It's only when I'm back at home after the long but fun shopping trip with the girls that I realise that somehow I have completely forgotten about the whole Alexander drama for the rest of day. The girls had managed to successfully distract me from my worries after I had confided in them. And since then Alexander hadn't even crossed my mind.
Instead my focus had been diverted since school had ended on simply just enjoying myself with my best friends and having fun. And even when Piper had dropped me off home, I had become engrossed with finishing the latest season of Stranger Things.
At least, that is until the late evening when I get the shock of my life.
I'm in the kitchen, washing up some dishes from dinner. It doesn't take long since I am the only one home, as per usual.
My mom is the chief operating officer of a big marketing company in town and her senior position means she's working pretty much all the time. Don't get me wrong, I'm insanely proud of her and all but it can get pretty lonely sometimes. When she does have time off we make sure to make the most of it but it's pretty limited. When I wake up in the mornings, she's usually long gone and she doesn't come back until late most days so I don't really see her all that much. The emptiness I feel in the house is only amplified by the fact that I don't have any siblings or a dad on the scene.
I was the product of a one night stand gone wrong. The 'gone wrong' bit being my mom accidentally getting pregnant and not being able to trace my biological dad after finding out. She told me that he was a random stranger she met on a night out at a club and that they slept together while both being highly intoxicated. The next morning when she awoke, he was long gone and she didn't even have a number for him let alone a name. She went back to the same club a couple times in the following months in the hopes of seeing him again but she never did.
So it's pretty much just me and my mom really, and I guess, Eric too. Eric is my mum's boyfriend and they've been dating a little over two years now. He's really sweet and he treats my mum like a princess so I can't really complain. He's the second closest thing I've ever had to a dad (following my grandad of course) and I can't even see my mum ever being with anyone else anymore. He's the one who bought around my dinner tonight actually. Eric owns a chain of restaurants so I guess that's another benefit of him and my mom being an item, and can I say, free food is always a bonus.
I finish washing the last of the dishes before drying my hands with a paper towel, being careful to avoid hitting my earphones out of my ears. I am about to turn to exit the kitchen and go back to my bedroom when suddenly a strong arm snakes around my waist while a rough hand slams down onto my mouth.
My eyes widen and I begin screaming loudly in panic but my shouts are muffled by the stranger's hand clamping down on my lips. Struggling in their tight hold, my earphones soon come undone until I can finally hear the real world again.
'Hey, hey! Calm down will you, Willy. It's just me.'
A moment of silence passes as I instantly freeze at the familiarity of the deep voice. His arm loosens around me until he eventually steps away from my body completely- and that's when my blood starts boiling.
'Eli! You nearly gave me a heart attack, you jerk! What the hell is wrong with you?'
I'm instantly on him, adrenaline pumping wildly in my veins as I begin hitting at his chest with my hands and screeching at him. He just stands there, taking it and sniggering which just infuriates me even more.
I stare at him in shock having quickly grown tired before stepping away and shakily pressing my palm against my chest in an effort to try and calm my erratic heartbeat.
He stands against the kitchen door dressed in black jeans and a gray hoodie with the most arrogant look on his face. Leaning forward, he quickly grabs one of my earphones which are still hanging loosely at my side before putting it in his own ear. He listens along for a few seconds, raising his eyebrow before taking it out.
'Into it is better.'
I frown at his words, instantly snatching my earphone away from his grasp and pulling out my phone to pause one of my favourite songs of 'Right Here' by Chase Atlantic.
'What are you doing here? How did you even get in?' I demand, ignoring his previous words as I narrow my eyes at the look of amusement on his face.
'There's this thing called a key.' He retorts in a bored tone while rolling his eyes and my mouth opens in shock when he casually digs in his pocket to retrieve a key.
'How? How in the world do you have a key to my house?'
'My mother, duh.'
I sigh at his confession, almost wanting to facepalm myself. Of course, I should have known one day he'd eventually end up stealing the keys my mom had given his for safe keeping.
'That's only for emergencies and it's for your mom, not you.' I argue, folding my arms across my chest.
'This is an emergency, I have something urgent to discuss with you, silly willy.' He smirks.
'S-stop calling me that!' I mumble, instantly taken aback as I look away from him in embarrassment with hot cheeks.
Once we had gotten old enough to know about all that kind of stuff, Eli had thought it would be hilarious to start calling me 'Willy' much to my disappointment. Unfortunately it seems he has never grown out of that childish phase since he still sometimes insists on calling me it just to take the piss.
'So, anyway I have a very angry Alexander waiting outside.'
My blood runs cold at his words. So that's what he's here for, of course.
'W-why is he angry?' I sheepishly mumble, trying to act innocent and avoiding his gaze as I act at busying myself with putting aside my phone and earphones just to avoid the current situation.
'Cut the crap Willow, I do have to say though, I never took you for the peeping tom type.' he muses, raising an arched eyebrow at me.
'I wasn't, I didn't mean to, I mean I didn't know they'd be in there!' I splutter awkwardly trying to defend myself despite knowing this was his obvious attempt at teasing me.
'Yeah, well anyway, he's waiting outside to break your arm so hurry up.' He says nochantly, sending me a wicked grin.
I unconsciously take a step back at his calmly spoken words. Of course I had already suspected Alexander was right outside when Eli first mentioned his name but something about that being verbally confirmed is now sending shivers down my spine.
Alexander Scott is outside my home, waiting for me. God, I never thought I'd ever have to be the unlucky soul who could say that.
'Does he really want to talk to me?' I squeak, eyes full of terror at the image of Alexander sitting on my porch seat right this very second.
'Why else would he be waiting outside your house at nearly 8 in the evening?' He replies matter of factly and I can tell he's already getting impatient with me.
'Please, Eli. I don't want to, can't you just please go tell him I'm sorry and that I promise I won't tell anyone?' I plead desperately in the most sincere tone I can muster in my moment of terror.
I don't know why I bother even asking him this when I already know his answer. Eli Walters doesn't have an inch of generosity or kindness in his very being, not when it comes to me. In fact, he's probably getting off on this, I can see it in his eyes. Me being practically scared for my life is just another form of entrainment for him.
'No. Now I'm going to go get him so start thinking about you're going to beg for your life.' He announces smirking and I watch in horror as he begins turning towards the hall.
'Wait!' I shout, grabbing his arm to get his attention and gulping once I successfully do.
'C-can I go meet him outside instead?'
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that I'm not getting out of this anytime soon. And to be honest, it was always only going to be a matter of time before I ran into him in school and had to face him and this whole situation head on. This wasn't one of those things that had the prospect of going away in its own time, the horrified expressions on all our faces that day in the classroom told me that.
But that didn't mean I wanted Alexander Scott in my house anytime soon.
'Wow, is this the way you treat guests? Your mother would not be proud, Willow. Besides Alex isn't even that bad, you're acting like he's some rabid dog who needs locking up.' He scoffs, shaking his head at me as I have spewing nonsense this whole time.
I give him a look of utter disbelief. The words 'Alexander Scott' and 'not even that bad' together in a sentence don't exist because Alexander is simply that bad.
As someone whose been going to school with him for many years, I can confirm that.
Even before we hit our teenage years, he was known as a menace to the teachers. I remember when he literally stabbed a kid with a pair of scissors and an ambulance had to be called to the school. He only got away with it because he had been lucky enough that no teachers had been around to see it happen. And he had threatened everyone who had seen it and the victim himself to make out that it had just been another example of 'kids messing around going wrong'. I still don't know how he got away with it.
And since then, he had just gotten more worse. He is constantly getting into fights and is the kind of person who'd punch you for looking at him wrong, it's safe to say I make sure my gaze definitely never lingers on him for too long when he's around.
Apparently he's a regular at some illegal underground fighting club too and he's always sporting some kind of injury, a cut lip here and a bruised eye there, every other week at school. And this is all without going into his rumoured extensive criminal history.
Plus his personality isn't very friendly either. Some people would argue that Eli is pretty much just as bad as him and don't get me wrong, Eli has his fair share of intimidating traits too, I would know. But Alexander can be frightening when he gets fired up.
He's extremely quiet, he literally hardly speaks to anyone apart from Eli and Haider. The teachers have long since given up on trying to coerce answers out of him in class. And when he does speak, he has a very deep voice, one that's gravelly and gruff and can send shivers down your spine. I don't think I've ever seen him smile a genuine smile, and sadistically smiling at a boy after breaking his wrist does not count.
And the boy is massive as well, not only does he stand at a staggering 6'3, but he pretty much lives in the gym too so he's basically hulk.
So yes, Eli Walters, Alexander is that bad and worse.
I quickly run around him, ignoring his confused calls as I do and dash into the living room where I hurry to the window. Trying to be discrete, I lift a corner of the curtain to peer out into the night. A gasp escapes my mouth at the sight of Alexander and Haider both right outside and leaning against a car as they causally chat. I can't help but freeze at the image and it seems I'm not being as discrete as I had hoped because a second later, Haider looks up and spots me, suddenly enthusiastically waving in my direction. My soul pretty much leaves my body as I squeal and duck away from the window as if it had caught on fire.
I sit against the wall, trying to catch my breath and it's only then that I notice Eli has followed me from the kitchen. He stands on the opposite side of the couch and I watch silently as his gaze sweeps over the room, seemingly taking in all in.
'Your house is still the same, huh?' He comments quietly in a faraway tone and a voice that almost sounds gentle and I can just tell he's thinking back to happier times.
I remain quiet as I take in his words, my mouth dropping open when I finally register what's currently happening.
This is the first time Eli has been to my house in ages, and by ages I mean years. He and Ciara were coming over pretty much every week when we were younger but after she died, he stopped coming. His mom tried dragging him over a couple times in the first year after but she gave up soon enough. His parents still come over here quite often and I go over to theirs too sometimes but Eli is hardly ever around when I do visit.
'Y-yeah, erm, do you mind if I quickly grab a sweater? I-it's quite cold.' I mumble awkwardly, my voice barely above a whisper as it seems I suddenly don't know how to speak around him anymore.
It's silent for a few seconds as his gaze travels over my body and I can't help but cringe, I hardly look presentable right now in my white oversized tee, gray sweats and unicorn slippers and my messy, frizzy hair all over the place. But considering that I'm going have to face Alexander in a few minutes, that's the least of my worries right now.
'Go ahead, why don't you just have a quick nap while you're at it too?' He eventually remarks teasingly, huffing and rolling his eyes.
I choose to ignore him, making a beeline for the stairs only to stop midway when I hear his footsteps immediately after me. I swirl around and sure enough he's standing closely behind me on one step below.
'What are you doing?'
'I'm coming with you.'
'Why?' I question, furrowing my eyebrows at him.
'To make sure you don't try and escape out your bedroom window.' He shrugs while grinning, as if his stupid reasoning is obvious.
'I wouldn't do that.' I scoff as I give him a weird look and shake my head at his silliness.
'You never know, people have done much more to escape the wrath of Alex, and I really don't blame them-'
'Eli, stop it!' I protest loudly at his exaggeration and give him a pointed look, cutting him off as he snorts loudly at my reaction full of panic.
I roll my eyes and huff before continuing up the stairs as he carries on chuckling with delight at my obvious despair at what's to come.