The Billionaire's Final Venture

F o u r

 I felt a warm, comfortable presence behind me. Instead of my adrenaline spiking, my heart remained a soft tempo. I snuggled closer to the presence and everything from me felt at ease. I wish it was like this always. No chilling sets of eyes on me. Its quiet. Its peaceful. Its serene. 

 RING! RING! RING! RING!

 God–

 My eyes fluttered open towards the sound. The stupid alarm clock breaking my peaceful sleep.

 “Ughhh.” I groaned as I slammed my fist on the alarm clock.

 There, it stopped.

 The fear from yesterday turned to curiosity. I glanced at the presence behind me with a smile in my face.

 AHHHHHH!

 Pulsating red flesh with razor sharp teeth lined the insides of its jaw. Its tongue whip-like and had a pointed end that wriggled creepily. I felt my body stiffened from the cold saliva that dripped from its wide open jaw. Suddenly, a bloodcurdling shriek deafened my senses and everything turned black.

 “AHHHHH!” I sat straight up, feeling a sweat on my forehead. The frigid room turning into a winter nightmare. My breathing hitched. My chest repeatedly thumping up and down.

 I sensed a hand rested on my shoulder. I jerked backwards to the wall and gripped the sheets for protection, hugging it on my knees.

 “Hey, hey, what’s wrong.” Thank god, it was Eve. She draped her hands around my shaking pale white body.

 My brain was woozy. My heart heavy. My eyes pricking with tears that fell without a warning. I hugged Eve tightly and let the tears fell. I wanted to shake away the familiar presence in my nightmare. Always haunting me. When will it stop.

 Eve ruffled her hand on my hair. Muttering words of affirmation that was alright. It worked for the mean time. But what if it comes back. And it always comes back.

 My heart started to return to its normal pace. Loosening the tight embrace on Eve’s neck. “Wha–what…time…i–is it?”

 “It’s just 6 AM, don’t worry, plus it’s a Friday so it’s just homeroom.”

 “Still!” I chirped, “there’s classes.”

 “You just had–nevermind, do you want to go?”

 “Yes.” I peeled off the sheets and stood up.

 Eve and I proceeded to prepare ourselves to go to school. First, me going into the shower. The sting of cold water prying me away from the nightmare. Next, was her. Who from what I’ve heard, she was talking to someone! Sadly, I can’t hear the other end. Only hers. I wish I could be like her, someone normal. I sighed as I continued to dress in a hoodie and ripped jeans, it was rather chilly from the looks of it.

 Eve and I slung our bags to our shoulders and went outside. I teased her on who she was talking to only gaining a reply of red cheeks and blabber. We both giggled as we head out the dorms. Walking through the pathway where the sun still hasn’t shone.

 Everything was normal. We head inside and everyone’s on their own thing. Eve made sure to shut down anyone who would look at me.

 “You want me to gouge your eyes out?” She hissed at the flock of jocks at the corner of the room that kept eyeing me, especially Marcus, his eyes were…different looking.

 We sat on our respective chairs and awaited the teacher. The hairs on the back of my neck tingling like as if someone was staring at me. I shrugged off the feeling, snatching the book from my book and burying myself with it.

 7:00 AM. Perfectly, the door swung open. I stashed my book away only, glancing at my bag. But, once I looked in front, there was no teacher. They looked like students, but what’s the occasion. Both of them were guys, wearing long-sleeved navy blue polo shirts tucked in their slacks.

 “Good morning to you all. The Campus Government seeks to provide students chances to elevate themselves in today’s cutthroat world. So, we have arranged a formal soiree, or prom if you will, which will happen in Century Park Hotel–” The guy droned on, followed by the next.

 You could barely hear them anymore as everyone was buzzing around with their personal comments, stories, and other things. Plus, when I heard the word prom, my mind went blank. Other people…in a crowded hotel here in Manila. I sought refuge to the book I was reading, drowning out any mention of a gathering or people. No. No people. Me want alone.

 There it is again. That tingle. Someone staring.

 “Goodbye everyone,” I brought down my book,“ the details will be posted in the bulletin board just outside.” The two students exited.

 The faint chattering turned into a fiesta of noise. Everyone visibly excited, someone even screamed and rushed to their friend group. Sucks to be them, draining their energy partying.

 “Hey, come on, let’s join!” Eve patted me on the back as she hovered over me.

 “No. no. no. no.” I muttered without even looking from my book.

 She let out a playful groan. “Comeee onnn, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience!”

 “An experience I don’t want so no.” I pouted.

 “Its–”

 “Ms. Evelyn Reyes?” A head poked out the door, asking for Eve.

 Everyone, even me, stared at Eve to which she shrugged it off. She went to the door and disappeared to the other side.

 Then it hit me, I’m alone.

 Okay, Elliot, just read your book, read your book. She’ll be back. She’s just on the other side. Keep calm. Breathe.

 My pep talk to myself was useless. My heart was racing as the words from my started to jumble together into a nonsense mush. The tingle behind my neck intensifying. Like I was under a predator’s hit list. You’re overreacting, you’re fine. No one’s circling around you like yesterday. Not much people.

 A long while, the staring intensified but Eve came back. She had a huge smile on her face. I wonder what’s up.

 Eve dashed to my side, almost out of breath. “The–their a–also in–inviting, rich people.”  

 “Another reason not to go.”

 “An art exhibit with our ART! COME ON YOU NEED TO COME!”

 There was no denying I loved to paint. It may not look like it but the notebooks in my bag are filled with sketches of our building, to a portrait of Eve, to which she nagged me to give to her.

 “I already do commissions online, how’s this different” I argued, but I think it came out more whiny.

 “Duh! Rich dudes! They can feature your art and you’ll be rich too! And, and and, they’ll pay what they think it costs. And you know how they throw away money right?” Eve made a sales pitch to me.

 I went quiet, gathering my thoughts.

 “Don’t you need a,” I gulped, “a partner?”

 “I’ll go with you!” She hurriedly replied.

 Since Eve’s on board, then maybe I should, but the crowd…

 “The people there…there’s going to be many…I–I can’t…no.”

 Eve gripped both my shoulders and stared at me. “f**k what they think, okay? Its just you and me. We are going to get paid. We are going to get rich. Live in one house so I have a close watch of you.”

 I closed my eyes. “Okay.” I blurted.

 Eve squealed and jumped around the class. Receiving stares from our classmates.

 The bell rung signalling the end of class. As soon as I placed my book in my bag, Eve dragged me to the hallways, almost slipping.

 “Come on, we’re going to buy you a suit, I know someone.”