Anguished Space

A Bad Night

Steve's hunched over a textbook. His hand shoved into his thick brown hair. I think it is thick. I've never touched it. His blue eyes match contrasts his hair. He's tall and muscular from playing baseball in high school.

"You do know he knows we are here stalking home on schedule, Nicola. He's looked over here three times. We happen to show every day during his designated fraternity study time."

"I'm not his type," I muttered. "He's…"

"He's put together nicely," Anne admitted." He's 19. Nobody knows their type until they meet the One. You could be the One if you could talk to him. Did you stalk him in high school? 

Warmth coved my face. Nothing worse than a blushing redhead.

"Woman up and go talk to him. Besides, the library closes in a few minutes."

I can talk with Steve. He doesn't bite. He was Prom King with Rachel at his side. She encouraged me to speak with him. She says he likes me. I can say hi. Just two letters. I wiped damp palms across the back of my khaki shorts. Taking a deep breath, I marched towards Steve until I spotted bis Frat brothers inching closer to him. Change of plans; I made a sharp left towards the elevators.

Anne shook her head in disgust. She walked past Steve's table. She ran her eyes over his Frat brothers before she said," Hey Steve. It's good to see you here. Here to study with Nikki. It's getting late; why do you walk us poor defenseless girls to our dorm, especially since we are on the same floor and building."

"Anne, how's your brother?"

"still hitting home runs at his school," Anne said proudly. "You are coming. Say bye to your friends. We'll meet you at the elevator."

Steve slugged his backpack with his various study materials. Anne shot me a look like a bird eating a mouse. She's proud of herself. She practically skipped back to me with glee.

"Sometimes, fate needs a little nudge to make a difference. Name a kid after me, one day."

"what am I going to say,' I asked furiously.

"Hey Steve, do you have good biology notes. I heard you have an A, and I am failing the course. I need to ace the final exam to get a C."

"he'll think I'm stupid."

"No, he'll like you want his help."

"How do you know this?"

"I have two older brother athletes. They love to be needed. Men are simple creatures per my mother."

I watched Steve sling his backpack over his shoulder. He laughed briefly with his brothers. A wide smile across his face as Steve ambled over to us. He's not walking slow—just my mind.

"Hi Nikki," Steve chirped. "Ready for final exams.

"No, I have to pass biology," I sputtered out. Why did I say that? 

"Do you need a study partner," Steve asked seriously. Our gazes caught for a moment. Say something.

'She needs a study partner,' Anne answered. "we can meet here tomorrow night. One this floor about this time, Steve. Nikki will be here."

A slight smile formed on Steve's face," It's a date."

"Not a date."

"He wrote it in his planner. It has a date and time," Anne muttered impatiently.

"Thanks, Steve," I said.

"Anything for you."

Wait, did he say anything to me? It doesn't mean anything. Does it? A bing from the elevator stopped my overthinking. Anne questioned Steve about everything on the walk back to our dorms. She's doing the groundwork for me. I stumbled over an overgrown root. Steve grabbed my elbow before I splattered on the concrete.

"Be careful," he warned.

"Thanks for grabbing me," I agreed.

Talk about being a freak. Steve is going to run for the hills. Our dorm loomed over us like a massive center of the world.

"Do you like ice cream Steve," I asked hesitantly. "Maybe, we can meet at the ice cream shop on Smith Street to study. I can buy you a cone to prevent my faceplate.

Did that just come out of my mouth? I wasn't expecting a huge smile to form on his face.

"I love ice cream. You better bring lots of cash. I want at least three scoops with sprinkles, whipped cream, and a cherry," Steve teased.

'So, it's a date," I inquired.

"It's a date," Steve admitted.

Our conversations slowly moved to various desserts. Anne argued the virtues of sweet Potato pie over Pumpkin pie. Yellowcake with chocolate frosting served with a glass of milk is a classic dessert debated our argument in the elevator. Steve is just regular.

Walking behind the elevator to my dorm room, Steve insisted on making sure we were safe because it was a little after 11:00. I reached for our door handle and twisted it to the right. The door handle wouldn't move. Rachel isn't done with whatever.

"Anne, can I sleep in your room?"

"You have stuff there anyway," Anne admitted.

Anne never complained when I slept in her room, it was our a thing. Rachel locked me a few times over the year.

We tiptoed down the hall to our room. Technically, Steve wasn't allowed on our floor after 11PM; he stuck by his claim to see us to our rooms. At Anne's door, Steve watched us enter the room before he wished us goodnight.

"He's a nice guy," Anne said. "You deserve a nice guy."

Maybe…

^^^^^^^^

Flipping on the lights when I stepped into my dorm room, my eyes darted around in horror. One arm hung over Rachel's loft bed. Red droplets splattered across the ceiling above her bed—huge windows looking over the walkway streaked with blood. Hot tears dropped from my eyes. Hard gulps of breath broke out my chest. A deep screaming ricocheted around our room. It was me. Just screaming.

"Rachel!