Page 11 of Jump on Three

“Oh my god, Ivan,” Clarice cooed. “What are you doing up there—with her?”

If he turned back to me, I didn’t see. I was already scampering down the ladder. A second or two after my feet were safely on the ground, there was a neat splash, followed by cheers from Layla and Clarice.

He’d jumped and impressed his fan club.

Good for him.

I hoped he’d had fun.

After a full day of swim, classes, people, the library was my sanctuary. I beelined past the librarian’s desk, straight to the study room I always used.

I twisted the knob, but it didn’t move. Frowning, I tried to turn it the other way. Nothing happened.

It was locked.

Why was it locked?

The simple answer was someone was inside, but that didn’t make sense. No one ever used this study room. It was mine. Every day, as soon as classes were over, I slipped inside to do my homework in complete silence.

Ms. Martin looked up from her computer screen when I approached her desk. “Good afternoon, Evelyn. How can I help you?”

“Room three is locked.”

She blinked at me several times before picking up the clipboard on top of her desk. “Yes, it seems another student has reserved it for the afternoon. Have no fear, though. Room one and two are available.”

“Reserved it?”

She chuckled. “I know you’ve gotten used to having the room whenever you want it, but we do have a reservation system. It’s first come, first serve.”

“I always use room three.”

“I know you do, but someone beat you to it today. Fortunately, you can take your pick between rooms one and two. I’ll even write your name on the form to make it official.”

“Can you write my name down for room three until the end of the year?”

She laughed, but I wasn’t joking. I didn’t want another study room. I wanted mine.

“I’m sorry, Evelyn. Like I said, first come, first serve. Chances are the room will be free tomorrow. It isn’t like other students are racing to get in there. I wouldn’t sweat it.”

I nodded once. Not sweating things wasn’t really part of my personality. I ruminated, obsessed, worried, picked apart, and analyzed to the microscopic level. I knew myself. I wouldn’t stop thinking about the person occupying my study room until I had it back.

Chapter Five

Evelyn

My room was a mess.

When I’d rushed to claim it after class, I’d been relieved to find it unoccupied. That relief had been short-lived.

The previous occupant had left crumbs all over the desk, as well as wrappers and a crunched-up water bottle.

What kind of monster would have done this? Who didn’t clean up after themselves?

It made me sad to think someone had such little regard for the library they used it as a rubbish bin. This was my haven. No windows or sounds from the outside world. Just me with my schoolwork in a cozy little room, which, heretofore, had been tidy and crumbless.

I set my things by the door and put my hands on my hips. I dreaded touching the random person’s leftovers, but I wasn’t going to give up my room. There were other ways I could handle this.

Using two sheets of paper, I brushed the crumbs from the desk, cursing the dummy who’d left them behind. I dumped the rubbish in the bin and wiped the surface of the desk with a tissue, taking away the remnants of the intruder.

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