Blocked

Four

     The computer lab was completely empty, which was a bit different than how it normally was.

     "Must be a slow weekend," I said to myself as I pulled out the chair to my assigned computer and sat down.

     "Go ahead and make some noise, since it's only us. But you still need to behave," I said to Izzy, pointing my finger out to her. She nodded her head and ran over to a shelf stuffed with children's books.

     I scanned my computer card on the reader and the screen came to life, logging itself in.

     I stared at the computer screen until it finally finished booting up, then opened up a page for the internet, and a word document.

     "You couldn't have done that at home?" I heard a voice ask, and I quickly turned around, not expecting to get interrupted by anyone. 

      It was Cameron. The elevator guy.

     "What do you mean?" I asked, turning back toward the computer screen, quickly stealing a glance at Izzy. She sat on the floor, flipping through a large colorful book, not noticing the interruption at all.

     "Surfing the internet and making a document. Basically everyone has at least one personal computer these days. Why come all the way to the library to do something you could've just done at home?" he asked, pulling out the empty chair to the left of me and sitting down on it.

     "We don't have a printer," I continued. "Also it's nice to get out once in a while. Have a little fun."

     "I see. So your idea of fun is an hour or two at the library?" he asked, the corner of his mouth lifting.

     "Uh. No. Not really. I just mean, being cooped up in my house taking care of my siblings all the time, it's nice to get out for any reason and have a bit of my own freedom," I explained, and he raised his hands in mock defense.

     "Whew. Didn't mean to hit any nerves there. But, alright. I understand. I guess I'd do the same."

     "It's alright. At least I have things in life that make it worth it," I said, turning to look at Cameron.

     "And what's that?" he asked, a small smirk on his lips.

     "The people that love me," I answered, giving Cameron a blank stare. His smirk grew stronger.

     "Well than I hope there's a lot of people that love you. Because I wouldn't want you having no reason to live," he said, quietly.

     "Thanks," I said back in almost a whisper. It sounded like an endearing comment, but the way he said it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention. I turned back toward the computer screen and began typing something in the document.

     "Well, I don't wanna' keep you from your work. See you sometime in the near future," he said, and my typing became slower and suddenly stopped as I heard Cameron get up and walk away.

     "Oh... Kay," I quietly said to myself, staring at Izzy.

     "Is it me? Or does he seem weird, kinda," I whispered to her. She was still holding onto the book, but smiled up at me in response. I smiled back.

     "I have a feeling if you weren't here with me, I'd be in the back of his van right now," I said, twisting my lips and turning my focus back to the screen.

     "But anyways. My paper is going to be on...," I trailed off, reaching into my bag for a piece of paper with my assignment written on it.

     "Online predators. That's nice," I said, shoving the paper back into my bag and typing 'Online Predators' as my title on my document. For the next hour and a half, I researched my paper topic. I felt like I knew all the ins and outs on online predators by the time I had finished my paper.

     In fact, it was pretty frightening. I had no idea how easy it was to be a predator and stalk anyone online. I had never thought of it as a danger to post such personal things online. I had no idea how easy it was to track someone down with the little information you had about them.

     "Such a fucked up world we live in," I mumbled to myself, clicking the print button. When I heard the printer across the room sputtering to life, I knew my paper was being produced, and I shut down the computer.

     I swung my bag over my shoulder and picked up Izzy. She had fallen asleep on a chair next to me after giving up on her books. Her head slumped against my shoulder as I pushed in both chairs at the computers and made my way over to the printer to gather my finished paper. I shuffled over to the elevators and went to push the button, but hesitated.

     "No thanks," I whispered, and pushed through the door to the stairs. On the main floor, I returned my computer card to the front desk, the same elderly woman perched up on a stool.

     "Do you have a stapler I could use, please?" I asked, keeping a good grip on my sleeping sister.

     "Of course," she said, reaching under the desk then handing me a black stapler.

     "Thank you," I said, stapling my papers together and wondering what else the woman kept beneath her desk.

     "Have a good day," the woman said as I walked away.

     "Thanks, you too," I responded, walking through the doors and out into the cool air outside. It was still light outside, so it mustn't have been too late. 

     Walking across the lot to my car, I tightened my grip on my sleeping sister. On the other side of the lot, leaning against a black car, was Cameron. He stood calmly, smoking a cigarette. He was staring straight at me, and he looked like he had been standing there the entire time. Almost like he was waiting for me.

     I placed my hand on Izzy's back and walked faster to the car, shoving my hand into my bag for my keys and unlocking the doors. I quickly slipped into the driver seat after getting Izzy into her own car seat.

     "Today is really not my day,"I mumbled to myself, buckling my own seat belt and shoving the keys into the ignition. I started the engine just in time to see Cameron, in the rear view mirror, flicking his cigarette into the grass and letting out the last puff of smoke. Driving out of the lot was almost too awkward, considering it meant going right past him. His car was parked right next to the exit, and he continued to stare straight at me. I tried my best to pretend I didn't notice him, glancing down at the radio and messing with the knobs as I pulled the car out of the lot.

     "Thank god," I breathed, settling back into my seat and exhaling deeply as I drove away from the library. I looked in the rear view mirror one more time, seeing Cameron walk around to the driver side of his car and get in.

     "Oh, please tell me he's not gonna' follow me," I said aloud, taking a turn to another road I had never traveled on before.

     "Fuck. Where the hell am I going?" I questioned myself. "Calm down, Hailey, Christ. It's not like he's stalking you, or anything. Just bad timing, that's all."

     I exhaled through pursed lips as I did a slow U-turn, making my way back onto the main road. When I got to the stop light, the black car was nowhere in sight.

     "See. Bad timing," I assured myself, making my way back home. Glancing in the rear view mirror one more time, I saw Izzy silently sleeping in her car seat, her head slumped down. Seeing her so peaceful calmed me down just enough to refocus.

     I sighed to myself and stared forward as I continued the drive home.