SIGNS & SYMBOLS

1. Freak Of Nature

These idiots are gonna catch some hands if they don't stop following me right now" she thought as she touched her sling bag discreetly for her pepper spray. She saw that the Starbucks is not as crowded. Mainly because its night but that never affected the caffeine requirement of college students she thought. "Anyway, there will be staff. The stalker gang will get bored and leave after some time", she sent a prayer to rarely called upon god. She clutched her Math 55b text book closer with one hand and keep her pace steady.
There were a boy and 2 girls in the start bucks. She got her tall coffee no cream and stalled as much as she could but the 4 students following her have were now inside. The trapped feeling was dragging out the anxiety. "No, no time for that. I have to act fast. I can't hide inside the toilet. I can't go to the dorm. Should I call my roommate to come here. But that will put her in trouble as their 4 of them." she thought as she looked around and see a guy sitting alone near the window working on his laptop.
" Am I really doing this? Yes."She decided as she walked up to the guy. He was facing the sidewall so he looked up when she walked up to his table. She gave him a side hug not really touching " Hi, Am I late? The tutoring session dragged a bit" she said as she sat next to him facing the door. He was probably shocked by a girl barging into his personal space probably because he was sitting really still and looking at her with questions only his raised eyebrow.
"I am really sorry for disturbing you like this but if you don't mind could you act like you know me and we were supposed to meet here. You see, those clowns near the door are following me from the library. I don't wanna lead them to my dorm." She said lowering her voice and keeping a smile on her face. He slowly turned his head to the door and looked at Jim Shepherd, Toby Jones, Wayne Frank and Shea Sampson. They were good looking guys, dressed well, groomed and showing off all the subtle signs of upper to Filthy Rich family backgrounds they belong to. The stalker gang were loitering and were not sure if they should wait or abandon their plan. Rey didn't think it was a well thought out plan anyway so this detour may have thrown them off. "You know them?" the stranger beside her said. "Woah, dude, that is some voice you got there. Ya, I know them. I am the teaching assistant for one of their classes and I just finished a tutoring session. Doing it for 2 years now. 8 other students were also there, who left as the session ended as is the norm. She said. "Hmm.. " came the deep voiced reply. "Also because maybe those students did not concocted the half hatched plan to inappropriately pressure the tutor to join them on their private party. And when the tutor sternly refused it affected the "daddy pay my bill" ego and decided to follow her." For this bit of information she got another "Hmm...".
"Do you know them? Because it will really not funny if you turned out to be their homie" she asked with that a nervous laughter came out of her. He turned his face towards her "You are one hundred percent safe with me and I promise nothing bad is going to happen tonight". "Wow, his eyes are as intense as his voice and even though he is good looking guy his voice doesn't match his face. Can't really say how tall he is as he is still have a hunched posture but his arms are muscular and some tattoos are peaking through. He has pearcings and long black curly hair. But nothing about is scary or creepy and also she saw he has a ime paused on his laptop"
She thought how physical expressions such as tattoos and piercings were associated with character and now are common among students and professors. But he doesn't look like a student or a professor. Their definitely an artsy vibe. Maybe it is because he is not anxious to get rid of me and go back to his assignment or studies.
"So, do you want me to walk you to your dorm? I don't mind really. Anything you want. If you want me to wait with you for your friends or boyfriend, I can do that" He said. "No, I don't think I should go to my dorm as they are still there and I don't want them to follow me there. I will email the professor that I can't tutor them and maybe that will be the last time I have to think about them." She said but there was a note of worry in her voice as it will bring too much complication that she did not want in her life right now.
"That is probably a good idea. So you want to wait here untill they go?" He asked as her picked up his phone from the table. She instantly marked a point in his favour as he did not insist on overpowering the situation and maybe start a fight or make decisions for her.
"I would really like it if I could go somewhere where I lose them as this place will close in sometime. Maybe like a crowd or something. This place is usually more crowded at this time." She said as she checked time and noted its around 8:45. The place will close in 15 minutes. The baristas have started to end their shifts. Actually, I am also ready to wind down and end this long day. She thought.
" There is a gig at the sanders theatre. It will start at 9:30. If you want to go, we can go there." He said. "Brilliant, that is freaking brilliant. Let me just run to the washroom." She said as she got up. She took her bag and book with her as the book is bloody expensive and she needed to touch up her hair and face a little big if she has to stay on her feet for some more time. She searched the music department message board to confirm that there is actually a concert. She saw many upcoming and famous rappers are performing tonight. That kind of explained why there was nobody is in the coffee shop. He definitely has a music connection. Maybe a drummer or guitar player. Look young enough to be a student.
She brushed her hair and tightened her pony. Her hair is not very thick or very thin. And it's darker shade of brown which look black most of the time but looks lighter in sunlight. Rey has normal indian looks and nobody can doubt her ethnicity as her brown skin, thick eyebrows and facial features are typical indian. There maybe a hint of an accent which comes and goes depending on who she in talking with. She washed and dried her face. Put on a little bb cream,quickly dabbed her lip stain and sprayed some deo. She walked upto the table near which the good samaritan was standing now and said, "I'm Rekha. I go by Rey. Math major"
"Kyle Morgan". He smiled and that was a punch to the solar plexus. His face transformed and he went good looking to gorgeous in that instant. He has closed his laptop and his headphones. He walked and opened the door and kept hold of the door until she passed. Rey felt her heartbeat a little faster. These gestures mybe cheesy to Some but polite and considerate human beings are rare.
She faltered a little when she noticed there are only two cars outside one of them had a person in the driving seat with all the doors opened and all the 4 guys who follwed her were standing around it talking and laughing. Kyle was walking a slight step behind her. Rey felt him move so that he is obstructing their line of sight. "Do you have a car?" She asked. "I don't know how I feel about getting into a stranger's car. Maybe not really smart but definitely the better option"She thought. But Rey was almost certain that she would be in a serious trouble walking at this time.