Seeing Shadows Read Free

It’s not that I was completely oblivious and I knew I was attractive enough. My Korean mother and Norwegian father had given me an exotic look that somehow also seemed girl next door. My long black hair and thin figure was from my mother, but my large brown eyes and pale complexion were compliments of my father. At five feet and five inches, I was neither tall nor short. Average. I figured myself pretty average in most respects and I was okay with that, especially since I wasn’t average in the one area that I desperately wanted to be.
    Sarah went to her room to change and I walked into the living room to close the window that I had opened to air out Sarah’s latest culinary disaster. As I gripped the bottom sill of the window to push it closed, I shivered as a sudden chill went through my body as my gaze was suddenly transfixed on my reflection in the window. My heart started pumping faster as I felt an unnatural stillness. I stared into the reflection of my eyes, feeling as if I was in a trance.
    “Hey,” yelled Sarah down the hall. “Can I borrow your perfume? I'm all out."
    Sarah’s voice broke through the trance and I shook my head. I must be just feeling the effects of the cold night air drafting in through the window.
    “Sure,” I replied as I closed the window, but I was unable to completely dismiss the feeling of foreboding.
     
    **********
     
    By the time Sarah had changed and come back out, I had mixed the spaghetti with the Bolognese sauce in a big bowl. I placed it on our small breakfast table that was in the corner of our living room, along with garlic bread and the salad Sarah had prepared.
    “It smells great!” Sarah exclaimed. “Especially my salad,” she said with a wink.
    “Of course,” I smirked “You cut some mean lettuce.”
    Our doorbell rang and Sarah rushed over to the door to open it, revealing Jenny. She was clutching a bottle of wine as she walked in, bringing a gust of cold air in with her.
    "Hey Jenny," greeted Sarah. "Right on time."
    Jenny shuffled in, taking her coat off and laying it on the back of the couch. Jenny was a frequent visitor to our apartment so she made herself at home, plopping down on the couch.
    "I will never get over these winters," grumbled Jenny. "This kind of cold is not normal."
    Jenny was a native of Florida and even though this was her fourth winter at Maxwell University, she still faced every chilling day as an affront to humanity.
    "Well, your refreshments will help us warm up," I said as she handed me the bottle of wine. "Do you want to start with a glass?"
    "Absolutely," Jenny sighed, leaning back on the couch. "I had a killer day today. I think I totally failed my physics exam."
    I laughed as I walked into the kitchen. "That's what you always say and you ace every exam," I scoffed, pouring out three glasses of wine.
    "When are the boys getting here?" asked Jenny.
    "They should be here any minute," replied Sarah. "Let me use the intercom."
    With that, she stomped the floor with her foot. "That should do it."
    I grinned. "Ah, the wonders of technology." I passed out the glasses of wine. "I'm not sure if I can take Marcus making moon faces at you all night, Jenny. Can't you cut the guy some slack and just go out with him already?"
    Jenny spluttered from taking a sip of her wine. "He hasn't even asked me out! How can I go out with him if he's never asked me out?"
    Sarah leaned on the arm of the couch. "Marcus is too afraid of rejection," she said. "He sees all the guys you go out with and doesn't want to be one of the masses."
    "Geez, she's not a revolving door," I said. "One of these days he's going to have to suck it up and take a chance. Either that or stop staring at her non-stop. If I didn't like Marcus so much, he'd creep me out."
    "He's not the only one making moon faces around here," Jenny said slyly, looking at Sarah out of the corner of her eye.
    "Hey!" Sarah exclaimed. "Don't compare me to Marcus. At least I make my moves."
    "Okay,