I plopped down on the seat at lunch, the others already chatting away. It had been a week now since Zach and I had the argument and we hadn't really talked since then. Sometimes one person would notice the other staring but they would quickly turn away.
Our friends had felt the tension rise over the week and although they didn't ask what happened, they knew something did.
We just went about it the wrong way but even so, I wasn't apologising. I seemed to always be the one apologising.
But I didn't care, I had Dylan and Shaun. That's all I've had for a long time and all I needed. It didn't need to change just because I found friends.
In fact it was better to cut any relationships with them now because as Easter was close –we broke up for Easter holidays at the end of the week- it meant that day was nearing.
I was brought out of my thoughts when Lyla asked, "So, doing anything special over Easter?"
I shook my head, my eyes flickering to Zach. "Not that I know of. What about you?"
He was slumped in his chair staring down at his phone.
"Nothing really. Our Dad's coming back from his business trip with Mum so I'm sure they'll be happy for you to join us for dinner sometime."
I nodded before furrowing my eyebrows. "Wasn't your Mum here not too long ago? I mean I never met her but that's what Zach told me."
She nodded. "She was but then she had to go back. Anyway, what's going on between you and Zach?"
I shrugged my shoulders and noticed Zach lift his head up but quickly looked down again, wanting to know what I was going to say.
"Nothing. We just got into an argument and haven't talked since then. I mean you should know, you were there."
She tilted her head in confusion. "When did this happen?"
"The morning after the party but then again, you were asleep on the bar stool. But it doesn't really matter, nothing happened."
Zach stood up, making a loud screech as he scraped his chair back. He walked out of the canteen as we all just stared at his retreating figure.
What's wrong with him?
I stood up as well, contemplating on whether I should go after him.
What do you mean, 'what's wrong with him?' What's wrong with you?
I ignored that stupid voice and walked out right after him.
It was just annoying. He was just annoying. He couldn't even stand being in the same room as me despite there being so many others around.
Where the hell had he gone?
I turned left down the corridor, hoping he went this way.
Only a few steps down the corridor, I found him. With someone else.
Zach and Queen Bee –what her name is I didn't know. I don't think she had ever told me it but if so, I couldn't remember. They spoke calmly to each other by the lockers, Zach's back facing me.
I couldn't stop now, if I did and I turned around then it would only put me in a worse position if they saw me.
Carrying on, I made my way down the hallway. Just as I was passing them, her eyes caught mine and in that moment they widened slightly.
She uttered a quick, "We'll finish this at your house later," to Zach. It was the only thing I heard from their conversation but it made me walk faster.
What would happen at his house later?
My mind raced with all these different scenarios but they all ended with one. Them in bed together.
I hoped not.
Yeah. Because you like him.
Shut it.
Aah. But you didn't deny it.
Seriously fuck off. I don't like him. I do not like him. I don't.
The sound of footsteps rushing towards me paused my thoughts.
A large hand wrapped around my wrist but the sudden contact made me jerk it away.
I turned around sharply to find Zach standing in front of me, his jaw clenching and unclenching in frustration.
I stood there, just staring at him, waiting for him to say something.
With about thirty seconds of me just staring at him and him doing the same, I turned around and started walking again.
Was he waiting for me to apologise so it could just go back to normal? Well he's got another thing coming if he thinks so.
Call me stubborn, I don't care, it's who I am.
"Wait." His voice called out. I did.
His face came into view and I responded with a bitter, "What?"
The tone of my voice made him furrow his eyebrows before his lips set in a hard line and he spoke back in a sullen voice. "What do you mean what?"
Is that really all he had to say?
"Fuck you." I spat. I walked around him and just as I was about to take my next step, he said something that really got to me.
"You probably would if you could. I mean you said you were a virgin to Carter but I really doubt that. You've probably fucked loads of people including Shaun. Right?" I could practically hear the smirk he was wearing on his face just from those words.
Recalling what I had said to Carter and a few of the others, I remembered why I had done it. Because I didn't want to be brought back.
Never had I thought that he would steep so low. Like a punch to the gut, the wind was knocked out of me and suddenly I was back.
My hands rose to my head and balled the strands in my fists trying to get his coarse hands out of them.
His hand was suddenly on my waist and out of instinct my hand shot there to get rid of it but this time it actually came in contact with his hand.
I tried to tug at it to pull it away but it wouldn't budge. My eyes that were scrunched close slowly opened, fearing the monster they'd see before them.
Only to find blue eyes staring deeply into mine. My hands loosened from his as his eyebrows scrunched up in worry.
My legs gave out and the hand on my waist quickly slid around my back until it was on my other side, stopping me from falling.
"Skylar? What's wrong?" Zach whispered softly, the worry evident in his voice.
I shook my head. "It's okay. I'm okay. A wave of dizziness just washed over me is all."
"Are you sure? You seemed scared."
I'm not anymore, I'm safe here for now in this town but it's only a matter of time until he finds me.
Until I'm back where the past is no longer the past and it has become my present as well.
But until then we're safe.
"I'm okay Zach," my voice came out clipped, trying to get him to stop prodding at the topic.
"Really? I feel like you're hiding something. What happened just now was nearly like that other time when you..." He trailed off, mumbling more to himself than to me. It was as if he had forgotten I was even there.
"Other time? What other time?" I asked, not as shaken up as I was before.
"Oh, it was nothing. Shaun told me not to tell you about it. He said you wouldn't like it." He disregarded the topic.
"Wait. So Shaun knows? What happened?" How bad could it have been?
If this reminded him of some other time, then what could have happened? But when could this have happened anyway?
"I don't know, you were sleeping and having a nightmare or something and mumbled some stuff in your sleep. It's nothing to worry about."
Shit. As long as he didn't think anything of it then I was fine.
But then again, maybe this was my chance.
I would either decide, stop all of this now and cut my ties with them or tell them the truth.
But could I trust them?
I wouldn't know. Maybe I would just wait a little longer, at least by then I could find out.
_____
"Hey baby, how was school?" I asked Dylan.
His grin lit up his green eyes. "Really fun."
"That's good but you know what's happening when you get home right?" I asked him smirking.
Boy was he not going to like this.
He inhaled in excitement, "Ice cream?" He asked full of hope.
I laughed. "As if. Come on, you'll find out when we get there."
I put his helmet on him, picking him up and setting him on the motorcycle. I climbed on afterwards and not long after, we arrived home.
Shaun wasn't there when we arrived but Dylan didn't seem to mind as all he could think of was what was happening.
"So, what's the surprise?" He asked.
I smiled, internally laughing. "Come on, I'll show you." His hand latched onto mine as he followed me to the bathroom. "You're having a bath."
His face dropped, along with his hand that was holding mine.
Before I could catch him, he ran off to the living room, just as the sound of the front door opening was heard.
"Shaun," Dylan shrieked. I saw Shaun pick Dylan up, closing the door behind him.
"What's up little man?"
Dylan pointed at me, with a look of terror on his face as though I had told him the worst thing possible.
Which I suppose for him, I had.
"She's making me have a bath."
Shaun laughed. "Well it's about time. I could smell you before I even walked through the door." He joked.
Dylan crossed his arms, still in Shaun's arms. "This isn't funny, I'm being serious."
Shaun put Dylan down on the floor and crouched down to his level.
"You have to have a bath little man, how else are you going to get all the girls. I mean, that's how I get them."
Shaun winked at me and I was brought back to what Zach had said.
If anything he's the one that has had sex with everything.
But what bugged me the most was that he wasn't wrong, I have had sex with Shaun but it's not as if it meant anything. Zach was nothing more than a friend to me.
Not friends with benefits, it was just us messing around with each other. It was all for fun.
I shook my thoughts away, I didn't care what Zach had to say about me.
"What are you waiting for Sky? I'm ready to have my bath now."
Really? All it took was that? For Shaun to convince him?
I rolled my eyes at that. Typical boys.
After washing Dylan's hair and getting him into his pyjamas, I was ready for an early night.
I took out a pizza from the freezer and put it in the oven.
Hearing the annoying buzz on my phone telling me thirteen minutes were up, I took the pizza out and cut it.
Like the boys they were, Dylan and Shaun came in a flash to check on the pizza. Shaun went in for a piece but didn't get to it in time as I slapped his hand away.
"It's hot." I explained, giving him a warning look.
Soon after, we ate dinner and fell asleep.
_____
I sat up in bed, it was still dark outside but something woke me up.
I was sure of it.
I could never have a peaceful sleep, could I?
If it's not nightmares, it's me going paranoid.
I decided to stay in that position for a while, letting my eyes get accustomed to the dark room but I didn't stay very long when I thought I heard another noise.
What the fuck was that?
I looked on my sides to see Shaun and Dylan fast asleep.
If it wasn't them, then who was it?
My hand slipped under my pillow and wrapped around the gun. I held it to my chest and slid out of bed.
Just because I knew how to use a gun, didn't mean I wanted to.
Tiptoeing very quietly, I held the gun in front of me, prepared to use it if I had to.
I went to the living room, where I thought I had heard the noise come from but there was nothing. No one was here, it was silent.
Still I decided to walk around and check just in case and my heart leapt out of its chest when I heard the sound of the wind.
The wind whistled as the cold breeze came through the open window.
I sighed, relieved, that it was only the wind. I hadn't remembered leaving it open, even opening it to begin with but I didn't care, knowing I could finally get back to sleep.
I leant over the sink to close the window but as I did my bare foot stepped on something, causing it to draw blood to the surface.
As I looked at what I had stepped on, I saw a broken mug, pieces shattered everywhere.
My heart began to race again and with the light from the moon's reflection, only then was I able to notice a note.
A note that sent shivers down my spine.
I picked it up and read it, not caring about my bleeding foot.
My eyes flickered over the words over and over, reading it so many times just to make sure that my eyes were not deceiving me yet it was always the same outcome. But each time my eyes lingered on a specific word.
Cupcake.
I was shocked to the core and stumbled back, the note falling from my fingertips. I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. I couldn't do anything.
He had found me.
~~~~~
A/N:
Heyyy. So I know it's been a while. But here I am and I know it's not the best but oooooh look at that ending. Wow.
So I know it's probably too late and I can't qualify but it is the last day and I am probably over the time but I am trying for Wattys 2016. I know nothing will come out of this but it will motivate me to upload more as you can see now.
Sorry and thank you again. Soo soo sooo much. I hve had so many reads and it is just so overwhelming so I wanted to make something great but the more I tried the more I knew it probably wasn't good enough so I just decided to write and this is what I came up with. Sorry.
But anyways...
Leave a comment and tell me if you're liking the book so far and what you think should happen next...