Avalon City

Chapter 3

~Avery~

I'm up early, combing through my notes for about an hour. The morning sun begins to brighten the room, casting a warm glow. Glancing at the clock hanging above the TV, I see it's eight o’clock. The perfect time for me to prepare for my day and leave the dorm.

I hastily pack away my notebooks, brush my hair, and add a few light strokes of eyeliner and mascara. Walking into Becca's room, I toss a couch cushion at her. "I'm heading out! Shower before you're late," I call out, watching as she groans and rolls onto her back. Squinting at me through sleepy eyes, Becca complains about how she just fell asleep.

"Consider it payback for sneaking out last night to party with Mark," I tease her, reminding her of the upcoming break and the time she'll have to waste then. "You can sleep all you want when we’re off," I add.

Becca grumbles something about me always being the voice of reason and reaches for her phone. With a smirk, I shoot back, "Love you too. Get up now; I won't be here to wake you if you doze off again."

As I see her swinging her legs over the bed, I leave my empty coffee cup in the sink, sling my book bag over my shoulder, and grab my keys. I head towards the main exit, noticing other students hustling about, some leaving for early holidays. Their enthusiasm makes me a tad envious.

I cross the quad towards the north block, where my chemistry lab is located. Despite the positive vibes around me, I can't shake off the strange sensation of being watched. I quicken my pace, eager to shrug off the feeling.

Avalon University, the only institution in Avalon City that welcomes both human and supernatural students, is bustling. I appreciate the vision of inclusivity it promotes. Other universities in the city are more exclusive. Dark Night University caters only to supernaturals, and Lilydale is for humans alone. This segregation makes me uncomfortable, but there's little I can do about it.

A fragile peace exists between the human and supernatural populations, each governed by their own laws. The fear some humans have towards the supernaturals, especially the seemingly more sinister ones like vampires and demons, still persists. This fear stems from the great war that ended ninety years ago, after which humans and supernaturals worked toward cohabitation.

Located centrally, Avalon University is easily accessible to both communities. It's neutral grounds and welcoming to all. When Becca and I graduated high school, we didn't want to part ways, so we chose Avalon.

Engrossed in my thoughts, I barely realize I've reached the chemistry lab to find it empty and dark. A yellow post-it note on the door announces that there's no class today and wishes us happy holidays. Confused, I'm left wondering how to fill my now empty day.

I turn to leave, and my phone vibrates in my pocket. It's my mom. Excited, I answer, only for a sense of dread to wash over me. It's unusual for her to call this early.

I shake my head, tossing the unease aside. Mom knows my schedule better than I do. She's probably aware of the canceled chemistry class.

"Hi, Mom," I greet her, attempting to keep my voice steady.

Suddenly, I feel an urge to glance around, that eerie feeling crawling up my spine again. My eyes land on the man from the bathroom. He's on the second level of the building across from me, his arms leaning casually over the railing as he stares directly at me. He flashes a smile, displaying blindingly white teeth. My cheeks instantly flame up. Could he be the reason I feel like I'm being watched? I dismiss the thought, tearing my eyes away from him and quickening my pace. I'm just paranoid.

"Hey, sweetie, you're not in class, are you?" Mom's voice filters through the phone, catching me off guard.

"No, chemistry was canceled. What's up?" I manage to say, making my way across the campus grounds, further away from the handsome stranger's gaze.

"Oh, nothing. Just wanted to see if you wanted to have lunch today at Morgan's café with your father and me. He doesn't have many patients today," she suggests, and though it seems innocent enough, I can't shake off the feeling she's not saying everything.

"Sure, what time? I'll be there," I agree quickly, hoping it will lead her to spill whatever is on her mind.

"Is one okay with you?" she asks hesitantly.

"Yep, that's absolutely fine with me. See you later then, Mom. Love you." I quickly end the call, fighting the urge to ask her more questions. Something is off. Mom knows my schedule inside and out. She never calls during class hours.

The phone call with her feels strange. Maybe I'm reading too much into it? Yet her usual bubbly cheerfulness is absent. Something's up; I can feel it.

Lost in my thoughts, I reach my dorm without noticing. As soon as I enter, Becca is getting ready to leave. "You're back. What did you forget?" she asks, glancing back at me.

"No class today. I'm skipping the rest and having lunch with my parents," I explain, shrugging. I drop my bag next to the sofa and take a seat.

"Fine, but if you're blowing off the rest of the day, I'm not going either," Becca retorts, plopping down beside me.

"You should come to lunch with us then. My parents haven't seen you in a while. They'll be excited," I suggest, looking forward to spending time with Becca without her boyfriends around.

She agrees, and we decide to kill some time with a movie. I let my legs drape over Becca's as we sip on coffee and munch on cookies. We don't pay much attention to the movie, instead enjoying the silence and each other's company.

Our conversation drifts to potential plans for the break. Becca plans to spend the first week at home visiting family, but we agree to do things together during the second week. We discuss checking out some new clubs and our plans depending on what happens during Becca's first week home.

At half-past noon, we leave our dorm room to head to the student parking lot. Becca's red Suzuki Swift isn't hard to locate. We hop in, ready to head out for our lunch date.

I climb into the car, Becca taking the wheel as I glance out the window. My breath lodges in my throat when I do, the mysterious, handsome man lingers nearby - again.