I needed coffee.
Brushing my hair, I considered washing it, but I’d had a shower last night and washed it then. Looking at my auburn locks, I shook my head as I thought of him calling meRed. Getting my flat iron out, I straightened the curl I had developed when I slept. With some tinted moisturizer, a coat of mascara, and some lip gloss, I was ready for the day. A nice pair of dark jeans, my new soft pink sweater that Ava had bought in Cardinal, and my coat, and I was eager to leave for my caffeine fix.
I checked the time. Ugh, I had ages to wait. Or did I? If I texted him now, he would know not to send some poor freshman, and I could text him again when I got to class.
Chewing my lip, I thought about it as I looked out the window again. More people were moving around.
Me:Don’t freak out, I left the room, I needed coffee. No need to send someone, I’ll text when I’m at the coffee shop and again at class.
I waited. He didn’t respond, and I knew that I was rebelling against his authority, which only aggravated me that he hadanyauthority, so I left the room.
I probably should’ve made inquiries about when I could go back to my dorm room, but to do that, I would be closer to the time of being chaperoned, and now that I had opted for freedom, I didn’t want to conform.
As I came out of the building, breathing in the crisp November air, I had a spring in my step. I checked the phone one more time, still nothing. See, I was fine to leave, I told myself.
Cheerfully, I started to walk to the coffee shop.
“Well, look who it is.”
Looking up, I saw a guy, dark coat, dark beanie, scruffy face. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t place why.
“Me?”
“Yeah,you.”
I looked past him to the building I had walked away from. “I think you have me confused,” I told him as I started to walk again, although a little faster.
“No, I’m well aware of who got me fired.” He was walking alongside me, and I had a very bad feeling about this.
Ah drat. It was the janitor. Ash was going to kill me. I knew it.
“I think you managed that all by yourself,” I retorted as I put more pace into my stride.
His hand caught my elbow and jerked me to a halt. “Listen to me, you little bitch,” he snarled. “I lost my job because of you and your slut friends.”
“Take your hand off me,” I warned him. I wasn’t Ava; I wouldn’t hit first, think later. Or Quinn, who would also punch him and also had an army of Devils behind her. I was me. And he was bigger than me and angrier than me, and I knew I was in trouble.
“Or what?” he sneered as he pulled me closer.
How was he even here? Had he been stalking me? Was he the one who trashed my apartment? “Are you following me?”
His grip tightened as he laughed. “Following you? Jesus, you are one stupid, stuck-up bitch. I was getting my final paycheck for working in this shit hole. Final paycheck because you lost me my job.”
“You lost your own job. So, it’s coincidence that you were in the same building as me?” I asked skeptically as I tried to free my arm. “Yeah, tell someone who may believe you. I don’t.”
His face twisted with scorn. “God, you’re as stuck-up as the rest of them. Do you really think I’m following you?”
“Dude, you’re the one who’s grabbed me and is preventing me from walking away,” I snapped at him. “Now, please, take your hands off me, or I’ll—”
“What? Punch me?” he mocked me. “Like theQueen?”
“No, I don’t agree with violence, even when it’s warranted.”
He looked stunned for a moment before I opened my mouth and screamed at the top of my lungs. I was so loud he dropped my arm as I startled him, and as soon as he did, I ran before he could grab me again. I wasn’t Ava or Quinn; I didn’t hit people, but I also wasn’t stupid. My scream would have woken the dead, and I wasn’t hanging around to find out who would come running to my aid. I was also hoping he didn’t want people to see him harassing a student. I would have to tell the others, butas I ran to the coffee shop, I was more concerned with putting distance between me and the creep.
As I got onto the more populated walkways, I slowed down, looking over my shoulder furtively as I kept walking, praying to anyone who would listen that I wasn’t being followed.
I pushed the door open to the coffee shop, and my heartbeat didn’t slow down until I was seated in the back corner, with my back to the wall so I could see everyone who came in. I had the window beside me, giving me a clear view of the outside as well. Janitor dude had officially freaked me out.
