The Substitute Teacher (On Hold)

Chapter 9

                                                                          Chapter 9

I sighed. Walking home was really not fun, although I probably needed the exercise. Not that I'm fat or anything, I'm just not 'in shape.' Whatever 'in shape' meant. Apparently it means you should be able to run a mile in five minutes.

I grimaced as the thoughts of my crappy day - well, technically three days - filled my head. Only two good things had happened this week. I found out about my mother, alive and well, and Lenore moved back to Belrose.

Speaking of my best friend, the nuthead forgot she had a dentist appointment at three o'clock and had to leave school early. Therefore, I had no ride home and was forced to go home on foot.

I glared up at the darkened, cloudy sky. It had been like that all day, but with my luck it would start raining any minute.

"You'd better not rain because I have to walk another ten miles. So yeah, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't make me do it wet."

Yes, I'm talking to the sky. I've sunk that low. Oh, and I'm not kidding about how far I have to go until I get home. South Forest High, unlike normal schools, is out in the middle of nowhere while pretty much all of the students live right smack in the middle of town.

Well, that makes sense, right? Notice my poorly hidden sarcasm.

Almost like it sensed my dark mood, the clouds chose that exact moment to pour out buckets and buckets of rain.

"Oh, great! Yeah, thank you for this, thanks so freaking much Mother freaking Nature!" I shouted at the sky.

In a matter of seconds I was completely soaked and shivering violently as the cold wind whipped around me.

"Could this crappy day get any freaking worse?"

Suddenly, almost as if it had materialized out of thin air, I saw a dark car slowly edging towards me. Note to self: never ask that question again because things could always get worse.

My heart pounding loudly, I kept walking and acted like I didn't see the vehicle following me. Wouldn't that just be the icing on the cake, getting kidnapped?

I counted down in my head, getting ready to make a run for it.

5...

4...

3...

2...

1...

0.

I took off through the downpour, blindly running on the hard pavement. I hoped and prayed I wouldn't get run over or get hit in the head by a tree branch. How ironic that would be, escaping a kidnapper only to be flattened by another car.

Too soon I was out of breath and gasping for air. Maybe I really did need to try and get into shape. I laughed out loud at the amusing thought, and then groaned when the dark car came into view again.

"All right, that's it!"

My patience had been worn down by the week's events, and now it was gone. Replacing it was anger. Couldn't this creep leave me alone? My life was already bad enough. It was like a T.V. show called "How To Make Lexi's Life Suck Really Bad." Someone should sue the game maker.

I marched up to the black vehicle. I intended to give this stalker a good piece of my mind. Not my best idea, but hey, I never said I wasn't stupid.

"Okay, now I want to know what your freaking problem-"

I stopped midsentence when it registered who was sitting in the driver's seat. Erik tried to hide his amused smile but failed.