Sinfully Imperfect

8. Ogling Owl & Heebie-Jeebies

"Are you all right, Soph? Since lunchtime, you've been a little off." As we walked into our dorm, Ivy inquired.

I sighed, plopping on the bed. "Just peachy! Anyway, I'm going to freshen up and, well, yeah!" I grabbed a pair of sweatpants and a shirt. After taking a quick shower, I exited the bathroom to see that Ivy had already dozed off. I gently tapped her shoulder to wake her up. "Oh, you're done!" she groggily said, rubbing her eyes. She took her clothes and headed into the bathroom.

I didn't have a tutoring session with Lily, so a quick nap wouldn't hurt, right? I wrapped myself in blankets and closed my eyes, and darkness quickly descended upon me.

***

My evening alarm went off. It was 5 p.m., which meant it was time for me to study. I sat at the study table, trying to finish my assignments but finding it difficult to focus. Ivy sent me a concerned look when she saw it. I assured her with a smile.

My thoughts had been drawn to him and his message.

"I've my reasons and situations."

What did he mean by that? The cryptic message somehow left my mind in a deadly ditch of curiosity. I hadn't expected the response. And specifically, this response. But it wasn't incorrect! No, not at all. His words felt too real to ignore. My mind throughout the day wandered off to his words. He was indeed right. Everyone had their own reasons and situations, and he was no exception. There was nothing wrong with that!

I pulled out my phone and began typing: "If there are billions of reasons to risk your life, then there may be at least one reason not to do so. Go after that one reason!"

SENT

I sighed as I turned off my phone and resumed my work. And this time, I was actually able to concentrate. After a continuous study of two hours, I was a little exhausted. I opened my drawer to take my pills, but when I checked it, I realized it was finished last night, much to my dismay. I felt like slapping myself at that point. I couldn't even call Ethel at the moment. It was too late, and he must be absorbed in his work. There was only one thing left for me to do then, which was to go get my pills by myself! So, that's it.

###

Ivy and I exited the campus together, heading for the closest medical store. The university's infirmary, as far as I knew, did not stock anemic medications.

Ivy was a New York native, but she only lived a few miles from the university, making daily commuting tough for her.

We made our way back to our dorms after buying my pills. It was quite late, almost 9. We were in the main lane, which was bustling with people buying and selling. As we approached our dorm's street, we encountered total darkness and a desolate road. The only source of illumination on the street was a single lamp post situated near a tall, thick oak, which contributed to my sense of dread. The streets seemed filthy, gloomy, and smelly, as though they hadn't been swept in a few weeks. We continued walking until our feet stopped.

That's when it hit me. I turned to face Ivy, glaring at her, hoping she might realize her blunder. She did, much to my surprise! Her lips quivered slightly as she hugged her waist. Drastically pale and muttering something I couldn't understand.

"Ivy, my dear, are you sure we're on the right path?" We were standing on desolate ground, gazing at each other. I spoke up with gritted teeth as she gave me an innocent smile, "Actually, Soph... Look, I'm sorry! I didn't realize where I was going. I thought this was the short cut. I guess I took a wrong turn. Soph, believe me, I had no idea this was a dead end. I'm so sorry. Please, please, please get us out of here. I'm so scared...." She continued to ramble until I slammed her mouth shut. I put my index finger on my lips and motioned for her to be silent. I took my hand away from her mouth, and she nodded.