Chapter Twenty Five

"Ashley!" I snapped my head towards the sharp tone of Julie's voice.

"Yes?" I increased my pace when I realised Julie was ahead of me. Sweat poured down my face, as the sun hit my body.

"Are you sure you are okay? You seem to be stressed out."

I didn't have a response to her question. Since yesterday night I have been restless. I didn't know why I was feeling so excited just for a date with Leon. I didn't know if knowing more about Leon was more exciting than being alone with Leon for a couple of hours.

"I am fine. I had an eventful night," I shook my head trying to get rid of all the questions that were again swarming back into my mind.

"You don't want to talk about it, do you?"

For the short time that Julie has known me, she seemed to know when I wanted to elaborate about something, or when I wanted to forget about it. I liked having her as a friend. She reminded me about my old friends back in Peaceville.

"I want to forget about it, at least for today."

I knew that tomorrow onwards, I will be more stressed since all the lectures will start. I feel a small bubble of happiness break through my body as I realised that I was tomorrow will be the first step of my dream to help people.

Now that my parents were gone, I felt more passion towards becoming a doctor. I didn't want people, especially young children to go through the same heartbreak as I am going through. I pressed my fingers against my temple trying to get rid of the headache that recurring. My aunt's voicemail rang through my head like the sound of birds chirping away loudly at the early hours of the morning.

"Watch out!"

I broke away from my thoughts just in time to stop myself from running straight into a pillar. I hang my head low and rest my hands on my bend knees. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe normally. My heart beat wildly against my chest as I grasped what happened just now.

"Are you alright?" Julie asked, rushing over to my side. I nodded my head, unable to say anything as I was still trying to recover.

"What were you thinking so hard about?" I opened my mouth to tell her, and then closed it again. I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell her, I didn't know why but I felt a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"I was just worried about tomorrow that is all." I felt a pang at my chest for lying to my one good friend. I wanted to tell her the truth but I couldn't, not until I found out what the nagging feeling in my stomach was.

"Stop stressing out about tomorrow! You will be fine, and you might even find some of the lectures fun!" I let out a chuckle at the enthusiasm in her voice.

"You are right. I am just over thinking. I am tired; I think I will go up to my dorm. What about you?" Julie bit her lip then let out a sigh. Her face that was always filled with some sort of emotion was quickly replaced with a blank one.

"Do you want to come to my dorm for dinner? My roommate is going somewhere, so I will be alone." I let out quiet wince as another pang shoot through my chest at the lie I was about to tell.

"I feel really exhausted and with all the overthinking about tomorrow, I might go to bed early. I am sorry," I apologized.

"Do be sorry! You can't help it if you are tired," Julie said breaking the tense silence that was filling the atmosphere.

 A smile broke onto my face at the cheery tone of Julie's voice. I knew that all the lies I had told her today will resurface, but for now, all I wanted was for the panging feeling in my chest to go away.

"Come on! We don't want you to faint of exhaustion because of me," Julie exclaimed pulling my arm.

I looked at Julie's arm that is pulling me. She doesn't seem to be putting any effort. I furrowed my eyebrows at the thought of Julie being a werewolf. I let out a tight-lipped smile towards Julie who washed turned her head to stare back at me.

Her long brunette hair, that was tied into a high ponytail was swinging from side to side as she increases her pace, causing me to trip on my feet from the sudden movement. As we rushed toward the closing doors of the elevator doors, I saw a glimpse of Jake.

As somebody from inside the elevator pressed the button for us to enter. I wanted to tell them to close them back up. The uneasy feeling I get whenever I am near Jake returned to me like a tidal wave. What was he doing here?

My stomach churns as I realised that this is the second time in two days that we have each other confidentially. I didn't know if it was really coincidently or if there was something more than that. I sneaked a quick glance at Jake, who had also been staring at me.

His black eyes burned holes into mine. He was leaning against the elevator walls that looked like it had just been clean. He clenched his hands that were at his side. I couldn't take my eyes off his; it was almost as if he was trying to communicate to me.

The sound of a ping broke us from our trance. I looked up to see that we are the second to last floor. I looked around the elevator to see that that it was only Jake, Julie and I. Julie gives a small smile and walked out the elevator.

As the elevator doors closed again, I felt the uneasy feeling increase. I looked at the floor, staring at Jake's shadow which was slowly moving towards mine. I felt his rough hand on my arm. I glanced up to him questionably.

"Don't go today." Confusion crossed my features then I realized that he was talking about the date with Leon today.

"Why not?" My voice came out bitter than I expected. I didn't know what was Jake's problem was. Ever since I met him, he was very mysterious and made me infuriated to the point where I wondered why Leon was even his friend.

"Leon was just joking. He doesn't date; he is too busy with his work and even if you do to the date today. You will come out of the date crying. I promise you." His voice was soft but held a slight edge towards it, almost as if he was very sure about what he was saying.

"You cannot tell me what to do! I make my own decisions!" I said pulling my arm away from him, "stay away from me and keep those spiteful words of yours to yourself."

With that I walked out of the elevator door, my head held high. Anyone who would have seen me now would have thought I was a strong woman, but as the second passed to the next, a tear slipped from my eye, this time anyone would have thought I was a girl that needed someone strong to lean. I briskly brushed the tear away, not sure why it even fell.

*_______________________*

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