Skateboards and Songbirds

Chapter Four: Recovery

"I get it, it's a lot to take in, you don't have to make a decision right now, you have school to get too- so go do that. We will talk about this after." Cyril waved Kade out and shut the door in front of him.

Kade sighed before starting the trek towards his campus, popping in his earbuds and tuning out the world.

That probably wasn't the best idea however, because he didn't notice who was walking right next to him until the person pulled out his earbud, getting close enough to put it in his own ear.

To say that Kade was startled was an understatement. He full on instinctively shoved Aaron back a couple steps, his pale green eyes large as his breathing turned shallow. Aaron knew what he looked like without the mask now.
Or maybe he already did.
Who knows at this point.

"Awe c'mon, I just wanted to listen to what kind of music someone like you listens too." Aaron said, miming innocence. "Something to do with blood or knives or sprained wrists sound pretty accurate to me."

"Hey Kade!"
At the voice, Kade's already pale face turned ashen grey. Now Aaron would know Calico's face.

Calico didn't seem bothered as he came up to Kade and Aaron, a full smile on his face.

"Who is this?" Aaron and Calico asked at the same time, but Aaron's question held more spite to it.

"Uh, my classmate anddd . . . Someone I met last night." Kade pointed at each boy respectfully, hoping Calico would catch onto Kade's obvious discomfort around Aaron.

Calico's eyes suddenly latched onto Kade's wrist and his eyebrows furrowed for a millisecond before he sort of angled himself between Aaron and Kade.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Calico, his friend, and unfortunately both of us are currently tuning late to our class, so I'll bid you ado." Calico said with a flourish of his hand, bowing slightly in a dramatic fashion and grabbing Kade's upper arm to drag them both out of there.

As soon as they were out of ear range, Calico demanded answers, but then answered them himself before Kade could reply.

"That thing on your wrist wasn't there yesterday when you left the park, and you said you met that guy last night- did he do it to you?" Calico spewed out his questions in a flood before Kade just held up a finger, waiting for him to stop talking.

"Yes, but you shouldn't be around me, that's all, it's not safe." Kade told him, ready to make sure that Calico wasn't near him ever again for his own protection. Plus it was a bonus because then he wouldn't be getting called kitten every day.

"The way I see it, you need an escort, or bodyguard of sorts, you see how tiny you are-?" Calico said, poking his shoulder as they walked.

"You think you're hilarious." Kade scoffed, and that's when he looked over his shoulder the first time.

Aaron was following them.

"This way." Kade suddenly without warning grabbed ahold of Calico's wrist and started running, turning into an alleyway as the city was full of them like mazes.

"Are we ditching?" Calico asked, keeping pace with Kade, which probably wasn't that easy, but Calico seemed agile enough.

"No, I saw someone and I'm trying to loose their trail before we get to class so they don't know where we go." Kade briefly explained before emphasizing on how they should stay as quiet as they could be.

Luckily for Kade, Calico was much quieter than Cyril ever was, and would follow pretty easily.

"You know, you can run all you want-"

At the sound of Aaron's voice, chills went up Kade's spine.

They had been followed again.

And it seemed almost effortless as Aaron wasn't even panting for breath, merely leaning against the brick wall as though he had been there for ages.