It's the same routine every day: go on a morning walk, lock myself up in my room for the day, and try to go to sleep around eleven. That seems to be all either Mom or I can do around here. Officer Jenkins and Agent Callaway both said they don't want me to go to school, because they think it'd be easier for my stalker to keep tabs on me. I think they are right about that, but I don't agree with flunking my tenth year. I had been a straight A student until now, and I don't want to give that up. Unfortunately, it seems I don't have a choice in the matter. Besides, how am I supposed to concentrate on school when I have someone taunting me every other day?
Each morning, I foolishly look around for the boy, thinking that maybe, just maybe, I might be able to befriend him. Then, perhaps my day will be less depressing and I can actually live the life of a teenager, besides the no school part.
Today, I say to Mom that I want to walk alone, because I'm tired of her looking over her shoulder and not letting me step an inch away from her. I know it's only for my safety, but it does get annoying, and I really don't think my stalker would make a bold move now, considering he's only trying to scare me with flowers.
I can tell she's wary of letting me go, but I end up convincing her that everything is fine, that I can call her if I see or hear anything unusual. Finally, after bickering for five minutes about what could go wrong, she lets me leave.
I give her a kiss on the cheek and grab my jacket, which is hanging on the hook by the door. Before I leave, I give a reassuring nod and a smile. Mom still looks uneasy when I lock the door behind me.
The cool air circles around my body as I walk across the dampened grass. It must have been cold last night, because frost has settled on the sidewalk and foliage. I tuck my hands into my pockets as I glance around, being observant of my surroundings. My fingers stiffen around my phone so that I can yank it out if needed.
The streets are quiet, as they always are at this time of the morning. It seems that Mom and I are always the first ones up and walking around in our neighborhood. I've always been an early riser, which I couldn't say for Laura. She would always be up around eleven on weekends, so I'd be bored for those extra grueling five hours.
As I pass by the park, admiring the scenery, I stop. Someone leans against one of the trees, looking off at the rising sun. I recognize the short hair and baggy sweatshirt and step off of the sidewalk, heading into the freshly cut grass. Don't ask me why I was going to talk to him again, I don't really know myself. As I near him, I can't help but notice how peaceful he looks, like he doesn't have a care in the world. A pang of jealousy grows inside of my chest as I realize how much I have to worry about. For instance, staying alive and keeping my remaining family safe and out of my stalker's reach; something I failed to do while Laura was alive.
"Are you going to say hi, or continue to stand there like I somehow can't see you?" A voice interrupts my thoughts. I jump when I realize it's coming from him.
A light blush fills my cheeks. "Sorry, I was just..."
His eyes meet mine and he pulls himself up from the tree. "It's fine, I was just joking around."
I bite my lip to keep myself from blushing even more. A metallic taste fills my taste buds and I cough. "Sorry...um, how are you?"
He raises an eyebrow, but replies with an even voice, "I'm doing fine, how about you?"
I purse my lips together. "Fine. I'm doing fine."
His eyes narrow a little, but he doesn't question me further. I'm relieved, because I don't want to talk to a complete stranger—who doesn't even know who I am—about my problems.
We stand for a few minutes, just looking at each other with apprehensive expressions. Finally, he says, "What's your name?"
I almost say my real name, Melanie, but I catch myself just in time. "Mel--Skylar. Skylar Ann." I pause. "And you?"
The corner of his lip twitches, like he's deciding whether or not to smile. "Xavier Carson."
I nod. Xavier has always been a name that I liked. It definitely suits him too, with the dark hair and green eyes, and with that strong jaw and—he chuckles, causing me to groan loudly, knowing that I've been caught staring again. He must think I'm a total creep.
"Sorry," I mutter, looking down at my shoes, which had been coated in tiny dew drops. The silence is deafening to my ears. Why had I even come over to talk to him? It's not like I know him or anything. All I'm doing is embarrassing myself.
"I'm guessing you just moved here?" Xavier says. His eyes twinkle with amusement as I look back up at him, nodding slowly.
"Yeah, you could say that."
He nods slowly, "Are you planning on attending the high school soon?"
I bite my lip. "No."
Xavier frowns slightly. "You're homeschooled?"
I nod, even though it isn't true. "Yeah, I am." I have to keep my cover; otherwise things could get very ugly very quickly. If my stalker finds out I'm here...I don't know what he would do. And I don't think I want to know what he'd do.
Xavier sighs. "It's a shame."
"What?"
"Nothing," he shakes his head. "It's nothing."
Just as I'm about to reply, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I close my eyes, no longer caring if Xavier is around. My first thought is that the person who texted me is my stalker. Has he found me? Does he know where I am?
"Skylar?" Xavier's voice seems closer than before. My eyelids slide open when a hand touches my arm. I realize that I had been falling down before he had steadied me. "Are you alright?"
I nod slowly, grabbing my phone in the process. It vibrates again and I go into panic mode, sliding the arrow across the screen to open my messages. Xavier seems even more worried when he sees me with my phone out.
"Skylar?"
I don't answer him; I'm too busy feeling like I'm going to upchuck all over my shoes. An unknown number shows up on my messaging app screen. It's him.
'MELANIE, GET AWAY FROM HIM!'
'MELANIE, I'M WARNING YOU!'
Then a new one pops up, startling me even more.
'I MEAN IT MELANIE. IF YOU DON'T LEAVE NOW, I'LL KILL HIM!'
I swear I can feel my heartbeat in my throat. He's here...he knows I'm here with Xavier.
"Skylar," Xavier says even louder than before, his eyes wide in alarm.
My hand shakes as I put my phone back into my pocket. I have to get out of here; I can't have anyone else getting hurt on my account, not like Laura. Even if my stalker was bluffing, which I doubt, I still can't take any chances. I made that mistake once before. "I—I have to go."
Shaking his hand off my shoulder, I turn to leave. What he says next causes me to stop in my tracks.
"I'll see you later then?"
My eyes lock with his again for a brief moment, my heart, beating hard from fear, still flutters in my chest at his words. "I hope so," I say, a faint smile coming over my lips.
Then, I leave.
•••
My heart is still pounding in my chest when I enter through the door to the house. When my mom hears the slam of the front door, she rushes in with a towel in her hands. She wipes them off as she continues to examine my psychological state. "Are you alright?"
I nod immediately. Then, I push past her, heading down the hallway to 'Skylar's' room. When the door is locked tightly behind me, I slide to the floor, my head in my hands. He knows where I am. Before, when I received that rose, I wasn't positive then. Now I am.
How long had that taken him? One, maybe two days to get my number? I don't even know how he could have done it. Perhaps when he dropped off the rose, he went into my phone? Or maybe he hacked into the phone company's network somehow? Even though that seems like a slim chance, I wouldn't put it past him.
I run my fingers over my face again. It doesn't matter how he got my number. The main thing is, he found me. I thought I was safe. Now I know I'm not. Then, a thought comes to me: I may never be safe again. I might be on the run for the rest of my life, trying to get away from the person who won't leave me alone, who thinks he can control me.
A ball of anger rises in my throat, almost asphyxiating me. First he kills Laura, and then he threatens to kill someone who might be the only one besides Mom who will talk to me in this town. Now, you can bet he's going to keep threatening me until I break. I think I'm already almost broken.
"Help me," I whisper, the back of my head hitting the door. "Help me, Laura. I can't do this alone."
Of course, there is no answer.
________________________________________________________________________
Next Friday, I will be releasing a new book called 'Deadly Obsession' to Wattpad. It different from my others, in a cop's POV and a victim's POV, and the victim had been tortured, beaten, raped, stalked, you name it. A excerpt from the novel should be up tomorrow, on my message board, Instagram account @wattpad.xxamy_cxx and Twitter account @xXAmy_CXx
A new update comes Wednesday!
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