I woke up breathing heavily, my chest was wheezing, and I was sweating like crazy. I shakely opened the drawer next to me, first turning the knob then I pulled it open, but there was nothing. I was sure that I had put it there.
I started coughing rapidly. I heard a squeaky sound coming from my chest, and I immediately knew that I had started wheezing. Inhale, exhale, as mom used to tell me whenever I'm in a situation like this. It was the 4th rule she had given me ever since she found out I was asthmatic.
"Hey, hey. It's okay. I'm here." Sky ran over to me with a backup inhaler. That was also one of the rules my mom had given Sky in case of an emergency like this. I am so glad that we took those rules seriously.
Where did that even come from? I took it from her, and I first shook it, then I inhaled it, and my breathing pace started being normal again. I touched the left side of my chest to feel my rapid heartbeat beating starting to slow down.
"Are you okay?" She asked, and her eyes with worry all over them. She wanted to touch my shoulder, but she lifted her hand away.
"I'm fine." I said harsher than intended to.
I got off my bed. She furrowed her eyes at me. She didn't seem to worry about me when we were in the car, but now she seems to care. I could feel her burning gaze trying prying on the flesh of my back.
I wore my glasses, from the top of the nightstand right next to the photo of my mom and dad, so I could see better. I made my bed by getting rid of the excess blankets and only laying my formula bed cover.
I headed on to go shower.
Today, I needed to go find a job, well, part-time to be specific so I could buy a phone so that I could be ready when school starts, I thought
I stripped off my clothes and I got in the rectangular glass containing a shower hanging way above my head. I turned it on and I let the droplets make contact with my skin and my hair which needed a wash.
I had a nightmare, which is why I woke up wheezing. I had a nightmare that everyone I had in my life had gone away from me, and I was all alone, in the dark. Even my shadow left me and I kept running and running until it led me to a green emblem that was closed. It was like a game, a riddle my head wanted me to solve and inside I heard my mother screaming.
I turned off the shower. I wrapped my body in my scruffy, uncomfortable towel around my head and another one around my body. I got out of the bedroom to wear my clothes.
I wore blue faded jeans, yesterday's shirt and a blue sweater which was torn on the side. I wore my dirty, worn-out sneakers.
I should wash them. I joined Sky for breakfast. We were having leftovers as in the pasta her boyfriend ate. It was cold but it was still good. I did notice the glances Sky was sparing me but I kept staring at my food, not wanting to meet her eyes.
I took put an old beanie to tame my wild curly unkept hair.
I walked out of the door, and I walked through the hallway of the west wing dormitories. There were walls of fame on some of the walls next to the doors on each side. I saw some of the smartest people who were here. I stopped to stare one of boards.
The one I admired the most graduated here when he was 20 and I'm here at 18. It was not that long ago, maybe last year. He did medical studies, no one knows where he ended up bug I am definitely sure that he is successful wherever he is.
Matteo De Luca
He had an IQ score of 254. Which is a lot. I read about him in a high school paper. I haven't seen his face because I didn't really care, but I admire his intelligence. He seems very introverted from what I've read about him.
He made a mark in this university just like I want to. He is Italian and I know that from his name.
It originates from Hebrew, meaning the gift of God. It also sounds sexy if you think about it. I shook my head and I continued taking my strides
I headed down the hallway, and I saw a familiar brown haired girl. She was wearing black sweats and a hoodie. She seemed to be coming from somewhere because I saw her talking to someone before that person went away.
"Willow? Is that you?" I called out to her.
I just wanted to make sure I was seeing the right person, I mean I do where glasses after all, glasses that need to be updated.
"Oh hey, Kyla." She chirped as she approached me. Her whole aura changed from a clumsy way to enthusiastic girl to a girl with confidence, who works with her head held up high and is inexplicably beautiful.
"Oh, I wanted to give you your coat." I said, snapping out of my daze.
"Oh, you didn't have to do that." Her tone wavering as she was looking at something on her phone. Seems important.
"I insist." I handed her the coat, and she shrugged and took it. I do not like owning other people's belongings. I would like to work for what I would like to have.
"You wanna hang out?" She asked, her brown eyes twinkling.
"Hang out." I reciprocated the word but slower.
"Yes." She chuckled on how I said.
"I have to go look for a part-time job." I pointed out. This time it was not just an excuse like back in high school when I avoided people not to hang out with them because they did not interest me.
"Oh. I'll accompany you." She said.
"Oh, okay." I said kinda of happy that I'll do this with someone. Someone I actually like.
************************************
"What?" I burst into laughter. Yes. Laugh.
"Yeah. It's not that funny." She playfully rolled her sparkly brown eyes.
"You literally kissed your boyfriend's twin, thinking it was your boyfriend." I said, sipping on the caramel latte she bought me. Even though I insisted that she shouldn't but I guess it is rude to refuse an offer.
"They look the same." She argued, drinking her own coffee.
"I also have an identical twin." I stated, a little less proud that I have one because she is more of a stranger than she is a sister to me.
"I hope she's less meaner than you." She fake pouted.
"I highly doubt it." I shrugged.
We both stood up from the table, and I scratched my hand. I hissed in pain. Then I kissed it better.
I used to do that ever since I was like 10, and it also made me feel better.
"You kissed yourself better?" She chuckled incredulously.
"Yeah." Wondering what's funny about this. It's just a girl kissing her bubu better.
"Didn't you have your mom kiss it better?" She asked, whilst putting her trapper hat on.
"She used to argue why I would do it myself, but it felt more nicer if I did it myself." I stated as we walked out of Starbucks.
"Yeah, I'd also argue. Why would you do that?" She asked curiously.
"Ask a dermatologist." I retorted sarcastically but it seems to backfire when I become sarcastic with her. She seems to take it literally when she knows very well that I am being sarcastic.
"I will, actually." She chuckled, and I smiled.
"Your smile is beautiful. You should smile more." She pointed out.
I went back to putting the neutral expression I have most of the time.
"Or not." She put her hands up in surrender.
"Willow, are we friends?" I asked nervously, and I've never been the one to show my nervousness.
"No." She seriously said.
I knew it was too good to be true. Stupid
"We're besties." She gave me a side hug.
"Cool." I said.
"Yeah, someone has to be here to keep you out of trouble." She ruffled my hair a little bit from under my beanie.
I let out a small chuckle.. I made a friend! Even if it is just one friend, it still counts. It is more than I could ever wish for.
We are walking in the streets and looking at different places that could be suitable for me to work in.
"How bout' that place? Looks cozy, don't you think?" She asked, and I turned my head to see what she was going on about.
"Sure." I said as we turned to walk in.
It was perfect! It was a place where college students could hang out. It was within reach of the university so I could walk instead of taking a cab, and I could go on and on about the convenience.
It was warm and there were tables which students were working on. Some were drinking coffee and wearing headphones.
I looked around for the manager of this place, so I assumed it was the guy at the counter.
"Hi, are you the manager?" I asked as I approached the middle-aged man.
He had brown hair and he was wearing a suit. He had brown eyes, which were a little bit unsettling.
"Oh, I'm here to apply for a job." I went straight to the point.
"Oh, okay. Do you have accounting experience? No worries, though. You'll be fine." He said, giving me a tremendous amount of paperwork.
"But, I don't even know your name or -" Willow cut me off.
"She'll take the job." She said, giving him a bright smile.
The man nodded and got on his way.
"What just happened?" I asked.
"Don't worry. I'm going to the bathroom. Just stay put." She ran into the direction of the bathroom.
She was acting oddly suspicious. I went to a nearby table, and I started to do paperwork.
I noticed that this business expenditure is N/A. There is no proof of payments that took place and / or any other thing such as stock taking and assets or liabilities, etc.
I literally flipped through the 1000 pages of the booklet. This has to be a joke. Something is going on here.
I was about to stand up, but someone walked through the door. He had presence. People stopped what they were doing to look at him.
I stopped to look at him. I started from the bottom which are his shoes to the top which is the face. He was dressed in black from top to bottom. He had a very good muscle definition and a great stance.
His face was so breathtaking. He had jet black hair, which was shorter on the sides and messy in the middle. He had gorgeous pink lips and pale skin, not that pale but a warm-ish pale. He also had the perfect cheekbones matching with the ocean blue eyes you could drown in and a killer jawline.
Okay, what? Blue eyes and black hair. Most people find grey eyes attractive. Who knew I found blue eyes and black hair attractive? Because, no one has ever looked more appealing than this. He scanned around the restaurant to find someone.
When he couldn't find the person, his blue eyes stared right into my brown ones. I raised an eyebrow.
With every step he took towards me, the more people got out of the restaurant.
He knelt down to my height because I was sitting on the chair.
"Where's Martinez?" He asked with his Italian accent, his voice deep and so sexy.
"I don't know." I looked him even though I don't know who's he's talking about. Although by the way the manager behaved, I'm gonna go ahead and guess that, that's Martinez.
"Tell me, ragazza, are you lying to me?" He leaned in closer as he took it out of his gun. His facial expression remained hard, and so was mine.
Right now, I looked like I didn't have a care in the world, but inside, I was not even concentrating on the fact that his gun was on my cheek. I was focusing on his gorgeous face.
"Why would I lie to you?" I leaned in closer, and his face up close is even better. I could see the feint freckles on his nose. His breath minty.
"Ah, interessante, la ragazza non ha paura della morte." He said.
I don't know whether to be afraid that his hand is resting on the trigger and that he might shoot me or that his voice is super sexy
"It is not death a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live." I quoted a Marcus Aurelius quote.
I also read a at the tip of his gun it said date with death but in Italian. I wanted to laugh at his creativity, but I knew now was not the time.
"The girl is smart too." He said with fake enthusiasm. His face still at a hard expression.
"The boy is stating the obvious." I rolled my eyes, using the same fake enthusiasm he used to address me.
I know, I was pushing buttons, which will cause him to pull the trigger, and then I die.
Just when he was about to respond to that, Willow came out of the bathroom. She had who I'm guessing is Mr Martinez with her.
"Cuz, seriously?" She put her hands on her hips.
Am I missing something?
It caused the dude to stand up and walk over to her with one last glance at me.
"Is that Martinez?" He asked.
She nodded, and without a second thought, he shot a bullet right into his chest, and he fell down. The fact that the sound of the bullet coming out at maximum capacity to penetrate the man's chest didn't scare me was sure as hell making me wonder.
Once again, what the heck is going on?
"I'm sure you have a lot of questions." She smiled sheepishly.
I nodded.
"I'm going to answer all of them, let's go to the car." She urged me.
"My car, hell no." The dude stated.
"Po favor, cuz. I'm not speaking to you." She waved her in dismissal.
I wanted to make some comments, but I knew it would be best just to set this one out.
I followed her to the car, and I was ready to listen. It's honestly worrying me that I'm not freaking out. Maybe that part of my brain is broken.
"Can I just kill her already?" The dude asked from the front seat.
"Yeah. You need to attempt two times before you actually kill me." I scoffed, and I immediately covered my mouth after that.
"I will shoot." He pointed the gun at me, and Willow just pushed the tip to another direction.
"Kyla, this is really going to be hard to explain, " She started whilst playing with her fingers. "This is my cousin Matteo." She pointed out.
I was astonished! The Matteo De Luca?