The door was right in front of me. Yet, I was still hesitating.
What if the class stares too long? I knew I was late.
Or worse - what if I became the new target for these school bullies... again?
I shook myself out of that awful thought and finally forced my hand to the door handle.
Pushing it open, I timidly stepped inside. Instantly, all eyes turned toward me like I was some kind of alien creature that had crash-landed in their pristine classroom.
The professor paused mid-sentence, his eyes landing on me.
"Miss Freya," he said with a smile that was far too cheerful for this situation. "Nice of you to join us."
I managed a small, nervous smile in return, hoping that would be the end of it.
But of course not. His next words made my stomach drop.
"Come and introduce yourself."
At that point, I could physically feel my anxiety stretch its cold fingers around my chest. I dragged my feet forward like a prisoner walking to her execution.
As I reached the front, I stole a glance around the room. It was way bigger than my old school's classrooms, and the students here sat in singles. The walls were decorated with art pieces and trophies, but what really caught my attention were a pair of sharp, inky-black eyes at the back of the class, staring straight into my soul.
The eyes belonged to a guy with hazelnut-colored hair and a faint stubble, leaning lazily in his seat like he owned the world.
Something about him unsettled me - and I didn't like it.
But I still stood my ground.
"I'm Freya," I mumbled, shifting awkwardly under their stares.
The professor didn't push for more. Instead, he gestured to an empty seat in the middle row.
I wasted no time sinking into it, grateful to be out of sight, though my chest still felt tight.
As the lecture continued, my brain decided it wasn't interested in any of it.
My attention span was about that of a guinea pig.
So I did what I usually did when overwhelmed and bored,
I slept.
*
I didn't know how long I was out, but I was jolted awake by a gentle tap on my shoulder.
Groggily, I opened my eyes to see a girl - my seatmate - standing beside me.
She was staring at me like she was trying to figure out whether to poke me with a stick or not.
I blinked. The classroom was half-empty now, desks abandoned.
Maybe it was lunchtime.
The girl was still standing there, awkwardly shifting her weight, before she finally spoke.
"Sleeping on the first day of school? Such a naughty girl." A voice teased. I turned towards the voice.
"I'm Samantha," she said, her words tumbling out in a rush. "And yeah, you overslept. Sorry for staring too long - you just looked really exhausted. I didn't wanna wake you up but... you wanna grab lunch together?"
Her gaze softened at the end, and for the first time that day.
"Ugh, sure. I'm Freya, by the way," I said, running a hand through my messy hair.
Might I add, that was a really nice sleep.
She laughed lightly, waving her hand dismissively.
"I know that."
What?
The walk to the cafeteria didn't take long. And the moment we stepped inside, my jaw nearly dropped.
It wasn't a cafeteria - it was a freaking banquet hall.
Polished floors, gleaming tables, velvet drapes, and a chandelier so massive it could probably crush a car if it fell. Everything screamed royalty.
But the best part?
The food.
Trays loaded with steaming bowls, pastries, and fruits. Dishes I couldn't even name. The scent alone made my stomach growl.
Samantha chuckled at my reaction.
"First time seeing this kinda thing, huh?"
"You think?" I muttered, my eyes still glued to a particularly impressive tower of pancakes.
We grabbed our food, and as we were about to head to a table, I felt it again.
That unnerving stare.
I glanced over my shoulder and sure enough - there he was. The hazelnut-haired guy from earlier, leaning against a pillar at the far end of the cafeteria, his black eyes locked onto mine like a predator sizing up its prey.
Samantha followed my gaze and immediately stiffened.
"Oh. Him."
I frowned. "You know him?"
She bit her lip, looking like she was debating whether to tell me or not.
"That's... uh, Zayne."
"Okay, and...?" I prompted, feeling goosebumps crawl up my neck.
Who is he and why does he stare at me weirdly.
Before she could answer, a loud, piercing scream echoed from somewhere behind us.
Students started rushing toward the hallway, murmuring in shock.
"What the hell was that?!" I blurted.
Samantha grabbed my wrist, her face pale.
"Stay close to me, Freya. You're not gonna believe what's happening."
And whatever it was - it was heading straight for us.
I haven't even lived my life yet, why all these.
I did as she said and she took me to an empty closet. -what the hell!
I didn't question her though and stayed put.
I don't know how long I've been standing before the door knob started moving drastically like someone was trying to open it with force.
I held on to myself and sealed my lips to avoid making any sound.
Silence.
That was all I heard later. I was having double thoughts on either opening it myself or not and I chose the latter.
Minutes passed by and the door flew open.
*****