“Camryn, what do you have? I know you have some purple at least. My gosh, you can’t even tell where Savannah goes to school.”
I sighed a little. “Yeah, I don’t really shop.”
“I don’t know if I have anything that will fit you. You are so tiny.”
I couldn’t control my laughter. “Umm, I've never been told I was tiny.”
“Well, you are smaller than us. We shop in the football department. You don’t get scholarships with weak shoulders!” Darcy made her arms bulge out bigger. She really did have huge shoulders.
Camryn laughed, “Yeah, yeah, bench and deadlift record holder, we know.” She tossed a shirt at Darcy, “I just don’t bulk like you do. It’s frustrating.”
“You jump and run too. Why do you need to bulk? I only throw- big difference.”
I stood listening to their conversation, feeling completely left out. I couldn’t remember when I went to a gym-like ever. These two worked out daily.
“I still don’t see how you think I am small. I’m 5’9” for heck sake.”
“6’1” Camryn raised her hand. “If I could shoot a basket, I would be in basketball. Alas, I am strong!”
“5’ 10! Got you by an inch.”
“What’s Crystel got?”
“Um, don’t look through her stuff!” Camryn tried to block Darcy.
“Oh please, her girlfriend and I went to school together since third grade. Crys is fine. She comes off all cold and bitchy, but really she is a push over.”
“Either way, Darcy, no.” Camryn shut the drawer.
“Fine, then I am going deeper into your stuff. You must have something. Besides, Savannah has a bigger rack than you, so a little length would be perfect.
They pulled shirt after shirt, and I marveled at how many different styles they had. From strappy to tank to crop to everything in between. I had t-shirts, in a few colors. Basically, that was it.
Finally, after trying on at least fifteen different tops, they decided on one, and Darcy insisted on the ripped jeans. Totally fine with me since they were my favorite anyway.
Camryn propped open the door, letting some of the heat out. They sat me down, working with my hair and insisting I add a little make up. Again, things were pulled out of other drawers.
“You do realize I could never do this look again without your help.” I said in between hair pulls.
“Um, I am simply braiding your hair; it isn’t that hard.” Darcy said as she continued to wrap my hair tightly into thick reversed French braids.
Camryn dabbed on powder after powder. “It is bronzer and highlighter. Again, nothing too major. Just a little color.” I stared down as she worked on my eyelids. I looked back up and caught a glance of the same guy from the stairs. My blood drained from my face, and I felt my temperature drop. I inhaled, and barely returned air to my lungs.
“What the fuck?” Camryn looked at my face and followed my gaze to the door. “Savannah what just happened?” Darcy stopped mid braid. “Savannah? Savannah?”
I inhaled deeply, and tried to look natural, but he wouldn’t go away. He stood there, staring at me. Directly into my eyes. I looked away, shifting my focus around the room, but try as I might, I always landed back on him in the doorway.
I didn’t see Darcy, until the door slammed shut. “What the hell just happened?”
I looked back toward the door. I knew he stood just on the other side.
I sprinkled salt my first night in the dorm. I stepped on it, and squished it, and ground it deep into the short industrial carpet. I hadn’t sealed the door since, thinking it was silly to do it in the first place.
He oozed evil. Whoever he was, he was not good, and try as I might, I knew he would be back.
My eyes welled with tears. So much for my moment of perfectly normal.
So long athletic friends who didn’t think I was a freak.
I stood, wobbly, and walked to my shelf. No words left my lips. From behind my books and pictures, I pulled a small container of sea salt mixed with simple herbs. Walking past my silent friends, I spread a thin line across the door, under my breath incanting a simple saying I’d started years ago. “You are not welcome here, please pass by, you are not welcome here, keep going low or high.”
I stood up and returned the bottle to the back of the shelf.
Facing them for the first time, noting their blank expressions, wishing I could go back to just minutes ago. I inhaled, expecting their comments to start.
“You saw him, didn’t you?” Darcy’s face didn’t look angry, or disgusted. Her expression lay closer to knowing.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” I turned toward my drawer, just rummaging clothes from one pile to another.
Darcy reached for my arm. “Holy shit, you are like ice.”
I shrugged away, “I just got a chill, it happens. “
“Bullshit.”
“Darcy, let her be.”
“No, I will not. She saw him. Don’t try to tell me otherwise.” She grabbed me and twirled me toward her. “Look at me.” Her fingers pressed deeply into my skin. Begrudgingly, I met her gaze. “Did-you-see-him?”
“Did you?” I breathed out thinly. My mind started to click into place. If Darcy was this adamant about it, then maybe I wasn’t alone. She said him. How could she know if it was a guy or a girl, or human for that matter? How could she have had any idea what was there unless… “Did you see him?”
“Of course not. I am not that cool.” Darcy dropped her grip.
My face fell. Silly, that I allowed my emotions to slightly slip into
