Another Teen Love Story

Chapter 17: I See You

“Take another one you nasty hoe.” Nicole always made me feel cheaper than I was. “Come on Ana, shots, shots, shots!” Nicole could be described as a wild one. On the first day at Wingword University, she was the first one who spoke to me. Other than that, she managed to coax me out of my shell.

“Ana, 3pm, hunk-muffin over there has been staring at your ass for the last two minutes.” Trying to recollect if I’ve informed Nic that I already had a boyfriend, I reminded her anyway, ”Lucas, remember?” Nicole rolled her eyes, “Right, you and your perfect boyfriend and your boring relationship life.” I disregarded her comment, after Ryan, I finally opened up to someone who I felt would understand what I went through.

My phone dinged.

[New Message]

Liam: Hey Ana, I’ve been swarmed with the new assignments lately, I’ll take a rein check on meeting you at The Pink Room tonight. How does lunch tomorrow sound? x
01:32am

My Reply: Sure. Carmella’s Bistro?
01:34am

I put my phone away, I could feel Nicole glaring at me. “If you’re going to be a party pooper, go somewhere else.” I knew she didn’t mean it, but I took that as an opportunity to leave. “I think I might actually go home now.”

Nicole’s eyes widened, “I was kidding!” There was no backing out now, I was looking forward to unwinding to some Netflix and munching on some the day old pasta, “I’m really tired, I really should go.” Nicole gave her award wining eye roll again and ended it with, “Bye you whore! I mean bore.”

I walked out of the club, and wrapped myself in my arms, scouting a cab to take me home. It was awfully chilly in New York this time of the year.
I checked my phone.

[New Messages]
Liam: Carmella sounds great x
01:40am

Lucas: Hey babe, I’m at your place, used the spare key to get in. See you soon, love you xxx
01:53am

It was now 2:17am and I was desperate to get home. Glancing at the two way street, I looked across to admire and also feel sorry for all the apartment buildings. The usual couples watching television, woman standing by the window with curlers in her hair.

I shifted my attention to the pavement, just the normal people going home for the first couple of gates. Then I see him, a man, that had little to complete disinterest in the scene behind me, but he seemed to be focused on something else.

He started crossing the road, just then a car came speeding furiously down. “Sir! Move out of the way!” But he was set on getting to my side of the road. To me.

The car was just about to hit him, but instead, he went through it. ‘Not again.’ I thought. A cab started driving my way and I took that as an opportunity to frankly, get the fuck out of that
situation.

I dialled Lucas’s number, after three rings he answered with his croaky voice, ”Yeah…?” All I could come up with was, “It’s happening again, Lucas it’s happening again oh my god.” There was a hint of static and then, “Baby, te- whe- get h-me.” I hope the reception was the problem.

I got home to my quaint little apartment, rent was cheap because it was further away from the city and I worked at a cute cafe called Cindy's Place to get by. The only downside is, when it’s dark, it’s really dark. “Ma’am we’re here, it’ll be 11.95.” I handed him 12 dollars, ”Keep the change.”

I fumbled for my keys, and kept looking behind me. Just when I found them the man from across the bar walked towards me, ”Stay away from me.” Holding out my sad excuse for defence, Mace.

His bloodied hand grazed my forehead, but swiftly enough to leave some kind of mark, “Malo merebaris.” (Translate: The evil one is upon you.) Lucas must’ve heard me, I lived on the second floor, and the bed was facing the road, “Fuck off!” He shouted and opened the gate to hold me. He was in full rage, ready to attack. The man walked away, unfearful. Lucas was about to grab him, “Don’t!” I pulled him back.

We went back to the apartment, and when I got into the shower what I saw horrified me. He had drawn a cross on my forehead. Not any kind of cross, it was upside down.

I start scrubbing at my face profusely, to the point my skin starts turning red, the blood didn’t appear to end, and just when I thought it didn’t, I started to see my bare forehead again.

Stomping out of the bathroom, greeted with Lucas peering out of the window, probably looking for impending danger, I startle him.

“Look at what he put on me!” He darted around as I showed him a picture I had taken on my phone of the cross he marked me with.

“What do you think it means?” I’m no expert, but judging from the many horror movies I’ve watched I replied, “Well, going out on a limb here, but I’m pretty sure it’s the symbol of the anti-Christ.”

“Are you sure?” Obviously, it sounded crazy.

Lucas stood just a head taller than me but it wasn’t far enough for me to know that to him, what I was saying was questionable.
“Yep.” I replied. The conversation hadn’t acquired any kind of understanding what had just unfolded. So I retreated to the bathroom, took of my black sequined halter top, and my denim high waisted skirt and got into the shower.

“Come in.” Lucas knocked on the door, I was brushing my teeth, naked. The steam from the water took some time to settle, but when Lucas realised I was naked, he stopped mid-sentence, “What if-“ and his eyes trailed off, “Yes?” he shook his head and pulled me to him by the small of my back.
I glance at the floor, I had stubbed my toe on a hole we kept postponing to inform the maintenance guy to fix.

I looked up to a man that was not my boyfriend, he had a devilish grin that spread too wide to be human and eyes darker than black. I shoved him off, and as soon as I blinked the vision was gone. 
Knowing that I had already cause a frenzy earlier, I didn’t tell him what I saw. I tied my hair in a bun, pulled on a silk night gown and headed to my bed.

“Baby, why did you come over today?” I looked at him as he devour me with his eyes.
“Well… I hadn’t seen you since…. Yesterday…. And you know.” He started to kiss my neck from the back and slowly down to my back. I laid on my stomach, “Massage? Please?” It wasn’t what he had in mind, but he did it anyway. I slowly started drifting off into a semi-comfortable slumber.

But the visions, oh the visions…..