The next week came in brutal. I had two five page essays due and The psychology comprehensive examination, on top of it. I studied the guideline worksheet I managed to get from the teacher. "Abnormal behavior, including intervention, behavioral neuropsychology. Drugs & behavior cognitive community. Developmental, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adult, and aging diversity of gender. Industrial and organizational personality. Pseudopsychology. Social, including sexual behavior; modification for sustainability. And lastly, the psychology of violence." I manage to define each one after an hour. A tap from behind makes me super annoyed. Jim at the dorm room's door. I pause and turn my head.

"Any calls from the police department?"

"No." Hmm...so he came all this way to my dorm, to ask something he could've texted??

"I really hope we can get this asshole, him and his son."

"Umm...about his son-"

I hear giggling as my roommates return to the dorm. The first one to check Jim out head to toe is, of course, Maya. Yasmin and Kristin size him up to but not as eagerly. I stand, feeling the role of introducing him playing out as my act right now. "This is Jim my friend from work." I said that a bit to harshly, but I was stressed and really needed to study and get homework done.

"Hey." The three say in unison, I wonder if they practiced that.

"Hey, nice to meet y'all." He gives a slight grin.

"I actually gotta start back on my work, I'll text you later about it."

"Wait but he's-" Kristin covers Maya's mouth.

"Cool." He nods. "Later then."

I quickly turn back to my work. Putting in headphones so I wouldn't be bothered by chatter. I play a Spotify playlist called piano meditation while I get down to business. At 9pm, I save my two papers, which are about the art of psychology and famous English pioneers. Shower. Just as I climb in bed, a text hits my line. The contact has no name and a weird number...no past existing texts back and forth.

Text: I'm gonna do it my way.

My mind, being beat, and confused by the text, ignores it as I go to sleep with heavy eyes.

..........

In the morning, I shoot straight up, checking my texts...seeing and understanding it now. It was Lex. I dial his number, at the same time I get a text from Jim: wanna talk about it? Ugh...one irritating guy at a time. Lex picks up. "Why are you calling me?"

"That isn't your decision to make, its mine, back the FUCK off." I hang up, letting out a long huff.