Sometimes There's Good In Evil (Dil Howlter)

A Cold Chocolate Pudding & A Stalker

"What, really?" Preston asked, shocked. We were in English, but we had a supply teacher so we could sit wherever. Preston, Tabitha and I sat on one of the back tables, while everyone else fucked about at the front.

"Yeah. They just sent me a letter, out of the blue." I said while quickly ruffling my fringe.
"Surely if they're trying to reach out to you, they must want to be a part of your life again." Tabitha piped up. I slightly shook my head.
"When my mum cried out for help during the final months of her life, they fucked off to Australia and didn't help their own daughter. When they found out she died, they didn't come back to raise me, they stayed out in Australia and let me go into an orphanage. They haven't talked to me in 7 years and suddenly they pipe up. I don't buy it." My voice filled with more annoyance as I spoke, and once I stopped I saw Tabitha's face change. It looked as though she was embarrassed and felt ashamed for asking. I must admit, I did come across as a bitch but that's how I felt about the whole situation.

Tabitha didn't talk much for the rest of the lesson. She didn't really look at me when I spoke for that matter. Women.

At the end of the day I went to Tabitha's locker. She was about to walk away when I stopped her.
"Hey, Tabitha" I quietly said. She turned round.
"Hey." She murmured. Awkward silence.
"Look, about earlier, I did come across rude and pissed off but that's how I feel about the whole situation." Tabitha smiled.
"Don't worry about it. I'm not in the best of moods today if I'm being honest. I know you're annoyed at them."

That was easier than I thought.

"Hey, do you wanna come round mine Saturday?" She asked. I nodded.
"Yeah sure." I replied. Tabitha's eyes lit up. I guess she wasn't in her bad mood anymore...

**********

Saturday rolled around quite quickly. I woke up and stretched before checking the time. 11:22. I sluggishly got out of bed and got ready. I made my way downstairs once I was done and got a chocolate pudding from the cupboard, before putting it in the microwave. I don't know why, but they don't always heat through to the centre of the pudding. Apart from that it's still good. I sat at the breakfast bar once it was done and ate it. I presumed Dan and Phil had left as the house was silent.

When I finished my half warm, half cold chocolate pudding, I washed up the plate and a couple of other stuff that were in the sink, because I'm nice like that. I texted Tabitha to see when I could come round. She texted back almost instantly and said I could go over now. I slipped on my black converse and left my house to go on a perilous journey...

Across the road.

However, my journey got delayed...

"Dil!" A familiar voice appeared. It was an almost average pitch and of quite a loud volume. I turned around and before me was a girl with short red hair and thin black rimmed glasses.

"Hey Eliza." I simply said. She stepped closer to me, I wasn't feeling uncomfortable yet.
"Where are you off to?" She asked. Was she my mum?
"I'm going round Tabitha's."
"Oh. Cool." Eliza sounded slightly disheartened by my comment. "Well, have fun." She beamed a smile and carried on down the road, allowing me to walk to Tabitha's.

"I saw we were a bit close with Eliza there." Tabitha teased. I rolled my eyes and chuckled.
"Funny."
"Seriously, she gets quite close to you when she talks to you... Is there something going on between you two?" She asked, imitating the smirking emoji, and may I add, failing at doing so.
"No. She's just like that."
"She doesn't really do it to other people."
"Well... She has a crush on me, but I don't feel the same way but she keeps trying to convince me I like her but it's failing miserably."
Tabitha leaned forward, clearly showing that she was interested.
"Story time." She simply said with a grin. I chucked.

"Fine. Basically since year 8 she's had a crush on me. Yes, we are friends, but that's all it's ever gonna be. Anyway, she told me in year 8 that she fancied me, but I told her the truth; I didn't see us going any further than friends. To start off with she was annoyed because I 'led her on'-"

Tabitha gasped dramatically, like what you see on shitty tv shows.
"Dil Howlter leading people on, I'm shocked." She exclaimed sarcastically. I looked at her as if to say 'you thought that was funny?'. I carried on.

"But after a month she cooled down and we fixed our friendship, although it was still awkward but we got over that barrier pretty quickly. But ever since she hints about us two possibly going further. And sometimes, she even - well - kinda stalks me per say."

Tabitha's eyes widened a little and leaned back a bit.
"Seriously? Jeez, she's fucking desperate ain't she?" Tabitha grabbed an apple and ate it contently. She thought for a moment.
"Wait, she has a boyfriend, right?" I nodded.
"Yeah, Bob. He's in year 12."
"Is he the one with the beard that makes him look like a hippy? Oh, and likes to play horseshoe?"
"Yeah, him."
"I thought so. Hold on..." Tabitha slowly took a bite of her apple while collecting her thoughts.
"She's dating Bob yet she's still trying to get with you? Is Bob blind or something?"

I laughed. "Well actually, me and him had a fallout. Actually it went further than that. Basically he thought I was trying to steal Eliza, but I told him it was vice versa... It's safe to say I had a nice black eye for a few days..."

"Everything's coming out, I like this!" Tabitha said. Her smile beamed. It was great to see her like that.

I laughed, then we just talked about random stuff like friends do for however long.

**********

I had been round Tabitha's for hours. It was around 10 o'clock so I decided to go back home. As I walked across the street, I looked up and noticed a pair of eyes staring blankly at me. Since it was dark and the nearest lamp post was a few meters away, it was dark so it made it even creepier. I started to jog away, as a fight-or-flight response, before the eyes started talking.

"Dil, it's me." Guess who it was.

I stopped in my tracks and muttered a subtle 'fuck' under my breath, before slowly turning on my heels.
"Eliza. What are you doing out here?" I asked, sounding more confused than I was.
"Oh y'know, enjoying the autumn night." She responded. I shivered slightly.
"Yeah well, it's too cold for me so I'm gonna keep going."
"Ok. See ya." Eliza let that one go, which was surprising. I saw this as a chance, so I hurried back to the safe zone that was my house.

I went up to my room and walked over to the window to close the curtains. I glanced out of them quickly when I saw someone standing directly in front of my house, making eye contact with me.

Eliza.

What the fuck was she doing? I'm fairly certain Eliza's insane but who stands outside someone's house like that? Just standing there. She didn't even move. It was as if she'd looked medusa dead in the eyes. Crazy child.

It had been about 20 minutes. I'd check every couple minutes to she if she had buggered off. No. Still standing there. I had had enough so I stormed over to my window and opened it. Anger got a little better of me.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I yelled in frustration. Eliza took a step back, like she was ready to run away. She was stuttering.
"Why have you been standing there for 20 minutes? What's wrong with you?" I had to stop and control myself.
"Sorry, I... I just..." Suddenly, Eliza took off down the road. I watched her go, more confused than ever. I rolled my eyes and shut my window. That was enough for one night.