Chapter 4: Hooded eyes of terror

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'Look straight, look straight, don't look sideways, don't lock eyes, look straight" the words kept ringing in her mind as she walked through the foyer filled with students her age. Jex's college_ the school that had been on her mind since she was told about it_ Now she was finally here. Words could not explain how apprehensive she felt, walking amid people she had never seen before. She adjusted her newly done hairstyle_ A more straightened hair with bangs. Other than her regular frizzy one which had been basically ignored by her. It was as elegant as the girl's from the magazines Lydia occasionally sneaked into their room from the master's office.

The students in the hallway didn't pay any form of attention to her, but she felt bizarre, different, to be more precise. Well, you couldn't blame her because she indeed was different.

Aanya had already been to the Chancellor's office with Mr. Patrick_ She got to know his name, later on,_ ‘Her guardian’ She thought with a smile. The way he spoke to her was so calm that Aanya felt secure and less timid when with him. His fatherly tone sounded like music to her ears. It was a figure she had never had. But she saw him as one.

With her room number and class schedule fixed, she was good to go. Mr. Patrick was supposed to assist her in locating her room but duty called for him so he left, leaving her alone to wander around the enormous school environment. She had a map in her hands but she couldn't understand anything in it which made it ineffective.

She exited the hallway and was back outside. The amount of Confusion that overwhelmed her at that point made her feel the need to burst into tears. Where could her room be? She thought frustratingly. The Chancellor had briefed her about what the room should look like, but she had no idea where she was going.

All her life, she had always been kept inside the closed walls of Ghista which retarded some basic abilities like using a map to locate anywhere.

She was still in deep thought when she heard a call from behind her.

"Hey!" A female voice yelled from behind. At first, Aanya didn't want to turn around. 'look straight' she kept on reciting inwardly while still walking. When the call persisted, she finally turned around. She should at least check if the person was speaking to her.

Aanya turned around and came faced with the brunette girl. Her breathing was rapid and sweat was visible on her pale skin.

"Damn, you walk too fast," the girl said to Aanya with a smile on her oval, freckled face. Aanya just gaped at her not saying anything. She didn't know exactly what to say. The last thing she wanted was trouble on her first day. The rule clearly stated, "no friends" and this was how most friendships started. She wasn't cut out for it.

Aanya turned around swiftly and kept on walking. Prevention was indeed better than cure. Keeping a low profile was what she was sticking to.

"Hey!" she heard from behind her again and she groaned in frustration. Why couldn't she be left alone?

"I need your help" she heard again, but still kept on walking. If the girl was so desperate for help, another person would be a better option, not her.

"Please" The girl persisted, breathless. At that moment, Aanya felt the need to punch her hard in the face.

"Fine, what!" Aanya snapped at her, turning to look at her.

"Finally" the girl exclaimed and Aanya yearned to smack the smile off her pretty face.

"Well?"

"I need your help with something. My room door is jammed and I need someone to help me unlock it" she said.

Aanya stared at her in disbelief "I don't fix doors"

"Not fixing. More like opening the door and you won't be doing it, I will"

"You mean breaking the door?" asked Aanya with squinted eyes of confusion

"Urm something like that," she said. With the way she acted, Aanya suspected something. "Just the locks, not the entire doors" she added

"But if it's your room, why don't you use your Keys anyway?"

"Yeah about that" she slurred rubbing the back of her hair as she repeatedly broke contact with Aanya. "I lost it"

"This doesn't sit well with me, am going" Aanya stated, turning around.

"I could help you locate your room. You look confused as hell"

"How did you know I was trying to locate my room?"

"You are new," she said and Aanya cocked her eyebrows in confusion

"The map you are holding is only used by the new students to find their way around the school. I can help you if you help me," she added

Aanya thought for a while. She could use the assistance. The size of the school was already driving her nuts. "Fine, where is your room?" Aanya finally agreed which caused the girl to been in excitement

She led the way while Aanya trailed from behind. They made their way back to the hallway where Aanya had just initially started. She kept wondering why the girl wanted her of all people to help with her door.

"Oh, by the way, I'm Stacey," she said, turning around to look at Aanya. She proceeded in walking backward which made Aanya wonder why she acted so weird. Everything about her was indeed weird. Her clothing was different, more on the boyish style, and her makeup had a dark vibe to it. It wasn't sitting well with Aanya.

"Well?" Stacey called out to Aanya and she cocked her eyebrows at her in confusion.

"What is your name?"

"Aanya"

"What kind of a name is that"

"Do you have to walk backward?" Aanya asked ignoring her question.

Stacey rolled her eyes and turned to walk in a normal way. They walked for a while before Stacey finally stopped at a room door. She kept looking around, acting all suspicious which made Aanya slightly uncomfortable

"This is it"

"What should I do?"

"Hold the door by the handle against you strongly, while I open the lock with this," she said and proceeded in bringing out a hairpin from her hair. Aanya nodded in agreement and headed towards the door. She didn't fail to notice how deserted the hallway of this particular place looked with only a few closed doors in it.

Aanya walked over to the door, held it by the handle, and dragged it close to herself, while Stacey wiggled her hairpin inside the keyhole. She repeatedly turned the hairpin in every direction she could achieve, but still, the door wasn't budging. Aanya's hands soon started to hurt as a result of how hard her grip was.

They were still on it when Aanya suddenly heard approaching footsteps, the hallway was quite quiet so the footsteps pretty much echoed all over the place. She noticed how Stacey began to panic with beads of sweat noticeable on her forehead, still maneuvering the hairpin In the keyhole as though her life depended on it.

"Fuck this shit" she whispered in distress. She looked behind Aanya and her eyes widened in shock. "Dammit Aanya, run!" she exclaimed. Before she could tell what was going on, Stacey was already running down the hallway.

Aanya looked behind and her eyes caught view of two guys rushing towards her at full speed. She panicked, deciding to make a run for it just like Stacey did, but wasn't swift enough. One of the guys caught up with her, held her by the wrist, and turned her around roughly to face him. She gulped as soon as their eyes met.

His stern hooded eyes fell on her. With one look at the piercings on his ears and lips, accompanied by the numerous tattoos that were visible on his neckline, she concluded he was dangerous

"What are you doing to my door?" he snapped coldly at her with gritted teeth which caused a cold shiver to run down her spine.