I have been attending college for almost two years now, without being bothered by the people around me. It has been pretty easy, not having to pretend anymore. Why would I need to pretend? Well, I’m not like the people around me, I do not feel. I try and keep to myself, so I do not draw attention to myself. So I tend to spend most of my time in the best place where I couldn’t possibly be bothered. The library, I get to read on interesting things, old murder cases, psychology, sociology, medieval torture, sometimes a bit of poem. I enjoy reading Edgar Allen Poe.
This is the best place for me to be me. Or so I thought it was, until she approached me, while I happened to be reading A tale tell Heart. Her hair was short and bobbed, jet black clearly dyed that way, her eyes were a light shade of brown, and her skin looked so soft and...uncut. She looked at the book and then at me with a soft smile. I continued to stare at her, I forgot that I was supposed to smile back. Then, she spoke her voice high and energetic, but because we were in a library her tone was hushed, a whisper. Her voice, it overwhelmed me, filling my ears they rang.
"A Tale Tell Heart, I love Edgar Allen Poe, his writings so deadly romantic, his stories are the reason why I started liking Gothic romance so dark." She sat across from me setting her book bag on the ground and looked back at me. I continued to just stare, unsure of what to do I was too mesmerized by her.
"Oh, I’m sorry I was being rude and interrupted your reading." She began to reach down to grab her bag.
"N-no it’s totally fine. I’m sorry. Yeah, this is actually one of my favorite poems written by him, and his work does give the whole Gothic Romance taste."
Her smile grew brighter as she lay her head on her hand and stared at me. Nothing much for her to look at, I wasn’t appealing. My skin was soft, but I had a lot of dark scars on my brown skin, my hair was straightened with an undercut slicked back, and layered bangs to the right. My glasses were square framed, my eyes a blank and boring dark brown. So boring, but she still stared as if she had seen a unicorn.
"I’m Veronica, you can call me V for short, this is almost my second year here." The second year, just like me, I think I have seen her name around before...but where. Pretty large university, though, maybe I’m mistaken. Oh, I almost forgot to respond back.
"I’m Rose, I have also only been here for almost two years, um I think I’ve seen your name around campus. I may be mistaken." She smiled brightly and bent down to reach into her bag when she rose back up with a piece of paper. she set it in front of me. I looked at it, The "Gothic Occult?", oh her name and contact information is on the paper.
"I started up the club just recently, it’s only a few people. My boyfriend and some friends, I have been trying to get new members."
The occult? She believes in such a thing? Looking up at her she looked like she wanted to ask me to join. I have no curiosity for such a thing really, I don’t want to get involved with any other humans, no interest. I’ve spent all this time alone, and no one got hurt, no staring, I would have to pretend again, like in high school. My train of thought had been interrupted.
"If you want to just stop by and check it out, that would be awesome, see what we are all about."
"I’m not all that interested, and I don’t really believe in such things." Her eyes that were filled with the emotion of sadness, unmoved I closed my book.
"Oh...I’m sorry, god I’m so sorry. I disturbed your reading and I wasted your time. You seemed so interesting and the book you’re reading..." She started to get up and grabbed her back, she left the flyer on the table.
She then finally left.
I didn’t look twice at the flyer and reopened the book and continued to read.
Hours later, I lost track of time. I look up at the library’s clock. 7pm, I finished reading what I need, I guess I can go back to my dorm...I look over and the flyer is still there. Tuesdays at 7:30, hm I suppose to kill time I would stop by, see what it’s about. I take the flyer and make my way to the Knight Building, Huh, that building is never used since that incident, it has been shut down. How was she able to get a room in there? Well, whatever. The sky began to get darker as the sun began to set.
I finally made it, walking inside, the building atmosphere felt so much darker than the other buildings. It was so quiet, but I felt used to that kind of atmosphere, it was the kind that surrounded me, which is why no one ever approaches me. I walk down the halls my footsteps echoing through the halls. Room 606, I finally made it, I stare at the door, and I heard chattering inside. Once I opened the door, suddenly the room got quiet and the stares...There were 3 girls including Veronica and two males.
"Rose!" Veronica quickly ran over to me and took my hand pulling me inside. My body froze, her hand...this warmth rushing over me overflowing. My heart started pounding in my ears. What...is this? A euphoric feeling? I couldn’t possibly. This must be a mistake. I shook my head and ignored it.
"Welcome!" Her smile, everything began to play in slow motion. I looked around, the room was dark, with only the candles on bookshelves giving a little light. Posters on the walls, an alter, and symbols of a pentacle on the ground and in other places.
"This is my boyfriend Bobby." A tan male, pretty tall, dark eyes and a beanie on his head. "Catherine." A short redhead, with green eyes. "Beth" A short haired brunette, with hazel eyes. "And Johnny" A height similar to Bobby, but a slightly bigger build, he stared at me for awhile, and smiled.
She finally let go of my hand and time resumed at its normal pace. I took in a deep breath and looked around.
"Everyone, this is Rose. I found her reading Edgar Allen Poe in the library, I really thought you weren’t going to come."
"Well, I finished reading, I thought maybe I could just kill some time."
"If you do decide to join, I promise you won’t regret it. We read and discuss old books written during the Victorian Era, we go on trips to haunted places, and perform rituals and see if we can somehow connect with the dead"
I raise an eyebrow. "A ritual? Do you sacrifice animals or something?"
"Nothing like that, we just use nature, spells, and candles. We have big plans since it’s almost October. That’s when we probably will have the best luck of finding another world beyond ours." She sat next to her friends and motioned for me to sit down next to them.
I walk over and sit by them, I don’t know why, but I think I’ll join they do read and explore murder houses.
"I’ll join"
Her eyes lit up showing signs of happiness. "Thank you so much, this will be an amazing experience!"
From then on, I had to change and begin to pretend.