Serenity to Souls

Outing Blues

I would be lying if I said I wasn't taken aback. I sharply breathed in through my nostrils, contemplating his reaction to my answer. Then again, who was I to care? Whatever Luke does, I was fixated on the motive never to let him too close. I narrowed my eyes in distaste.

"N-"

"Please?" he begged. "I'll never disturb you again."

His quick response was proof of my predictability. He knew I was going to say no. Just like that, I was presented with a condition. I did not doubt that Luke was well-known as a person to keep their word, thus I was heavily tempted by the offer. However, I would never allow myself to be negotiating with the likes of him.

"I said-" I stopped. As I looked at him, his eyes had grown colder, complementing his upside-down smile.

I had to choose between accepting his offer and being irritated for - potentially - the rest of my life. I could not mess this up. I couldn't believe I was about to do this.

"F-Fine."

...

Danielle. You idiot.

Luke's eyes had retained their claimed light in an instant. "Y-You really mean it?"

"Accept it before I change my mind."

"Of course!"

The next few minutes had me regretting whatever I had foolishly blurted. What had I done? I should have just thought of something to dismiss this useless outcome. I listened to the solid thump of my heart. I listened to the ringing sound that conquered my ears. I listened to the billion voices cursing me in my mind. Now what? What was to happen now? I would be getting attached to him, and when he leaves me, all those merciless emotions will come back to crunch me. Not again.

I blinked several times, compelling myself to snap out of this trance. Visibly fazed, I glanced over to Luke. He was busy with the dishes, blissfully humming to himself. Sighing, I got up from my chair, going to get ready for bed. Tomorrow was going to be a long, long day.

...

I awoke in a bright green field. The Sun was blazing, beating down upon me. Yet, I was at peace. I didn't know why. As my eyes lazily traced the grass, I depicted three shadows. Raising my head up, I was greeted with the eyes of three girls. They looked oddly familiar.

Suddenly, they turned away from me and began to walk further away. Intrigued and confused, I lifted myself to my feet, and eagerly tailed them. However, they began to sprint. Away from me. Widening my eyes, I took to their heels. I couldn't lose them. I just couldn't.

Occasionally gasping for oxygen, I consistently kept up with their pace. My surrounding darkened with a thickened black smudge, but I didn't care. I had to be with them.

Faster. Faster. I kept at it. My lungs were inflamed with an internal fire.

I was finally neck to neck with them. I threw out my hand to grab them, forcing them to draw to a halt. With a loud blast, however, an invisible force had resisted my progress, hurling me away from the three. I struggled, I tried...but I couldn't move. The figures were fading into the darkness. Before I could react, they were nowhere to be seen.

A cold, icy feeling pierced my insides. It was like a million daggers were continuously being stabbed into my stomach. It hurt like hell. I was presently in a foreign land, with no escape, no pity, and no soul. While my insides were being brutally torn out, I was lying there, helpless. When I needed someone...no one was there. When I needed myself...I wasn't there.

...

I swung myself vertically upright, heavily panting, attempting to comprehend the scene I had witnessed. I felt a cold sweat running down my forehead. I clutched my abdomen. No pain. I ran my hands along the surface on which I was postured on. It wasn't an inky smudge. In fact, it was my own bed. Desperately turning my head left to right, my eyes had taken in the image of the room. My dorm?