Behind the Innocent Smile

Chapter 53: Finally Home

•Emma's POV•

No words could describe how pissed I was at the moment. After I had meet his eyes, I had seen the realization flicker in them that I knew. Next thing you know he's taking off into the crowd and I had tried to go after him yet I was the one who got lost in the crowd.

The end of the school day was approaching with only a few minutes to spare. I couldn't wait to get out of this shit place.

Now that I knew who the person was, I had some business to settle and one was figuring out what exactly he was sent here to do.

With the ringing of the final bell, I swiftly exit my class and head on over to my car. Slamming the door shut, I race out of the parking lot and head towards the house but somewhere along the line I had taken a different turn and ended up at an empty park.

Shuffling through my glove compartment, I reach for my pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Exiting my car, I walk over to one of the many trees in the park and choose one to stand under. But half way through lighting my cigarette, I decide to climb up the tree like some lunatic.

Or a little kid.

Holding the cigarette between my lips, I pull myself up on the limbs of the tree and settle down when I'm surrounded by the leaves and hidden from the people roaming around.

With smoke wafting around me, I lean back against the tree and close my eyes. I could slowly feel the anger and fear leave my body, but it all comes rushing back when I hear footsteps coming closer to me.

"Emma?" I hear a familiar voice say. Closing my eyes tightly, I take another drag from my cigarette and intend to let it out in a ring, but when I feel a body gently graze mine. The smoke in my lungs leaves my mouth rapidly, causing my throat to burn and eyes to snap open.

"Give me that." Shawn says, before taking the cigarette from my hand. At first I'm thinking that he's gonna take a drag, but instead he crushes the end of it against the tree bark before throwing it into the trash can that was beside the tree and underneath us.

"You followed me, why?" I ask him, turning my head to look him in the eyes. The last time I spoke with him was when I left. When he had basically told me he had feelings for me and I had told him I wasn't ready.

I'm not sure if I'll ever be.

"Because I wanted to make sure you were okay. These writings on the wall... all of them seemed to freak you out or anger you." Shawn tells me, his eyes holding concern as he looked at my red glazed eyes.

"It surprises me that you noticed and you're right. But that will be the last writing that will happen. It's about time I deal with the person who's been writing them." My eyes were no longer locked with his. They were glazed over as I stared into space as thoughts of how I would confront this person surface to mind.

"I didn't just come to make sure you're okay. I... I wanted to ask you if you would go on a date with me?" Immediately after his words had registered in my head, I had snapped my head back towards him. With how harsh I moved, I felt my neck ache as some sort of whiplash settled.

"Wha...?"

"Will you go on a date with me, darling?" His cheeks held a tinge of pink, but his eyes shined brighter like I've only seen once.

And that was when we first kissed.

"I would love too."

.

What the hell have I gotten myself into.

Raiding my room, I try to look for an outfit for today, but come up short. All Shawn had told me Friday was that he had planned a whole day out, and not your usual dinner and a movie kinda date. Which I am grateful for.