As she continued to occupy herself with technology, the wind outside began to pick up and the sound of moderate rain settled in.

After a few minutes, the wind got louder and harsh. It sounded like it had nearly breached through the glass windows making the familiar swooshes and howls except far more intense than you’d expect from a typical thunderstorm.

“Gosh that wind is so fucking loud,” Josephine complained as she reached for her ear plugs. She placed them in both ears and played some upbeat pop music.

Josephine sat up comfortably on her bed and placed a notebook on her lap. She opened up her laptop to the side of her and pulled up some Advanced Communications homework. She read through the assignment on her laptop, making a few quick notes on her notebook and then began to fill out the answers.

First question, “How do you accurately describe the difference between hearing and listening?” Well, that’s easy, Josephine thought. Hearing is literally just letting sound go through your empty head. Listening is like actually paying attention... On to the next one. Josephine typed out her answers in the text box and proceeded.

“If someone is having a conversation with you and while you’re speaking, they put away their phone, nod their head, and look you in the eyes, what type of listening is this?” Another easy one. Active Listening. Next.

She continued through her next set of questions, answering most of them without difficulty. She occasionally referred to her textbook for clarification, but overall, it was an easy assignment.

Advanced Communications did also have a fairly deceptive name. There wasn’t really much advanced about it other than it was a step above the regular communications class.

As she continued to write out her answers, the wind blew even harder. Then, there was a loud thunk on the window that alarmed them.

Josephine jumped up from her seat and looked over to Alana with her mouth gaping in surprise. Her heart rate skyrocketed, pumping 200 beats per minute.

“What was that?” Josephine exclaimed nervously while softly panting.

“I have no idea,” Alana responded, showing a faint amount of concern.

“Go look!” Josephine demanded, gesturing towards the windowsill.

Alana rolled her eyes and obliged, pushing her sheets off of herself and walking towards the window. It was pouring now. The rain came down hard, pounding the glass window forcefully as Alana quickly approached it.

She stopped at the window and peeked out into the darkness. She looked around at the ground for a few seconds until she noticed a black object blowing around in the wind. It then disappeared from her sight and she shook her head, returning to her bed.

“Well? What was it? Is someone out there?” Josephine asked nervously, shaking beneath her covers and gripping Mr. Pumpkin Spice tightly.

Stolen novel; please report.

“No. It was just a black top hat or something. It must have blown into the window and floated off. You can stop shaking now,” Alana informed confidently, shaking her head again.

“Oh good. I’m glad to hear that,” she sighed nervously, still thinking about the loud clunk on the window. She was paranoid, worried that someone might be out there. Why was there a random hat floating in the wind? Who would be outside my window right now? Was it Kairus? No, Kairus doesn’t wear hats.

*BOOM*

The window shrieked and bursted open with the overbearing sound of whooshing wind and sizzling rain blowing through the opening.

“EEEEEEEEEEK!” Josephine screamed and covered her face with her pillow. She hid beneath her sheets, trembling softly.

“Hon, it’s just the window. Help me close it, please?” Alana asked calmly, rolling her eyes again. She got up from her bed and walked casually to the windowsill, trying to push it closed.

“Josephine, honey, I need you,” she requested in a condescending tone like a parent to their child.

Josephine told her no several times, until she found the courage to get up and approach the window. She pulled on it from the other side until they were finally able to shut it. She then locked the window and climbed back into her bed, slightly wet from the rain.

“It’s Josi, for the thousandth time,” she spoke irritably, still shaking from beneath her sheets.

Alana returned to her bed as well, also wet, and completely ignoring Josephine’s comment. She Then laid down and got comfortable scrolling through her phone again.

“How are you not scared at all? Someone could have been out there, watching us!” Josephine exclaimed impatiently, demanding Alana explain herself.

“There’s way scarier things than a little rain and wind, Josi. I can promise you that,” she spoke in a mellow but slightly irritated tone.

“What if it wasn’t just rain though? What if someone was out there? That hat didn’t just fucking put itself there you know?” Josephine was anxious, scared, and impatient, complaining to Alana just for her own comfort.

“The hat could have been floating around for the last hour for all you know. Who knows where it came from?” Alana started, getting more irritated but remaining calm. “A hat floating in 100 mph winds hit the window. That’s nothing. The window blew open because it was probably unlocked and cracked a little. It’s not a big deal, Josi. Calm the fuck down. Jesus.”

“You’re such a bitch, Lana,” Josephine smiled beneath her covers and started to relax. She then let out a soft sigh of relief and slowly stopped shaking. Alana’s reasoning seemed to get through to her.

“Nope. I definitely think you’re the bitch here,” Alana bit back with a little smirk.

Then the lights went off.

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!” Josephine screamed again with Alana once again rolling her eyes.

“Oh Josephine…” she said softly.

“Can you please call me Josi?”

“Alright. I’ve about had it with your shit. I’m gonna go and see Bailey. She hopefully won’t freak out every time a little bit of thunder goes off in the background.” Alana got up from her bed and started dressing for the rain, finding herself a raincoat and boots.

“You’re gonna walk all the way across campus and leave me here alone?” Josephine spoke, sounding bratty and entitled.

“Yup. That’s exactly what I’m gonna do. Bailey’s roommate hates me, but I guess she’s just gonna have to deal with it tonight.”

Alana finished getting dressed and Josephine stared at her, eyes wide, and mouth open, expressing sheer disbelief. She was appalled and could not fathom how Alana could ever leave her at a time like this.

“So you just don’t care about me at all, huh?”

“Oh no, hon. I care about you,” she started in a very drawn out falsely sympathetic tone. “Just not right now. Bye!”

“Wait, don’t leave!” Josephine exclaimed desperately as Alana disappeared through the door, shutting it behind her.

“Sorry, hon!” She shouted, muffled from the other side of the wall.

This lesbian bitch, Josephine thought, as she laid back down in her bed alone, paranoid and afraid.