Stalker

Chapter 12- Walk

Maria

"So you're friends now?" Lauren's voice came through the phone, sounding confused. "I thought you hated him because he's an asshole."

"He beat up Jackson for me, he saved me. We're friends." I said, making it clear that this is good. I was tired of Aiden Smith being a dark cloud in the back of my mind, now we could get along. Besides, he was becoming pretty tolerable.

"You like him don't you?" Lauren said, and I could practically hear the smile on her face. "I'm not judging, 6 foot black guy with curly hair. Oh yes please."

"LAUREN." I shrieked into the phone, repulsed at the way she was talking about Aiden. "You have a boyfriend."

"For you mari, not for me. I like my men nerdy." Lauren said. She had revealed to me earlier that her and Evan had made it official the day after homecoming, and that they had spent a majority of the weekend being hungover together.

"Does what happened between me and Jackson make things awkward? I know Evan and Jackson are friends." I asked, flipping over and laying on my stomach with my phone pressed to my ear.

"No, Evan called him a peice of shit. I dont think their friendship is going to workout." Lauren said, sounding proud. "But Maria, im so sorry I went home. If I would've stayed with you maybe things would've been different."

"No it's okay." I hated that Lauren felt that way. "It isn't your fault, or my fault. Jackson is the one at fault. You and Evan didn't have anything to do with it. It would've happened either way."

Lauren sighed. "Okay, i'm glad Aiden was there."

"Me too."

Lauren and I talked a little more after that, but soon she had to go. She left me alone with my thoughts, which consisted of trying to remember the night of homecoming. It was almost sunset and Marco wasn't home, so it's not like I could go annoy him.

Maybe a walk would help me clear my head.

I slid on my sneakers and grabbed my house keys from my desk, tossing them into a bag with some pepper spray and my phone. As long as I was home before Marco was, I was fine.

I left the apartment with no destination in mind, starting with my neighborhood. I knew almost everyone on my street, so I wasn't too worried about running into anyone unexpectedly.

That was until someone began following me.

I was only a few houses down when I noticed a tall man behind me. I didn't want to turn around and stare at him, but I could see him from the corner of my eye.

Maybe he was just going home?

I continued my walk, wishing I had a dog. It would probably make my walk more interesting. The sky was orange and purple, mixing in the middle to make a nice shade of pink. It was beautiful, and helped me to focus on the sunset instead of Jackson.

I could still sense someone watching me, so I paused for a second. I pulled my phone out as if to take a picture of the sunset, but really I used the phone camera to look at the figure behind me. I was suprised when I saw a tall man with dark curls dressed in all black, his hood hiding his face. He was further back than I thought he was, probably thinking I wouldn't notice him.

"Why are you stalking me?" I called, tucking my phone in my bag as I spun around. "It's getting kind of creepy."

The man smiled, lifting his hood from his face. "Probably not the smartest thing to say to someone who's following you." Aiden's face smiled back at me.

"Probably not smart to follow me, I have pepper spray." I pulled it out of my bag, the pepper spray container being pink with glitter.

"Woah there Maria, so threatening." Aiden walked towards me, showing that I was very clearly not threatening. "How did you know it was me?"

"You've been treating me like your personal tour guide all year." I rolled my eyes, stuffing my pepper spray in my bag. "Stalker."

Aiden shrugged, walking alongside me as I began walking again. "It's a big school."

"You could've asked me." I suggested, Aiden's hands in his pockets as he walked next to me. I couldn't help but look up at him, his jaw tight as we walked.

"No, i'm not good for you." Aiden said, distancing himself a little. "I didn't want to mess up your life Maria."

"I can handle myself you know, you wouldn't be messing it up." I looked up at the sky again, sighing. "Maybe I can be a good influence on you."

Aiden laughed at that, his smile bright against his dark skin. "I'm not going to take the chance."

"So you don't want to be friends, but you're out with me right now?" I asked, slightly confused. "For someone that doesn't want to be involved with me, you sure are."

Aiden shrugged. "You're tiny, I don't want you getting kidnapped on my conscience."

"I'm not tiny." I glared at him, knowing I was perfectly normal sized for my age. "I'm 5'2."

Aiden looked down at me like I was crazy, noticing the way he towered over me. "Alright Maria."

I rolled my eyes, continuing to walk. My neighborhood luckily looped around, so if I kept walking I would get back to my apartment.

"So you live in the neighborhood?" I asked after a few moments of silence. "And just happened to be outside?"

"I walk a lot." Aiden said. "And no I don't, but it's safer to walk here than in my own neighborhood."

I nodded, knowing this neighborhood wasn't the nicest, but there was worse. "Well you can stop by my apartment when you're here, as long as there isn't a black car out front. My brother will kill you if he sees you."

"Really?" Aiden said, looking down at me. "Protective?"

"Very." I said, emphasizing the word as I widened my eyes. "But I love him, he's all i've got."

Aiden nodded, not asking any further questions. We walked in silence back to my apartment, Marco still not home. Aiden walked me all the way to the door, looking down at me.

"Thanks for the walk." I said, unlocking the front door.

Aiden nodded. "Maria, I meant what I said earlier. Don't try to get to know me, or be friends. I'm not good for you."

I frowned, looking up at him. "Why not?"

"Because I'm not." I could tell that he was irritated by his tone, but I didn't care.

"That doesn't explain anything." I pushed further, used to his attitude by now. "Look I don't know who made you think that but you can't be bad for me."

"Goodbye Maria." Aiden began to walk away, mumbling his words. "Don't go on anymore walks, I won't be here next time."

Just when I thought we were getting somewhere, he's back to his normal self. Who did he think he was saying he's not good for me and to not go on walks? How could he know what's good for me?

I rolled my eyes as I closed the door, practically getting whiplash from Aiden's changing emotions. I don't know why he stuck around if he didn't want anything to do with me.

I couldn't stop thinking about Aiden for the rest of the night, the way his long eyelashes shaded his dark eyes, the way he towered over me, the warmth I felt when he hugged me as I cried. He was in my head and watching me even when he wasn't really there.

And suddenly I didn't mind the idea of him always being there.