Talmer-Grey Terrace (or Hilter and his Beating Heart)

Chapter Two: Him Again

I could never escape him. Everywhere I turned, he was always there. I saw him at school-at my school. I don't remember seeing him there nor do I recall ever seeing him around my neighborhood once. Our town is quite small. We were bound to have met at least once.
I was walking down the hallways when I came across him close to the end. He was surrounded by people that I knew from when I was little, and of course he would be surrounded. Why wouldn't he be? With someone as handsome and charming and mysterious as he is, I should expect it.
I've come across him three times already. I don't know what to expect anymore. I saw him at lunch yesterday, and he was alone not even eating. He was standing in the park underneath the shade of the tall willow tree across from the school, and he seemed to be staring straight up at the top of the tree. I watched for a while, not in a creepy way whatsoever, and he just stood there until the bell rang, but when it did, he just looked at the school and walked in the opposite direction. I watched him disappear into the park and out of sight. He came back at the end of the day with a scratch across his face that ran from his forehead and down the side of his cheek. It made me wonder what he did to get that, but the more I think about it, the more I don't care and the more interested in him I've become.
I saw him again in the morning when I was walking to first period, judging from yesterday, he seemed perfect. When we were walking across the field, I think he was looking at me. I couldn't tell, because I was too busy turning my to not make it seem too obvious that I was looking at him. Around lunch, I was expecting to see him underneath the willow tree, but he wasn't there. I was bound to return at the end of the day like yesterday, but he didn't show up either. I didn't want to be worried about him. Why would I be? I don't know.
Mother finally came home today and is able to spend one night with us in two years. I've really missed her without a doubt, but when I first saw her, she looked like a stranger. I see sometimes in the morning, but she just isn't the same from I remember.
We were sitting around the dining table as quiet as ever. Mom looked really exhausted, but we didn't want to say anything, and father wasn't allowed to.
"How were your kids' school?" Mother asked as she was slicing a piece of fish and placing it in her mouth. She looked around the table.
Father fingered the rim of his engagement ring in the awkward silent, obviously not wanting to talk about his day. Amelia ignored all of us as usual. Ethan looked around the room, trying to bring himself out of this awkward position. And me? I had nothing to do. Mother just continued to stare at me until I answered. Being the youngest, I always have to be the one to meet my mother's expectations.
"It's been fine, mother," I said, breaking the silence.
"Is everything all right around here while I'm away?" Mother asked again, not wanting to let the conversation die.
"Yes," I replied. "The nanny has been very helpful." I wanted the conversation to end, but mother was being persistent for some reason.
"What about you, Amelia? How's everything for you?"
Amelia gave her a cold look. "I'm fine, mom," she replied harshly.
"That's nice. Caleb? What about you?"
"I'm fine," he said.
          We spent the rest the night in silence. Mother went to bed early and it's only me and Amelia downstairs now. I tried to avoid any contact with her, but she wanted to talk.
          "I overheard you talking with Caleb," she said. "I think it's nice that you like someone."
          I only gave her a smile, and I waited for her to blow this out of proportion, but she only smiled back and left the table. I watched her as she disappeared in the dark hallway and her footsteps fade from the floor above. I was confused, but I'm relieved that she didn't say anything further.

He was there again. I saw him walking along the streets on a snowy night with a hood covering his face, and I was following him. I couldn't believe what I was doing, how close I was. We were halfway down the street when stopped and turned to face me. I froze with fear as I stared into his pale eyes in awe and he returned the glare with a burning gaze that made my soul feel aflame.
          The background dripped down itself and revealed itself to be a candle-lit bedroom with a flaming fireplace crackling in the background. He was sitting in front of me, dressed in a dress shirt and vest with his hair gelled back that gave his face structure a strong compliment. His eyes glimmered from the fireplace with a glowing kindness that was hard to turn away from.
Lightning flashed from the darkness as a clap of thunder filled the air, and he was gone. I forced myself to wake, and I sat there in my dark bedroom with nothing, but the thought of him still fresh in my mind that I knew could never go away; no matter how hard I try, he will always be there.

I was walking down the street. The day was beautiful. The skies were as blue as they could be, the white clouds were shifting gently across the sea of blue, and the cool breeze swept past me and tussled my hair. I was calm as normal, hoping I wouldn't see him anywhere here, but at the same time, I wanted to see him everywhere. And I always did.
I walked past the old Government Building, hearing a group of men talk about their pay. I didn't have any idea as to why they would be complaining about their pay. I mean their wives are able to bring home enough money to support their entire family. I couldn't see why they were wanting more. I could hear them as they talked quietly amongst themselves, "My boss has it out for me," said one of them. "I know. She deliberately cut my pay check in half just so she can give more of it to Jen," the second replied. "Who? The new girl? Since when did she give any impact to our department?" The third one said disgusted.
As they saw me walk in their direction, their conversation died almost immediately, and they watched me past them with a hatred look in their eyes that was covered with kindness that they were forced to show to every woman they come across. Once I was at a safe distance from them, they continued their conversation. Their topic didn't bother me at all. That's always how it's always been. Women got higher pay than men. I couldn't see what the problem was. I should report them, but they didn't know any better.
          I walked past the Coffee Shop down the street and it was there I saw the sweetest thing: a woman was proposing to boyfriend. My heart melted at the sight. That's how I pictured myself in fifteen years. Mom said when I meet the right boy and I'm ready to move the relationship forward with a stable job, which isn't hard for me to find at all, I'll be able to get down on one knee and say the four life changing words in my and my boyfriend's life: Will you marry me? We will get married, and we both get to move out of our mothers' house once we do. Of course, there are some cases for my brother. Mother tries to avoid his situation, but she knows she'll have to deal with it someday.
          As I crossed the shop, I heard the audience applaud and both the woman and the man crying. I was happy for them. Another marriage will occur. Almost every family was happy. One out of five hundred families would get divorced. I don't know about some people, but that's not a bad divorce rate.
          Then, I saw him again. He was walking across the street, and this time, I wasn't going to let him get away.
I ran through the crowd, pushing my way through the bodies that were walking against me. I kept my eyes on him as to where he would go, and I never lost him. Nowadays, women can find their way across the city. We were raised to know every rock, street, and block of the city, and may I just say, our lives have never been easier. I followed him through the park where the willow tree was, and he just stood there, staring at the top of it. I watched him from a safe distance, then after a brief moment he began to move.
We walked through another huge crowd, and this time, I lost him. I couldn't find where he went off to. I remained standing at the curb where the two streets intersect, looking off to places he would go. As I begun to lose hope,
"Why are you following me?" A voice said, startling me from behind.
I turned and found him standing there with his perfect golden locks flying amongst the wind and his beautiful, glowing eyes reflecting the rays of the sun, and they were all here in front of me. I didn't realize that were standing in silence for a while as he resumed to look at me and I got lost.
"Why are you following me?" He repeated, his voice more harsh than the first.
"I've seen you," I said quietly and slowly, "everywhere. For all I know, you might be following me." The boy's eyebrows furrow. "How is it that I've never seen you anywhere around here?"
"I could have moved here," the boy suggested.
I shook my head. "No." I continued to study him. "You know your way around these parts of the city quite easily. Only an Inhabitant could know how."
"Maybe I'm a quick learner." He can see the interest on my face. "Stop following me," he said finally. He walked across the street, and I watched him disappear from sight.
That was the last time I saw him. Ever.