Chapter 4
I woke all of a sudden, it took me a few seconds to realise that I was safe, in my room, covered in sweat with my heart beating a hundred miles per hour. I peered at the alarm clock, crap, ten minutes late! I jumped up out of bed and rushed into the shower to wash away the nightmare.
I rushed out of the house and shoved my key into the ignition, I turned it and the engine roared to life, then coughed and cut out.
“Don’t do this!” I yelled out, turning the key again, it coughed and spluttered but nothing. “Great, just bloody great!” I screamed and pulled the keys out of the ignition and shoved them in my bag. “You big pile of crap!” I kicked the car as I slammed the door. Great, now I’d have to walk to school in the rain! I shoved my bag on to my shoulder and trudged my way through the rain, I should really invest in an umberella.
“Need a ride?” Nathan’s voice pulled me from my angry thoughts. I turned and scowled at him sat in his black car dressed in black, too angry to fear him today.
“Get lost! Just leave me alone for crying out loud!” I continued my walk towards the school.
“Oh come on, I’m not that bad am I?” He winked at me, I ignored it. “I still haven’t seen David.” I continued trudgeing on. “But I can guarentee he’s seen you.” I stopped, he’d told me this last night. My nightmare came rushing back to me, the colour drained from my face. What does he mean by this? I could see him smirk out of the corner of my eye, he gave a short laugh and drove off.
“EURGH!” I grunted but continued my trudge to school. Suddenly the rain stopped from hitting me and I knew instantly that David would be stood there with an umberella. “WILL YOU JUST STOP THAT!” I turned around in frustration to see George, a boy a year below me holding an umberella over my head, his brown eyes wide in fear… of me. “I’m so sorry George, I thought you were someone else.” I instantly felt bad for him, he was just trying to be nice.
“Erm… I… erm, I saw you walking alone and you’re only in your cheer uniform so I erm… I just thought I could share my umberella with you.” George’s voice was quiet and timid. I knew who he was purely because he was the boy everyone made fun of, yet last year he seemed to be the only one who would sit with me when I was pushing people out and grieving. He never once tried to make conversation he’d just sit there in silence. Every break and every lunch. He knew what it was like to be on your own, he also knew I didn’t want to talk, so just the company of someone else was nice for me and I knew it was especially nice for him. I felt a pang of sadness that that company was over, that he has returned to sitting by himself. He was really smart, I mean like seriously smart, he’s in most of my classes because he’s just too clever for his year’s.
“No, no, it’s really nice of you, thank you!” I smiled at him trying to calm him down. He just smiled back at me. “So, how have you been?” I asked.
“The same really.” He shrugged, with that he meant he is just getting by, still being taunted for his braces, for being extra smart, for tucking his shirt in, for wearing his top button done. Man, kids really were harsh. I liked George. “You Sky?”
“Better thanks.” I smiled. Usually I’d tell people yes I’m fine and lie, but not to George, no. I was better, but that didn’t mean I was fine, he knew this. We spent the rest of the walk in silence, how we both enjoyed it. Though, to ruin my mood, out of the corner of my eye I saw David just watching us with an almost angry look. I tried to ignore it, maybe he was just late for school too? But I’d heard he lives in that big house the other side of town, surely he wouldn’t take this route to school? Then Nathan’s words crept up into my mind, ‘I still haven’t seen David, but I can guarentee he’s seen you.’
“SKY!” Lexi came running over to me. “Pixie is saying stuff about you around the school about you.”
“I’ll see you later Sky.” George mumbled from beside me and walked off before I could say anything and just as Lexi made it to me as I walked through the doors.
“Like what?” I questioned Lexi, I knew Pixie was in a mood with me, again.
“How you’re just a big faker and everything last year was just for attention. She’s also kicked you off the squad.” Lexi gave me a sympathetic look. A faker? Eurgh. Now I was angry again.
“Bitch.” I sighed. Though, being kicked off of the cheer team really didn’t bother me, I wasn’t in love with it anymore.
“Look, there’s a party tonight down at the lake, you should come!” She was inviting me to a party. Really? I didn’t really want to go to a party, and it would mean a night off work. “Free alcohol, come on, how could you turn it down?” She winked at me. Free alcohol.
“I’m in!” I laughed.
“Cool, see you there! Think it’s starting at 9!” With that she turned and walked off. Lexi was nice, she was popular for being nice. The lake was surrounded by woods the other side of town.
I walked into class, Pixie sat there with Trudy beside her, I rolled my eyes at her childishness and sat on the empty table beside where I usually sat. Not thinking, it only hit me when David walked in that I was sat at his table. Crap. I put my head down on the desk not wanting to exchange conversation. I heard him pull out a chair and then felt his arm brush mine as he sat down. Just that brush sent shivers down my spine. What was wrong with me? I’d touched him before, he’d helped me up, held my hand and pulled me up from the ground. ‘It’s because you now know he’s stalking you.’ I suppressed the thought.
“Morning class.” I heard Nathan greet everyone as he strode into the classroom, I heard his footsteps, then him sitting at his desk. At least I’d made it into school just before him, now I don’t have to look at him. He began some lecture, everyone else was probably listening intently, especially the girls but I wasn’t, I was too busy trying to forget about the fact I’m sat beside a stalker. No, David is not a stalker! It’s just my imagination and Nathan winding me up. I heard his footsteps grow closer to me, then I felt his warm breath against my neck. “Sky, will you please be as nice to pay some attention.” He purred into my ear. I could ignore him, pretend I’m asleep… no, don’t be stupid. I sighed but sat up in my chair. Everyone was staring, even David. I looked down. “Thank you.” Nathan said before continueing whatever he was talking about.
The bell rang and I was the first to stand up, I grabbed my bag and rushed out of the class room. Now I just have to keep my head down and work for the rest of the day. I can do that. Avoid David and avoid Nathan. Oh and at some point during the day possibly confront Pixie. Wait no, I can do that tonight. Yes… tonight.
I made my way through the woods to get to the lake, like everything else at night the woods were creepy so I hurried watching where I stepped so I didn’t trip. I heard the party before I made it to the lake, the music loud and the voices of everyone having a good time. I emerged from the woods to see everyone with cups in their hands dancing in the moonlight. Lexi noticed me and ran over.
“YOU CAME!” She screamed.
“Yep.” I smiled at her.
“Good, you missed so many of these, they’re amazing! Here!” She shoved a cup full of alcohol I hoped, into my hand. I drank it, yes, alcohol!
“Let’s get this thing going!” I laughed as I made my way to the alcohol table where I planned on spending a lot of my time.
“NERD! FREAK! EW!” Pixie’s screams made me stop dancing, made everyone stop dancing and turn to her shrieks. She had George cornered, he stood there in fear. I rushed over, pushing my way through the crowd to get to him, making my heavy numb limbs move.
“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING!?” I pushed her away from him and stood between them.
“Ooo, the attention seeker and the freak, cute.” Pixie’s harsh sarcasm pierced through me. I charged and through a punch at her. I then felt her two hands on my shoulders then I was stumbling backwards, I lost my balance and I crashed to the floor landing on my side banging my head on a rock. Damn that hurt. Everyone’s sharp intake of breath made my fingers fine where my head hit the rock, wet, warm and stick. Blood. I looked up at Pixie through my eyelashes. She looked like she regretted it but just stuck her nose up at me. “You always get what you want. David comes to town, doesn’t pay attention to anyone else other than you. Doesn’t want me. Always you.” She turned and stumbled off in an alcoholic haze. Everyone was around me quickly kneeling down asking me questions, faking concern. I got up holding my head.
“I’m fine.” I turned and stumbled into the woods, no longer in a party mood. I found a road and decided to follow it, it will take me somewhere. My head hurt and everything was numb, I regretted the alcohol instantly.
“Are you ok?” David’s voice spoke from behind me, I turned and he emerged out of the woods. He was rigid and looked uncomfortable, keeping his distance.
“Did you follow me?” No answer. “I’m fine.” I turned and began walking away.
“You’re hurt.” In a flash he was in front of me, he took my wrist and moved my hand away from my head, I watched his face, almost a craving there. He looked at my blood covered hand, ok this is weird. I tried to yank my hand back but I couldn’t even move it. He was as strong as his brother. Now I was weirded out and scared.
“Erm… I’m fine.” I repeated hoping he’d let me go now. Nothing. He lifted my fingers to his nose and sniffed them, ok now I was scared, really scared, I felt my heart rate speed up, my head began throbbing and my breathing sped up a notch. He then moved them to his lips placing them there leaving some blood behind, his tongue snaked out and licked it up, his eyes changed instantly. I couldn’t move, frozen by fear. His pupils took over his iris’, the beautiful green gone, the whites of his eyes turned red, then I saw his teeth. Two sharp fangs beautifully pearly white. A scream got stuck in my throat, and tears flowed down my cheeks, was I about to die? For months thats all I wanted but now death was facing me I didn’t want it. A car hummed in the distance, it’s headlights visible. It beeped its horn, this made David look up at me, into my eyes, he snapped out of it instantly, his eyes and teeth returning to normal, his face now only one of guilt and remorse. He looked me directly in the eyes.
“Forget you even saw me tonight. Forget what has just happened.” He spoke in a monotone voice, the one Nathan had used that night to try and get me for free. Then, in a blur he disapeared just as the car pulled up beside me. A small sound escaped my mouth
“Hey, need a ride?” George was sat in the passenger side of the car with the window down, his mum driving. “Hey, are you ok?”
“A lift would be nice, thanks.” I forced my limbs to move as I climbed into the car behind him. My cheeks were still wet with tears, how did David just expect me to forget that? How? What is he? What was that? So many questions running through my head. I was so confused.
“Here you go hunny.” George’s mum announced as we pulled up outside my house, everyone knew where I lived because of the accident but she had dropped me off a couple of times before.
“Thanks.” I climbed out of the car.
“Hey, Sky, are you sure you’re ok?” George asked me concerned.
“Yes, I’m fine.” Always I’m fine, that’s all I ever am to every one else, never George until now. I opened my door and let myself in, quickly locking it behind me, I shut all the windows, locking the ones I could before going up to my room and sitting rigidly on my bed. What had I seen tonight? I looked at the time on my phone with shaking fingers, just gone midnight. I slowly pulled off the stupid dress I had on whilst kicking off my heels, I climbed under my sheet in my underwear, I was shaking. Shaking with fear. Scared. I’m scared. Frightened, petrified, terified. Tears began flowing down my cheeks again as questions bombarded my mind. I just lay still hoping at some point sleep would claim me.