I Love To Hate You

Chapter 8: "What is with everyone going all 'Hulk' on my ass lately?"

I held my breath as I waited for his reply. What if he said no? Or worse, what if he just laughed and hung up?

“What’s going on Elyon?” He actually sounded serious about this! I felt relief sweep over my tense body at last.

“There is this really creepy guy following me, Jaden he was at my work and he couldn’t stop staring at me. I think he followed me from there.” I rushed out looking back out the grimy window to see the man still standing there with a patient smile.

“Are you sure he is following you?” Jaden asked, I still couldn’t fully read his emotions.

“Definitely, y’know that convenience store on Boyce Avenue? I have been in here for twenty minutes and he is still standing outside-in this weather! He is waiting for me.” I said ducking my head when the creeper seemed to notice my staring.

“Jesus Christ, you sure know how to cause trouble. Just stay there I’ll come and pick you up.” He let out a breath of air and my mouth hung open. I wasn’t really expecting him to come and get me.

“Are you sure?” I asked disbelief clouding my voice.

“I’m not going to let you get murdered-or worse, just stay there I’ll be five minutes.” He hung up and I just stared at my phone. By worse he probably meant raped. I shuddered, that was definitely as possibility with this guy. He looked like someone who has done time for this sort of shit before.

I put my phone back into my pocket and bit my nails watching out the window for some sign of Jaden. He said he was coming to get me. Does that mean in his car?

“Hey, girl? Are you going to buy something?” The store clerk asked causing me to jump slightly. I was too jittery. I looked over the shelf at him with an apologetic smile.

“Yeah sorry, I was waiting on my friend to meet me here.” I grabbed a random magazine and took it to the till. The man frowned at me as he pushed some buttons on said machine.

“This aint a pickup point y’know?” He asked handing me back my change, I used Noah’s money to pay for it, and the magazine.

“I’m sorry, won’t happen again.” I hope anyways.

“I think your friend is here.” The clerk said as I put my change into my pocket and slipped the magazine into my school bag.

I looked out the window to where he was indicating and saw Jaden leaning up against a sleek black car at the driver’s side, his arms folded over his chest as he glared at my creeper. I let out a breath a relief and said thanks to the clerk before making my way out of the door, the cold instantly hitting me again.

The creeper was looking at Jaden then back to me, his face full of disappointment and anger. Why had Jaden parked just along from him? Did he want to give me a heart attack?

I tried to act as casual as I could when I passed my stalker; keeping my head down like I hadn’t even noticed him. I held my breath when I was directly in front of him, expecting him to just grab me and pull me into the dark streets away from Jaden.

But nothing happened. The guy let me pass by and I was finally in front of Jaden. Close up I actually felt scared of him, Jaden I mean. He was really glaring at the guy. Like really glaring, this was a glare so high on the charts I’m pretty sure it could make children piss themselves.

“Hey,” He said loudly while glancing over my head at the creeper and wrapping his arm around my shoulders-taking me by surprise. I managed to stay coherent this time-but just barely.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I whispered ignoring the sudden weight of my stomach and focussed on not falling as Jaden pulled me around to the passenger side of the car.