Time Change (bxb)

Seventeen

Time P.O.V

Have you ever just felt like you were being watched? Like you knew you weren't alone even though you should have been? That was me, like right now. I'm not stupid enough to not notice that someone was following me. I didn't even have to look at the person to figure out who exactly was doing the following. Marcus wasn't as good at stalking as he probably thought he was.

He had to be following me about what happened yesterday, something I had tried to forget about overnight but failed to do so. Just thinking about yesterday made me want to run away, the fight or flight instinct as strong as ever. Was running after me yesterday not enough for him? It apparently wasn't because he was slowly following me down the school halls, thinking I didn't notice his presence.

I had come to school prepared to avoid this guy at all costs. I didn't want to know what he had been doing in that office. I had been more than willing to drop it if he'd never approach me again. It was pretty clear that he didn't have the same plans as me.

All I wanted to do was go to class because I know he couldn't follow me into the classroom without causing a scene . . . but based on the way he knocked the nurse unconscious, I don't doubt he'd be able to do the same to my entire class. That was the last thing I wanted to have happen, me walking into my class only to have everything pass out. I would be trapped in a room with him with no escape.

Not really in the mood to witness something out of a horror movie, I made an alternative plan that presented itself to me last minute. This plan is called abandon school and run away. It only made it easier for me when I found myself in the hallway that was directly attached to the back doors. It was almost too convenient.

Running worked last time, so who knows, maybe it will work again.

I really shouldn't have expected it to work again.

As I burst out of the school, I hoped and prayed that he would give up once he saw I left the school. Hearing the sound of the doors slamming back open the moment my feet hit the sidewalk, I knew I was screwed. Did that stop me from running? Not in the slightest. The moment that Marcus walked out of the school, I darted for it. I did not want to talk to him, look at him, anything with him. I wish he would just take the hint that me running was giving him.

I didn't think he would follow me for as long as he was, and let me tell you; it wasn't long before I began to run out of energy to run. Unlike me, from a one-second glance behind me that I risked, Marcus didn't look exhausted at all. He wasn't breathing hard. He wasn't sweating either. Nothing to show he was slowly losing energy.

Deciding that running on the sidewalk wasn't the smartest idea on my part, I quickly planned a new path, one that involved running through the woods that thickened up ahead. The moment the houses stopped, I darted towards the woods, running between the trees and over logs. It would be have been a relaxing experience if I wasn't being chased through the woods.

Even while being chased, I managed to find the run enjoyable. It was one of the few times I found myself running through these woods. It was different than a typical run; it actually made me feel a bit more at peace with nature . . . Or it was until I heard the dummy behind me gaining speed. I made an attempt to run faster until something idiotic was able to distract me.

'Come on, Tiny! Gosh, who would have thought that the twink could run this fast?!'

In that instant, I forget where I was and temporarily forgot to check my surroundings, and within seconds, my biggest enemy wasn't Marcus, it was a huge f*cking log. Who would have thought that it wouldn't be Marcus that would take me down, it would be a log placed there by nature.

I guess it was much worse because the moment I hit the log and fell, I felt my left ankle move weirdly before a loud popping noise followed, and shortly, a pain. It didn't help that my stupid self decided to just agree with gravity and fall face-forward onto the ground. The moment I fell, I just laid there like a dead fish. I think it was that moment that I just gave up, surrendering to the stalker.

When Marcus caught up to me, I could only imagine the pitiful sight that he saw. Of course, that moment of silence reminded me of the exact reason I was suddenly distracted in the first place.

"I am not a twink," I mumbled quietly, hissing it out angrily. It took me a second to remember that Marcus didn't say the twink part out loud and that he probably heard my hissy-mumble.

"What?" Marcus asked, clearly confused. For a second, I thought it was because he generally had no idea what I asked, but then I realized it was an entirely different kind of 'what.' It as the shocked version.

I didn't reply to him as I rolled over and sat up, pulling my legs in towards me. I prepared to stand, but the moment my left foot touched the ground, pain shot through my leg. The shock of the pain was enough to knock me back down, the motion shocking both me and Marcus.

I reached down with shaky hands to roll my left pant leg up, revealing my ankle. It didn't look hurt, but the moment I touched it, I could tell that it wasn't physical pain. I hissed, yanking my hand away from my ankle. Of course, I'd be the kind of person to hurt themselves while running away from someone.

Marcus crouched down, his hand reaching out towards my ankle, but before I give him the chance to touch it, I jerk away from him. I didn't want him to touch me, because who knows, he might accidentally make it worse.

He pulled away, a hurt expression on his face. My heart clenched tightly for an unknown reason; I knew I shouldn't sympathize for him. Even know I knew better, my heart still ached. I scooted away from him, eventually bumping into the base of a tree. I was more relaxed being a safe distance away from him, although, in the back of my head, it felt wrong. Nothing has been making sense since I intervened in Jordan's cheating scandal. I couldn't help but blame Marcus, who definitely knew what was going on. I didn't voice my concern, though, returning my attention towards my ankle. He was probably trying to heal my ankle . . .

I moved my leg so that I could better see the ankle. Even though I've only just harmed myself, the tenderness of my ankle wasn't something that I would be able to ignore and push off. Heck, I couldn't even walk a minute ago, how in the world do I intend on getting home like this.

Logically, the answer was right in front of me in the form of my stalker. The boy sitting on the ground in front of me, staring at the scenery surrounding us, was likely my only option at getting out of the woods. I really didn't want to have to ask him to help me, considering that was probably what he had been trying to do when I rudely rejected his assistance. Wouldn't it be rude for me to ask for his help now?

"Why were you following me?" I asked dully, wanting to know for multiple reasons. One was to confirm or deny the reason I thought he was following me for; the other was if my reason was wrong, I'd learn why he was following me so I could get him to leave me alone.

Marcus looked up at me, shocked. I watched as he cleared his throat, a sudden look of anxiety appearing on his face. His entire body began to radiate anxious waves. I could only wait to hear what he would say, not knowing that the answer would eventually lead to my life changing forever.