Code: Error

* ~ Chapter 12 ~ *

I didn't know if I was safe. Either way, I tried to brush everything off to the side and keep walking. Like I said, it was still cold. I was wearing baggy and long clothes, but I had to be more protected. So, I was wearing the chullo and cardigan. The question still lingers– what are those mens' intentions?

Deciding to push the thoughts away, I kept walking. Taking walks through the woods was one of my favorite things to do. I would climb the trees, but I am wearing a cardigan. Those things are EXTREMELY fragile, so I always play it safe and careful when wearing them. If it were to be destroyed, my mom would kill me.

When I was walking, I got a phone call from Ate.

"What."

"Well okay, what a way to greet me."

"Sorry, I just didn't expect it." I was chuckling.

"You're fine." She sighed. "Ronnie, I won't be home until a little later. Got caught up with swimming again."

I giggled. Swimming was something we both loved. We did it competitively. Ate and I did soccer and volleyball more as a hobby; we played it with our friends or just with each other.

"Okay, that's fine. I'll see you later, Ate."

"Bye." She hung up.

......

I went to that area that Dexter, Charlie and I discovered. It was beautiful, like I remember. The creek sounded like a good place to chill at, so I went there. I had completely forgotten I had my earbuds on, so I turned them the fuck up. I was listening to I Know Places by Taylor Swift.

Why does this song seem so fitting? I thought. Shrugging it off, I continued to listen and chill. But I paused it to listen to the water running. It was so soothing. But the stupid voices came back. This time louder than ever.

"Why is there a little girl- wait, that's the same girl."

"Oh wow, how MIND BLOWING!"

"Sorry, I'm just saying. That hat gives everything away. Even the pigtails."

Why was I laughing at that? They're obviously talking about me, but whatever conversation they were having, it was actually kind of hillarious. To be honest, I have a broken sense of humor. Out of nowhere, they began to walk over to me.

"Hey uh, little girl, what's your name?"

I was uncomfortable. "Not telling, stranger danger." I stood up and walked the fuck away.

.....

I walked into the front door.

"Hi Ronnie!" Ate exclaimed as she walked up to me and pulled me in a hug and held me in her arms. Chuckling, I lightly slapped her in a joking manner.

"Hey Ate! You won't believe what happened."

She looked a bit weirded out from that. "Huh? What do you mean?"

I took a breath before talking rapid fire. "So basically, there were some random ass men that walked up to me and asked my name. But I wasn't courageous enough, so I said 'not telling, stranger danger' and walked off. Even now, it still creeps me out because WHY WOULD SOME RANDOM GUYS ASK FOR MY NAME?!"

Ate looked concerned. "That's weird. Who would want to ask for a random young girl's name? Are they trying to harass you? Do you think they are going to kill you?"

"No."

"I figured you would say that. You're still 10."

"YOU'RE 17 AND ACT LIKE 7!" I teased, earning me a light punch on my arm. "What? I'm stating something called a fact, unless you're too ignorant to know." Ate slapped me on the face, lightheartedly. It wasn't hard, so everything was fine.