I won't say that the king sized mattress was uncomfortable, because that would be a lie. I woke up feeling refreshed. More so than any night in the cave, and that made me anxious.
No one lay in the bed next to me, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Coop was true to his word when he said he would let me sleep, and I appreciated that. What I didn't appreciate was his constant prying into my life. I could take care of myself, in any environment. I wasn't weak or helpless, and I didn't need him to lecture me about the way I lived.
Once I left the bed, I made my way through his house. It was quiet, almost eerie, and seemed like no one had woken yet. The house was much larger than the dorms, and I didn't feel so closed in.
I was met with a large hallway that led to most of the bedrooms. At the center, there was an elegant staircase descending to the front door. Double doors of dark oak, and carved centuries ago melded into the wall with grace.
I quietly made my way down the steps, entranced by their intricate, woven material. I was close to opening the door, when I heard his voice from behind me.
"Where are you going, little nymph?" Velvet and warmth trickled from his words.
I froze, and mumbled a string of curses. Slipping out unnoticed was thrown out the damn window.
I turned to peer at him over my shoulder, he had a confused look on his face and when he recognized the stoic features of my face, sadness replaced the confusion.
"Uh, to my first class? It's the end of the week, and I really have to go see professor Hawkin's today. Look, I meant what I said last night Coop." My voice shook with uncertainty regarding my decision.
"Oakley, wait, I-"
I felt a tug at my heartstrings, but I only turned my head back around, and walked out of his house. I couldn't will myself to stay for his reply. I hoped that would add bitterness to Coop's thoughts about me.
I'd have to stop by my dorm to change clothes, but I would make it to Hawkin's class on time today, so I wasn't too worried. I submitted his assignment before I left the library. Therefore, he really couldn't say anything about snarky about my prior absence.
The walk to my dorm proved shorter than I thought. Coop's house had been closer to campus than I originally thought. I was grateful that I could take a bit of a breather before class. As I passed a few grumbling students, their postures, and groans told me they were nursing hangovers.
The main building in sight, I increased my speed, earning incredulous looks from dawdling students. Luck hadn't been on my side as of late, and I wanted to enter my dorm and make it to class unscatched. Preferably, without conversation.
I opened door three sixteen, and flung the closet doors aside. Scanning my the few clothes, I settled on a pair of flowy, parachute pants, and a plain green top with sheer sleeves. The more time spent in this room, staring at the white abyss-like walls, the easier it was to become trapped in my own memories, and with recent events, that was not happening.
I grabbed my white sneakers and headed out the door in record time. I had to cross the center of the courtyard in order to get to Hawkin's building, and I grimaced at the memory of last night. I wouldn't be able to avoid Coop for very long, but I hoped with the party tonight, he would leave me alone for the day. He'd have too many people around him, and asking him questions for him to be able to spot me.
Hawkin's class was a royal fucking pain, and being as early as it was, didn't help. It was Advanced Potions, and at times was unnecessarily complicated. The lectures were long and boring, but tolerable. The difficulty in the class was in the execution of some of the potions. Though structured quite modestly in terms of architecture, the fluorescent lights made it difficult to focus. My potions, both healing and hexing would...explode at times. Today was no different, I had no idea what was in store for this class, and I was even more on edge than normal. There was no way I was getting through this class unscathed.
I took my seat at the lab table, setting my bag on the floor, when I saw some of the most toxic liquids for nymphs, sitting in front of me. My face paled. I hesitantly raised my hand and I saw professor Hawkin's face looking at me in question.
"Can I help you Ms. Ellwood? What seems to be the -Oh-" he stopped talking as soon as I held the vial in my gloved hand.
"Professor Hawkin, I'm sorry, but I really can't be around Valerian Root, sir. Is it okay to be excused for this lesson? I can make it up with a different assignment if that's okay?"
Valerian root was deadly to any nymph, in any form. If a nymph wasn't welcome on a specific territory, there would be valerian root patches around the border.
"Of course, Ms. Ellwood. I will email you a separate assignment after class, but I'll have to mark you as absent for half the class. I apologize." Professor Hawkin was reasonable when he needed to be, and the fact that he allowed a separate assignment meant that I was in the clear this time.
As irritated as I was for being marked absent, I mumbled a thank you, and removed my goggles, and gloves. An alternate from Hawkin, was a rarely answered prayer. I wouldn't retract that by whining.
Wasting no time, I grabbed my bag, and sprinted out the door. I'd had enough near death experiences this week. I just wanted a break, hell, even a hairline fracture would do.
The hallway wasn't too crowded when I exited the classroom, so I was able to make my way pretty easily to the exit of the building. I was nearly there when I heard a loud voice ring in my ear.
"Oakley? Oakley, hey!" The bubbly, and overly energetic voice belonged to a woman, and I turned around to see Hannah Frey, another nymph that attended, but a year below.
"Hannah? Is that you? I haven't seen you in forever, how are you?" I slapped on a smile, and greeted her with a bit too much cheeriness.
"I haven't been able to leave my room in a minute, too many assignments, they said this year would be a difficult one, and I had the nerve to not believe them. Oh, did you know that Brandon and Lydia broke up? I thought they were totally end game. Basilia told me last night in the library. Agnetha almost beamed her." She was chuckling anxiously.
I felt bad, it was true, her year brought a lot of hardships assignment wise, and I was just like her. Homework swallowed me whole half the time, and the other half was spent in caffeine induced comas, trying to get through the classes. Her rambling gave me a sense of relief though, and and idea popped into my head.
"I understand, well I was going to head to the café to get some coffee if you would like to come with? Or do you have class?" I wanted some company, and I hadn't been able to see Hannah for far too long.
She was kind, and could talk about herself for hours. It was nice to just sit back and listen for a while.
"Oh, no I just left my first class, it was only a test, and probably the easiest one for the year. I'll come with you. I'm doing a research paper on the effects of machinery in wildlife habitats, and caffeine will help me pull the all nighter I have planned." She sang happily and looped her arm in mine.
I let her set the pace as we skipped out of the building and to the café. I really needed some coffee, or my head would start to hurt again. We passed through the courtyard, and a crowd of people were huddled by the fountain. Coop's disheveled, golden locks peeked out from the mess of browns, silvers, and pinks. There were shouts and hollers from his friends, and his eyes trailed over to mine. Instinctively, I let my eyes trail to my worn sneakers, and allowed the sidewalk to guide me the rest of the way.