23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Laura

I try to hang out with everyone and do well in class, but...

It's okay. I'll figure it out. This may be the first mid-term examination for my college time, but this isn't the first exam I've been through.

My heart races so hard that it may jump out of my chest. I clench a fist, only to find my palms sweaty.

I stare at the partition in front of me that divides the desks into cubicles for students to study. It is a wooden partition board that's cold and hard, so boring, without a hint of life.

If I'm not in a library, I would be screaming. It feels like I'm trapped. Why did I put myself in such a jail?

Ryan's on the other side of the partition board, probably doing a lot better than me.

I was hoping to do great in class and everything, but for now, I just want to hide and ignore everything.

I rub my temple, trying to calm myself. Why do I have to be so nervous?

My gut twitches and my mind keeps wandering. I don't even know whether I can keep going with this.

"Hey, are you fine? You look tired." I turn around to find Ryan next to me with his water bottle. Maybe he's here to ask whether I'd want to get a refill with him. The machine's at the other end of the library, which makes for a decent walk from the seat and can act as a much-needed break.

I pick up my water bottle. "I think I'm just tired."

He gives me a hand and I take it, despite something in me screaming for me to thank him and move on.

We never said anything about dating each other or something like that. We just somehow always find ourselves spending time together. Or maybe I'm the one finding that out while he has been wanting to spend more time with me.

We head down the corridor between the shelves, heading for water. The soft carpet that layered the floor takes away our footsteps. The warm lighting in the library is there to hide the fact that we're just trapped here for who knows what.

Studying, yeah... that.

Even though I told Gisett that we couldn't be together, I still think about him all the time. For example, there are a few bronze statues in the library, especially in the lobby, where they go with the display board about the history of this school and library. These bronze statues have nothing to do with gargoyles, but I still think about him.

I've never dreamed about Gisett or gargoyles since I rejected him. Part of me doesn't mind dreaming about him again, but it feels wrong, like... Maybe I shouldn't think about him like that.

What's he doing?

I've been trying my best to look away from Gisett when I head home, but he's such a big statue that it's hard to not see it.

Is he mad at me?

I told him we could still be friends, but maybe that's not what he wants.

Ryan and I arrive at the water dispenser, and we take turns filling up our bottles. He lets out a breath. "It's quite a day."

"Yeah..." I cover my mouth as I yawn. The water dispenser is further away from the desks and study area, so it is fine for us to talk a bit more without disturbing anyone. "I think I'll stay for another half an hour and call it a day."

"Do you want to have dinner together?"

I shake my head. "I'm too tired for that this evening."

"I see. I get it. Don't study too hard." He winks, which makes my cheeks burning hot.

But at the same time, I think about Gisett again. This is getting annoying. He refuses to leave my brain.

Well... I'm the one who keeps thinking about him.

The remaining half an hour is a blur. I think I go through a few more pages, but I'm not sure whether I remember the words, let alone understand them.

Maybe it's a bad idea to stay for longer when my mind isn't at it anymore.

It's all Gisett's fault. He is the reason nothing's working out well. My luck is just... Maybe I should have told him that this wasn't going to work in the beginning, then I wouldn't end up in this situation. I should have... told him before I felt something for him. And I should have controlled myself not to fuck him. Then it'd be better. At least it should be better.

Ryan leaves the library with me. We part ways at the fork of the road to the dorm building and the restaurant, respectively. It is still early. The sun is still setting, so it should be fine for me to head home on my own.

I can't be unlucky enough to run into a robber again, right?

Gisett will... he said he will protect me if something happens, not that I'd wish for bad things to happen to me, that's for sure.

Down the road, there are quite a few other students and passersby, which makes the journey feel safer. The gates are in sight in no time, also... Gisett's there, too.

I stare at the statue as I walk closer and closer to it. Who designed this stupid road? There should be more than one path that leads back to the dorm building. Then I won't have to keep seeing him all the time.

The statue feels dead, even though it sounds weird to be thinking that. A statue has never been alive, but knowing it is Gisett makes it feel different.

The time when we would talk in that strange magical way... I think about Gisett and hold the thought in my chest. Since the day I told him off, I haven't felt the same vibration in my chest. It's like... the other side of the phone is gone, no one's there anymore. Not only that, the call doesn't even go out.

The statue's eyes look at me, but it feels different.

Maybe Gisett isn't around.

I sigh. "Where are you? It's all your fault. Like... something like that."

I look around, making sure no one's close enough to hear my ramblings against a statue. Gisett may not be here at this moment, he will be back soon. I thought he was usually here unless he's with me. But maybe...

Maybe he found himself a mate. He doesn't care that I'm a human, so... his mate can be a human or a gargoyle.

My chest tightens with that thought. I should be happy for him but at the same time...

I... Maybe I miss him. Now that I get us into this situation, I have no one to blame but myself. "Gisett, you aren't showing up for me anymore, huh?"

I've been trying to spend time with Ryan, but it's not the same. It feels like he can be a good friend, but it doesn't feel like I have that kind of connection with him. While with Gisett, he can always comfort me, even when I'm tired. I've never been too tired to have Gisett with me, yet...

Maybe I should get my gargoyle back. but I was the one telling him that there was no future for us. I run my hand over my face. Maybe I can never go out with him to public places, and people around me are going to keep saying that I should date someone, but I'd be enjoying myself with Gisett.

I stare at the statue for a bit longer. Do I message him? he may not want to chat with me or think about me, but he still checks his message, right?

There's a knot in my stomach, as if urging me to do something, but it doesn't feel right.

Before I spend too much time in front of the statue and look suspicious, I continue heading down the road. Except the urge remains in my chest. I've tried to be normal almost my whole life, but that hasn't worked out as I hoped. Yet, at the same time, it hasn't been as bad as I imagined either.

But the problem is... will Gisett still want to deal with me? He did nothing wrong, and I told him that I didn't want to date a gargoyle, I didn't even give him a chance.

Maybe Ryan's not that interested in me after all. I can be dating someone else, not that he and I have been dating anyway. There could be another human out there waiting for me and we'd get along great.

Or not...

Or maybe I've already run into someone who I can get along with great.

It is getting darker. There are birds chirping in the woods. My shadow is long under what's left of the sun. I pick up speed, not wanting to run into another robber or something dangerous again. When my luck sucks, which happens quite a lot, I don't want today to be that day.

Where's Gisett?

I pull out my phone to check for messages. I keep scrolling to look for Gisset. It has been a while since we—

I halt when there's a shadow in front of me.

No way, I—

It's a bird... Probably a crow.

I let out a breath. That stupid bird is going to give me a heart attack any day. I glance at my phone again. In the rush to halt before I bump into the bird, my fingers send me out of the app for messages. Now, I have to start the scrolling once again...

Stupid bird.

Maybe this is a sign I should wait to message Gisset after I get home safely. I don't want to risk my luck. Humans can be a lot more dangerous than birds. Not to mention I know that Gisett isn't around, and he can't help me in time. He has some magic under his sleeves, but he has to know about my situation first, which may take time. I may not survive until then.

I open the door to the dorm building, getting in as quickly as the door opens wide enough for me to slip through.

Fuck... I forgot about my backpack, and it's stuck over there.

I try to open the door again so I can unstuck myself, but my hands can't reach the door. Yet, if I keep moving forward, my backpack will be ruined.

Maybe I should walk backward, and that should—

"Miss, looks like you need help." It's a hoarse male voice, which doesn't sound like good news at all.

I jump, but I can't move enough to get out of the way and into safety. I open my mouth to scream, but the door lets go of my backpack out of nowhere. I was trying to run forward, but now that the door doesn't hold me back, I stumble forward. I try to steady myself, but my feet hit each other.

"Fuck!" I yell as I close my eyes, bracing for impact.

But the pain doesn't arrive. Instead, I hit something softer than the tiled floor. "Wow, wow." The guy's there and...

I open my eyes to see a masked figure in front of me, who's also the one holding me in his arms. He is masked, with sunglasses, despite that it isn't that sunny outside. He also has a stupidly big hat with bulges to the sides, where the ears should be. "Who even are you? Security! I—"

He hisses and covers his mouth. "Stop the stupidity." He puts me down and runs to the door.

I stare at him. Do I run and chase after him? For what?

I blink as I stare at the door a bit longer. I thought the guy dashed out, but...

There's no need to be curious about what happened with that guy, but I head to the door again and open it. Outside, all the way to the statue, there's no one on the path.

So...

I feel my face. Did I see things?

But someone did help me, right? Otherwise, I'd end up on the floor.

Now that I think about it... With how hard the guy tried to hide himself with awkward clothes and accessories...

Is that... Gisett?

Really?

I dash to the lift, I have to—

I turn around and run to the door. First, I have to pick up my student card that fell when I tripped and almost fell.