Hidden In The Dark (IN EDITING)

All Of Us

The same thing happened everyday, at the same time in the same way at the same place. And what was really starting to get to my head was the fact that everybody seemed to be distant. Almost like they weren't really there or I wasn't actually there, and when I tell you the anxiety started to set in I am not joking. I started fidgeting a lot more and zoning out when people were talking to me...it got so serious one day that my teacher told me to go to the nurses office like I had a concussion or something.

After not seeing Gray for almost a week and the fact that Rachael completely left me alone made the panic really start to settle in. Life was like I was watching everything happen through a glass window and no one could hear me or see me.

I couldn't help but start to think if Gray was avoiding me after I broke our schedule, but I tried not to think to long on it. I didn't care about the kids swapping saliva in front of my locker anymore, my head was always too caught up to say anything about it.

Everything was completely off, and I really hated it when things change specifically related to my everyday life. I woke up- got dressed for school and me and Vali were on our way. If anything changed when I was home it was that I decided to go to a party or do something random.

But now everything was changing, Gray was gone and Vali was disappearing for hours on hours at a time. And through everything that was happening internally with my self I still noticed that every time Vali returned he had an odd behavioral pattern.

Sometimes he would be annoyed or angry while others he completely shut down and didn't say anything-even more than he already does. I didn't feel secure...even with the warrior giant that slept a couple walls over. At home I had my rooftop to escape but here everything was tainted with thoughts. The rooftop completely obliterated any thoughts or feelings when I was up there in the wind.

I needed that place where I could breathe and not worry about the past or future, somewhere I could just take second by second. Being aware that you can easily lose your mind can constantly nag at you. And being the slight control freak I was I wasn't about to give up on myself this easy.

I glanced back at Vali's penthouse before pressing the elevator button and stepping in. When I reached the bottom floor I hesitated to leave, but I knew I needed to find myself so I pulled up the hood of my black hoodie and steeped out into the cold air.

Vali was gone doing whatever so I took the opportunity to get dressed in all black and run. He would probably use his ninja skills on me if he knew I was leaving. I wasn't a complete lover for the color black but I knew I would stand out in the night if I walked around in bright colors.

Yes I am aware that what I am doing will most likely have a negative outcome but it was my only option. The downside to a city I had only visited a number of times was that I didn't know my way around. For late at night there was still hustle and bustle on the streets but it was unmatched compared to the daytime.

I wasn't completely stupid either, I grabbed a kitchen knife in case I had to protect myself if any old man wanted to get handsy. I never hurt a fly-ok well maybe I have- but I was not scared to use it on someone if need be.

My eyes danced around at the lights and street signs, it was definitely different than the quiet town I was born in. I glanced back at the towering building behind me before turning and walking in a random direction away from the city lights. I get more stares than I'd like as I pass by people walking to their cars.

Most of the stores are closed while the casinos and clubs have just started pumping people in by the hundreds. Couples pile out of movie theaters hand in hand not giving a care in the world.

I keep walking until the hustle and bustle slows and there are less big and new buildings, it's calmer and quiet. When I look over to one of the last boarding buses I see a dark figure in a hoodie looking straight at me. I look around and see no one around me that they could be looking at but there aren't any people on my side of the street.