Odessa’s POV
I had decided something the night before I went to bed.
I hated Rune.
Okay… maybe hate was a strong word.
Strongly disliked?
He irritated me and no matter how I tried to describe it, I always ended up thinking about him.
“I don’t need your help.”
“Stop acting like you care.”
“My life isn’t your responsibility.”
I buried my face into my pillow and groaned.
“Why are you so annoying?” Unfortunately, the pillow refused to answer.
I went out of my way to search for him because I was worried and that was all he had to say, like I was forcing myself on him or something.
Someone knocked on my bedroom door.
“Odessa!” Dean called from downstairs.
“You’re going to be late.”
“I’m coming!”
I grabbed my backpack and hurried downstairs.
Dean was already eating breakfast while Havana stood beside the kitchen counter scrolling through her phone.
Havana looked up the moment she saw me.
“Someone looks grumpy.”
“I’m not grumpy.” I said
“You’ve got your angry eyebrows on.”
“My what?”
Dean laughed.
“You do have your angry eyebrows on.”
“I do not.”
“You do,” Havana insisted.
“Every time something annoys you, your eyebrows do this.”
She furrowed her brows dramatically like an angry bird and I couldn’t help laughing.
“I don’t look like that.”
“You absolutely do.”
Dean pointed at me with his fork.
“Who annoyed you?”
“No one.”
“The tutor?”
I blinked.
“What tutor?”
“The one you’re tutoring.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Havana exchanged a knowing look with Dean.
“Oh…” she dragged out.
“So it was him.”
“It wasn’t!”
“Then why are your ears turning red?” Dean asked.
I instinctively touched my ear.
“They’re not red.”
“They are now,” Havana laughed.
I groaned.
“I suddenly don’t feel like eating anymore.”
“That’s because we’re right.”
“You two are adults stop acting like kids.”
I grabbed a slice of toast and headed for the door.
“Bye!”
“Have a good day!” Havana called.
“Try not to fight with your student!” Dean added.
“I won’t!”
Mostly because I planned on ignoring him completely.
Blackridge University buzzed with its usual morning chaos.
Students hurried between buildings carrying coffee cups and stacks of books.
Others sat beneath the trees chatting before classes.
It looked like every normal university morning.
I walked into the lecture hall with Maya and Naomi.
Naomi immediately nudged my shoulder.
“Guess who’s absent today again.”
“I don’t care.” I snapped
Naomi looked at Maya “You didn’t even look.”
“I don’t need to.”
She smirked.
“So you already checked.”
“I did not.”
Maya laughed.
“You looked before you even sat down.”
I frowned.
“I was looking for an empty seat.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Naomi leaned closer.
“That empty seat just happened to belong to Landon.”
“I don’t know why you two enjoy making up stories.”
“We’re not making them up.”
“I don’t care if he’s here or not.”
The words came out a little too quickly and Naomi raised one eyebrow.
“Sure.”
I crossed my arms.
“I mean it.”
She looked toward the back of the classroom.
“Then you won’t mind hearing that he’s absent today.”
“Good.”
Maya smiled.
“You sound disappointed.”
“I sound relieved.”
“Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
The professor walked in before either of them could tease me again.
Thankfully.
The morning dragged by painfully slowly.
Economics.
Literature.
Statistics.
By the third class my brain had completely given up.
Every now and then my eyes still drifted toward the empty seat near the back of the classroom.
I frowned at myself.
Why did I keep looking?
Who cared if he came to class?
Get over yourself Odessa
The bell rang for lunch and everyone immediately rushed into the hallway.
Naomi stretched her arms above her head.
“I’m starving.”
“When are you not?” Maya teased.
“That’s rude.”
“It’s true.”
They started arguing over where we should eat.
I followed behind them, only half listening, a dull ache settled low in my stomach.
I hadn’t eaten this morning, I was probably starving.
It got worse and I slowed down slightly.
“Ow.”
“You okay?” Maya asked.
“I’m fine.”
“You sure?”
“Probably just hungry.”
Naomi nodded.
“See?
Hunger causes everything.”
I laughed.
“I don’t think that’s how biology works.”
The ache disappeared almost as quickly as it came.
I ignored it.
By the afternoon, campus had become even busier.
Students hurried to practical classes while others lounged beneath the shade.
Our final classes ended just after two.
I stood up, slipping my notebook into my backpack as I reached for my bag, another cramp hit.
This one was sharper and I winced.
“Ouch.”
Naomi glanced over.
“Still hungry?”
“I don’t think that’s it anymore.”
“You want to go to the clinic?”
I shook my head.
“I’ll be okay.”
I adjusted my skirt absentmindedly before slinging my bag over my shoulder as I turned toward the aisle, I noticed something strange.
Two girls sitting behind me suddenly stopped talking.
One whispered something to the other.
Both of them looked away the moment our eyes met.
My smile faded.
“What?”
Neither answered.
Instead they quickly stood and left, it seems Cecily had put a no talking ban on me in school, everyone ignored me these days.
A strange feeling settled in my stomach, I looked at Maya.
“Was that weird?”
She frowned.
“A little.”
Naomi looked confused.
“They’ve been staring at you since class started.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
The uneasy feeling grew stronger as we walked toward the door, I caught another girl looking at me.
Then another.
One of them covered her mouth and whispered to her friend.
Heat crept up my neck.
Why was everyone looking at me?
I frowned and glanced down at myself.
Nothing, my blouse was fine, it wasn’t like my boobs were on display.
My shoes were tied.
My hair i reached up to touch it, was still fine.
Then, as I walked past the classroom windows, my reflection caught my eye.
I froze and for one horrible second my brain refused to process what I was seeing then my heart dropped.
A dark crimson stain spread across the back of my cream-colored skirt.
No…
No, no, no…
Please don’t let that be what I think it is.
I quickly grabbed the back of my cardigan and tied it around my waist with trembling hands.
“Odessa?” Maya frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
I forced a smile that looked more like a grimace.
“I… I’ll be right back.”
Before either of them could stop me, I turned and practically ran out of the classroom.
Was everyone still staring at me?
Could they tell?
Did anyone see?
Please god of periods, don’t let anyone have seen me.
I kept my head down as I hurried through the crowded hallway, bumping shoulders with students who muttered annoyed apologies.
“I’m sorry.”
“Watch where you’re going!” Find the original chapter at g.com.
I barely heard them.
All I could think about was getting somewhere private.
The girls’ restroom.
I pushed the door open so quickly it slammed against the wall.
Thankfully it was empty.
I rushed into the last stall and locked the door behind me.
Click.
Only then did I finally breathe.
“Oh my God.”
I leaned against the stall door and closed my eyes.
“This cannot be happening.”
With shaky hands, I checked the damage.
My face immediately burned, it was worse than I’d hoped, my skirt was totally ruined and it was soaking through the cardigan too.
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”
I buried my face in my hands.
“I hate my life.”
Why today?
After a full minute of silently questioning every decision that had led me to this moment, I took out my phone with trembling fingers.
Odessa: Emergency.
Three dots appeared almost instantly.
Naomi: ???
Odessa: Please tell me one of you has a pad.
A few seconds passed.
Naomi: Oh no.
That wasn’t the reply I wanted.
Maya: Please don’t tell me…
Odessa: Please don’t make me explain.
Naomi replied first.
Naomi: I’m so sorry.
My stomach sank.
Odessa: You don’t have one?
Naomi: I do.
Relief washed over me then another message appeared.
Naomi: in my dorm room.
“What?”
I typed so fast I almost dropped my phone.
Odessa: Naomi!!
Naomi: I’m sorry!
I changed bags this morning!
I let my head fall back against the cubicle wall.
“This is a nightmare.”
Maya sent another message.
Maya: I’m at the engineering building.
Naomi: I’m with her.
Maya: We’ll go to my dorm and get one.
Naomi: Then we’ll bring it to you.
I looked at the screen desperately.
Odessa: How long?
Maya: Maybe fifteen minutes.
“Fifteen minutes?”
I whispered in horror.
“I can’t stay in here for fifteen minutes”
But what choice did I have?
I definitely wasn’t walking out like this.
I sighed and slid down until I was sitting on the closed toilet seat.
This was officially the worst day of my university life.
First Rune had broken my heart.
Okay I wa seeing dramatic.
He rejected my goodwill and now my period had decided to attack me in public.
Fantastic.
stared at the bathroom floor.
Every time the door opened, my heart jumped.
A few girls came in laughed and fixed their makeup.
None of them noticed I was hiding in the last stall.
Thank goodness.
I don’t know what rumor they would spread if they saw me like this.
I checked my phone and only five minutes had passed.
“Seriously?
It felt like an hour.
I rubbed my temples.
“If I survive today” I muttered to myself.
“I’m never wearing a cream skirt again.”
Suddenly the bathroom door opened again and footesteps echoed across the tiles.
They stopped just outside my stall and I sighed in relief.
Finally they were here.
“Maya?” I called softly.
No answer.
Maybe it was Naomi.
“Naomi?”
Silence, a gentle knock came against the stall door.
Knock.
Knock.
I frowned.
“Who’s there?”
For a brief second there was only silence.
Then a familiar deep voice answered from the other side.
“It’s me Landon.”
I froze trying to process what I just heard then my eyes widened in horror.
Rune?