Ding! Ding! Ding!
The bell had just rung, marking the end of another long and tedious school day. I was exhausted and couldn't wait to head home.
"Hey Ari! You wanna grab some food? Maybe at that new cafe that just opened up."
A brunette boy with fuzzy hair and a backpack hastily slung over his shoulder approached me.
I looked him up and down, he was quite tall, almost two heads taller than me, and his broad shoulders and brown eyes complemented his look. But judging by his wrinkly white button up and black dress pants…
'Nope.'
Although he was following the dress code, his style seemed lacking compared to every other student in the school. However, I had to admit his face was somewhat charming.
After an awkward silence I replied, "I'm good, thanks though."
"Don't be such a Debbie downer, c'mon!"
"I'm just not feeling it today."
"Uh… alright, see ya tomorrow then."
With a swift gesture the boy, named Ryan, waved goodbye and flashed a smile before turning out into the corridor with confidence.
'What a weirdo. We've never even talked before.'
The classroom was now empty, and I was just about to leave.
"Hey, you sure you're not dating anyone? Hehe."
Suddenly from behind, someone with a cheeky tone tapped on my shoulder. It was my long time childhood friend, Emari.
"Of course not. I'm just, saving myself for someone better… y'know? How about you huh? You must have dozens of boys fawning over you."
"Haha, I'm not that popular." Emari shyly stated.
Except she was.
Her luscious blonde hair looked even softer than her huge chest, her gorgeous face card put others around her to shame, and her dazzling blue eyes sparkled like the stars.
I looked down at my own chest pathetically.
On top of that, her kind and cheerful attitude, as if she was an angel, brought in all kinds of gifts from boys of all grades.
'What a succubus.'
"Welp, I'm heading home."
"Let me come with you!"
We left the school grounds, heading towards the same direction and walking side by side.
The day was awfully gloomy today. Clouds blocked out the sun and painted the buildings gray, whispering breezes eerily swept through the empty alleys, and there was something else that was unsettling.
"You know… Emari… I've wanted to ask you for a while now, but…"
…
"You see those eyestoo, don't you?"
'I must seem crazy asking this.'
"Huh? What're you talking about? What eyes?"
"Oh… haha, just me rambling about some nonsense, y'know?."
"Oh, ok."
We continued our walk with some banter as if nothing happened.
However, those eyes are real.
Eyes. Human eyes. All around me. They blink and stare as they tail me.
Chills slowly seeped deep into my bones. The stares piercing into my heart. Beads of sweat dripped down my forehead and my palms bled from my nails stabbing into them.
Fear. True fear. A kind I've never experienced before.
"See you tomorrow!"
Emari left my side once we reached a split in the road, not noticing a thing.
"Yeah, see you tomorrow."
I was now alone.
I sped up, my pace getting faster and faster until I reached my shabby apartment complex. I bolted up the stairs to my door and barely managed to insert the key with shaking hands.
The eyes still surrounded me, following my every move.
"Mom!" I shouted once I entered.
No reply came.
She was out for the day.
I sprinted to my room as fast as I could, weaving in between the seemlessly endless hallway and doorframes. The eyes still followed.
I chucked my belongings across the wooden floor and curled up into the corner of my bed, cowering inside a blanket.
"Leave me alone!"
I kept on yelling hoping those creepy eyes would leave, and shutting my eyelids tight for an unbearably long moment.
Soon enough, with a little peek from under the blanket, those eyes slowly disappeared one by one with a faint white glow.
My trembling settled down and I sighed in relief.
Huff. Huff.
Suddenly, a surge of exhaustion hit me and I drifted off into a deep slumber thinking…
'I must be schizophrenic.'