Tethered Tats

Chapter 25

I'm chewing at a nail, leg shaking. Thinking.

I decide there and then. I don't believe Grayson for a second and I need to know the real truth. I get up from my bed, leaving my phone in its phone charger on the table. I shove my shoes on and forget to put my coat on. I tiptoe half way down the stairs, I peer over to see if Aunt Susan is there. She's not.

I creep down the last few steps and open the front door, gently closing it behind me.

I skip down the steps and jog, I go straight to his house.

I stop for a breath, panting and rub my side as a stitch forms. I hide behind a tree and squint my eyes, I take off my glasses and wipe them, trying to get some of the steam from my breathing off of them. I shove them back onto my face and look into the bottom window.

I see him walking around, my heart skips at the sight of him. His hair is ruffled and he pushes it back with a swift motion of his hand.

He goes out of sight and appears again at the front door, he shoves his phone into his jumper pocket.

"Grayson, be back by one!" Someone shouts from inside the house.

He mutters something under his breath that I can't hear and trudges down the road.

I follow a few feet behind, hiding behind fences, bushes and trees every so often in case he sees me stalk him. The dim street lights help me keep track of him through the thick night sky.

Cars pass us every so often and they cause a bigger draft then there already is. I rub my arms as a chill goes through them. Who knew a summer night could be so cold?

We hit the town centre, rows of shops scatter alongside the roads, neon lights shine, trying to entice their late night shoppers to come in and buy things.

Grayson weaves himself in and out of people, I trace his every step and stay closer to him, not wanting to lose sight of him for a second. He gets his phone out and types away at it, putting it back into his black hoodie pocket.

I bump into some people as I go, whispering an apology as they tut at me and give me glares. Too many people but I push on. I take a deep breath and exhale slowly.

Grayson goes to look behind him and I jump into a crowd, he turns back and I move myself out of the crowd and back to his heel.

A cluster of college students come out of a bar, pissed out their minds and they take up the whole pavement. I won't be able to see Grayson from behind them!

I go to overtake them with the little pavement left for me to step on, one of the college students stumbles, knocking me into the road.

That's when it happens. A black Uber car comes out from the other road, speeding its way up towards me. I don't have time to react, nor does the Uber driver. He hits me with his bonnet, I feel my body give way and slam down onto the floor, my head bounces against the pavement. I scream as I go down.

I see Grayson turn around and see me, lying helplessly on the floor before everything goes black.