Under the Stars (a lunar chronicles Modern AU)

Chapter Nine: Creepy Stalker Boy

Cinder could swear he was following her.

Okay, maybe he wasn't. She didn't even know who he was – she'd never seen him before – but the stony faced blonde boy seemed to be everywhere, always outside her classes and looking at her from across the lunch hall, yet he didn't approach her, not even when she brushed past him at the end of the day.

She was on her way to study with Kai, actually study, just like they'd been doing every night after school for the last two weeks. Her heart was fluttering, but for once she wasn't shaking and her breathing was even as she took her seat opposite him. He already had his books open, and smiled as he spoke.

"Good day?"

"Fantastic!" Cinder said with no small amount of sarcasm.

"That doesn't sound good," Kai said, frowning.

"Some creep was following me round all day," she said, biting the end of her pen.

"Maybe he fancies you," Kai suggested.

"Oh, we both know that's not true."

"Of course, you'd scare him off before anything could happen." Cinder nudged him playfully, something they seemed to do a lot now that they were becoming more comfortable with each other. It sent her heart racing even now, which she strangely liked, and if she was honest with herself, she thought that it felt almost as good as Thorne's kisses.

So if Kai kissed her...

She thought her brain might explode with just the thought.

"What's this guy look like?" Kai asked.

"What? Scared I might be getting a new study buddy?" she teased, but Kai was looking behind her, and when she turned the blonde boy was there, looking at them from the library door and catching her eye, he began to walk over.

"May I?" he asked, pulling out the seat beside her. His voice was emotionless and his actions were jerky; he didn't wait for Cinders confirmation to sit.

"Um, I don't know..." Kai began, but the creep cut him off.

"Do you know Winter Hayle?" he asked.

Cinders bones turned to ice.

"Yes, she's my cousin," she said slowly, "what about her?"

"When was the last time you saw her?" he asked.

"Excuse me, who are you?" asked Kai.

"I'm Jacin, her boyfriend, now will you please tell me where Winter is."

"She didn't turn up this year, and Levana and Evret have completely cut me off," Cinder said, her heart racing again, but not for Kai this time.

"Do you not have any idea where she is?" Jacin asked, but Cinder shook her head.

"I thought she might be getting homeschooled again, and did you say Winter's boyfriend?"

Jacin shrugged, "yeah, and she's not there, I already checked." Cinder stopped breathing.

"Look, I don't know what you want or how you found me, but will you please leave," Cinder said, standing up. "I've been cut off before but Winter always comes back."

Cinder packed up her things and waited for Kai to do the same before they left Jacin behind.

They walked out of the school in a hurry, bags slung over their shoulders bouncing against their backs, only stopping when they were half way to town and far, far away from Jacin.

"You were right about him being a creep," Kai said, stopping and slouching into a bench, pulling Cinder down with him by her hand. He didn't let go after, folding his fingers around hers, and Cinder felt as if her whole world was melting.