Haunted-1

Tab to the Prologue which sets up Chapter 1.

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Four Years Later

I adjust the strap on my backpack as I wait for my friends to show up. I’m used to Cara being late to things, but the rest? They have to be with her or else they wouldn’t be late. I check my phone to make sure I didn’t get any messages from the last time I checked, which was a couple of minutes ago, to now. Biting the inside of my lip, I make sure for the thousandth time that this is the right day and time that we were supposed to meet. I mentally facepalm myself when I realize I mixed the dates up. I speed walk out of the coffee shop and make my way towards the library, which is on the other side of campus.

Opening the doors, I’m hit with a wall of heat from leaving the cold winter air. I make my way to the back where Joe sits, textbook out in front of him. His head is down and I can’t tell if he’s on his phone or reading or what. I apologize as I approach and he looks up smiling. It’s the type of smile that reaches his eyes and is contagious.

“It’s fine. Next time though, it might not be,” he says. My breath catches before I realize he’s joking. My eyes narrow and I reply with a “Ha ha”, not amused by this. I take the seat across from him and open to the chapter we have to take notes on. We work in silence besides him asking the occasional question about the class and to explain something the textbook doesn’t explain well.

My phone goes off and I look at the message that came and start to freak out. It’s from an unknown number and while I’m used to getting messages from strangers, this one just seems like it’s meant for me, but the question is why would they send it?

“Taylor?” Joe asks, looking at me concerned. I shake my head and apologize again. He’s probably getting tired of me apologizing, but I can’t help it. It’s in me to apologize for everything. “Don’t apologize. Is everything okay? You seemed out of it just now.”

I nod, getting back to my normal self. I ask him to repeat his question and he does. Thinking it through carefully, I answer the best that I can. We finish working on the chapter, which goes by faster than I expected. We talk some more as we head out, but I can’t shake the feeling that someone’s watching. Stepping outside, the feeling increases. The sun’s already starting to set and my dorm isn't that close either. Standing there, part of me debates whether I should walk back or call Campus Safety. Except they'd think I'm losing my mind for this irrational thinking. Taking a deep breath, I head into the fading light and make my way over to my dorm.

“Taylor!” Selena exclaims as I open the door to our room. The one thing I have to it to liking about our resident hall is that we happen to be on the main floor, which is the second, so no stairs. “Where were you? We were waiting at the café but didn’t see you there.”

I stand there stunned. “We said today at two fifty, right?” Selena nods. “I was there today. Waiting for nearly thirty minutes, but then I checked my calendar and it said I had to meet with Joe to help him with our biology reading.”

“Except you help him on Tuesday’s. Today’s Thursday,” Selena says.

I look at my phone and it does say Thursday. Looking at my wall calendar, it agrees with my phone and Selena. How did we not see each other in the café? How did my plans get changed? Unless I accidentally put it into my calendar wrong, but I don’t think that’s it. I’m usually good at keeping my times and dates straight.

I put my bag down and hang my coat up before going over to my desk. “I really don’t get it, Sel. I didn’t tell Joe that I wanted to change the date of our session or anything.”

“Look, you could’ve and just forgotten and double booked yourself today. It’s fine and it happens. We can always reschedule for another time,” she says. Her back is against the wall, legs crossed, and her hair in a messy bun. She’s wearing a baggy sweatshirt and leggings with fuzzy socks.

I frown, since it doesn’t sound like something I would do, but she’s probably right. I could've been tired and wasn’t paying attention to the dates or times and messed up. Things like this happen all the time. It’s no big deal. I hope it isn’t at least.

~

I move my hand across the nightstand, trying to find the snooze button. I bury my face in my pillow, not wanting to get up. I can hear Selena moving around, getting ready for her eight o’clock class. People who voluntarily sign up for a class that early confuses me. It doesn’t make sense at all. Trying to go back to sleep seems impossible now that I’m already halfway up. Groaning, I sit up and rub my eyes, yawning. I watch silently as Selena ties her hair up into a messy bun and throws her coat on.

“I’ll see you later, T.” She blows me a kiss, something that we jokingly do.

I smile and when she closes the door, reach for my computer. I check my email and look at my tasks for today. Paper writing, studying, and a coffee date with my somewhat boyfriend, Tom. I don’t know where we stand even though he asked if we could be an official couple. Sometimes I feel like I’m just annoying him and other times, it feels like we’re meant to be. It’s hard dating a theatre major while being a law major. I’m stuck with all these essays and he’s basically memorizing lines and techniques.

From Tom:

Good morning, sunshine. Hope you have the best day ever. Can’t wait for our date later.

I smile a little. Even though we’ve been dating for less than three months, it seems longer. It’s crazy to think that a Halloween party would bring us together. Especially since he’s a senior and I’m sophomore. Part of me feels like this is just a phase to have fun before he leaves and enters the real world, but deep down, I know he really does care.

To Tom:

Can’t wait. xoxo

I make my bed and head to the bathroom to shower. I crinkle my nose, disliking the globs of hair on the walls. It doesn’t make sense with the garbage can ten feet away. It isn’t that hard to pick up your own hair. If they do it at home, whatever, but this isn’t home. It’s a communal bathroom and other people have to use it too. I let out a huff of air as I wait for the water to warm up. I pause as I hear the door open, but no footsteps. The door doesn’t make a sound, but I know it’s still open. When it does close, the temperature seems to drop, despite the steam that is now coming from the water. I freak and shower as fast as I can before making my way back to the room. I lock the door and sit on the floor, hands shaking.

I don’t want to freak either of my parents out and I don’t want to see a therapist again, even though the pills they gave me helped get rid of those shadow monsters from my dreams. They probably just thought it was my mind tricking me with my parents just got divorced recently, but the excuse this time? Nothing. Both my parents are happily single and are fine with it. Someone has to be messing with me, that’s all. Nothing else to worry about really. I just have to prove to the person that they can’t get to me, whoever it is anyways.

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The first official chapter to Haunted is up! Second if you count the Prologue.

What are your thoughts on what’s happening to Taylor? Do you think it’s all a mistake or is someone out to get her? If it is meant for her, why do you think it’s happening? I would love to hear your thoughts and theories!

#curatorreview