Stalker

Chapter 6- Everywhere

Maria

Everywhere, he was everywhere.

In every class, sitting in the back.

It was only during lunch that Aiden was finally on someone else's radar.

Amanda.

Amanda was the snakiest kind of person, and I knew why she wanted Aiden. I wasn't surprised when she angrily stormed away from his lunch table, remembering the way he had treated me at that lab bench.

The only time I didn't see Aiden was in AP Spanish, which was probably the most boring class of the day. I already knew Spanish, the class wasn't teaching me anything new.

As mean as he was, Aiden was interesting. The way his curls fell over his face, his dark eyes, and his dark skin to match. Everything about him was dark, cold, and oddly mysterious.

No one knew a thing about him.

As I got onto the school bus to go home, I glanced over my shoulder, noticing that Aiden was watching me as he stepped into the parking lot. He quickly looked away as he was approached by a group of guys, the football boys.

Aiden seemed uninterested, continuing towards what I assumed to be his car.

"Maria."

My head snapped forward at the noise, the bus driver looking at me with an annoyed expression. "Are you getting on?"

"Yes, sorry." I quickly apologized and made my way to a seat with an open window, wondering if the football guys were ambushing Aiden with bad intentions.

I noticed the way Aiden towered over them, how tall and muscular he was for a highschool student. It terrified me. What also terrified me, was how interesting I found him. I wasn't allowed to date, and Lauren always teases me because I've never been obsessed with any boy before.

She always tells me that if she were banned from boys, she would go nuts. Lauren has a longggg dating history, but she vowed that this year she's going to focus on her plays.

While it's true i've never been boy obsessed before, it's not like i've had any options. There have been guys before, but i've taught myself to block them out. I'm not allowed, so why entertain the idea?

The bus doors shut right as Aiden climbed into his car, the football boys walking away. As the bus driver started to drive away, I set my chin on the palm of my hand, continuing to look out the window.

The football guys seemed to get the wrong idea, as Jackson Walker met my wandering eyes and smiled at me.

Jackson Walker was the football team captain, and he was also one of the few people i've known for a while. We went to middle school together, back when he wasn't mister popular. We were even friends.

When we got to highschool, he changed and wanted to become more than friends. He's had his share of girlfriends over the years, but he's never failed to remind me that he has his eyes on me.

With homecoming coming up in two weeks, I wouldn't be shocked if he asked me.

As the bus drove, I pictured him and I together, how it would look, how I would convince Marco to let me go to a dance with a boy.

Or maybe I wouldn't convince him. Maybe I wouldn't even tell him.

Maybe I was tired of being little miss perfect, maybe I wanted to live for once.

I peeled myself away from the window and reached down into my backpack. For the first time I noticed someone was sitting next to me on the bus. It was a girl from my English class, so I smiled at her as I pulled my phone out.

Immediately, I texted Lauren and updated her on the guy situation.

'Jackson Walker???' Was all I had to say for her to understand.

Lauren: 'OMG MARIA, Marco would kill u.'

Maria: 'Who said he has to know??'

Lauren: 'You're actually crazy. What changed?'

Maria: 'He smiled at me earlier, not much but hoco is in 2 weeks sooo...'

Lauren: 'U think he's gonna ask u?'

Maria: '100%, I'm going to say yes'

Lauren: 'MARIA SANCHEZ, CALL ME WHEN YOU GET HOME.'

I smiled to myself, knowing Lauren was probably freaking out at my sudden rebellious streak. She's been encouraging me to rebel since freshman year, when I wasn't allowed to go to the biggest sleepover of the year because it wasn't at Lauren's house.

I had about three destinations I could go alone. My own house, school, and Lauren's house. Other than that, Marco had to be with me. And Marco worked pretty much all the time trying to support us, so I was stuck at those three places.

Now that I had updated Lauren, I wanted to get back in contact with Jackson. Maybe it wasn't the smartest idea, but I really wanted him to ask me. And based on the number of times I rejected him before, the smile could have meant nothing. I needed to reach out.

Luckily, I already had his number.

'Saw you talking to the new kid, trying to get another player?' I sent the message with a weird feeling in my stomach, but it was probably just excitement and nerves. I was doing something I wasn't supposed to, and it made me feel more in charge of my own life.

And then suddenly, grey bubbles appeared. Jackson was typing.

Jackson: 'Watching me are you? He didn't take the offer sadly.'

I smiled slightly, texting back quickly and then realizing I may come off as too eager.

Maria: 'Just happened to look over.'

I turned my phone off afterwards, a small smile on my face. I had been in my own world the entire bus ride, so I was suprised when the bus stopped in my neighborhood.

I grabbed my bag and said my goodbyes to the bus driver, walking down the sidewalk towards my apartment as I searched my backpack for my keys.

I stopped at my front door, but turned around when I heard the sound of a car engine. I like to wave to my neighbors, but my eyes were met by someone I was not expecting to see.

Aiden was driving down my street, staring right at me.

Everywhere. He was everywhere.

He didn't continue down the road to his house, he simply pulled over to the curb and sat there, indicating he didn't live on this street at all.

He didn't live on this street at all..

And then a thought occurred to me, one that made me shiver uncomfortably and quickly get inside the appartement.

Aiden was stalking me.