Gaze

Two.

What sane person has black eyes? He had blue. Why were they black? Was I imagining things? Considering my active imagination, I wouldn't put it past me, but to completely flounder for something along the edges of my mind like that; did I just make it up?

I couldn't stop asking myself these questions for a week. That blond man was nowhere to be found and the way he had said my name was almost as if he knew me. But I knew for a fact I definitely did not know him. I didn't understand what was going on. Nothing was making sense. The only thing I knew to be concrete was the fact that he was coming for me.

And Jessica wouldn't even be able to save me.

What did she have to do with this? Why was she even mentioned at all? He didn't seem to know her name like he did mine, and I knew names gave people power. At least she had that advantage over him.

But it seemed as if he had known her as well. I wouldn't be surprised, him being a stalker and all.

Stalkers typically know about their victims and if he was going to be stalking me, he would have to realize who my best friend was.

Should I tell Jessica? Should I get her even more wrapped up in this than she already is? I don't want her to be in danger but just simply being around me put her in danger and I found that even if I tried, I wouldn't be able to avoid her.

Jessica was persistent, if not anything else.

"—after school. Then we could probably swing by and grab some more yogurt," came Jessica's response to a question I had forgotten I had asked. She sat cross legged on my bed, a geometry book managing to lie gracefully across her lap. Everything she did could only be described as elegant and nothing else. I didn't know how she did it.

She could fall down the stairs and make it look natural.

Her fiery hair seemed to float around her face with volume that was impossible to obtain other than through the vivaciousness of personality. The freckles along her nose seemed darker without the harsh lighting of outside pressing against her face and green eyes danced with intelligence.

"Sounds good," I replied, reaching over with the grace of an elephant and slamming the geometry book shut. I was done with homework for now. I needed a break. Thank God Jessica was able to tutor me in Math, otherwise I'm sure my grade would be below the C it currently rested at.

The door of my room opened and my mom stood there with her hazel eyes watching the two of us. "Hey, girls. Dinner's ready." She smiled, smoothing her shirt down slightly and motioning for us to make our ways downstairs and to the table. As we climbed off my bed, she couldn't help the disapproving glint in her eye as she stared around my room.

I wasn't what most would consider messy. I kept my things off the floor and made sure my bed was made every day as well as clothes were in my closet. However, I always managed to have a stack of something on my dresser and my nightstand that caused my mom to overthink everything and believe there was a layer of dirt lining every corner of the room. To say she was a neat freak was being generous.

"Reagan, after Jessica leaves, you need to fix that stack of clothes on your dresser, alright? This is the second time I've asked you." With the latter part of her words, her eyebrow quirked in warning.

I gave her an innocent smile. "Okay, mom. Love you!" A kiss pressed itself to her cheek as I made my way downstairs.

At least my mom was lenient.

****

After dinner, Jessica and I grabbed my little Shih Tzu, Morgan, to take for a walk outside.