Let's Play a Game [Editing]

| Chapter Eighteen : Almost . . . |

The next day I was walking home from school. The wind tickled my cheeks and nose as it blew through my hair chilling me. Since the nights were getting shorter and the clouds were covering up the sun partially, it was getting dark out. I pulled my hoodie over my head and hunched over slightly with my hands in my hoodie pockets as I watched the ground moving instead of where exactly I was going. I felt someone watching me again. The hairs on my arms raised up from the goose bumps that waved all over me. Shivers flew up and down my back as I tried to keep from shivering. I whipped around, looking for someone... Anyone... But no one was there.

"I must be going mad!" I exclaimed out loud to myself, but more in a whisper. There was a lump starting to form in my throat. My mouth went instantly dry. It felt as though I couldn't breathe right from the lump.

I tried swallowing, but no saliva came. I tried calm down, but that just made it worse. I thought of every possible thing it could be... Maybe it was a lost puppy or dog looking for food and shelter. Maybe it was a kitten roaming around, maybe it was a rat... No, no, I don't think so. But it could be anything.

Anything.

My superstitions got the best of me as I turned around and gulped down air. My mouth was closed in a tight line, my jaw clenched, but my eyes were wide and panicked. My chest rose and fell at a rapid pace as I slowly brought my hands out of my pocket and into the cold to hold onto my back pack straps. The tension rose as I heard a shuffling of feet. I panicked, but I felt glued to the sidewalk. I sent messages after messages to my feet to move. To run, but they were stubborn and stayed glued to the ground. Not budging one inch. My heart felt as though it'd leap out of my chest at any moment as my breathing became faster and more ridged.

I gulped more air as my feet started moving in the direction of the noise. My brain shouted down to them to run away, but my feet kept getting closer. Before I knew it I was at an alley way, looking down the street. Usually alleys were the place where bad things happen, right? Yup, you got it. And yet my feet kept moving towards danger. My mind screamed one thing but I screamed another. Curiosity catches hold of you and drags you in, reeling slowly and stealthily waiting for just the right moment to shake you out of the water and grab ahold.

"Curiosity killed the cat."

Hopefully I'm not the cat, and hopefully I don't get killed.

The closer I got, the more it felt as though eyes were watching me. The more they bore into my skull the more I felt almost naked. It was creepy, it was scary. I wished I would just turn around and run, but I wouldn't. It's one of those moments where you know something bad's going to happen, but you're so enthralled with the movie... You just sit and watch.

Suddenly the sound of shoes clicking on the pavement and rocks rolling away from being stepped on approached me. Not from in front, but behind. I couldn't move, again. I was stuck. I was panicking, my heart beat throbbing faster and faster. My breathing harder and the lump in my throat harder to swallow down. The air I kept swallowing down made my stomach churn as I gasped for air. I was panicking too much. I needed to chill.

But I couldn't.

Suddenly a sickening voice came from behind me, almost in a hiss, "What's a pretty little girl like you doing here...all alone...and helpless?"

I swallowed hard, it wasn't a woman's voice. It was the voice of a man. From the sounds of it someone between 30-35. The husky hiss of his voice seeped into my ears and played with my fear, making me more stuck than I ever could be. My voice cracked. I was a loss for words.

You always hear stories about how someone was raped, kidnapped, or killed out on the streets. You hear about it in the newspapers, online... Basically everywhere, but never think you'll be the next victim. The adrenaline that seeps through your veins is helpless when you're glued to the ground. You're an innocent bystander who doesn't know what to do; should you flee and risk being shot, or should you stay put and risk being raped?

The countless "what if's" raced through my head as I tried to move. Budge. Twitch my fingers. Anything!

Suddenly a firm hand rested on my shoulder and traced around my neck. I gulped.

"P-please... D-don-don't hurt me..." I whispered out in almost a squeak.

A chuckle escaped his lips as his warm breath hit my neck. He didn't smell like mint, or cologne. No, he smelled like he had just eaten onions with a slight hint of alcohol and hadn't showered in days. I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

"Oh, babe, you don't know who you've walked into. I won't promise you that." His voice rasped out to me in a hiss again. His deep voice gave me goose bumps once again as he snickered to himself.

I tried so utterly hard to move, to run... To cry for help, but nothing would happen. I couldn't do it, I was petrified. Soon I realized I could move as he jerked me towards the alley walls. The wind blew in a whistle as the clouds covered the sun completely. I tripped and almost fell but caught my balance in case he freaked on me.

"W-wait...were you the one that followed me home one night?!" I squeaked out, fear stretched over my entire body and radiated out of my eyes as I stared in shock at him.

"Why? Why would it matter?" He asked with a smug look on his face as he got closer to me. The onion smelling, slightly alcoholic breath that hit my face made me grimace.

"Because I want to know, you... Dirt bag." I spat out. The adrenalin that was racing through me gave me a sudden burst of confidence. But soon that confidence cowered away as he got closer, basically on top of me.

"Ohh, feisty little girl aren't you? Yeah maybe I was that person who followed you home. Maybe... Maybe not." He replied. Then I noticed.

It was him.

He was wearing a black hoodie, black pants, and black sneakers. His dark brown, almost black eyes reminded me of that night. A pair of brown eyes had glared at me with a smirk playing at the corners of his eyes. I gasped silently to myself as I held my breath. His nostrils hit my neck, breathing heavily on my neck before I felt his rough lips playing and kissing it. The way he kissed my neck made it feel like he was trying to be seductive.

My voice finally piped up as I whispered out, "Help!"

I tried to raise my voice but my throat felt like it was being glued shut. My vocal chords wouldn't budge, I couldn't. I tried harder, straining my voice. There was a sharp pain in my neck from trying too hard, but I had to find help. I couldn't just stand here. I couldn't get away.

Finally I screamed as loud as I possibly could.

"Help! Please! Someone, anyone!!" I screeched. He growled to himself and smacked my face.

I trembled.

His face grew red with anger as he hissed out in a whisper, "Don't do that again."

He got closer, I could feel...something...his body was pressed against mine. I shook. He smirked.

"Help!" I screamed again, hoping someone could hear me.

Suddenly I saw a head racing towards me; dirty blonde hair... Blue eyes... Alex. But suddenly a strawberry blonde haired girl came racing, gaining on Alex as he ran directly for the man that had me pinned to the wall. The blonde was Trinity, and boy did she look freaked out, confused, and suddenly furious.

Alex pried the man away from me as I bent over slightly and started panting uncontrollably.

"Stay away from her." Alex told him through gritted teeth. Anger aroused every inch of him as he growled and punched the guy's gut. The man groaned but swung back. Alex ducked just in time and managed to punch his gut again.

"Oh, and what are you going to do about it?" He asked smugly as he took another punch to Alex. Alex ducked, but didn't duck quick enough. He hissed almost as the man's fist collided with Alex's arm.

"You'll see soon enough." Alex replied, taking a punch towards the man's face.

As Alex was beating him up, Trinity came over to me. "You okay?!" She asked flustered.

"Y-yeah...I think..." I replied, still shaking a bit.

She frowned and nodded her head as she walked over to Alex and the man. "Go take care of Joce, Alex... I got him."

I raised an eyebrow as did Alex, but Alex didn't question. He just threw another punch to the man's nose and walked over to me. I shook and teared up. That was literally the scariest thing ever. I couldn't move again, just shake. Alex put his on my cheek and looked in my eyes.

"Are you okay? Seriously?" He asked concerned.

I nodded my head at first hesitantly then nodded more consistently. He picked me up bridal style and walked away from the alley. I wanted to see what Trinity was doing to the man, but I was still scared out of my mind. I wrapped my arms around Alex's neck and rested my cheek on his shoulder as I tried to watch.

From what I saw, Trinity round kicked the man, kicked straight up to where the sun just don't shine well, and banged him up against the wall.

"What's WRONG with you?! Why would you do that?!" She screamed at him, but his eyes rolled in the back of his head. She shook him and asked again.

"I-I...It...." He groaned out then chuckled for a second before he was out and slid to the ground, head toppled over and chin touching his chest. Trinity groaned annoyed with herself as she put her high heels back on and was about to call the police.

Alex stopped as she called out for him to come back since I had to answer some questions from the police. I stayed in his arms as he kissed my cheek reassuringly.

"It's alright now, Jocelynn." He whispered so I could only hear him. His warm, minty breath tickled my ear. I smiled as I kept my cheek on his shoulder.

~-♥-~

Once the police had cleared out, the man was in the back of their cruiser, and mom and dad had brought me home, things started getting normal again. I couldn't stop thinking of how caring Alex was back there. I know he's a good guy – sometimes – but that was just... I don't even know. I can't describe it.

These past few days have been drama enticed, and I hate it. I hate drama. Drama is the worst thing on this planet, and yet somehow... It found me and began to play with me.

Suddenly I jumped at the feeling of my cell phone vibrating in my back pocket.

My butt just got a massage... Alrighty then.

From: JerkBoy | Sent 4:24 PM
Hey...u alright??

To: JerkBoy | Sent 4:24 PM
Yeah... I guess... :p

From: JerkBoy | Sent 2:25 PM
U guess? Whats tht supposed 2 mean hmm?

To: JerkBoy | Sent 2:25 PM
Lol...I'm fine. @_@

From: JerkBoy | Sent 2:26 PM
Ud betta b.

I laughed silently to myself as I kept replying to him. The butterflies of  nervosity were now slightly butterflies of happiness. Whenever he texts me, I get this happy feeling inside. It's like he actually does want to talk to me no matter how annoying or stupid I can be, because... We all know I can be pretty stupid and annoying.

But then again, I guess we all can be that way, right?

A/N:

WHOOT! UPDATED! ARE YOU PROUD OR WHAT?! :D XD ^_^

O__O Joce almost..got....yeah omggg but her knight in shining tin foil came to the rescue, as did her bestie. Awweee Happy ending, again. ^~^ Phew, that was a close one. Well I hope that was good enough for you all and you enjoyed the last chapter which was in Alex's POV. ^.^ Now, I know you all are enjoying it, but just how much are you really enjoying it? Scale 1-100. Tell me.

Here's the sentence for you to finish, as well...
My favorite song, for now, is ____.