.

"I dunno" I laughed, "Not entirely sure what it was. All I know is that it doesn't belong in my hair!"

"Babe are you sure everything is alright? You're acting weirder than normal."

"I'm fine. Really. I'm just still exhausted." I laughed.

Shit. I need a better lie than that.

"One minute!" Lacey shouted from the common room.

Jake groaned in annoyance again and reached towards me pulling me into his arms once more.

As if she was waiting for Jake to do something, Michelle knocked on the open door. She stood in the doorway holding a black bag in front of her. She looked at Jake's arms around me and rolled her eyes. "Sorry to interrupt," she said her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But I grabbed your clothes from the dryer. You didn't have a lot and they dried quickly so here."

I stepped out of Jake's arms and towards Michelle grabbing the bag from her. "Thanks-", I started but Jake stepped forward and pulled me back into his arms cutting me off.

"Can you go get ready for your little date now? We're kind of busy right now." He called out from behind me.

Before Michelle could respond with some choice curse words Lacey barged into the room. "Time's up!" She yelled.

She took one look at Jake and I and sighed, hopping onto her bed. She sent a glare Jake's way and huffed. "Ew. Put on a shirt."

I reached into the bag and pulled out his clothes handing them to him gesturing for him to go get changed. He was about to say something to me but Lacey opened her mouth first. "So I was thinking tonight could be a Netflix night?" Lacey said looking at me.

"Actually I was going to ask-", Jake started but Michelle interrupted, "Well I have to go fold some laundry before my date. Thanks again Destiny." Then Michelle was out the door.

I had a feeling Jake was going to ask for a redo on our date but tonight just wouldn't work.

"Yeah you know what Lace. Netflix sounds great." I said to her with a small smile.

Jake looked disappointed but I refused to change my decision. Jake looked at me and smiled slightly raising the clothes in his hands and then walked into the bathroom.

I sat down onto my bed and grabbed my phone seeing that Lacey had texted me every ten minutes for the past hour with the countdown. I looked up at her and laughed shaking my head.

Jake walked into the room wearing his own clothes. He placed my sweatpants onto my bed and moved closer to me. He gathered me into a hug and kissed my forehead. "Well I think I'll be heading out now. I love you baby." He said walking towards the door.

I watched him reach the exit before I responded, "Alright babe. I'll see you tomorrow okay?" I never got the answer because the common room door closed with finality. I glanced at my phone and saw that the time was 5:35.

About four crappy hour and a half movies later, Lacey was fast asleep. I changed into a pair of black sweatpants and a dark hoodie. I slipped out of the room closing the door softly behind me and started running downstairs. I quickly left the building wrapping the hood tight around my face to block the wind that started blowing. I headed toward the parking lot but stopped at the bench in front of my building and sat down. I needed just a bit more time to think about this meeting.

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Once the lights went back to normal and I caught my breath I resumed my walk through the parking lot. It was then I realized it was after midnight and I was alone. Where was Michelle?