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The next thing I realized was that I had fallen asleep, as I slowly opened my eyes and sat up, stretching. The library had been buzzing with students before but now it was eerily quiet. I checked my watch and saw that it was just past seven o'clock. Not very late, but late enough that the library was practically deserted. I checked my phone and saw that I had two missed calls and a text from Sarah. I had turned my ringer off because there was nothing more annoying than a shrill ring in the middle of the library. I saw that her text had been sent about an hour ago.
Are you still at the library? Hurry home. I'm starving!
I texted her back quickly. Sorry, got caught up with homework. Will be home soon.
Even though we didn't always eat dinner together on the weekdays since we had different schedules, Sarah and I always made an effort to eat dinner together on the weekends. I felt bad for making Sarah wait, and I hurriedly stuffed my books into my backpack, swinging it onto my shoulder, and making my way out of the library.
It was already dark outside as I walked briskly across campus. I stuck both my hands in the pockets of my coat and burrowed my chin deep into the collar, bracing myself against the chilly air. I was waiting to cross the street that would take me off campus when I felt a prickling sense of unease down my spine.
I quickly turned around but there was no one behind me. I mentally cleared my head. I must still be out of it from falling asleep earlier. There was a lull in traffic so I dashed across the road and starting walking down a street lined with apartments. I pulled my earbuds out of my ears and stuffed them in my jacket. I felt like I was just letting my imagination run wild, but I wanted to make sure I could hear everything around me. It was stupid to listen to headphones anyway while walking alone in the dark. I shook my head, mentally berating myself.
As I continued to make my way down the street, I couldn't help flinching at every sound and turning to peer into the darkness to see its cause. The lights from the street lamps made the shadows seem even darker, heightening my sense of unease. The rattling of a crumpled can being blown across the graveled road made me practically jump out of my skin. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched, but every time I would whip my head around, there would be nothing to face me except the empty night air.
Feeling a little foolish, I quickened my pace until I was practically running. I was only a couple of streets away from my apartment when I decided that I didn't care how stupid I looked and broke into a full run. As the lights of my apartment came closer, I heaved a sigh of relief and prepared to run full tilt up the stairs when I felt a hand close around my arm.
I let out a blood-curdling scream and whipped around, pressing back against the railing of the stairs and letting my backpack slip to my hands, prepared to bludgeon someone with it, if necessary.
"Relax," a voice said. I felt the hand on my arm fall away. "It's just me."
I peered into the night, brushing the hair out of my face. "Simon?" Now my fear was being replaced with annoyance. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack!? You don't just sneak up behind someone in the dark and grab them!"
I put a hand to my heart, willing it to stop beating erratically. It was thudding against my chest as the adrenaline left my body.
Simon put both his hands out, palms up in apology. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I just saw you running like you were being chased and wanted to make sure you were okay."
As my heart started beating at a normal rate again, I looked closer at Simon. From the illumination of the light through the windows, I could see that he was wearing a dark green coat, jeans and sneakers. His hair was in its usual mussed state, but perfectly mussed.
He must spend hours getting his hair to look like that, I thought uncharitably. I felt uncharitable towards him as a whole. Not just because he had scared me, but because he had no right looking so good while I was sure I looked a fright with my windblown hair, trying to catch my breath.
"I'm fine," I replied through gritted teeth. I turned to walk up the stairs when his hand on my arm stopped me again.
"Are you sure?" Simon asked, gently turning me towards him again. "Last night, Sarah said that you were feeling sick."
I forced myself to relax my grip on the stair handrail and smile at him. It wasn't Simon's fault that I had become paranoid on my walk home. And he seemed really concerned.
"I'm fine," I said, with a small shake of my head. "I think I was just overtired yesterday. Nothing a good night's sleep couldn't take care of." I didn't mention that I hadn't had a good night's sleep at all. I had spent it tossing and turning, unable to turn off the thoughts in my mind.
Simon placed one foot on the first step of the stairs, keeping his hand on my arm and drawing in closer. "I'm glad to hear that. Did you get through your Economics homework okay?" he asked, a small smile on his face.
I laughed, feeling myself relax "I got through it okay. I'm hoping one of these days it all becomes clear to me." I paused. "How was practice?"
Simon grinned. "It was great. It's amazing how much Grant, Marcus and I have been able to meld our sound together. I've played with other guys before, but the three of us just seem instantly in tune with one another. I can understand Grant and Marcus being like that, since they've been in a band together for a while, and even me and Grant since we've played together a lot before. But the three of us haven't played together too often. Just a few times this past summer and a couple of times these past few days. And it's already exceeding my expectations. It's just really exciting."
I smiled at Simon's enthusiasm. He seemed different when talking about the band. Innocently excited and sweet. "That's great," I replied. "I'm sure you guys are going to be awesome next Saturday." I thought of Sarah waiting for me. "Anyways, I've gotta go. Sarah's waiting for me to eat and she's probably about to pass out from starvation."
"Okay," Simon said, a little reluctantly I thought. "Well, I guess I'll see you later."
I gave him a quick smile. Simon seemed different tonight. Less cocky and more vulnerable. I didn't let myself examine that too closely. "Sure, see you later." I ran upstairs, breaking his hold on my arm, not looking behind me to see if he was watching me.
"Finally," I heard Sarah exclaim from the kitchen when I shut the front door behind me. "I've been wasting away here waiting for you."
I laughed as I walked to the kitchen. "Well, I'm here to save you from starvation." I saw that Sarah had laid out ingredients for sandwiches on the counter. "Is that what you want to have for dinner? Sandwiches?"
"I don't know," Sarah replied. "But that's one of the few things I can make without burning down the house."
I grinned. "Let me drop my stuff off in my room and I'll help you rustle something up." I walked to my bedroom and dropped my backpack on the bed and hung my coat in the closet. I checked my reflection in the mirror hanging on the back of my closet door and grimaced. My hair was sticking out in multiple directions from being blown in the wind and my cheeks were red from the cold. So much for hoping I hadn't looked as disheveled as I had felt when talking to Simon. I grabbed an elastic band off my dresser and quickly wrestled my hair into a ponytail.
Sarah was looking through the cupboards when I walked back into the kitchen. "We have absolutely nothing to eat," she announced sadly. "Unless you feel like eating canned soup."
