Faithless

4 - Open Your Eyes

Megan

Today was different.

I couldn't tell why, but I felt something unusual... something just wrong. From the moment I opened my eyes, there was this creeping feeling, the kind you get when someone's been staring at you for too long.

I'd get goosebumps and catch myself looking around in search of whoever was watching me, but I never managed to see anyone and it made my skin crawl. My stomach also felt a little weird, something way more aggressive than the usual anxiety-induced fluttering I was used to.

It could be the flu or maybe a fever, I was extremely uncomfortable and I started to think it had to be it because even my mouth felt dry. Especially now as I tried to enjoy my coffee, I couldn't taste it.

Maybe I was too paranoid to focus on anything else today, it was one of those days you shouldn't get out of bed.

But here I was... sitting by myself outside the small coffee shop next to my place. I ordered the usual and picked a table facing the calm street, this was like a ritual to me whenever I wanted to distract my brain from what was bothering me.

I usually enjoyed having my black coffee and sometimes I brought a book along, but not today. It was my day off and my boyfriend Nate was supposed to meet me soon, and I was hoping he could help me feel better or get my mind off this unsettling paranoia.

He spent the night over yesterday though, and I wasn't feeling like this then. We watched some movies, ate some pizza, and fooled around a little before we went to sleep... the usual.

I always felt better when Nate was around, we knew each other since high school and we were best friends before we evolved our relationship into something more. His parents knew my parents and that whole thing.

This town was small and everyone knew everyone actually. I lived here since I was born and my parents still had the same house down the street.

I didn't mind that they lived close by, but I was glad I had my apartment because I was twenty-five and I liked to feel as if I was getting my life together. Honestly, I was confused most of the time but it was nice having a place to call my own.

And the privacy was a plus, after all, Nate and I were together for four years now and he stayed over almost every night.

I took another sip of my coffee, hoping it would finally taste as it should, but it seemed like I was drinking air... now I couldn't even tell if it was hot or cold. There was definitely something wrong with me and I was starting to think it was stress.

There were a few paintings and drawings that I had to finish soon before I missed the client's deadline, but lately, I just wasn't feeling inspired. That's why I decided to take the day to myself.

I was lucky I could work doing what I love though, drawing was my passion since I was little and I didn't have to leave home to do it since I improvised a small space to keep my supplies.

I was basically a freelancer, accepting commissions and also helping the town with most of the murals and everything involving art. It was easier for me to express myself this way, I always carried around a little dark green notebook in my back pocket in case I needed to draw just to calm myself down.

Funny thing was that today I didn't feel like drawing... I felt nothing.

"Hey." Nate's voice caught me off guard and I nearly spilled what was left of the so-called coffee, but he laughed when he noticed he scared the shit out of me. "Sorry, babe. You were so lost in thought, is everything okay?"