It had been nearly a week since Cassidy last saw Rachel. It was like she had completely dropped off the face of the Earth. She wouldn't answer her phone or any of the messages sent to her on Facebook. It was not like her, and Cassidy began to get worried.
One day, out of the blue, Cassidy bumped into her again outside of the library, the last place she saw her when she ran off so suddenly.
"Rachel?"
"Oh, hi." Rachel offered an awkward smile. "How've you been?"
"Hey, what was going on the other day? You looked like you were in a real hurry, and left your bag behind."
"Yeah, I had an important phone call... A family emergency. My uncle was in the hospital."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Is he okay?"
"Oh yeah, he's fine."
Rachel smiled again. She was acting weird.
"Well, I've got your bag if you want to come get it. It's over at my place right now."
"Alright. I'll stop by after six tonight, is that okay?"
"Yeah, I'll see you then."
"Seeya."
Cassidy made her way into the library to do some work. Something about the way Rachel was acting didn't seem right. She had vanished for several days, and then shows up and acts like nothing happened. It was very strange.
Later that evening, as Cassidy relaxed in her dorm room alone, watching whatever was playing on the tv, someone knocked at her door. She answered it, and it was Rachel.
"Hey Cass, I'm kind of running behind, I was just wondering if I could get my bag from you and run again." She said with a smile.
Cassidy laughed. "Run off like you did the other night?"
Cassidy went over to her desk to get Rachel's bag.
"You didn't run into that girl that got bit, did you?"
"What?"
Cassidy walked toward Rachel holding out her bag.
"Yeah, there was a girl I bumped in to when I was coming after you. She said that someone bit her."
Rachel's smile faded. She took the bag from Cassidy.
"No, I don't think so."
"It was kind of a really weird thing. The girl said that she was bit by a person, but when they looked at the bite, it looked like a dog or some animal had bit her. They wrote about it in the student paper."
"Huh. That is weird."
Cassidy noticed Rachel's change in demeanor.
"Don't worry, I saw it myself. It didn't look too bad. I'm sure the paper was just exaggerating the facts. I mean, it was a full moon, and she claims someone bit her, but it looks like a dog bite. There's no such thing as a werewolf. I think the paper was just having a little fun."
Rachel looked to the side for a moment, then regained her smile.
"You're right. I'll have to check the story out."
Cassidy chuckled.
"Well, thanks for keeping my bag safe."
"Of course."
"I'll see you later."
Rachel took her leave and headed down the hallway. Cassidy stopped to watch her for a moment.
"Hey Rachel, don't be a stranger!"
Rachel turned and waved as she exited down the stairwell.