“You seriously think that I’m that stupid?” I said, glaring at Lizzy as she sat a bit away from me.
She smiled innocently. “I would never think that.”
“You asked me what two-plus-two was,” I stated angrily.
“Okay, okay,” she said, throwing her hands up, “it was a joke. No need to get so pissy.”
I sighed then, slouching back in my seat as Lizzy smiled, playing with my fingers as we sat at our local café.
I groaned. “When is my coffee ready? I’m so boooooored.”
“Is that why you’re so moody?” Lizzy said then, making me glare in annoyance. “You haven’t had your morning coffee yet?”
“Keep talking like that, and you won’t have fingers,” I threatened.
“Jesus...” Lizzy threw her hands up innocently, “that’s why you like black coffee.”
“Hinting something?” I said.
“Isn’t it obvious?” I said, smiling slightly. “Remember the saying? Black? Like the soul?”
“It’s ‘black like my soul,’ not the soul, idiot.”
She laughed slightly. “Seriously... you good? You’re very angry today.”
I sighed then, putting my face in my hands and shook my head. “I don’t know... I’ve been on edge lately.”
“Why?”
“Because... just...” I gazed up then, “I don’t know... I feel like something bad is coming.”
“Is this your ‘psychic powers’?” Lizzy joked.
I gave her a look. “I’m not a psychic, Lizzy.”
I had to admit, though. When I was little, I believed greatly in magic because one time—when I was six—I swore I saw some kind of angel walking down the streets of New York. My mom insisted it was my imagination, but I didn’t want to believe her.
So—naturally—I got interested in psychics and secretly saw one (I stole my mom’s money). All throughout my childhood, they did readings over me, explaining my future and my fate, and also how I was to “meet a boy in my late teens, who I’d never thought I’d fall in love with.”
I would kill someone if that man was Twilight.
Because Twilight was nice, but… I wasn’t interested in him in the slightest.
My thoughts suddenly shifted to Jase, and my cheeks burned a slight red.
They did say… “late teens.”
I seventeen right now, so...
“Hey,” Lizzy said, waving her hand in front of my face, “hey, Earth to Emma.”
I gave her a look. “What?”
“You were staring off into space,” she told me.
“And?” I prompted.
She rolled her eyes. “Excuse me for being concerned about my sister.”
I just smiled. “Sorry, as said before, on edge.”
She shook her head, and then a buzzer sounded.
We both glanced down at the table to find the black square buzzing and rattling against the table.
“Our pastry's ready,” Lizzy said. “Hold on. I’ll go get it.”
She then slipped off the booth and walked off.
I stared off into space for a moment, watching her leave and go to the counter.
I just glared forward. “What do you want?”
There was no response.
“You’ve been following me,” I stated, turning around to the booth behind me. “All day. Don’t think I don’t notice.”
Jase was in the booth behind me looked up, smirking. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, don’t act oblivious,” I snapped. “Why are you following me?”
He just watched me in amusement.
My thoughts flooded back to my previous thought process…
Fall in love in late teens with someone you’d never know you’d be in love with.
My cheeks dusted red again, and my lashes lowered when I assessed him deeply.
I did find him attractive. He was pretty... He had short, black locks that fell down past his ears, bright, black eyes that matched his hair so easily. His skin was slightly tanned as if he came back from the beach, and his arms were bulky... muscly, almost.
Everything I didn’t know would be possible in a guy my age.
I assessed him more.
Tattoos that were inky and black, although they were all over his arms, neck, and chest.
I didn’t know what they symbolized though, and it bothered me... they were all shaped and line-like.
But I broke myself out of my numb state, locking eyes with him to find him smirking… as if he knew I was assessing him with my crude mind.
“Why are you following me?” I demanded. “Why?”
It was a valid question. He’d been doing this for too long without explanation, and I was getting sick and tired of it. It was getting exhausting.
I deserved answers. Especially knowing that I wasn’t sure if I could trust him or not.
He just remained in place.
“Why?” I said again.
His smile turned dark again. “I thought you were following me. Everywhere I go, there you are.”
“Stop with the bullshit, Jase.”
“I’m not bullshitting you.”
“WHY are you following me?” I demanded.
“Reasons,” he said this time.
I narrowed my eyes. “Give an answer or I swear I will call the police.”
He just gazed up at me, chuckling as if he was amused I didn’t threaten this before. “Call them then.”
And his familiar voice burned through my thoughts:
I. Dare. You.
My brows drew together as my lungs filled with cold. “You’re freaking me out again. You’re doing it on purpose, I swear.”
“Maybe a little.” He tipped his head to the side.
“Emma?” Lizzy said from behind me, and I looked up to find her brows arched, holding a plate of pastries. “Who are you talking to?”
I looked down to find Jase still sitting in the booth, then looked back at Lizzy. “What are you talking about? I’m talking to mister stalker here.”
“My name’s Jase,” he said. “You know this.”
I glared at him. “No one cares.”
“Rude,” he mumbled.
Lizzy just stared. “Okay, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but... there’s no one there.”
I blinked. “What are you...?”
“Oh, how crazy you look right now,” he said then, chuckling.
My cheeks burned a bright red when I looked at him. “How are you doing this?”
He just smirked. “Doing what? For all you know, you could be hallucinating me.”
My eyes widened.
“Emma, what the hell are you talking about?” Lizzy said. “Do we need to go home? Maybe you should have your coffee now. You’re a little delusional. You didn’t drink anything from someone else, right? No chance of being drugged?”
I glared at her. “Shut it, Lizzy.”
Jase just scanned Lizzy, brows arching when he read her shirt, “‘Gamer Boys love me.’” He just smirked. “That is so cheesy, dude.”
I just ignored him. “Lizzy, maybe I just need fresh air. Give me like two minutes, and maybe you can join me, too, my imaginary friend.”
Jase smirked.
Lizzy just stared. “Emma, are you feeling okay?”
“Yes,” I replied, nodding, “just very, very lonely. That’s all. Don’t ruin my imagination, Lizzy. It’s the only sense of self I have left. Now, imaginary friend, please come outside with me.”
Jase just chuckled. “So, I’m your imaginary friend now?”
I shot him a look.
He threw his hands up. “Alright, alright. Whatever.”
He then scooted off the booth, and I then stepped outside, feeling the fresh air brush my cheeks as Jase opened the door and joined me.
“You wanted to talk?” he said.
I turned and stepped backward until we met a brick wall, so there were no witnesses watching us from the store. “What do you want from me?”
“A lot of things,” he said, “that I cannot say in a public environment.”
“How come Lizzy can’t see you?” I said then.
“I don’t want her to.” Jase shrugged. “That’s why.”
I glared at him. “That makes no sense.”
“Sure it does.” He smirked at me. “I am very convincing.”
I stared at him, brows drawing together as another wave of cold filled me. “I don’t... I don’t understand.”
“It’s pretty simple,” Jase said. “I don’t want her to see me, therefore she cannot see me.”
I shook my head. “That doesn’t... what?”
“Anyway,” Jase continued, ignoring my clear concern, “where’s that Edward dude? You haven’t hanged around him recently.”
“Twilight,” I corrected, shaking my head. “And I’m staying away from him because I’m not interested in him.”
Jase’s smile grew slightly sadistic, making me shrink back. “Not interested? Is there someone else you got sights for?”
“What are you talking about?” I said defensively.
Even though we both knew I was talking about him.
“What are you interested in, Emma?” he said then, smirking. “My danger? My bloodlust? My darkness?”
I shook my head, stepping backwards. “You’re insane.”
He just stood up straighter, tipping his head to the side as he watched me. “Just admit it already. You like me. You find me hot.” His eyes darkened dangerously. “Admit it.”
I just glared. “Never.”
It sounded highly childish and very playful, but I was desperate for it to sound menacing or stern.
Even though he was right, I wasn’t going to admit it. It would hurt my conscious.
His smile just darkened in response, but I kept eye contact with him.
“What?” I said, thoughts tumbling. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“But you know,” Jase said, “don’t you?”
The hell did that mean?
I just stared. “I don’t understand anything you’re saying. I’m going back inside now.”
I just quickly scrambled backwards and opened the café door, rushing inside before scooting in the booth beside Lizzy.
“So how’s the imaginary friend?” Lizzy said, chewing her donut.
“Imaginary,” I said, staring off into space, “purely imaginary.”
I didn’t know what was happening, and my bones were chilling.
How was he doing all these things? Was I so obsessed with him that I was hallucinating him?
I was going insane.
Yes, that’s the only explanation.
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