The Operator

Proxy

Being in school that day was hell. I could not stay awake at all. The worse part was, slender man was in every thought of mine. I couldn't shake him away.

"Hey darling you've been in mars all day long!" I looked over and my friend Adrian was sitting next to me giving me a smile.

"Sorry if I have been. I'm just out of it."

"Slender man isn't real Karen quit freaking yourself out." He said flipping his black hair out of his face and showing off his light green eyes.

"I had a nightmare." I looked away from him.

"A nightmare? What about?"

"Ill tell you later okay?"

"You're letting me come over?"

"Why not? I'd hate to be alone."

"Then I'll drive you home."

"What?" I looked over at him and he smiled.

"No point in you taking the lonely bus home if you don't want to be alone."

"Dude no."

"Why not?"

"Because." I've always liked you.

"I'd kill to know what goes on in you head." You don't wanna know.

"I'll go."

"Good." He said smiling and getting up.

During the last period of the day I started to fall asleep. I couldn't help myself.

When I did I started to dream. I was in the same class... But it was dark no light shown through in any part of the room. I was still sitting at my desk and I heard someone's nails on a chalkboard and covered my ears. It was excruciating to listen to and it felt like my ears were bleeding. I looked up at the board and it said: He's watching you. Then I looked to my left and more darkness was emerging from the door. I got up from my seat and went to the corner of the room near the window, even though there was no light coming from it, it gave me an exit. I started to scream when I saw his suit. The room started to shake and then the faceless beast tilted his head to the side... Almost as if he enjoyed it all.

"Karen!" I was being shook by my teacher and I was surrounded by people when I opened my eyes. My eyes darted around the classroom then I looked down at my desk. "Are you okay?" He asked and how bad I wanted to say no.

"Yeah I'm fine."

"She's losing her mind." I heard someone say and without warning my nose started to bleed and people gasped and backed away. I was embarrassed. Someone brought tissues and I brought it up to my face and got up to leave the classroom.

I went into the bathroom and cleaned up my hands and face. I was losing it.

I went to the nurse after that and she told me everything was alright. But it wasn't.

Adrian waited for me and I felt terrible and weak like I was going to throw up or something.

"Hey you okay?" He asked almost towering over me.

"Yeah. Just an incident in history class."

"What happened?"

"I fell asleep. Big mistake."

"Why?"

"He's haunting me." He rolled his eyes then took out his keys. "I'm being serious Adrian he's taking over my dreams and my thoughts. I can't get away from him."

"We'll see about that. Come on." We got in his car and drove down to my house. I stared out the window the whole time and hated how my mom surrounded our house by trees making it easier for him to hide.

Once we got to my house we went up to my room. He sat in my computer chair and I laid restlessly on my bed.

"What was your dream about?" He asked whirling around.

"Which one?"

"The one from last night."

I sat up in my bed and looked at him. I said, "It's pretty gruesome." He shrugged his shoulders emphasizing that he didn't care so I continued. "I was running and I ran home. I come home to find my mom dead and pinned like an X against the wall. There was a circle of blood around her. I was terrified."

"That was so gruesome." He said rolling his eyes. He got out of the chair to walk over to me. "You need to relax. You're stressed."

"I'm not stressed, I'm losing my mind Adrian."

"You just need to get him out of your head."

"How? When he's clouding my thoughts."

He lifted my chin to lean down and place his lips on mine. And for the first time in weeks, my thoughts were my own. I closed my eyes and my shaking hands went up to touch his face. I really didn't think he cared or liked me like I liked him. He was my friend but I couldn't help the feelings I had for him. The kiss however, made me feel safe.

"Who the hell is this?" I heard my brother say though I didn't hear him walk in.

Adrain pulled away from me and looked over at my brother smiling. Jokingly he said, "I'm Adrian, who the hell are you?"

My brother didn't find it funny. "I'm her brother. You know, Adam? Why the hell are you kissing my sister?"

"Dude the kiss was mutual."

"Sure." I shifted uncomfortably and looked at my brother. "You're not allowed in her room bro."

"Sorry, she's just been feeling terrible lately." My brother looked him up then left. Adrian looked at me and said, "Sorry."

"Don't be." I smiled and started biting my lip. "It did help me forget."

"Really? Well then let me ask you something."

"Ask away." I said smiling.

"Would you like to be my girlfriend? I'm crazy about you."

"No first date?"

"Thought this would be kinda a first date." I laughed and he said, "I'm kidding. I'd love to take you out sometime."