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"What are you doing out here?" Nathan asks, and I glance back at my house trying to determine if I can get there without him catching up to me. It's early morning, quite dark and cold, and nobody knows I'm out here.
He could kill me, without anyone noticing.
It's almost like he senses my panic, because he takes a step backwards, and holds his hands out where I can see them.
"I'm not going to hurt you, Sang," he says, further confirming my beliefs that he knows I'm nervous.
"I know," I whisper, but it's a lie. And it truly doesn't calm the anxiety.
He's a random boy approaching me in the woods in the early hours of the morning. It's scary, and I don't like it.
"We're in the same math class," he says, and I nod. He sits with North, the dark-haired, even scarier boy, and they try to keep to themselves. It doesn't always work since there's a lot of attention around them, but they don't seem to do it on purpose like some of the students.
There's a big group of them—seven to be exact—and they wear weird uniforms as some kind of program to better the school.
Why is he here though?
"I live just back there," he adds, pointing to his house. That's a bit more reassuring. "You don't need to fear me."
"I'm not scared," I argue, but even I can detect the lie in my words. I sigh, and he grins when I relax a little. "Sorry. I didn't expect anyone to be out here and it's got me rattled."
"Alls good. But, why are you out here at 4 am?" he asks, looking around the woods.
"Why are you?" I counter.
"I couldn't sleep and being out in nature usually helps me relax," he replies, and gives me a small shrug when I narrow my eyes. "What about you? What's called you out here?"
"Same," I murmur.
"I've noticed you out here every night this week," he says, and I frown. "What? I'm usually up around this time and it was just an observation."
Still sounds a little creepy, no matter how he says it.
"It's just been an adjustment moving," I say, wrapping my arms around my midriff. I'm not cold, despite the chill in the air, but I am nervous. "I'm struggling to get used to things here, and it's affecting my sleep."
"Understandable," Nathan says, nodding. "It's my birthday this week."
"Really?" I ask, surprised at the change of subject and the fact that mine is also this week. Thursday to be exact.
"Really," he says, nodding. "The fifth. Wednesday."
"Mine is on the sixth," I murmur, and he grins.
"How old are you going to be?" he asks. "Sixteen too?"
"Yeah," I reply, nodding.
"Have you got anything planned?" he asks.
"No," I murmur, shaking my head. I doubt my family even know it's my birthday, and if they do, they're not going to mention it.
"Me neither," he says, with a small shrug. "But I'm sure we could do something together. Maybe have a joint celebration?"
"Um, maybe," I murmur, glancing at my house again as if I can see inside of it. I don't want to chance someone waking up, and noticing I'm gone. "Look, I've got—"
"To go," he says, and it's almost like he's sad about it. "No worries. I'll see you in Geometry, Sang."
"See you," I reply. I smile, although I'm sure that it's more of a nervous grimace, and rush off back to my place. I hear laughing, but when I glance back at Nathan, his face is stoic.
That was a weird encounter.
Once I'm home, I shower and get ready for the day before grabbing a book so that I can read in my room. I've not slept more than an hour each night this week, and whilst I should be exhausted, I'm not. I don't understand it.
But there's nobody to mention it to who would care.
If it continues this week, I might speak to the school counsellor.
"What are you doing up?" my dad asks, pausing at my door. He looks exhausted, and it makes me feel guilty. "It's barely five."
"I couldn't sleep," I murmur, and he nods.
"I'm heading on a trip," he says. "Look after your mom and sister while I'm gone."
"Okay," I say quietly. He looks around my room a contemplative look on his face before leaving without another word.
These trips are becoming far more frequent, and I hate it. When he's gone, my mom is even more agitated and the punishments get worse. She's more unhinged, and there's nobody around to even end it.
Not that he intervenes when he's about.
Marie gets up an hour or so later, and starts getting ready for school making as much noise as possible. I wait to see if she's going to check on our mom, but she doesn't so I do instead. Even if it puts me at risk.
I make her some toast, and grab a yoghurt before going up to her room. Marie leaves, and I frown. She didn't even wait for me.
Not that we get the bus together, but we normally head out at the same time.
I knock on the door gently, but there's no reply. I push it open, and that's when everything goes dark.
