3. Fear
1079 Words
Instead of writing the lecture written on the board, I just let my pen roll between my fingers while I stared at the window. Hours passed by and aside from absently listening to my professor discussing in front of us, my mind kept on spinning to that friendly match Karla had offered me yesterday.
I can do this. I've passed the try-out, haven't I? So I can defeat Karla as well... though I don't have enough practice.
I bit my lip, controlling myself from emitting another huff when my professor broke my concentration.
"Alcantara!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Giving attention to my last name, I automatically stood up. I was so abrupt that the empty chair in front of me wobbled and fell down.
A round of laughter echoed across the classroom, making my cheeks feel hot. However, there was one student that didn't show any expression at all. It was Eric, the guy sitting next to me.
"Can you be a less frickin' clumsy next time?" He kneeled and grabbed the chair in its legs and pulled it up to stand again. When he got back to his seat, he frowned at me. "The chair didn't do anything to you. So be careful when you move."
"I will. Thanks anyway," I muttered. Regardless of his cold voice, he touched my heart. I didn't mind if he was snobbish. In my two months here on the campus, I'd noticed that he wasn't friendly to anyone. Although it was much better if he smiled. That would make him more handsome.
"All right, quiet. Or else I will call the noisiest student to solve the problem on the board," Professor Cruz yelled, making the class went instantly muted. Then she turned to me again. "Quinn, what is a logarithmic function?"
The class howled. Some laughed, thinking that maybe I couldn't answer the question. I heard someone from my back said, "Oh, no..."
Oh, so we're on that topic already? I tilted my head.
"Quinn, I said what's a logarithmic function and what's its usage? Can you simply tell me?" Prof. Cruz asked, her tone rising.
"Um... logarithmic function?" I took a deep breath. Good thing I did an advance read last night after I took a chess match against my computer. "It's also the log function that is the inverse of an exponential function. And we can use it to find an exponent." I paused, scanned around the quiet crowd, and looked back at the professor. "Um... do I need to go to the board to show how it is being written?"
Prof. Cruz blinked twice and shook her head. "No. Leave it to me," she said and eventually smiled. "Thank you, Quinn. You may now sit."
I nodded and took my chair.
Opening the notebook on my desk, my ears caught a low chorus of murmurs around me as the professor continued to lecture. I smiled mentally when I noted that my classmates were staring at me in disbelief. It includes Eric, but his intense stare caused goosebumps on my skin.
o0o
My last subject had made my brain inflamed. Now, it was seven in the evening and I was in the library, standing on the base of the staircase. My feet wouldn't move. I had a bad feeling about meeting Karla here. However, this was just an 'unscored' game, a frenemy match. Win or lose, it's fine.
The next thing I knew, I was on my tenth page of John Napier and the Invention of Logarithms. It was 7:20 P. M. already but still no sight of Karla. If she didn't show up within five more minutes, I'd leave this library, go straight home, and sleep.
After fifteen minutes of patiently waiting, thank goodness, and no figure of the slim figure of Karla shown up. "That's it. I'm out of here!" I hissed, feeling the growling of my stomach. Oh heaven, this was the most wasted minutes of my seventeen years of existence.
I stood up with my backpack on my right shoulder. If I knew in the first place that this match was just a whole lie, I should have just ignored her and go on with my boring life.
Approaching the door, my heart skipped a beat when the lights to the room switched off. Darkness automatically engulfed the whole room and the only light I could see was the lazy light coming from the closed windows.
Immediately, I grabbed the doorknob and my nerves shivered throughout my body when I realized it was locked.
"Um... hello?" My own voice was trembling. "Um... hey! Is there someone out there? Can you please open this door? I'm still in here!" I exhaled sharply, twisting the knob with more force. However, it wouldn't open. And I just realized that my breathing went shorter. No, no, no! I can't... I can't be trapped here. It's so dark! I don't like darkness! "Help!" I started banging and kicking the door for my dear life. "Somebody... please help me. I'm trapped in here!"
I wiped my tear-stained face. "R-relax, Quinn. You're not afraid of the dark. You're not a child anymore. Your phobia is long gone. Don't be afraid. Someone's going to open up that door. Just keep on shouting..." I whispered to myself, repeating my words over and over again. Somehow my nerves became calmer and my heart rate went to normal again.
But then I stopped chanting when some familiar voices called my name from the other side of the door.
"Hey, Quinny dear... how's your stay in there?"
My eyes flew open. "Karla?" I gritted. "You freak! Open this door at once! Or else—"
"Or else what? You'll hurt me?"
My lips trembled. "Exactly! Now, if you're brave enough. You'll unlock this door and face me!"
"Oh, how would you do that if your pants are already wet because you're afraid of the dark?"
Her mocking was supported by a mob of chuckles, making my eyes teared more. Heck, I wanted to break Karla's nose at this moment... or pull every single strand of hair from here. How could she make fun of my greatest fear?
I turned my back on the door and breathed through my mouth. "There's only one way I could go out," I muttered, staring at the window. But then the sudden silence behind the door caught my attention. It seemed like Karla and her gang were gone already.
Oh, no! I'm alone!
- Writer
