Behind The Screen [COMPLETE]

Conversation 29

"You can't do it, can you?"

Carmen sighed, shaking her head as she stepped away from the car yet again. "I'm sorry."

"Stop apologising. It's not your fault. We can just take a walk," Allison replied, wondering what made Carmen apologise when she had nothing to be sorry for.

"But I'm so lazy to walk." Carmen groaned, refusing to fall in step with Allison.

She rolled her eyes. "And Old Carmen has returned."

Carmen pressed her lips together so that she wouldn't smile. "Don't you get tired of constantly being on your feet?"

"Nope."

"Unbelievable," she muttered.

Allison laughed. "It's really not a big deal. You just move your legs. See?"

"I know how to walk, Allison, I'm not a baby."

"Oh, my bad. I seem to forget that since you're always acting like one."

"Since when does the Oh So Great Allison May have a sense of humour?"

She laughed. "Come on, Carmen. There's no getting ice cream if you don't start walking."

"Yes, mum, I'm aware."

"Then get a move on! Let's go, I want ice cream already."

With an exasperated sigh, Carmen fell into step with her, walking on the pavement with the cars passing by.

She was glad her patch was finally off; she was getting so tired of people asking what happened to her head when they see it. Her marks and bruises were also almost completely gone, and she couldn't be more grateful.

She was completely back to normal, living her usual life. Except that Allison and her mum were constantly telling her to catch up with all her work. But who wants to do work in the holidays?

As if reading her mind, Allison asked, "How's homework going?"

"It's going."

Allison stopped walking. "You haven't even started?"

"I thought you wanted ice cream? Why did you stop walking?" Carmen asked, dodging her question and continuing to walk.

"Carmen," Allison called from behind, "this is serious! When are you going to start?"

"Stop stressing," Carmen said, dragging the words out. "You need to chill."

She made a sound of protest, but said no more, walking next to Carmen again.

"Oh my God," Allison suddenly said with a tone of urgence. She pulled Carmen behind a group of three big women who were walking in front of them, ducking behind the biggest and tallest.

"Can you make yourself any more obvious?" Carmen asked. "Who're you hiding from now?"

"Remember the boy next door? He —"

Carmen looked around wildly. "Where's that mo —"

"Carmen, no!" Allison hissed, pulling her back. "Stop."

"How can you tell me to stop after what that guy almost did?"  Carmen asked angrily, thinking of the conversation the two of them had yesterday. What sick person would try to take advantage of an innocent person who they got drunk? Carmen was so grateful that that random dude stepped in just in time.

"Just . . . stop, okay?"

Studying Allison's tender features, she nodded stiffly. "Just show me who he is."

Allison nodded in the direction of a guy dressed in black from head to toe. You couldn't see his face; he hid it with a black hoodie.

But Carmen didn't need to see his face. She recognised his walk.

"Allison, have you not seen that guy before?"

Confused, Allison shook her head. "The first time I saw him was when he moved. Why?"

"Oh, I was just asking."

But Carmen knew it was him. The saunter gave it away. The height, the way he walked. There was no denying it was him.

And at the very last minute, before he rounded the corner, he turned his head and looked right at Carmen's smoldering gaze. His eyes opened in surprise, and he quickly disappeared around the corner.

The same cold blue eyes.