Silent Scream (Hiatus)

Chapter 9

He looked at me, and asked, “Are you sure?”

I shrugged. “Yeah,” I picked one up. I wasn’t sure I could eat an apple, let alone a sandwich, after that scare I had on the bus today. Who knows if I could even keep it down? I looked at the apple, and made a “grossed out” face.

“Suit yourself.” It’s possible that he was starting to think I was a lot weirder than he originally perceived. And that’s saying a lot.

Apple in hand, I sat back down, and a few seconds later, he sat down opposite me with his sandwich.

We sat, eating in silence. After a few minutes, Patrick brushed his hands off, finished.

He was done before me, and he just sat there, chillin, watching me munch on my apple.

“What are you doing?” I questioned, raising my eyebrow.

“What does it look like?”

“It looks like you’re watching me eat.”

“Bingo.”

“Can I ask why?”

He shrugged. “I dunno.”

“Weeeeell… its unsettling.”

“Is it now?” I took a bite, and he continued to watch.

“Yes.” I put the apple down, but that didn’t stop him. He was still looking at me. I covered my face with my arm, so he couldn’t see me, and I couldn’t see him.

Not a smart idea. I hadn’t noticed, but he had come closer to me, and the next thing I knew, he was tickling me.

Laughing, I exclaimed, “S-s-s-stop i-i-i-it!”

He didn’t stop. He tickled under my arm, my stomach, the back of my neck, and I squirmed. “Cut it out! Cut it ooooout!” He didn’t stop. I could no longer stand it, so as loud as I could, I shouted, “STOP!”

He stopped. I wasn’t expecting it. I opened my eyes, and I also wasn’t anticipating him being so close. He was on his knees, his hand was on my thigh, and we were almost nose to nose. I had never been this close to anyone before.

He didn’t move. During the time that he looked at me, I got lost in his eyes. He has the most beautiful brown eyes I have ever seen. He didn’t look like he was going to kiss me, just that he was staring at me, back into my own eyes, and trying to figure me out. Strangely, it wasn’t awkward, sitting there with this boy that I’d barely known for 2 days.

No matter how nice it was, it had to stop. I cleared my throat, and looked away. At first he seemed offended, he didn’t even move, he just stayed there with that same look on his face.

“Um… my apple…” I mumbled.

That’s when he appeared to come back down to earth. “Oh, right, sorry.” He moved away, and sat back down at the seat across from me. “Sorry about that…” He mumbled, embarrassed.

I looked at him, apple in hand. “Don’t worry about it. Really.”

He nodded, but didn’t say anything. I took a bite. “Are you… uh--almost done?” He questioned.

Mouth full, I nodded. “Mhm.” I swallowed. “I think I’m done.”

“Okay.”

He stood up, and I was about to follow him, when my cell phone rang.

He eyeballed me. “Seriously, who keeps calling you?” He asked.

“I… honestly don’t know.”

I took my phone out of my pocket and looked at it. “It’s ‘Unavailable’ again.”

“Creeeeeper,” he said, heading up the stairs. I followed.

“Tell me about it,” I mumbled.

He turned around when it kept ringing. “Are you gonna answer it?”

Hell no. “Um… I don’t think so.”

“Why not? That’s kinda rude.”

“Yeah, well, I’m a rude person.”

He frowned, “Give me the phone,” and reached for it, but I moved it too quickly, and held it away.

“No.”

“Come one, give it to me.”

Being that we were standing on the stairs, and he was about 2 steps higher than me, and already taller than me, it wasn’t very difficult for him to reach for it. He snatched it out of my hands, and my eyes widened and I exclaimed, “NO!”

I tried to jump for it, but he was too fast for me, and sprinted up the stairs.

“Damn you, Patrick!” I shouted.

About to run after him, I saw him answer the phone and bring it up to his ear. Then he got a strange look on his face. “Excuse me?” Patrick said to the person, whom I feared was my stalker man. “Patrick,” he said.

But by the time I had reached him, he had already hung up, and he was holding the phone, and staring at it, peculiarly. “W-w-w-what did they say?” I questioned, afraid for the answer.

“When I picked up, the dude said, ‘Hey sexy, you look hot today’,”

“Oh God…” I think I may start to hyperventilate.

“And when I said something he said ‘who the fuck is this?’ and when I told him my name he said, ‘You better not fucking touch her, you faggot’,”

I thought I would have a breakdown, right then and there. I stared into nothingness and held my hand out. I whispered, “Can I have my phone please?” He handed it to me. “Thanks.”

Patrick looked at me. “Is there something you need to tell me?”

“I -- no. Nothing.”

“Does this have anything to do with when you came into my house yesterday?”

“No, nothing.”

I turned around and headed back down the stairs. “Where are you going?” He questioned me.

“I -- I have to go home.”

“What? You just got here!”

I reached the front door and was slipping on my shoes and I turned to him, and said, “I know… I’m sorry, Patrick.”

He put his hand on my shoulder, comfortingly. “Talk to me,” he pleaded.

“I -- I can’t.” I opened the door, shaking my head. “Please Patrick… just… leave me alone.”

“W-w-what?” I felt so guilty when I saw the hurt look on his face. I can’t possibly care for this person already, can I? I asked myself.

“I’m sorry.”

With that being said, I ran out the door and down the driveway to my car for the second time, once again, leaving Patrick Abbot on the stoop of his home, watching me go.