Nerd in Disguise: Blood Bound

Chapter 7

"JACOB! YOOHOO! WHERE ARE YOU? JACOB!" I shout around the forest. I feel like I am in some horror flick where the girl wanders into a deep dark place looking for her friend. And then she gets jumped and killed. 

Let's hope I do not get jumped and killed. I have fighting experiences, but I cannot see in the dark. I am relying on my lovely iPhone flashlight to power me through the night. I think my battery life is enough.

"JACOB!" I shout once more.

No answer.

Where in hell is he? I have already searched the well and everything within a twenty feet radius. Nothing. With his injured ankle, he should not have been able to climb out of the well. I know for certain that he could not have faked his injury. The swelling looked bad.

I'm sure Jacob is a capable and intelligent guy. He can probably find his way back to the campus unharmed and whole. Right? He's a freaking spy, so I doubt he will need help. Still, I cannot help worrying about him. Seriously, not everyone is invincible (which only makes me feel like this is my fault). 

I choose to go back and search around once last time after I put the ladder back. By then, it is completely dark. It makes the forest even more eerie-looking. I truly hope there are no murderers or rapists lurking around in here just waiting to attack me. 

Sn-ap!

I immediately turn aorund, shining my light towards the noise. If my heart was not beating so rapidly in fright, I would find this situation also rather amusing. I can totally picture the scary movie scene.

Of course, my light shows more darkness. I turn around slowly in a complete circle, clenching onto my phone tightly. I have a swiss knife in my fanny pack, but I am more likely to stab myself in this darkness than whoever or whatever attacks me. 

Snap!

I gulp and turn off my light reluctantly. It's probably the stupidest or smartest decision I make. The light will show where I am, but it also lets me see. Still, there is some light from the moon.

Snap! Snap! 

This sounds a lot like footsteps. I cannot take this anymore. I want to sprint towards the school but I know I will only trip over the roots in the dark. 

Please don't be some killer.  

I inch behind a tree I saw before I turned off the light. I crouch and wait for whoever or whatever it is to pass me. I see a dark figure walk right pass me. In the moonlight, I can faintly see his face, a face I have never seen before. I try to commit this man's face into memory. Is he looking for me? He's certainly searching around for someone by the looks he make. This guy must be over six feet. Those who are taller tend to look in their range of view, rarely do they look down. Still, he somehow looks right past me.  

Whew. Today must be lucky day, besides Jacob and falling into a well. I let out the breath I am holding as he leaves. I think I am officially paranoid. 

I wait five minutes before I rush back towards the school with only some trips.

As soon as I get into my room, I rush to take the show I so desperately need. I pause and I see my reflection.

"Ah!" I scream in fright as I see myself. What a sight! My hair is frazzled, skin dirtied, clothes torn, and face grimy. I cring as I take off my shirt and glance at my back. I hope I do not scar. I go inside my room to take a long, nice shower. 

I feel refreshed and calm as I finish my shower. Of course, I still wonder where in hell is Jacob. I just met the guy but I honestly liked him. If he winds out dead, then I will feel responsible for his death.

"Ugh!" I groan and throw myself on my bed. I can't just sit here and do nothing. I'm about to leave the damn school in a week!

I frown in frustration as I think of all the possibilities to why and how he could have escaped. I must have been tired for I soon drift off to sleep.

*****

"Ha-chew!" I sneeze as I wake up. It's cold in here. I grab my wooly sweater, leggings, and boots. Today is sweater weather. I also put on my beanie and scarf. Much better. Wait, I can't forget my glasses and pigtails. 

I look around my dorm and sigh a little. I actually might miss this school. I have half of my stuff already packed up, which isn't much anyways. I travel light, but over the years, I have gathered quite an assortment of odds and ends. 

I leave my room, scanning and committing everything into memory before I exit.

"Get out of the way," someone grumbles as they pass by me. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

I start walking aimlessly around the halls, hoping I somehow find Jacob's room. I know what his number is, but I just don't know where it's located. I have never been in another person's room and I don't know where they all are.

"You looking for Jacob?" I think Hubert asks me. Now, I take huge offense that he isn't called the Nerd, but I am. Have you seen this guy? He's THE stereotypical nerd. Ugh, I'm so done with these people. Then again, I shouldn't judge him by his cover right? Whatever, this place is a hellhole.

"Yeah." I grunt. "You know where his room is?"

"For what price?" Hubert leers. Oh, he's an evil bastard. It must be because of all his bullying when he was a child. Did I forget to mention his parents are the CEOs or whatever of Priton Review? Yeah, that SAT review company that makes big bucks. He's quite a spoiled brat, and I know this because I have my sources.

"I don't have time for this,' I grab his collar and pull him towards me. "Your reward is that you get to walk out of here with four working limbs. Heck, you get to walk out of here with 206 bones."

"Uh, uh..I..." He stutters and blinks frantically. "Down the hallway, make a left, and then make three rights." 

"Thanks," I let him go. He runs away from me in a hurry. I feel slightly guilty for the wimpy guy, but he was looking down on me. 

I follow Hubert's directions and end up looking in front of Jacob's room. 

Knock, knock, knock!

I hear footsteps shuffling around inside the room. "Hello?" I call out.

The noises inside stop. I glance around the hallway to make sure there is nobody around. Taking out my picklocking toolkit, I start fiddling with the lock. Thank goodness for my brothers who taught me how to do this. 

Click!

I push open the door, hoping whoever behind the door is just Jacob. As I glance inside, I notice a figure at the window. Turning on the lights quickly, I see the a clearer profile of this mystery man. He is the same guy who was in the forest. We make brief eye contact before he opens the windows to climb out. His emerald eyes shine brightly against his pale complexion. He looks younger here, more attractive. 

"Hey! You! Hold up!" I shout and rush towards him as he is about to leap out. We are on the third floor--is he suicidal?

Too late. I watch as he leaps off easily on the pad of snow below. Snow? It is already snowing? 

"What the hell is going on?" I repeat for probably the fourth time of the day.