The Degrees of Obsession

Chapter8

Marilyn and Koko were chattering happily from their clinical rounds on a hot midday as they walked through the hallways leading to the stairs of their room.

Marilyn rummaged through her bag to find the keys to the room assuming Alyssa was still in class. Or do she thought. The door was already unlocked and it was slightly ajar.

She turned to Koko, eyebrows furrowed. "The door is unlocked."

She took a step back.

"Ally's probably just back early." She replied and pushed the door open wider, completely ignoring Marilyn's protests not to go in. Sure enough, Alyssa was in the room, frantically throwing her belongings into her bags. Her corner of the room was completely empty; the walls where she plastered pictures of her rock band posters were now bare.

The two friends exchanged confused glances and took tentative steps toward her as she zipped up her suitcase.

"Ally? What's going on? Are you moving out?" Koko asked.

She completely ignored them and continued shoving the last of her things into her duffle bag.

"Alyssa? Are you okay?" Marilyn chimed in.

Still, there was no response from her. After a few tense minutes of them both silently watching her pack her things, she turned to Marilyn and finally said,

"Can we talk outside?" Her voice shook.

Marilyn nodded and followed her out of the room. Alyssa shut the door and rested her back on the wall, raking her fingers through her short hair. She had dried tear streaks running down her face and her eyes were puffy.

"I just want you to know how sorry I am, and I never intended to do it, but I had no choice . . .. And now . . ..I . . .I can't stay here anymore." She rambled on and burst into tears again.

Marilyn couldn't hide the confusion from her face, but she reached out and pulled Alyssa in for a hug.

"What are you talking about? Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything."

Alyssa pulled away, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand. "Just be careful Marilyn. That's all I have to say to you, but I need to leave."

With that, she opened the door and walked back into the room. Koko was pacing back and forth but stopped when they both walked in.

After packing the rest of her things, Alyssa grabbed the handles of her luggage and was about to walk out the door but turned around. "I enjoyed the short time I spent with you guys here. Thank you Koko and Marilyn, I really hope you get through your final year successfully. Goodbye."

She finally left, dragging her suitcases behind her. The wheels clicking against the tiles until the sound faded.

"What the f**k was that all about?" Koko asked after some seconds of silence between the two of them.

Marilyn scratched her head and plopped down on her bed, eyes fixed on the floor. "I have no idea. She started off by apologizing before saying, I should be careful."

"Huh? That's weird. Do you think there might be a possibility of her being a drug user?" asked Koko.

"I don't think so. We've stayed here together for almost two months now, and she never showed any signs of that," Marilyn said. "I won't lie to you, I'm actually a little terrified. The way she was acting- and the warning." She looked up at Koko, who was now sitting across from Marilyn on the now bare mattress.

"Yeah, anyone would definitely be terrified, it's eerie. Do you think we should talk to the officials?"

Marilyn shook her head and got up, stripping out of her scrubs,

"No, let's not involve them yet, and they probably wouldn't even take us seriously without proof."

She walked to her wardrobe, grabbing the towel hanging on the door.

"Are you sure? The earlier, the better," said Koko.

Marilyn shrugged, "I'm sure. Let's just stay alert and have the emergency contact on speed dial."

"Okay then, that's fine," replied Koko, even though deep down she still wanted to go through with informing the officials.

"I'm going to take a shower," Marilyn said and went into the bathroom. She stepped into the stall, closing her eyes as the cold water ran down her body soothingly, her tensed muscles instantly relaxing.

Just above the shower head, hidden completely out of sight, a tiny camera lens blinked, aimed directly at her.

*******

"I'm beginning to think this *Dee Sims* guy is stalking me," Marilyn said.

She and Koko were both in the cafeteria having their lunch before the next practical started.

"Why do you say so?" Koko asked, shoving a spoonful of mac and cheese into her mouth.

"He likes every picture I post. The one I posted of me working in the lab literally a second ago? He already liked it. And did I tell you about him liking that picture you took of me in my yellow bikini at the beach?"

Her eyes went wide, "What!? That was like four years ago if I'm not mistaken."

"Exactly!" Marilyn said, dropping her phone back onto the table.

"Maybe he needs friends or something, since he just joined i********:," Koko mused. "But on the other hand, that's creepy, he could have just stalked you privately without liking any picture. And what kind of name is even that? Dee Sims."

Marilyn picked her phone back up and tapped on his profile picture before handing the phone over to her.

"Oh, he's Asian. Probably Chinese. And he now has fifteen followers, looks like he's a nature lover too-but that doesn't change the fact that he's creepy. I say, you block him." She handed the phone back to Marilyn.

Marilyn finished the last of her sandwich and rubbed her hands together. "Yeah, I'll do that now- s**t, we should get going, it's almost time for the next practical."

Koko ate the last bit of her meal and stuffed her food flask back in her bag before they both hurriedly left the cafeteria.