Delirium (Creepypasta x reader)

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You were beginning to feel like you were held together with glitter glue and popsicle sticks.

Class was... Classes were fine. Harder to concentrate than before. The subjects just weren't interesting enough; you couldn't find it in you to care about what was being talked about like before. You chose these classes and chose this degree, but now it just... didn't feel as important anymore. Each professor's voice was grating against your eardrums, words meaning nothing. Powerpoints meaning even less. Your notebook was beginning to look pretty sparse, pages open and pen in hand but no notes being taken upon it. Sometimes you doodled little things, like snails or flowers or spiderwebs in the corners.

Sometimes eyes. But you didn't like how they looked at you when you finished one, and ended up scribbling it out each time.

...

You hadn't seen Cathy in class for a while now. It was just before exams, the time when a student should be especially focused on attending class for review. She wasn't your problem, you knew this. Shouldn't be a priority, or even thought about. But her absence was. It was...

You knew you shouldn't pry.

"Excuse me." you said, pulling the professor out of the concentration they had towards their laptop.

"Oh, yes?" they smiled at you, a touch frustrated. Why was that? It was after class, and a perfect time to ask questions (despite the fact that everyone was out the door by now).

"I was wondering if I could ask you something. About another student."

"Well," they leaned back in their chair, "there's a lot I can't answer because of confidentiality, but if someone is bothering you, then you can certainly tell me."

It's the lack of bothering that I'm concerned about

"No, uh," you bit the inside of your cheek, "I was actually going to ask about, uh, Cathy. The woman with red hair? She hasn't been in class for a while, and, um, we- we were friends. Not recently, but, um-"

"Oh! Yes, Cathy." the professor had a look of pity flash across their face. Did they know? How could they know bout the break? Wait, no, you just told them. Keep it together.

"She dropped this class a few weeks ago."

"What?" you said aloud.

"Yeah its- Well, it's not exactly a smart move. Being so close to exams, it's a big decision."

It would look really bad on her transcript. Why would she do that?

"Thanks." you cut the professor off in the middle of whatever they were saying and left the classroom quickly.

Walking down the hall, you felt a storm of conflicting emotions swirl within you.

Confusion. Concern. Anger. Fear. Nervousness. Relief.

Confusion at her sudden vanishing act. Concern about how she was doing. Anger at her... in general, and at yourself, for feeling concerned. Fear from her unpredictability and silence. Nervousness about her next action. Relief that she was finally, finally, getting out of your life. Maybe you could heal and focus on the future.

The storm hadn't calmed, though. It continued throughout your other classes, and you could tell that Jenny noticed by the quick glances she shot at you. She didn't broach the question though, so after class you pulled her aside to speak.

"You probably saw how weird I was in class. Frankly it was, um-" you paused here, weighing the consequences of saying her name.

"- Cathy."