So Frustrating

Chapter 6

Camryn

All weekend, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Kian said.

“They’re coming for you.”

His words echoed in my head on a loop, like a haunting whisper I couldn’t shut off. The way he had said it, so serious, so certain, it made my skin crawl and my thoughts spin. I barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I’d see his face and those strange, almost glowing eyes. What did he mean? Who was “they”?

I hated not knowing. It made me feel like something was hanging over my head, something big and dark and dangerous.

By Monday morning, I’d made up my mind.

I was going to confront him and get answers.

I walked into class a few minutes early, my eyes immediately scanning the room. And there he was, Kian. Sitting a few rows ahead, like nothing was bothering him. Like he hadn’t dropped a giant mystery into my lap and then vanished.

I sat down, trying to act normal, but my heart was racing. I couldn’t focus. My eyes kept drifting back to him, studying the way he sat with that calm, unreadable expression. He didn’t even look at me at first. But then, slowly, he turned.

Our eyes met.

It was like a challenge. A staring contest. He didn’t blink, didn’t smile, didn’t look away and neither did I.

The air felt heavier, like the classroom wasn’t big enough for the tension between us. It was just me and him, locked in this intense, silent moment until a voice snapped me back to reality.

“Miss Camryn, are you with us?”

My head snapped toward the front of the class. Mrs. Grayson, our literature teacher, was staring right at me, her glasses perched low on her nose.

“Uh...yes, ma’am,” I said quickly, my face heating up.

A few students turned to look at me. I ducked my head, embarrassed, and muttered something under my breath. When I glanced at Kian again, he was facing forward, completely focused on the lesson like nothing had happened.

The moment the bell rang and students started packing up, I moved fast. I slipped out of my seat and followed Kian into the hallway, weaving through the crowd until I caught up with him just outside the door.

“Hey... Kian, wait up!” I called.

He stopped and turned slowly, looking down at me with that same nonchalant and unbothered expression. Calm. Cold. Like he wasn’t surprised I’d followed him.

“What did you mean by, they’re coming for me?” I asked, my voice firm.

He tilted his head, brows furrowed slightly. “What are you talking about?”

I frowned. “No. Don’t do that. Don’t act like you don’t know.”

He shrugged, his tone completely relaxed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Oh, he was definitely playing dumb. And it was working, it was pissing me off.

“You told me they’re coming. You saw the scar.”

Still, no change in his face. No flicker of guilt or recognition. Just a small shrug.

“Maybe you were dreaming,” he said casually.

Then he turned and walked away.

No glance back. No hesitation.

Just gone.

I stood there in the middle of the hallway, furious and speechless. My hands were clenched at my sides, my jaw tight. I could feel the heat rising in my chest, from anger, confusion and that awful feeling of being dismissed.

He knew something. I was sure of it. And now he was pretending like none of it ever happened.

What the hell was his problem?

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself but it didn’t help. I felt like a soda can, about to explode.

And that’s when I heard a voice behind me.

“Hey...hey Camryn, what's up with you? you look like you're about to set the hallway on fire.”

I turned to see Isaac, he looked genuinely concerned, he's so sweet and caring but I honestly wasn't in the mood. Not now.

I looked at him and I didn’t even say anything.

I just walked right past him, leaving him calling after me.

“Okay then… good talk.” I heard him say.

But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. I needed to get out of there before I said something I’d regret.

-----

By the time I walked into the classroom for the group project session, all the classes for the day were finally over. I was still annoyed from earlier, Kian’s attitude was still buzzing in my head.

To my surprise, Isaac was already seated. He looked up and smiled the moment he saw me. Two other students, a girl and a guy I didn’t know well, were already at the table too. I quietly took the empty seat beside Isaac.

From the moment I sat down, he was nothing but kind. He offered me his notes without me asking, cracked a few jokes to lighten the mood, and acted like nothing had happened earlier. Not even a mention of how I walked out on him. He was just… warm.

The more he smiled and talked, the worse I felt. Isaac was probably the nicest person I had met at Lupinemere so far and I had been rude to him for no real reason.

I cleared my throat. “Hey… I’m really sorry about earlier,” I said quietly. “I was just angry and...”

He cut me off with a small laugh. “It’s fine. Everyone has their days.”

I looked at him, unsure. “Are you sure?”

He grinned and leaned back in his seat a little. “Alright, how about this, if you’re really sorry, you’ll say yes.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Say yes to what?”

“Let’s go on a picnic this weekend,” he said casually, like it was the easiest thing in the world.

I blinked. “A picnic?”

He nodded, still smiling. “It’s just a picnic, Camryn. No pressure.”

I hesitated but only for a second. Isaac had been nothing but kind. Maybe I owed him this.

“Okay,” I said.

His smile grew and I couldn’t help but smile a little too. Sitting there beside him, laughing at his jokes, I actually started to relax. For a moment, I forgot about the scar, about Kian and his creepy behavior.

Isaac made things feel normal.

I glanced at him again. Why couldn’t Kian just be like him?