Chapter 2 : “A Party at Delta Phi”

*Roanne’s POV*

Sebastian’s words slurred around the edges as he joked with someone I couldn't see. "Didn't think bookworms partied this hard," he quipped upon noticing me, a lopsided grin spreading across his face.

"Maybe bookworms are full of surprises," I shot back, my words more confident than I felt. Everything in me was screaming to get away, but I couldn’t show him that.

"Care to surprise me with a dance?" he held out a hand, but it was more challenging than invitation, his eyes darkened by the alcohol.

"Another time, maybe," I replied. It was a lie as big as I could muster, but in a public place like this, I needed to keep peace and avoid the drama.

"Playing hard to get? I like it," he said, his tone teasing but his eyes serious, probing.

"Or maybe just playing smart," I countered, holding his gaze for a moment longer than necessary before breaking away. I refused to let him see the panic forming inside of me.

I turned back to Lila and Ryan, forcing a smile, letting the music and the crowd fold around me like a protective shroud. Yet, despite the laughter and the dancing, I could feel Sebastian's presence tugging at the edge of my consciousness, a reminder of what lay beyond the safety of my carefully crafted walls.

I wished Lizzie were there, she would know what to say and do. I was near a panic attack in the middle of a very crowded party, with the ghosts of my past very much present around me.

The thumping bass of the party beat against my chest like an insistent lover, each pulse a reminder of the danger I had once flirted with too closely. Sebastian's eyes followed me, dark pools reflecting a past I wanted to drown in and forget simultaneously. I could feel his gaze, a physical caress that raised goosebumps on my skin beneath the thin fabric of my dress.

But who surprised me most was Aaron, who seemed not to spot Sebastian at all. He came to me instead of him, and I started to feel like maybe this was planned.

"Can we talk?" he called out, his voice slurred but still threaded with that hypnotic undertone that always seemed to pull at something deep within me.

"Um, sure." I managed, my voice steady despite the fluttering chaos of my thoughts.

He took a grip of my wrist and started walking me to one of the many rooms in the huge house. My feet carried me closer, betraying my inner resolve. Each step felt like walking through a treacle, heavy with the weight of memories.

"What the hell are you playing at?" he said, steadying himself against a wall, an anger that I didn’t understand.

I was shocked. "What are you talking about?"

Aaron breathed alcohol as he spoke, but he was not drunk, he was completely under control, which made him scarier. "I'm talking about you prancing around campus for the whole day making goo-goo eyes at anything that moves. This place is not for people like you!"

The nerve. What does he even mean? "I'm not making goo-goo eyes at anyone!"

"Yeah right,” His eyes met mine, and for a moment, the party faded away. It was just us, but he was not being himself, and it was not a good idea to remain in the same room with him.

The ghost of Sebastian's grip crawled up my arm, a phantom pain that clenched around my heart. I remembered how Aaron stood by, his silence a deafening roar when I needed him most.

“What’s your problem, Aaron? I told you my life doesn’t revolve around you, Sebastian, or anyone but me! What do you want from me?” My words were sharp. I stepped back, reclaiming the space I needed to breathe.

I shook my head, turned, leaving him amidst the shadows and incomprehensible actions. The air felt cooler, cleaner as I pushed through the throng of bodies, escaping the intoxicating snare of what-if and the suffocating grip of old ghosts.

The bass pulsed like a second heartbeat as I navigated the sea of gyrating bodies, each step away from Aaron, an anchor dragging me towards solitude. My mind raced with the echoes of our short exchange.

I emerged from the party into the cool night, the stars above indifferent witnesses to my escape. My mind was a sentinel, unwavering in its duty to safeguard my soul.

"Stick to your path, Roanne. Your future, your dreams, they're worth more than this," I whispered to myself, the mantra a lifeline pulling me forward.

As I walked, the shadows clung to my heels, whispers of a life I had escaped. Sebastian was a ghost, his memory a chain I had shattered, and Aaron... Aaron was a reminder that some chains were self-imposed.

The pulsating bass from the club still echoed in my ears as I briskly walked through the deserted streets, the rhythmic thud of my heels against the pavement creating a haunting cadence. The neon lights flickered overhead, casting an eerie glow on the dimly lit alleyways. A shiver ran down my spine as I became acutely aware of the shadows lurking in every corner.

I quickened my pace, the echo of my own footsteps amplifying the unease settling in my chest. Glancing over my shoulder, I caught a glimpse of a figure, cloaked in the obscurity of the night. My heart pounded in my ears as I tried to shake off the paranoia. It could be just a passerby, I reassured myself, but a nagging feeling persisted, refusing to be dismissed.

As I approached the entrance to my dormitory, the sense of being watched intensified. I fumbled for my keys, the metallic jingle cutting through the silence of the night. A cold gust of wind sent a shiver down my spine, and I stole another glance behind me. The figure was still there, a silhouette that seemed to move with purpose.

The rational part of my mind tried to dismiss the notion that I was being followed, but my instincts screamed otherwise. With every step, the gap between us closed. Panic set in, my breath quickening, and I fumbled with the lock. Finally, the door swung open, and I darted inside, casting a terrified glance back into the night.

Once in the safety of the dimly lit hallway, I pressed my back against the door, desperately trying to catch my breath. My mind raced with the possibilities of who could be trailing me and why. Was it someone from the club, a stranger with ill intentions, or just a twisted trick my imagination played on me?

I tiptoed down the corridor, my senses on high alert. The hum of the fluorescent lights above seemed to mock the vulnerability that now gripped me. I hesitated before glancing out of the peephole, half-expecting to see the mysterious figure waiting just outside.

Relief washed over me when I saw nothing but the empty hallway. Maybe it was just paranoia, fueled by the dimly lit streets and the late hour. But as I turned the key in my dorm room door and stepped inside, a lingering sense of unease clung to me like a shadow, leaving me to wonder if I had truly left the unknown follower behind.

This was it, I was safe in my room, nothing else would go wrong. But then I heard something hit my window, and I almost screamed. I had curtains, so I knew that I would not be seen, but I had to know.

I almost crawled to the window, and I had to avoid turning the lights on because that would alert the person who was stalking me. Yes, I was being stalked, there was no doubt about it.

Inch by inch, I got up and peeked through the curtain, just in time to see Sebastian walking away half a block from the building. I felt a cold run through my body, and I sat on the floor almost ready to cry.

He followed me, he stalked me, and he just found out where I lived. What is it going to be of me this first semester with the very present ghost of Sebastian haunting me? I don’t know what would be better, to stay or to move away from this place.

Tomorrow Lizzie is going to be here, and I will finally be able to see her and tell her what troubles me. She will know what to do, she is almost a senior now, and she has the knowledge and the familiarity of this university like no other.

Lizzie will know what to do. But until then, I crawled back to my bed, and refused to turn on the lights. I had to keep myself safe and undetected. Tomorrow, I might find out a bit more about new lockers or security measures to add to this room’s door. Perhaps that can keep my ghost away.