Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap
The sound cut through like a knife.
Rin jerked forward in his seat, clutching at his abdomen as if trying to find the wound again, restraining himself from letting out a loud cry, heart thundering in his chest as sweat clung to his clothes, he leaned his body forward until he was looking at the scuffed floor beneath his desk, the perspiration dripping onto his shoes.
He realized quickly that nothing hurt, that just made it worse.
"What was that" he muttered inaudibly "What just happened??"
Images flashing in his head, too fast to grasp, his breathing shallow as it all inadvertently poured in his mind, bookshelves collapsing, the air crushed from his lungs, soul crushing pain that stole sound itself.
"Why am I still at school? Mom? Saph? Cass?"
A million questions filled his head, turning his gaze to the window only to meet the dark eyes of the mockingbird this time, its claws gripped the narrow ledge, it pecked at the glass once more and then, for half a second too long, it didn't move. "That's... odd" Rin muttered.
"Rin!" Cassian leaned in, his brows knit together almost subconsciously, an expression of concern written all over his face. "You good bro?"
The words crowded his throat, but none of it made any sense in the open air of the classroom, how exactly would he explain dying? being crushed by something completely imperceptible, and then waking up in the classroom like none of it had mattered.
He wanted to tell him everything but where would he even start?
"I'm good. I'm good" Rin mustered "Must be... those nuts I had earlier or something"
Cassian responded unconvincingly "Alright man, take it easy. For real"
Rin nodded, his thoughts already drifting into a spiral for the umpteenth time.
The lecture carried on, the same boring topic, The same cadence. The same examples. The same pacing, the professor had even halted, gestured and expatiated in the same places and on the same sentences.
All this has already happened.
The realization created a knot in his chest.
The professor talked and moved in the same manner as he did in the previous lecture.
"Is this the afterlife?" he asked himself "Will I be forced to relive this forever as punishment for my sins?"
He knew he couldn't leave this untested. He had to find out what the fuck was going on, Fast.
The lecture had ended in the same exact way when he and Cassian got up, students funnelling out of the hall in a familiar pattern as the day had come to a close, he stood on unsteady legs alongside his best friend.
As they both approached the exit, Rin broke off, heart pounding, he walked up to the professor.
"Mr Jon..." he blurted, forcing himself to stay polite "I really loved that lecture on Law and humanities, but... wasn't that the same one you taught us yesterday?" he inquired.
"I'm not quite sure I understand your question, son, I just introduced the topic today" The professor responded.
"But... but..." Cassian closed his hand around Rin's arm, yanking him away from the confused educator, smiling awkwardly.
"My apologies sir, Rin's just feeling a little light headed today, I'll make sure he gets some rest" Cassian interjected.
The professor replied hesitantly "Very well."
"What is up with you man?" Cassian demanded "You're acting weird as fuck bro."
Rin couldn't answer.
There was just no answer that fit into his world anymore.
He knew instinctively he had to find out what was going on, how was he reliving he same day? What was that thing that killed him previously? Did he even die? Was it all just a dream?
He barely even had enough time to formulate a response to Cassian's question when he felt it, a light tug on his shoulder.
He spun around quickly, heart racing, only to find her standing there, all five foot four of her, without hesitation he hauled her into him, so tightly he feared he might've been squeezing her too hard.
"Well somebody's missed me" she said, laughing softly, her arms instinctively wrapping around him.
He replied smugly "I definitely did", pressing his lips against hers with unbridled ferocity, any form of restraint stripped away by fear he didn't yet have a name for.
"Alright ROMEO!! Better get a hold of this one Saph" Cassian interrupted before they could escalate even further "He's been acting cuckoo all day".
"Ignore him babe" Rin responded, pressing his forehead against hers, "He's just jealous".
"In other news, I gotta get home and play this game" Cassian continued, ignoring Rin completely "Let me know if he comes back to his senses"
With that, he jogged off, disappearing down the hall, out of sight.
"What was he on about?" Sapphire asked, tilting her head.
"Nothing" he replied softly "just Cass being Cass, come on, let's get some lunch" her face lighting up with a smile, bright, easy and alluring, he grabbed her hand and felt as she laced her fingers through his.
As they walked, Rin made a decision.
He didn't reach for his ear pods.
All the sound rushed in at once, every footstep, every shuffle, the chattering, distant laughter, the hum of lights skyward.
The clarity was overwhelming, almost painful as he guided her along the busy hallway. He forced himself to listen.
If something was wrong with the world, if something was hunting him, he definitely wasn't going to miss it again.
He stayed close to Sapphire, listening to her go on about her day as usual, his eyes scanning ever corner, every reflection, spaces that just seemed too empty.
The day went on.
For now.
Rin knew one thing for sure;
This time he was paying attention.
As they approached the corner where the hallway split, Rin felt a burgeoning weight in his abdomen, as if all his organs had dropped to the base and formed a tight knot.
He froze in his tracks.
"Rin?" Sapphire said, tugging lightly at his arm.
"I'm fine" he said quickly, forcing himself to move even though every instinct screamed at him not to.
They both passed by a trophy cabinet and Rin caught his reflection, pale, sharp-eyed, posture hunched slightly as if bracing for impact, momentarily, his reflection lagged, not much, just for a fraction of a second.
His breath seized.
"Babe" Sappire muttered softly "You're squeezing my hand"
"Sorry" he responded guiltily, loosening his grip immediately.
They approached the exit doors, the sunlight spilled in, outside buzzing with campus life, ordinary and loud.
Rin glanced back once more.
The bird was there again, perched on a distant banister, this time it wasn't pecking, it was watching.
Tilting its head as he stepped out the doors, anticipating him.
Rin arrived at a chilling realization for the first time since he had woken up.
The world wasn't just repeating.
Something inside it was waiting, For him.