Violence [Jack Barakat]

1

"Stop being such a bitch and get out here." My best friend Alex has been nagging me about not going to prom, so he physically dragged me along to the shop with his girlfriend Lisa to buy me something.

"I hate you Gaskarth," I muttered as I opened the door of the dressing room stall and stepped out to display the green gown.

"This one's perfect, Charlotte! Lets pack it up and get going." Lisa chirped. She is probably the happiest, sweetest person I have ever met. You could probably tell how nice she is just by looking at her. Shiny brown hair, bright green eyes that light up when she smiles (which is a lot), and pink lips that have permanently turned up corners.

"Doesn't this feel nice? It's our last year in high school, you need to start living it up," Alex advised. He has always been part of the popular crowd, and me being his shadow. He's been in many bands and has a great voice for singing, everyone loved him and he loved everyone. I will never understand how him and Lisa, the power-couple, can be so outgoing.

I sighed as we all walked to the register of the small boutique. The prices were unsurprisingly high, but Alex offered to pay for it all, even though he wasn't exactly the richest person. 'Anything for my two favorite girls,' he would say.

The chimes on the top of the door sounded, signaling that someone had just entered the store. Out of habit I turned around to see who it was. A man who looked a few years older than me, dressed in all black, began to examine the suits.

I lost interest in what he was doing and began to leave the store with my friends. Thankfully they never got too touchy when I was around them, making me feel less like a third wheel.

As we drove back to Alex's house, I noticed that I've been hearing a faint hum of an engine throughout the ride. I looked out of the back window to see a guy on a motorcycle, but I couldn't see his face due to the helmet.

"Guys, I think we're being followed. I've heard the sound of a motorcycle for the past 10 minutes."

"Damn it, we're almost home, I'll take some random turns here and there to see if we'll lose him." Just as he said this, Alex took a sharp left turn which caused me and Lisa to lean over the side unexpectedly.

"Try to do that smoother next time," Lisa scolded him.

I looked back to see that the guy was still behind us. I notified Alex, so he took yet another turn.

After a few minutes of sharp turns onto unknown roads, we made it back to the Gaskarth residence.

"I think we lost him now, also some gas." Alex hisses. "If I ever find this guy I'll make him pay this gas bill."

The three of us enter Alex's home and finish whatever homework we had been assigned for the weekend. After a stressful game of monopoly and listening to Alex use his god-created vocal chords, I decided that it was time for me to go home and leave the happy couple alone until Alex's parents came home.

I didn't have my car with me, and I didn't want to bother Alex, so I chose to text my mom to pick me up. She said that she'd arrive in 5 minutes, so I thought it would be a good idea to sit outside and get some fresh air until she arrives.

Well, I turned out to be wrong, and it ended up being a horrible idea. Because the man was leaning against his motorcycle right across the street.

As soon as he saw me, he began walking over to Alex's front steps where I was seated. I was bewildered and didn't know what to do until he stood only three feet away from me.

As soon as I broke out of my shock, I felt a sharp pain in my neck, and darkness overcame my sight.