Emma

This morning, I woke up to see David staring out his window, his brow furrowed in thought. He looked like he had been working out, sweat glistening on his forehead. As I did my makeup, I couldn't help but notice a blank, almost sad look in his eyes. I wondered, "What's up with him?"

After getting dressed and noticing the unusually cold weather, I teasingly remarked to David about his workout, but it was like he was in another world, just staring at me with a scared expression. I've always hoped he would ask me out, as I could never muster the courage to ask him myself, fearing rejection.

On our way to school, we spotted a dog, and I went to pet it. When I turned back, I noticed a haunted look in David's eyes. Concerned, I asked, "Hey, is everything alright?"

Snapping back to reality, he muttered, "Yeah, everything is peachy, just umm…"

"Just what?" I asked, stepping closer.

"Just thinking about getting a dog," he said, but I could tell something was bothering him. I wanted to ask more, to understand what was going on, but I held back, not wanting to push too hard.

At school, David seemed even more on edge, asking about some mist that wasn't there. I could sense his unease, and it made me worry even more. I wished I could find the right words to comfort him, to let him know that I was there for him, no matter what. But as always, my own insecurities held me back, leaving me standing by his side in silence, hoping he would open up to me eventually.

I don't particularly like David's friend Dionte; I find him annoying. However, I know he makes David happy. Once, in a misguided attempt to make David jealous, I lied about having a crush on my gay best friend, Andrew. At the time, I thought it would push David to ask me out, but now I regret it. I can't bring myself to admit the truth.

Walking towards Andrew, I greeted him as usual. "Hey there."

"Hey, Emma," he exclaimed, giving me a hug. "How have you been? Has he asked you out yet?"

"Not yet," I replied shyly, looking away. "He's still too shy about it, I think."

"Does he still think you and I are a thing?"

"Yeah, I thought the jealousy thing would work," I said, a sad expression etched on my face.

"Girl, you gotta stop playing with the man's feelings. We are sensitive creatures too, you know."

Feeling a pang of guilt, I replied, "You don't have to rub it in my face like that. Come on, I want a bagel." My stomach rumbled a little, betraying my nerves.

During class, I heard that a student named David had collapsed. My heart raced with worry, and I wanted to leave class immediately to check on him. But I couldn't. I felt frustrated with myself for not being able to overcome my shyness and fear to simply ask him if he was okay. The minutes ticked by, and I aggressively tapped my feet, wanting to know if he was alright.

As soon as the bell rang, I hurried out of class and bumped into Dionte. I hesitated for a moment before asking, "Hey, would you mind coming with me to David's house after school? I think he could use some company."

Dionte raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "Sure thing, but why not go right now?"

"I don't want to ditch school," I replied, feeling a pang of guilt.

"Mmm, okay then," he said, his tone slightly annoyed.

Before he could walk away, I grabbed his shirt and asked, "Can I ask you one more thing?"

He sighed, looking a bit irritated. "Go ahead."

"Did you notice anything off about David this morning?"

"What do you mean?" Dionte asked, his tone sharp.

"He just seemed... different," I explained, searching for the right words.

Dionte shrugged. "Maybe you should ask him out. It might cheer him up."

I rolled my eyes, feeling a mix of frustration and embarrassment. "I'm too shy for that," I admitted, lightly tapping his shoulder.

Dionte chuckled. "Well, good luck with that. See you after school," he said, walking away with a smirk.

I walked into the library to study with Andrew, but I couldn't focus. I felt guilty for not knowing what was wrong with David.

Suddenly, we heard screaming and saw people running. The librarian urgently told us to evacuate. Confused, we initially thought it was an earthquake, as we could feel the ground shaking. However, our confusion turned to horror when we heard a loud bang. A head came crashing through the wall behind us, slamming into a bookshelf.

I almost screamed at the horrifying sight, but Andrew held me tight, covering my mouth before I could make a sound, urging us to leave.

Tears welled up in my eyes as Andrew held me tight, covering my mouth before I could make a sound, urging us to leave. We sprinted outside, and there was a loud thud behind us as half of the building collapsed. We ran towards the soccer field, hiding underneath the bleachers. However, nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to witness.

There, on the field, I saw David battling a creature. It pummeled him to the ground before lifting him by the head. My heart raced as I watched in horror, as it quickly massacred the group of people there, who were frozen in fear. Its screechy laughter made my ears bleed, and I saw Andrew writhing in pain, clutching his ears. When I looked back at it, my heart sank as it ate what I believed to be David's heart.