AM13 Outbreak Shorts

Outbreak Three

My happiness lasts over the next few days, despite the fact that I don't see Zac again. We didn't swap numbers or anything—he didn't ask and I was way too embarrassed to—so I have no way of communicating with him. I did have a quick search for him on Facebook, but he either doesn't have an account, he has great privacy settings, or he uses a weird name. Either way I couldn't find him, so I quickly gave up.

Instead I spend a lot of time just wandering around the village aimlessly, hoping to just accidentally-on-purpose bump into him again, but so far, no luck. I'm just glad to be out of the house though. Mum and dad are driving me nuts, stressing about everything. The new house, the new job, some new health scare they have heard about on the news...it's never ending with that pair sometimes. Now that I've decided that I'm going to love it here, I don't need any of their negativity dragging me down...

But eventually, after a week or so, the happy glow that was surrounding me starts to wane. It's still a while until school starts, and I haven't managed to find Zac or anyone else my age to befriend since that day. To try and curb my depression, I even attempt to contact some of my old friends from the city, but that just makes things worse when none of them bother tp respond to me.

I know my jealousy and bad feeling is misplaced—I can't exactly expect my old friends to do nothing now I'm not there—but that doesn't stop the frustrated tears from pricking my eyes as I see their fun-loving statuses and photographs of them all together. All without me in them. I'm gone, and it's as if they don't even notice. Who wouldn't feel bitter about that?

I just keep on feeling alone, over and over again.

I lie in my bed, tossing and turning, feeling irritated and boiling hot, and no more tired despite the late, incredibly dark hour. I can sense that it's going to be one of those long nights spent counting down the hours, and I hate that more than anything. It's the last thing I need right now, I'd love some time to switch off from this dark cloud of sadness!

I stand up, huffing, and force myself over to open up the window to try and let in some much-needed cold air, but as I do, I notice a shadowy figure standing on the street, acting a little odd. I watch for a moment, fascinated as this mysterious person shifts from one foot to the other, seemingly expecting something to happen, but nothing does.

Then, he steps into the light, and my heart leaps into my throat. I recognize that face—it's the one I've been daydreaming about for a while now—but what's he doing out there, acting strange?

Almost as if he senses that he's being watched, Zac glances up to me, and his face breaks into a big beaming smile. I wave, a little halfheartedly because I'm so confused, which he makes even worse by beckoning me to come outside.

It's almost midnight, what the hell does he want?