Page 6 of Kalix

LAINEY

It’s finally the weekend. While my classes might be over, I still need to study and dedicate time to work on my art. Creating art is how I support myself while in school. I plan to work on a piece that I truly love and then post it online for sale.

When I first started, I didn’t expect to gain much traction, but to my surprise, I started to get a huge following.

Which is amazing, because it means I don’t have to take on a part-time job that requires me to work set hours.

I have the freedom to create my own schedule and set my own prices.

Occasionally, I also take on commission pieces, mostly for authors who want NSFW prints to go with their romance books.

But before I start on my next project, I need to do some studying. Instead of studying in my room like I usually do, I’ve decided to go to the university library. I need some fresh air too.

First, I stop by The Dark Roast to grab my usual.

With my drink in hand, I make my way to the library, taking my time to enjoy the scenery of the school.

The building was built in the 1800s and has a gothic Victorian vibe to it.

The beautifully manicured lawns are surrounded by towering evergreens.

Every time I walk through the campus, it feels like I’ve stepped back in time.

I toss my cup in the trash can outside the library door. Then, I find a table near the back to set up my computer and books, ensuring there’s an outlet nearby in case my computer runs out of battery. I put my headphones on and start my Relaxing Classical Music playlist before I begin working.

I get so immersed in what I’m doing that when I finally look up, I jump at the sight of Alex sitting across from me. “Holy shit! How long have you been sitting there?” I whisper as I take off my headphones and glance at the clock on my screen. I’ve been here for at least two hours now.

He chuckles lightly, “Only about fifteen minutes. I’m sorry, I didn’t want to interrupt you, you seemed really focused.”

The beating in my chest starts to slow down, “It’s okay.”

“You should’ve texted me. I would’ve come to help you.” He smirks.

I shrug, “I’m sorry, I didn’t even think about it. I’m so used to studying alone.”

He nods, “That’s understandable. I usually study by myself, too.” He stands up and leans over to see what I’m working on, crowding my personal space. It makes me feel a bit uneasy. He seems nice enough, but I don’t know him well yet.

“Is there anything I can help you with right now?” He asks.

I swallow hard. “No, I’m almost done. I-Is there anything I can help you with?” I ask, trying to be polite.

He stands up and walks over to his backpack, pulling out a stack of flashcards. “Actually, if you don’t mind,” he says as he holds them up, “Could you ask me these questions to see if I know the answers?”

I chew on the skin on my bottom lip for a moment, contemplating before answering, “Yeah, sure.”

He smiles and replies, “Great,” before handing me the stack of cards.

The first half of the stack is fairly easy, and he moves through them quickly. I start to feel antsy and realize I need to stretch my legs, so I ask, “Can we take a quick break? I need to go to the restroom.”

He nods and replies, “Sure.”

I stand up and push my chair in. “I’ll be right back,” I say to him as I walk toward the restroom sign.

I take my time to take care of business, then wash my hands and splash some cold water on my face to help wake myself up. It’s getting late now. I hadn’t planned on staying this long, but I didn’t want to be rude and tell him no.

I dab my face dry and head back to the table. As I make my way there, I suddenly get the same sensation I felt in class the other day. Goosebumps erupt over my arms, and I instinctively cross them to rub my hands over the bumps. I glance around quickly before sitting down.

I swear I can feel someone watching me. It’s such an eerie feeling.

“You okay?” Alex asks.

I nod and reply, “Yeah, I just got cold all of a sudden.” I grab my jacket from the back of my chair and put it on, zipping it up. “Are you ready to finish?”

He stretches his arms and leans back in his chair, “Yeah, go ahead.”

The second half of the stack takes a bit longer to get through. The questions are more difficult and lengthy. We probably should have shuffled these so that they were more evenly distributed. If I have to do this again, I’ll have to suggest it.

I hear a crash on the left side of the room and jump. I glance over and see a librarian rushing to scold someone in the corner. I can’t clearly make out who it is or what they look like, all I can see is a black leather jacket moving back and forth in the gap where a book used to be on the shelf.

A chill runs down my spine, and I immediately want to leave. I look back at Alex as I scramble to get my stuff together, “Hey, I’m sorry. Can we do this another time?”

His brows furrow in concern, “Uh, yeah. Is everything okay?”

I throw my backpack over my shoulder and adjust my beanie. “Yeah, I just need to get some work done, and it’s getting late.”

“Okay, yeah. Just let me know next time you come here and I can meet you.”

I give him a polite smile, “That sounds good.”

As quickly as possible, I make my way out of the library. It’s pitch black outside, but luckily the school has light posts sprinkled throughout the campus.

Despite the lights, I still feel an uneasy feeling as I walk to my apartment, like this nagging, overwhelming anxiety that someone is following me.

I’ve been afraid of the dark ever since I was little, especially after my older brother scared the ever loving hell out of me with a Freddy Krueger mask.

He also used to tell me that the Boogey Man was going to crawl out from under my bed and eat me.

Of course, as an adult, I understand that fictional characters aren’t real, but there are actual serial killers and murder’s out there.

I sometimes torture myself by watching documentaries about them, even though I know I’m a big ole scaredy-cat.

I realize that can happen at any time, so I try to be as careful as I can and I usually stay aware of my surroundings, unless I get sucked into what I’m doing.

Suddenly, I hear a cracking noise coming from across the street behind me and quickly turn my head in that direction. Nothing is there.

I hurry the rest of the way to my apartment, shut the door, and immediately lock all three locks once I’m inside .

My heart is still racing as I turn on the lights and set my things down.

Maybe I just need to eat something and go to sleep, but I can’t shake this overwhelming anxiousness that I’m feeling right now.

I open the drawer beside my bed and pull out my wooden box. I flip open the lid and take out a glass container that has a half-smoked joint inside. I haven’t done this in a while, I haven't really needed to. But tonight, I feel like this is the only way I’ll be able to calm down.

I crack open my bedroom window and lean out.

I light the joint and take a strong pull.

When I exhale, I start coughing really hard.

This one hit is all it will take to knock me out.

I quickly put it back in the glass container, closing the lid to extinguish the flame, and then place it back in the box.

The good feeling of Mary starts to set in. This is just what I needed.