Too Many Secrets To Hide | ✔| #Wattys2017

Chapter Four

Word Count: 3394

   I decided not to tell any of my family about the strange text, which I still had not opened. I didn't want to upset anyone, I would just have to keep an eye on them. I was glad when Monday came and we would all be away from the house. Both of my parents would be at work, and Bel and I would be at school. Of course, the possibility of someone knowing where we lived and not being able to follow any of us to school or work was slim, but I still felt a little more at ease somehow. At least at school, we would be in a crowd.

   I said goodbye to Bel timidly as she got on her bus. Mine wouldn't come for another five minutes, and I was now completely alone. Then my phone buzzed. I read the text from the notifications. "All alone..." it read. With some quick fact checking, I found that it was the same number that had texted me Saturday. I sighed audibly but refused to open the message. All I could feel were constant eyes on me. I hoped my bus would come soon.

   Despite the horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, I kept a calm, cool and collected facial expression. But internally, I was wracking my brain for the possible identity of my stalker. I remembered the other kids who lived on this street. One of them might be friends with Jasper, obtained my phone number through him, and was using it to scare me. That didn't .ale sense though, as I didn't see Jasper giving out my number to just anyone, but then, I didn't know him very well yet either. I came up with several different possibilities, but they all had two things in common: Jasper, and a scare tactic.
Relief washed me like a hot shower when I finally saw the big yellow vehicle coming up the road. The last few seconds waiting for it to stop in front of me were excruciating, but at least I could see it now. I made a point to eye all the other kids from my street who got on. One was so tired I thought he was a zombie, so I crossed him out. Another girl just came running out of her house as the bus got there, holding a waffle in her mouth with a full of mop of bed head. I crossed her off too because there was no way she took time out her clearly hectic morning to bother with me. The last and final person from my street to get on was a guy who just looked completely oblivious of anything. I could tell he wasn't guilty, so I crossed him off too.

   Then, as I walked into math class, I finally saw the culprit. I smirked. What had I been so afraid of? Jasper, who was already sitting as I took a place next to him, asked me what I was smiling about. I shook my head, "Nothing," I said. I expected him to be curious, but instead he had a very worried look on him. He didn't say anything else though. I was glad of that, because I didn't want to tell him that his ex girl was stalking me and get him all worked up. I could handle her myself, and I wasn't about to go pulling Jasper into it. That was senseless drama.

   Of course, I hadn't yet worked out how Summer had gotten my number, but I was sure she was the one behind the texts. That girl was literally the only enemy I had made in this new town, so far. She was the only one with a motive. I was a little surprised she would be taking it this far, but hey, who knows what's in the water here?

   Jasper kept up his worried persona, all the time looking like he wanted to ask or tell me something. I just acted like my usual self, threatening to get the whole class in trouble for making them laugh so much while earning more death stares from Summer. I was in a pretty good mood now. The only thing that was going to compromise that was the look on Jasper's face. It was like his concern and worry was just radiating off of him to me. I did my best to ignore him because I was just coming out of my own state of paranoia, and I didn't need his.

   He took off at an absolute sprint when the bell rang. I knew from past observations that he was heading in the direction of his locker. It was funny to see him take off like that, but he wasn't heading towards me, so it didn't concern me.

   I put my things in my locker and slammed it shut, and then I actually almost broke my nose on the wall I rammed into. "Jasper!" I scolded, pushing his bulky frame away from me. "I wanted to talk to you in math," he said without budging, "but there were too many people." He put his hands on either side of me, and I realized I was trapped. "I'm going to be late for gym," I said aggravatedly pushing against him, but he remained unmoving as if I had applied no pressure at all. "I just need to talk to you without all these people around," he said deep in thought, looking anywhere but at me.