Masks

Chapter 2

A month had passed since that night I'd helped Landon and Mallory with their project. Since then I'd seen Slenderman several more times, though his hatchet wielding proxy was a more common sight... I tried not to stay out after dark.

I sighed, shaking thoughts of my nightmares and the bad memories from my mind as I walked into my old college's dining hall. I found my friends and walked over to them with a smile on my face. "Hey, what's up? Been a while."

Landon turned around, returning my smile with an enthusiastic one of his own. "Yeah, college got busy after we got back from break- new Spring schedule to adjust too... How've you been?"

"Good." I shrugged and grabbed a tray as I followed them. "...So, uh... how'd that project I helped with turn out?"

"We got a hundred percent!" Mallory grinned like a child, which was only emphasized by her short stature. "It was an easy class though, our English teacher was super nice."

"Wait, English?" I looked down at her in confusion while putting some food on my tray, wasn't that for one of their film classes?

"Yeah, she wanted us to do an essay as a video or podcast to make us explore more diverse writing styles." Landon responded before quickly thanking the worker for a salad and turning to look at us. "...Is that all you're getting?"

I glanced down at the water and container of fruit I'd grabbed before shrugging. "I'm not that hungry..."

He stared at me for a few more seconds, obviously not quite believing me, but was luckily distracted when Mallory began complaining about one of her new professors for the current semester. I half listened as I stood in line and paid for my food, occasionally adding bland comments to be part of the conversation. I wasn't trying to sound disinterested or like a bad friend but Landon and I were both used to these trivial complaints by now, even sharing a look as we went to sit down at a table.

"How's work been?" Mallory's sudden subject change caught me off guard. "You don't really talk about it- I bet you have a ton of stories. I know I would."

"Eh... It's like most places... Good customers and annoying ones- most are alright. It's pretty boring." I picked at my food as I spoke before taking a bite.

"When's your next day off?" Landon was staring at his phone as he spoke, most likely messaging Dillan. "We can make plans to do something together."

"I'd have to check." I stifled a yawn before either of them could notice.

Gradually our conversation died out as we continued eating and began checking our phones more than talking with each other directly unless something piqued our interest or demanded a response. My own phone hummed in signal that I'd gotten a message and I mentally sighed when I saw my ex's name on the screen along with a message asking how I was.

"It's like he doesn't realize we aren't together after how many years now?" I gave him a simple response saying I was fine and waited for the inevitable conversation that was to follow. "Doesn't he understand he knows too much? ...And after all I've done to him... he knows the risk if I'd stayed..."

I propped my head up with my hand and continued messaging Zac, trying to steer him away from asking me about my nightmares and Slenderman. "I shouldn't have let that incident slip last time we talked..."

A sigh of annoyance escaped me as I once more cast off Zac's worry with another response and sat my phone down on the table.

Landon glanced up from his own phone looking confused. "What? Are you bored? You don't have to stay... or we can go do something if you want."