Mind Games.

chapter 36: Paranoid.

I hate the feeling of paranoia. When you can't sit without fumbling with your fingers. Looking behind you where ever you go. But mostly, I hate the fear of not knowing. Not knowing exactly when or where Connor was going to attack.
But all that emotion and panic was kept on the inside, because I still had school to think about for the day.
My alarm clock went off at 6:40 in the morning. I sighed and sat up, clicking the button on top of it. After I rubbed my eyes and stretched, I hopped out of bed and went to take a quick shower. I used my spearamint shampoo and then toweled off. My out fit was a loose dark red sweater that hung off my shoulder with black stone-washed jeans. I set my hair in a neat ponytail and started off towards physics. As I walked there, I kept looking around for Connor.
What is he going to do? When, where, how? Ugh, I hated the suspense.
Norman was in the hallway, getting his things, so I decided to walk to class with him. Travel in a group, then he's less likely to get you. Even if it's a group with Norman.
I strolled up casually to him with a smile on my face.
"Hi, Norman." When I said that, he looked up with surprise on his face. Then, he smiled and pushed his glasses to the top of his face.
"H-hey, Alice. How was your Christmas vacation?" He asked. But he leaned back too far, and he fell on his butt. I knelt down to help him pick up his books.
"Are you ok, Norman?" I asked. He nodded and pushed the glasses up his nose again.
"Yeah, I-I'm just clumsy, I guess." I giggled a little and we both stood up. After he was situated, I gave him the rest of his books.
"My vacation was pretty good, what about you? How was your vacation?" I asked him as we started walking to physics. He shrugged and coughed into his fist.
"Well, my brother had an allergic reaction to some peanut butter pie my mother's friend made, so we spent the holiday in the hospital." He hugged the books closer to his chest. I was about to respond when three big guys in sports jackets stopped us in the hallway. One had black hair with brown eyes, the other two were blonde. I looked up at them and said,
"Excuse us, we're just going to class." Norman didn't say anything. I tried going past the blonde on the right, but he stuck his arm out flat against the wall, blocking my way.
"What's the rush, babe?" Babe?
"Babe?" I asked him. He shrugged and the guy with black hair leaned against the wall behind me, sandwiching me in between him and his friend. I bit my lip and tried to take a step out, but the third blonde blocked my way.
"What were you doing with this nerd?" He asked, gesturing to Norman. His friends laughed and I sighed.
"I was going to class, but I guess you assholes have other plans." Once I said that, they all laughed. Norman looked like he wanted to help, and he looked at me as if to ask for permission. I shook my head and told him,
"Just tell the teacher I'm going to be a little late."
"Yeah, get lost." The blonde on my right said, pushing Norman away. He stumbled back, then gave me one last glance before he disappeared around the corner.
Now the boys were all smirking with great confidence and cockiness. They shouldn't assume that I can't defend myself...
"So, your name's Alice-"
"As much fun as I'm having, can we just skip the pleasantries and get down to business?" I interrupted. He grinned at his friends, then stared down at me.
"Ok, slut, how much?" He set his hand under my chin. I shoved his hand away.
"Don't touch me."
"Hey, relax." His friends started laughing. He made a move to touch me again. I quickly grabbed his hand by the middle of his palm. Then, using my thumb, I started to push his thumb away from the rest of his hand, tearing his muscle tissue.
His eyes widened and he dropped to one knee. His friends backed away from me.
"Stop! You're hurting him!" The boy with black hair set a hand on my shoulder to try and pull me away. I kicked his knee sideways, sending him to the floor.
"He should have had better manners!" I exclaimed. The third boy tried pushing me off, but I used my knee to apply force to his balls, sending him to the floor. Then, I turned my attention back to the other boy. He looked surprised, yet his face was twisted in pain. I leaned down to him and whispered,
"Don't ever let me see you again, or I'll break you. Understand?" He whimpered and nodded quickly. I let go of him and continued walking to my class. But as I rounded the corner, I was stopped by an unpleasant person.
Pedro smiled and clapped his hands together.
"Alice, just the person I wanted to see." He took a step closer and crossed his arms. I smiled, although I was slightly confused.
"Pedro, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, I just need to speak with you about Debbie." He smiled. I shook my head and replied,
"Oh, well, I-I'm kind of on a schedule and-"
"Oh, it'll only take a minute." He interrupted. Two gigantic bouncer guys stepped out of nowhere on either side of me. Based on their expressions and their timing, I deduced that they were hired help. They took either one of my arms and escorted me to a conference room. Then, after we were all seated, Pedro sat at the head of the table and folded his hands.
"Well Alice, it's like this; Debbie owes us money. You have two weeks to help her come up with it." He stated it plainly. I frowned and crossed my arms.
"And what makes you think I'd help you?" Once I said that, he smirked.
"Oh, don't worry about that."
"No, humor me." I stated. After a moment, he leaned in.
"Because I know you're friends with Libby, her girlfriend. It'd be a shame if she was killed in a...car crash? Or maybe, an electrical accident." He smiled while staring across the table at me. My eyes were wide, but I tried to be brave.
"I won't be intimidated, Pedro." That's when his smile got wider.
"Oh yeah?" He asked, lifting an eyebrow. I didn't reply. He snapped his fingers. The bouncer to my left reached into a box and handed him a tape while the other guy wheeled over a tv.
"You know Alice, the thing about leverage is, you have to have some in order to negotiate."
"I know you're a drug dealer, what about that?" I asked, feeling a little courageous. But that disappeared when he said,
"No no," then, he put the tape into the vcr and pressed play. My heart stopped. "What about that?" He smirked at me.
It was black and white. Filmed from a tree, or maybe from behind a Bush. At first I couldn't see anything, just a house that was vaguely familiar. But then, two people entered. Mr. Marsh and I. Pedro reached over to the fast forward button and pressed it. He pressed play again.
I wished I never kissed him at that point, but the video was undeniable. You could clearly see us. I turned away from it, embarrassed. Pedro took the hint and pressed the stop button.
"Now, you don't want anyone else to see this tape, do you?" I shook my head no. He smirked and nodded his he'd slowly. "Good. You have two weeks to get the money. If you do that, I'll give you the tape. But if I'm not paid by then, it's going straight to the headmaster. Oh, and Alice?" He asked. I looked up from my hands and stared at him.
"Yes?" I questioned. He smiled and said,
"No one else needs to know any of this, got it?" I nodded and averted eye contact. Then, he leaned back and said,
"It's been nice talking to you." The two bouncers picked me up and led me out the door to physics. But my arms and legs felt like Jello. You never should have kissed him...
As my after school session with Mr. Marsh neared, it took everything in my power not to explode. I mean, how can you know that kind of information and not tell anyone about it? But I knew I couldn't tell him, because there was absolutely nothing he could have done. Once geology was finished, I started towards his room. The campus was dark and snow covered, but I was glad for it. Snow was calming and brought clarity to my brain.
He was waiting patiently for me in his office when I arrived. Today, he was wearing a light pink dress shirt with jeans. When I came into the room, he smiled brightly.
"Hello, Alice."
"Hi, Simon." I remembered to call him that. He then frowned and tilted his head.
"What's wrong?" He asked me. I looked out the small window and shook my head slowly.
"Nothing."
"Alice, you know you can tell me anything." He said to me. I can't tell you about this...but I couldn't just sit there like an idiot.
"I..."
"Yes?" He asked. I looked down at my hands in my lap and sighed.
"I'm beginning to regret it." He seemed confused by my statement.
"Regret what?" He inquired. I looked up to meet his eye.
"Kissing you." I told him. His eyes lost a little color, and he sat back a little.
"Oh." He said. I didn't know what to say, so I looked down again. After three minutes, he spoke up, "I'm sorry that I made you uncomfortable. And I respected you when you made me stop...but I want you to know that I meant it." His statement made me blush. Then, he got slightly out of his chair and reached over, taking my hands in his. Stars and goosebumps shot through me. Then, when I looked up to meet his eyes, he smiled gently.
"And I'll always mean it. I don't regret kissing you, and I hope you know that." After I stared into his eyes for a few minutes, I finally nodded.
"Yes, Simon. I know." I replied. He smiled and said,
"I also want you to know, that you're always welcome to go to the cabin, even if I'm not there." His statement made me blush even more, and I nodded.
"Ok." Then, he let go of my hands and leaned back again.
"Well, I don't have anything to teach you. You're all caught up, so if you want to go, you may." He explained. But the thought of Connor made me shake my head quickly.
"I don't want to go yet." I stated. He frowned and tilted his head.
"Why not?" Even though he knew about Connor, I didn't want him to think I was scared of him.
"The rapist hasn't done anything in a while, I'm scared he'll get me." I lied. He looked at me as though he didn't believe me, but he smiled anyway and nodded.
"Ok, I don't have anywhere else to be." I sighed and tucked some hair behind my ear.
"Thank you." He nodded and we talked for a little while. Then he asked,
"Would you mind coming to my house when the snow melts? I'm going to 're paint the siding." He stated. I shrugged and nodded.
"Sure, I'd love to." As I said it, I thought of Dixie. Her bark, the way she walked.
His phone rang after a few moments, so he sighed and picked it up.
"Hello?" After some mumbling from the other end, he sighed and hung up.
"That's a friend of mine, I need to go." I nodded and got up.
"Thank you for letting me stay a while." He nodded and got up.
"You're welcome, Alice. I'll see you tomorrow?" He asked. I smiled and slung my bag over my shoulder.
"Yes." Then, I walked out without another word.
The campus was incredibly dark. I could barely see my hands in front of my face. No one else was out on the campus, or so I thought. But as I neared my dorm, I saw something on the wall of the administration building. It was painted into the snow. I trecked towards it. Then, I saw what it was,
A ground mural.
But as I bent down to see who was in it, I felt a sharp pain in the side of my neck.
A needle. The last thing I heard before everyhing went black, was someone whispering,
"Sweet dreams, Alice."

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Hope you liked it, enjoy the next one, bye! :3.