All Chapters of Marked by the professor : Chapter 1 - Chapter 4

The alarm blares at 7:30 AM, same as every Tuesday. I slap it off before the third beep, just like always. My dorm room is dim, the morning sun seeping through the blinds. I don’t move right away. Instead, I stare at the ceiling and count the cracks eleven, twelve, thirteen like they’re the only things in my life with any kind of pattern. Another day. Another class. Another pointless conversation with Jack. I drag myself out of bed, my bare feet hitting the cold linoleum. The mirror shows me what it always does messy brown hair, tired green eyes, a face that’s fine but never remarkable. I pull on my usual uniform black leggings, an oversized sweater, and the same scuffed boots I’ve worn since sophomore year. No one looks twice at me anyway. The room smells like charcoal and stale coffee. I take my usual seat in the back, where the light from the high windows doesn’t quite reach. Jessica is already here, perched on the edge of a table, laughing at something some guy said. Her

The walls of my dorm room feel like they're closing in tonight, pressing against me with every breath I take. The air smells stale like old coffee grounds and the floral detergent I used to wash my sheets last week but beneath it, there's something else, something sharp that makes my skin prickle. I roll onto my side, kicking at the tangled blankets, but sleep won't come. Every time I close my eyes, I see flashes of things I can't explain shadows moving where they shouldn't, shapes that twist just beyond my vision. The clock on my nightstand glows red in the dark 3:17 AM and outside, the wind scrapes against the window like it's trying to claw its way inside. I sit up, rubbing my face, but the restless feeling doesn't fade. If anything, it gets worse. My legs move before my brain catches up, swinging me out of bed before I even realize I've decided to stand. Why am I doing this? The question drifts through my mind, but it doesn't stop me. My hands grab my hoodie from the chair