His hand caught my shoulder, “Wait, I am just messing with you. Damn, girl, you are like the easiest person on the planet to screw with.”
I stood frozen as I caught a glimpse of an old man standing directly behind him. my face paled, and my breath shuddered. This didn’t happen very often. I rarely got the contact hit when someone touched me.
“Savanah? You feel ok?” Tyler let his hand drop, focusing instead on my face. “You look like you are going to pass out. Here let me help you.” He reached to grab my elbow, and I jerked away.
“I’m fine. Sorry, I just,” I looked behind him and there was nothing. “I just thought I saw something. It was just a shadow from the security lights. I’m sorry.”
Tyler smiled lightly, but it didn’t reach his green eyes this time. “It’s cool. Let’s get you home. We don’t want any more shadows to get you.”
I blushed again. Awesome. Now he thinks I’m a freak too. GREAT. Exactly what I wanted.
We continued walking, but silence fell heavily between us. Our feet crunched in time through the leaves and I fought tears welling in my eyes. All I wanted was to be normal, and that wasn’t going to happen. Here a nice guy asked to walk me home, and god forbid I just make casual conversation, without appearing to be a head case.
“So, are ya still with me?” Tyler lightly bumped my arm.
“I’m sorry. You probably think I’m a super freak.” I didn’t dare look up, my eyes were glassy, fighting back the tears, and I couldn’t be sure it wouldn’t show.
“Nah. Look, Savanah I think you’ve got stuff.” He shrugged, kicking a leaf. “We’ve all got stuff. It’s college. We come to college partially to get away from our stuff and become who we really want to be. Leave who we were and become who we should be. I think you are more normal than you realize.”
Laughter bubbled out, boisterous and loud. I couldn’t control the snort that followed.
“Ok, so maybe you’re not so normal.” Tyler chuckled with me as we continued walking home.
“Thanks.” I stopped in front of the dorm. “I appreciate you not thinking I’m a freak.”
He kept his hands securely in his pockets. “I never said that. You are definitely a freak.” He bumped my arm again. “Just a normal freak.”
I smiled up, and noticed his smile reached his eyes again. Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe he didn’t think I was psycho. “Thanks for walking me home. Are you in Haman?”
“Nope, Simplot.” He pointed back where we came from.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. We literally walked right by it.”
“It’s no stress. I wasn’t gonna let you walk alone. Not when those shadow monsters are out.” He laughed lightly. “Well, goodnight, Savanah.”
“Goodnight and thank you again.” I stepped back towards the door as he walked back down the path.
“Hey, Savanah.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad you decided against Netflix.” He turned away, and I stood there staring after him.
So, this is what it feels like when a guy flirts with you? I walked through the door with a bit more of a bounce in my step.
Chapter Four
Western Civ became my favorite class overnight. Tyler moved to sit near me, and every day we walked out together just talking. I giggled with Leah about silly things, completely crushing on Tyler. I was just a normal college girl.
Almost.
I had work study, and after finally getting a couple interviews scheduled, I couldn’t wait when it looked like I had a position in the admissions office. I smiled as I walked to the front of the admissions building.
Something caught my eye and I automatically looked.
Of course, I did.
The window faced the admissions entrance, and there the child sat, intensely staring at me. I tested it, looking away and then looking back. Sure enough, the child still appeared in the window, only this time it hesitantly waved at me.
I tried to stop my hand, but it just mimicked the movement back at the small face in the window. I shook my head and turned toward the door as quickly as I could. This was not happening again. I was normal. I was no longer the freak, the crazy girl who saw things that were never there.
When I left the welcome desk at the admissions office, I discovered the back door became my little savior. It allowed me to leave and never pass the window.
I really liked the back door.
I shifted my entire routine to avoid the window as much as possible. When no other options were available, I intentionally wouldn’t look at anything but the ground.
“I really do feel like you would love them. They are such great people. Anyway, are you sure you don’t want to come?” Leah had talked about nothing other than the weekend trip she was headed off to. Another school outing opportunity.
“No, like I said, I don’t really hike.”
“Come on, it isn’t like we are just going to trudge up hills. I mean not really, the hike is for all levels, and it is going to be fun. We hike in, make dinner from what we find, and then hike back. I can’t wait.”
I sighed, “It’s fine, really. I have so much stats homework that I don’t think I will ever get it done. I am not leaving the library until I am dead.”
Another excursion. Didn’t anyone just stay at school? Geeze, was it possible to not forage for leaves and berries to eat? The cafeteria was so much more convenient. “Besides,” I added, noting her disappointed face, “I really don’t know any of those people.”
Leah punched me in the shoulder,
