Chapter 4

"look straight, look straight, don't look sideways, don't lock eyes, look straight" the words kept ringing in her mind as she walked past the hallway filled with some people. Jexs college, she was instructed, now she was finally here. Words could not explain how nervous she felt, walking amid people she didn't have any idea of. She adjusted her newly done hairstyle. It was fancy and it looked like the ones from the girls in the magazines that Lydia always sneaked into their room from the master's office.

The people in the hallway didn't pay attention to her, but she felt odd, she felt different. Well, you couldn't blame her because she really was different.

Aanya had already been to the Chancellor's office with Mr. Patrick. She got to know his name later on. Her guardian. She smiled.Her room and schedule were fixed and she was good to go. He was supposed to help her locate her room but duty called for him and he left, leaving her alone to wander around the enormous school. She had a map in her hands but she couldn't seem to figure out how to use it.

She exited the hallway and she was back outside. She was so confused that she felt like she could burst into tears at any moment. Where could the room be?. She thought frustratingly. The Chancellor had briefed her about how the room should look like, but she had no idea where she was going.

All her life, she had always been kept inside the closed walls of Ghista, so she had no idea of some basic thing like locating her room, using a map.

She was still in deep thoughts when she heard a call from behind her."Hey!" She heard a female voice call out from behind. At first, she didn't want to turn around. 'look straight' she kept on reciting inwardly as she walked on. When the call persisted, she turned around. She should at least check if the person was speaking to her.

Aanya turned around and came faced with her. She appeared breathless as she was practically chasing after Her.

"Damn, you walk too fast," the girl said to Aanya with a smile on her face. Aanya just stared at her without saying anything. She didn't know exactly what to say. She didn't want to get into trouble on her first day. The rule clearly stated, "no friends" and this was how most friendships started. She wasn't cut out for it.

Aanya turned around swiftly and kept on walking. Prevention was indeed better than cure. Keeping a low profile was what shewas sticking to.

"Hey!" she heard from behind her again and she groaned in frustration. Why couldn't she just let her be?

"I need your help" she heard again, but she kept on walking. If she really needed help, she should go meet somebody else and not her.

"Please" she called out again, breathless. At that moment, Aanya wanted to punch someone in the face. This girl was trying to get her into lots of trouble.

"Fine, what!" She voiced out and turned back to look at her.

"Finally" the girl exclaimed and Aanya wanted to smack the smile off her pretty

face.

"Well?"

"I need your help with something. My roomdoor is jammed and I need someone to help me unlock it" she said and Aanya stared at her in disbelief.

"I don't fix doors"

"Not fixing. More like opening the door and you won't be doing it, I will"

"You mean breaking the door?" asked squinting her eyes in confusion

"Urm something like that," she said, and the way she acted made Aanya suspicious. Just the locks, not the entire doors" she added

"But if it's your room, why don't you use your Keys anyway?"

"Yeah about that" she slurred rubbing the back of her hair as she repeatedly broke contact with Aanya. "I lost it"

"This doesn't sit well with me, I'm going" Aanya stated, turning around. She wasn'tcut out for anything the girl was proposing

"I could help you locate your room. You look confused as hell"

"How did you know I was trying to locate my room?"

"You are obviously new," she said and Aanya cocked her eyebrows in confusion

"The map you are holding is only used by the new students to find their way around the school," she said and Aanya nodded in realization. "I would help you if you help me, *she said and Aanya thought for a while. She could use the help. The size of the school was driving her nuts and she would not be able to find the room on her own.

"Fine, where is your room?" Aanya felt like she was doing this against her will, but she needed to rest her head, and finding her assigned room would be a good start.

The girl beckoned on Aanya and she trailedfrom behind. They made their way back to the hallway where Aanya had just left. Aanya kept wondering why the girl wanted her to open the door when she could just choose any other person apart from her.

"Oh, by the way, I'm Stacey," she said turning around to look at Aanya. She proceeded in walking backward and Aanya wondered why she acted so weird. Everything about her was indeed weird. Her clothing was different, more on the boyish style, her makeup had a dark vibe to it and it wasn't sitting well with Aanya.

"Well?" Stacey called out to Aanya and Aanya cocked her eyebrows at her in confusion

"What is your name?"

"Aanya"

"What kind of a name is that"!

"Do you have to walk backward?" Aanyaasked totally ignoring her question.

Stacey rolled her eyes and turned to walk in a normal way. They walked for a while before Stacey finally stopped at a room door . She kept looking around, acting all suspicious and it didn't seat well with Aanya.

"This is it"

"What should I do

"Hold the door by the handle against you strongly, while I open the lock with this," she said and proceeded in bringing out a hairpin from her hair. She wiggled it in front of her. Aanya nodded in agreement and walked over to the door. She didn't fail to notice how deserted the hallway of this particular room looked with only a few doors in it that were shut.

Aanya walked over to the door, held it by the handle, and dragged it close to herself,while Stacey wiggled her hairpin inside the keyhole. She repeatedly turned the hairpin in every direction she could achieve, but still, the door wasn't budging. Aanya's hands were already hurting her as a result of the force she was using in jacking the door.

They were still on it when Aanya suddenly heard approaching footsteps, the hallway was quite quiet so the footsteps pretty much echoed all over the place. She noticed how Stacey began to panic as beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, with her shaking the hairpin In the keyhole as though her life depended on it

"Fuck this shit" she whispered with distress She looked behind Aanya and her eyes widened in shock. "Dammit Aanya, run!" she exclaimed and before she knew it, Stacey was already running down the hallway

Aanya looked around and her eyes caughtview of two guys rushing towards her with full speed. She panic and decided to make a run for it just like Stacey did. She tried to run but she wasn't swift enough as one of the guys caught up with her, held her by the wrist, and turned her around roughly to look at him. She gulped as soon as their eyes met. The piercing on his ears and lips were noticeable, accompanied by the numerous tattoos that were visible in his neckline, in other words, he looked dangerous.

"What are you doing to my door?" he asked coldly and Shiver ran down her spine.