*Lol, hey, this was the only way I could upload the banner gif today, so that sums to its bit of change. We're diving deeper into Randy's mystery, even if it doesn't seems like it yet ;) sooner or later you might understand why.
...
"Hey Randy, can I borrow your notebook?" One of my classmates asks me as they approach my seat.
"Huh? Yeah." I reply by handing it to them.
I had been lost in thought since early this morning. Last night I had to stay up for a good couple hours to finish the homework I had delayed for reading that strange book. I really should've just done my homework, I wouldn't be this sleepless right now.
"Oi, Randy!" Hamish makes his way to me as he greets me with his arm over my shoulder.
I would've already snapped if I wasn't feeling like a living dead creature already.
"What."
"May I borrow it too?"
"No."
"But- why not?"
I was not lending him anything. Plus, he could've at least asked for it sooner, the teach is probably making her way back to the classroom.
He huffed as he got no reply from me and went to ask someone else.
Really, was it that hard to just do that from the beginning?
"Take here man, thanks," my classmate replied as they brought back my notebook just in time, since Miss McPherson made her appearance that very instant.
Rummaging stopped and quieted as she spoke her good mornings and began asking for our homework to revise first thing.
As Miss McPherson drones on about our homework, my mind drifts. I glance out the window, seeking a distraction. Spring is felt outside with a chilly air and the green emerging branches of the trees. Magnolias are blooming everywhere.
My eyes were so lost in the upper part of the scenery, but I noticed a different shade. Black over green. Right under the trees, a girl dressed entirely in black was standing in the school's backyard. Her dark attire contrasting sharply against the scenery. Her short hair waving with the chill breeze outside in sync with the tree's leaves.
But it wasn't her outfit that sent a shiver down my spine; it was the way she stood perfectly still, fixated on our classroom window. Her gaze felt piercing, like she was staring right through the window. It was creepy as hell.
I wondered who it was. Have I seen her before? Or is she another one of my illusions? I couldn't tell. I gulp hard and blink. It must probably be a trick of my tired mind.
Yet, when I opened my eyes again, she was still there, unchanged. I rubbed my eyes and looked again, but she was gone.
A lingering sense of unease settled in my gut, refusing to dissipate even as Miss McPherson continued with the lesson. The same questions buzzing in my mind even louder.
Who was she? What was she doing there? Why did she seem so... otherworldly?
I rubbed my temples, focusing my sight back on the board and pretending to listen to the lecture, even though my focus was completely gone for the rest of the hour.
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Lunchtime arrives, and an inexplicable urgency surges within me. As if I had seen a ghost, I wanted to confirm the place on my own. Ignoring the cafeteria's inviting aroma, I dash towards the school's backyard. My heart races, as if trying to break free from my chest. Paranoia gnaws at my mind. What if she isn't real?
Exiting the classroom, the corridors buzz with chatter, but my thoughts weigh heavier.
Determined, I bypass the lunch queue and head straight for the exit. Stepping outside, the spring air carries the scent of budding flowers and the sun's gentle warmth, the same spot where the mysterious girl stood moments ago.
Breathless and anxious, I scour the area. Just as I'm about to give up and head for lunch, I feel a presence behind me.
"Hi," she speaks softly, as if waiting.
Startled, I spin around. "You're... you're real?"
The girl, clad in haunting black attire, murmurs an affirmation.
"Hey!" Hamish's voice echoes from the other end of the cafeteria. He dashes toward us. "You two already met?"
Confused, I turn to face him. "Excuse me?"
"Randy, meet Faye, my sister."
"Oh... hi," I manage.
Faye gestures toward a nearby bench. "Care to join us?"
I hesitated for a moment before replying, "I, um..." say no, say no, just say no! "Sure."
"Awesome" Hamish replies.
I mentally slap myself for letting me get swayed so easily.
The three of us took a seat and now I regret being so agitated before.
I just- I really thought I was just seeing things.
"Oh but Randy, you didn't bring your lunch?" Hamish asks as he begins munching his own lunch.
"N-no." shit, I'm still hesitating from the shock.
"Here," Faye shares with me one of the halves from her sandwich.
"Uh, thanks."
"You know what, I was actually going to invite you to lunch before the bell rang, but you were all evasive, and now I found you here already with my sister. What a coincidence!"
Sure, a coincidence.
I don't say anything as I bite my half meal instead. Whatever to keep my mouth busy and avoid conversation.
Faye seems to do the same, as she lowers her head and eats her own meal.
If I'd known before she was Hamish's sister, then I wouldn't have been so surprised to see her standing and staring at our classroom. She must've known her brother was there at the time. Now I feel like I've been ambushed.
"So, Randy," Faye breaks the silence, her tone light and casual. "I couldn't help but notice you seemed preoccupied earlier. Anything on your mind?"
Hamish chimes in, unaware of my discomfort. "Yeah, you were in a bit of a rush. Everything alright?"
"Um, nothing much. Just had something to check out in the yard," I mumble.
Faye nodded, seemingly accepting the vague response. "That's fair enough. Sometimes the yard can be... interesting."
The awkwardness is suffocating. What's she hinting at?
"Interesting in what way?" I ask, remaining a little guarded.
Faye glanced around subtly before leaning in a bit closer. "Oh, you know, just..."
A friend of Hamish interrupts by abruptly making his way in. And I keep thinking about how I could use this as a chance to get out.
I seize the moment, mustering an excuse. "Sorry, guys, I just remembered I have to meet a teacher for an assignment. Catch you later," I say hurriedly, trying to sound as convincing as possible.
Without waiting for a response, I hastily leave the table. I feel a mix of relief and anxiety as I make my way out, trying to put some distance between myself and the uneasy atmosphere that lingered at the table.
Once I'm out of sight, I take a moment to catch my breath. My heart is still racing from the encounter with Faye and the sudden departure from lunch. As I navigate the bustling school corridors, I can't shake off the strange feeling that I narrowly escaped something.
Alone in the vacant corridor, the silence was palpable, amplifying the faint echo of my footsteps. The noise of students outside came in softly. My gaze wandered, seeking solace in the deserted surroundings. Yet, an uncanny sensation lingered, a whisper of movement at the edge of my vision.
A fleeting shadow danced in the periphery, like a ripple in the stillness. Instinctively, I turned, expecting to catch a glimpse of the elusive presence. But as I faced the empty expanse, there was only the lingering hush of the empty hallway.
A shiver coursed through me, an unspoken apprehension hanging in the air.
"No... not again," I let out in a faint whisper and curled myself up on the floor, knees drawn to my chest. The chill of the linoleum seeped through my clothes, a stark contrast to the warmth that seemed to elude this space.
Heart pounding, I clutched at the fabric of my shirt, eyes shut tight as if to block out everything around me.
It was back. I could feel it back. All the things I've been sensing, seeing...
Moments stretched into an eternity, each passing second thick with an unsettling stillness that wrapped around me like a suffocating embrace.
I just wanted to convince myself once more, that I was just imagining everything.
But deep down, a chilling certainty whispered in the recesses of my mind-something inexplicable was stirring, something that defied reason and that felt strangely familiar.
...
*Oh hi again, I also wanted to announce I'll be soon creating a new ig profile so I can share stuff about my stories like collages, quotes, etc, etc.
Also, shoutout to Second-breakfast for this gorgeous fanart of Nathanael (aka. Nathan, aka. Nate) ♡
Ajkajskhs i love it sm
Thanks a lot to those who stick to this story, I'm feling more motivated than ever to keep going with it until its very end! See ya soon,
Happy holidays! 🎄