Jacob stared outside the window of his ELA class, watching the birds fly aimlessly along the sky. He heavily despised this class as it was his least favourite, and in his opinion, the most boring. It was uncommon for him to show up to class as he would constantly skip class to visit the coffee shop that was a street away. He enjoyed going to the shop – the atmosphere was cozy, the staff were friendly, and the food and coffee tasted sublime. He would constantly go there to hang out with friends, study for exams, relax and take a nap. He also went there to talk to the staff, specifically Isabelle. He daydreamed about her every day. She was beautiful, sweet, and was everything Jacob wanted in a girlfriend; she was perfect. Suddenly, the dismissal bell rang, and Jacob began to pack his bag. Before he left the class, his teacher stopped him. “Jacob,” he said in his low monotone voice, “Please come to my desk. I’d love to talk with you.”

 

“Yes,” Jacob groaned as he lumbered towards his teacher’s desk, “What do you want?”

 

“I want to talk about your grades in this class,” he said in a stern voice, “You’re failing. You’re missing eight assignments, three projects and have failed several tests. If you want to pass this class, I would suggest you get your crap together and start putting effort into my class.”

 

“Well, what happens if I don’t want to put effort into your boring ass class,” Jacob replied in a loud and booming voice, “This class is stupid, and I wish I was never apart of it. You can take me off your class list since I am never coming back to this godforsaken class.” With that, Jacob stormed out of the class and began walking towards his car.

 

While Jacob made his way towards his locker, his friends Anthony and David came up to him. “What did Mr. Miller talk to you about,” asked Anthony?

 

“Oh, it was nothing. I just said a simple f**k you and dropped out of that class,” Jacob said casually as the three began to make their way towards the school’s back door.

 

“Yo, is that really what you said? What are you going to do now that you’ve dropped out of the class,” David asked?

 

“I’m probably going to go grab a drink with Isabelle and chat about life,”

 

“Ooooooooo,” the both of them said with a sly grin on their face.

 

“When’s the date?” asked David.

 

“I haven’t asked her out yet, but I am hoping to do so today,” replied Jacob.

 

Anthony placed a hand on Jacob’s shoulder and said in a low voice, “Hey Jacob, I feel like there is something you should know before asking her out.”

 

Chills went through Jacob’s body and the three of them fell silent. Cold sweat began to drip from his head. It was usually Anthony who changes the mood, and whenever he talked in that tone, Jacob knew that something was up. At last, Jacob broke the silence. After a sigh, he replied, “What’s the matter?”

 

“Well,” Anthony said hesitantly, “you always go talk to her, and it’s clear you’ve developed feelings for her, but I think you should stop seeing her. David and I have both heard rumours about her, and we feel like if you were to ask a girl out, you should try looking for someone else.”

 

Jacob stood blatantly at his two friends. As he stared at them, a flame began to ignite within his chest, and soon, grew out of control. He walked up towards Anthony with a clenched fist and punched him across the face. Anthony’s glasses flew off his face, and after stumbling for a few seconds, he fell onto the ground too. “HOW DARE YOU SAY SUCH THINGS ABOUT HER,” Jacob yelled, “DO YOU SERIOUSLY BELIEVE IN THOSE RUMOURS. I BET YOU’RE JUST JEALOUS THAT YOU CAN’T FIND A GIRL WHO LIKES YOU BACK!”

 

The clouds slowly began to darken, and the winds slowly grew stronger and stronger. As David ran to help Anthony off the ground, Jacob let out a heavy sigh and turned his back towards his friends. Finally, he said in a calm and monotone voice, “I thought you knew better than to believe those comments, Anthony. “You were the smartest between the three of us…I guess I was wrong.” Jacob picked up his bag and began walking towards his car.

 

As Jacob drove towards the shop, he began to think about what Anthony had told him. Jacob had also heard about the rumours that were behind Isabelle; but why would people make such rumours, and who would believe in them. They’re so harsh and out of this world. He can’t imagine such an innocent and sweet girl doing anything that was said. But what if Anthony was right? What if she wasn’t the one? No. He refused to believe so. There was just no proof for anyone to believe in such a thing. After driving a short distance, he turned into the parking lot and sat in his slot. The sky has turned completely dark, and thunder began to bellow within the clouds. After a lengthy amount of time, Jacob finally stepped out of his car and began making his way towards the cafe.

 

“Welcome to Revival,” a female voice said from the back room, “I’ll be with you in a sec.”

 

“Hey,” Jacob said in a carefree voice.

 

“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” Isabelle said with a chuckle, “why so late today?”

 

“I just didn’t have a good day,” Jacob replied. In that instant, his voice saddened as his mind wandered the events of the day, replaying the words Anthony had said and the response he had in return.

 

“Oh,” said Isabelle, “Well, maybe this can cheer you up.” She brought him his favourite drink: a latte with double the espresso and their signature leaf pattern along with a pastry fresh out of the oven. “What happened today? You’re usually not the type of person to get depressed over things.”

 

Jacob took a sip of his drink and looked at raindrops as they slowly trickled down the window. He finally swallowed his drink and spoke. “I got into an argument with my friend…and it involved you.”

 

Isabelle took a sip of her drink and eventually let out a sigh. “Let me guess it’s the rumours. At this point, I don’t care what others think anymore. Every time I try to defend myself, they what I have to say. There’s no point in trying…you know what I mean?”

 

Jacob reached out and grabbed her hands. “Yeah, I do, but I don’t want others believing that you are some sick human being. They’re all lies. No one knows you as well as I do. I just wish that everyone else can see you for who you are and not just from the lies that are being tossed around.”

 

“Well, that’s good to know that someone doesn’t believe in them,” Isabelle said with a soft and delicate smile, “how did I ever find someone as sweet as you?”

 

“I don’t know,” answered Jacob, “I was about to ask you the same thing.” The two of them giggled as they enjoyed their drinks, treats, and each other’s company. Finally, the rain stopped, and the beautiful blue sky began to emerge beneath the darkened clouds. Birds began to fill the sky again, and the sun’s light reflected on the puddles that formed during the storm. After taking his final sip of coffee, Jacob slumped into his chair. “Ah yes,” he said with a sigh, “that hits the spot. You always know how to make my day.”

 

“Of course I do,” answered Isabelle with a smirk, “You come here every day and order the same items. It’s only natural that I know what you like.” She stood up from her chair and began walking towards the counter.

 

“Well, it seems like you know me too well,” replied Jacob. He took out his phone and checked the time. At the top of the screen, it read out 5:56, four more minutes before the cafe closes. He stood up, raised his arms into the air and began leaning back. He looked around the empty cafe. It was just the two of them. As Jacob began to plan out what he was going to say, his hands began to sweat, and his legs began to shake. You got this, he repeated over and over in his head. When he had finally gathered up the courage to ask, he began to walk towards the counter.

 

“Hey, Isabelle,” said Jacob, “Are you free tonight?”

 

“Yeah,” she replied, “why?”

 

Before Jacob could answer, he could feel himself choking on the words. Shaking uncontrollably, he slowly and hesitantly opened his mouth. At first, it was only silence that came out, but eventually, the sentence began to form in his head. One by one, the words slowly came out of his mouth. Taking a deep breath, he finally said, “do you want to go out for dinner together?”

 

Isabelle looked at him with a stern face, but as time went on, her mouth crept into a grin, which eventually became a smile. She began to chuckle. Soon enough, her chuckle turned into a laugh. “Took you long enough to say that, but sure. I’d love to go out with you. Why not we go to my place? It’s been a while since I’ve had a guest over, and I’ve also prepared something special for you.”

 

“Sure, I’d love to come over, and something special, huh? You didn’t have to do that. Now, I feel like I have to come,” Jacob replied in a joking manner.

 

“All right then,” she said as she turned around, “we’ll meet again at 7:00. Oh, and also, please take a shower before you come. You reek of sweat and BO. As her back was turned towards Jacob. Her beautiful and charming smile turned into a sly and devilish grin. “You know my address, right?”

 

“Of course I do, and don’t worry, I promise I’ll smell a lot better by the time I get to your place. See you at 7:00.”

 

Jacob slowly and calmly walked towards his car. Once he got in all that collective calmness went right outside the window. He began to punch the air like a crazy lunatic and wore the biggest grin on his face. His coffee-stained teeth radiated within his car. He had never felt as happy and excited before. A rush of excitement coursed through his veins as he couldn’t believe that she would agree to go out on a date with him. He could hear his heartbeat louder than ever. Lub dub Lub dub Lub dub. After he had calmed down, Jacob started his car, blasted the radio and began heading home. When he arrived at his house, he stepped into the shower.  During his shower, he began to plan out tonight’s outfit, even though his closet was extremely limited. All he had were shorts, sweats, a variety of t-shirts, a few hoodies, and a jacket. Sh*t, he thought, Do I not have anything to wear? A surge of adrenaline rushed through his body as he stepped out of the shower. He quickly dashed towards his wardrobe and flung open the doors. His eyes dashed within his head. Right, left, right, down, left, up. While he rummaged through his closet, his eyes finally landed on an attire that was deemed “appropriate” for his date. It was a pair of navy blue jeans, a t-shirt, and a red and black checkered pattern jacket. After changing into his clothes, he grabbed his keys and began driving to Isabelle’s place. It had been a while since he was at her house. It was a relatively standard house. There was the main floor, which contained a few rooms, a kitchen, two washrooms, and a living room. He also remembered a staircase that led towards the door towards her basement. It was always locked for some reason, and she constantly made sure it remained that way the instant he stepped into her house. When he got there, he rang the doorbell and heard the little melody ring within her house. He waited for a few minutes, but nobody answered the door. He rang the doorbell again, and this time a rumbling stampede came from within the house. Isabelle opened the door, gasping for air. “Sorry I didn’t answer you the first time. I was tidying up the washroom and cleaning up the dinner table. Please, come in.”

 

As Jacob entered the door, a sense of nostalgia flowed back to him. He loved being at her place. Her house gave off a warm and cozy atmosphere. There was a wood-burning fireplace in front, two couches on either side of the fireplace, and the lighting was dim and dark. He walked over towards the couch and laid on it. When he looked outside the window, all he could see was black. The sun had set when he arrived at her place. Just as Jacob was about to rest his eyes, Isabelle called out to him. “Dinner is ready.”

 

“Took a while,” Jacob said in a sarcastic voice. He hopped off the couch and began walking towards the dinner table. It was around a circular table with two chairs that sat directly across from each other. Two wine glasses along with three candles sat on top of the table. Isabelle placed their plates and poured wine into each of their glasses. The two of them finally sat down, gave their toasts and wishes, and began eating. “Just a heads up, my cooking is terrible, so if it tastes like dog shit, you’ll know why,” Isabelle said as she gave a little chuckle. 

 

“Oh, trust me, my cooking is way worse. I was hoping that you would invite me over cause my cooking is…something else. If you say that your cooking is dog shit then mine must be indescribably disgusting.” The two of them shared a laugh and continued with their meals. As they were eating, Jacob began to feel something strange. His vision became blurred, and his breathing became heavy. A high pitched ringing noise resonated within his head. Not only was the noise a major problem, but he could also feel a constant pounding sensation within his head. As time went on, the pounding grew worse and the noise became higher and higher. Soon enough, he began to phase in and out of consciousness as his weary eyes slowly gave out. Isabelle looked up at him with a face of astonishment. “Are you ok? I’m calling the ambulance right now just hang on.” 

Isabelle got out of her chair and began looking for the phone, but it was far too late. Jacob has already lost consciousness and was lying on the table. A wicked smile stretched across her face as she placed the phone down. 

 

As Jacob slowly regained consciousness, he felt that something was off. He found himself pinned against the wall with cold, metallic cuffs that were placed around his wrists and ankles. When he breathed in the frigid air around him, he realized that there was a strange aroma to it. He couldn’t exactly tell what it was, but it was awful. It smelled like vomit and decaying matter. Whatever the stench was, it made Jacob’s stomach curdle. When he opened his eyes, darkness enveloped his vision.  There were no windows, and the lights were off. Before Jacob blacked out, all he could remember was Isabelle. He began to wonder where she was and if she was ok. All of a sudden, the lights came on, and Jacob went blind for a few seconds. Standing in front of him was Isabelle, holding a knife in one hand and a wine glass in another. He looked around and was terrified by the bloodstains on the tiles and the rotting corpses in the corners. What terrified him most were the dry and ghastly moans that were coming from the husks that were hung up beside him. “W..w..w..what is this?” Jacob said in a shaky voice. 

 

Isabelle began to chuckle, but it wasn’t the chuckle Jacob was used to. This was different: crazy and wild compared to the others that he has previously heard. “Did you think I was gonna go out with you? How dumb can you be? Now, hush. The last thing I want is someone screaming as I’m having my dinner.” She took the roll of duct tape, cut off a piece, and stuck it on top of his mouth. “Now then, shall we begin?”

 

Isabelle inspected her target and began walking towards him. She took her knife and chopped off his middle and index finger. Jacob’s eyes darted open as he screamed in pain. Isabelle sat in front of him, relishing and laughing as she watched her victim suffer. Tearing off the nail on each finger, she bit into the flesh. She savoured the taste of the flesh and went back to cut off more of his digits. “My my you taste amazing. Have you ever tasted yourself? You’re not too skinny, nor are you too fatty. Also, did I tell you how sweet your blood is? It’s exquisite. Let’s see what else you have to offer,” Isabelle said as she licked her lips.

 

She took her knife and sliced off Jacob’s right foot. She threw that away and placed her wine glass underneath the wound. While she waited for her glass to fill up, she made a deep incision into his abdomen. She reached her hand into the cut and began to smile. “Squish squish,” she said in a childish voice. She ripped out a part of his small intestine and tore it into smaller pieces. She popped all but one piece into her mouth. She stared at the final piece and looked through it like a telescope. She went over to Jacob, tore off the piece of duct tape, and shoved the piece into his mouth. “Does it taste good? This is probably your first-time eating intestine…especially yours, but I’ll let you know what I’m looking for. It should taste both salty and sweet at the same time if you know I mean. It should also have a silky and smooth texture, and instead of chewing it, you should let it slide smoothly down your throat.” She placed the piece of tape on his mouth again and picked up her glass from the ground. After taking a sip of blood, she placed the glass back in its original position. Reaching back into the cut, instead of grabbing another snack, she decided to rearrange the placement of his organs. The stomach swapped positions with the liver and the large intestine was removed entirely. The esophagus was entirely removed and was wrapped around his neck. After finishing her final adjustments, she took a few steps back and began admiring her work. “Oh, Jacob,” Isabelle sang out in a cheerful tune, “Guess what time it is?” There was no answer. Jacob was completely silent, and his muscles did not twitch. Isabelle asked the question again. There was no response. “Man, you’re no fun,” she whined, “It’s Dessert Time! The best part of the meal.” She walked over towards the mutilated corpse, plucked out an eyeball, and began chewing it as she went back upstairs

Jacob hung lifeless on the wall. With his remaining eye, he watched flies and other insects fly in and out of his abdomen and eye socket. He could feel their tiny legs crawl all over his organs and flesh. A few minutes later, his vision was completely gone, and his heart had come to a stop. It seems like the rumours were true after all you crazy b*tch.

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Image: https://tenor.com/view/tokyo-ghoul-rize-delicious-blood-hungry-gif-4835974