I stepped inside the sandwich shop that Jase worked at and scooted into a bench, sighing as I set my hands onto the table.
I sat there a moment, glancing around nervously before looking at the booth ahead of me.
And—almost on queue—Jase slid into the booth across from me.
I gazed up in shock, a tumble of cold washing through me.
“Good afternoon,” he said then, smirking.
“Are you following me?” I demanded.
He wasn’t supposed to be working today. That’s why I chose to come here.
“Funny,” he said, smirking, “I could ask you the same.”
I glared at him, feeling slightly uneasy.
He just gave me his familiar, dark smile.
I just set my hands in my lap, regarding him. “What do you want from me?”
“Kiss you,” he said then.
“Don’t mess with me,” I snapped.
His smile never left his face. “I’m not.”
I kept glaring at him.
His smile deepened a touch. “You look nervous.”
“I’m not,” I said this time.
“Liar,” he said as if he prepared for me to answer that way immediately. “Is there something bothering you?”
“No.”
“Mmm…” he murmured, regarding me. “You look like you’re being hunted by someone. Just tell me who it is and I’ll tell them to back off.”
“Don’t you have to work?” I demanded, ignoring his comment.
“On break,” was his response.
Oh, how convenient.
“Why don’t you go out with me tomorrow?” he said then. “Just you and me. Alone.”
I didn’t like the way he said that; it sent chills through me.
“Why?” I challenged then.
“I want to spend time with you,” he stated then. “No witnesses.”
Oh, neat. That’s what a serial killer would say.
I just looked away from him. “I’m busy. I have to be home in time.”
“For what?” he asked me, smirking.
“Taking care of my sister,” I stated.
“She’s seventeen. She can care for herself.”
“I have to feed my dog.”
“You don’t have a dog, Emma.”
I gazed out the window. “My parents don’t like it when I’m out late.”
“Don’t tell them,” he responded with a smirk. “They’re out of state and they can’t know. Just look right now. It’s seven in the evening and you’re here. Pitch dark outside.”
How pleasant.
I just looked back over at him angrily. “I don’t go out with people I don’t trust.”
“Never hurts to try.”
“How do I know you won’t strangle me?” I retorted.
He chuckled then. “Why would I want to strangle you?”
“You always look like you want to commit acts of violence upon me,” I stated then.
He looked back up with his dark smile. “That’s quite the accusation.”
I felt a heat swell inside me at his words, but I attempted to ignore it.
“I’ll pick you up at five,” he said then. He then glanced over at me. “Oh, and… no makeup.”
I stared at him numbly, not deciding to fight this time.
He watched me with his familiar amused look. “I noticed something about you.”
“Oh?” I said, expecting him to layer on more “stalker” vibes.
“You have major trust issues,” he stated, making me gaze up angrily. “It’s sad how you can’t trust anyone but yourself and your sister, huh?”
I just glared at him. “What is wrong with you?”
“A lot of things,” he responded.
I sighed, rubbing my temples uneasily.
“You are best buds with your sister,” he said this time, “and you’re very extroverted in school despite your… studious tendencies. But, alas… I have never seen you with another guy.”
I gave him a warning look.
“I must say,” he said then, setting his cheek in his hand, “your interest in me and only me after years of no romance is very complimentary. I admire that.”
“You flatter yourself too much,” I stated then.
“You love it.”
I gave him a bored look, but didn’t deny it.
He watched me curiously. “Why haven’t you dated before, Emma?”
“That’s none-ya.”
He smirked. “I was just curious.”
I shuffled uncomfortably in my seat. “Why are you so secretive?”
“I could ask you the same,” he responded.
“Why did you encounter me at the party like that?” I demanded. “You could’ve sat somewhere else other than near me so Lizzy wouldn’t have picked you. And even so, you didn’t have to lay it on thick like that.”
“I hated admiring you from a distance.”
I just gritted my teeth at his answer. “What is wrong with you?”
“Everything,” he said this time.
I just glared, more annoyed than angry. “You scare me.”
“Scare you?” he echoed. His smile grew dangerous. “I thought you told me it was impossible to scare you.”
I sighed despite the butterflies rummaging deep inside me, and I just gazed back up at him, attempting to keep my composure. “What is your goal with all this?”
“Do I have to have a goal with everything I do?” he said again. “Maybe I just wanna go on a date with you.”
“Not happening,” I snapped.
He kept the smile. “Awh.”
I gazed back down at the table, sighing through my nose.
I didn’t understand this man, and it was bothering me.
“Well,” he said then, slipping off the booth, “I get off in five minutes. Feel free to stick around and watch me work with my hardcore sexy waiter skills.” He sent me a humorous smirk as if he knew he sounded ridiculous.
I gave him a bored look.
He just walked off with a calmness and laziness that I never knew someone could have, and I thinned my lips when I stared back down at the table.
I then gazed up, lips parting.
Where was Lizzy? She was supposed to come here with mom’s extra car and pick me up, but she hasn’t showed yet.
I sighed and closed my eyes tightly, rethinking things over to at least ease the dangers in my mind.
I was nervous around Jase and I knew very well he was keeping something from me, but… I just couldn’t shake the fact that… his voice and the monster’s voice from last night were not relatively similar.
It still didn’t rule Jase out as a subject, though. Because I knew he was up to something… and if not, he was definitely hiding something.
I sighed then and pulled my phone from my pocket, texting Lizzy:
Where the hell are you?
There was no response.
I sighed and closed my eyes tightly.
I think I had to accept the fact that I couldn’t always depend on her.
I just sat there, wondering what I should do.
I didn’t have money for the bus, and it was about an hour walk home… and it was freezing cold.
I sighed and closed my eyes tightly.
What would I do?
The moment I opened my eyes, Jase was back in the booth across from me.
I screamed, revolting back.
He just smiled.
I settled back into myself after a moment, glaring at him. “Stop doing that.”
“It’s not my fault you don’t pay attention.”
Yes, and it’s not MY fault you are as quiet as a mouse!
He smirked. “Looks like your ride ditched you.” He just glanced out the window. “And it’s snowing. Bummer.”
He glanced back at me, the darkness of his smile crawling under my skin like bugs. “Need a ride?”
I glanced around nervously. “She’s probably around here somewhere.”
She wasn’t. I was bluffing.
At the very least, she was ten minutes away at her friend’s house.
When I gazed back over at Jase to find him smirking.
I swallowed something hard, knowing it was my only consideration.
“A little ride home can’t hurt, can it?” he asked me, smile darkening. “Don’t look so scared. It’s not like I’m going to crash into a light pole.”
That wasn’t what I was afraid of, and I was pretty sure he knew it.
“Come, now,” he said, standing. “I’ll take you home.”
I glanced over at him nervously. “Straight home? No stops?”
“If you want,” he said.
I just watched him nervously.
He smiled.
I stood then, following him out the door.
God I was going to die someday, wasn’t I? And the cause of my death was going to be him… I was ninety-percent sure of it.
Everything about him screamed danger.
70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHym7jeJfP
70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXalSOYPqR
