The Scary Outdoors

Two

"Hello"

***

"H-hey" I stutter nervously. I'm not good at social interaction.

"I didn't see you yesterday when me and my family went to your house to introduce ourselves" he said. I noticed he had a British accent. Was he British? Why did he move here?

"I generally don't talk to people I guess" I said.

"Are you shy? I used to be when I was little" he asked.

Let him think I was just 'shy' then. If it gets me an excuse to stop talking to him that is. "Extremely" I say.

"Talking to people is not that bad, you'll see they have interesting stories to tell" he says.

I don't know what to say to that. I scoffed, interesting stories? Yeah right, more like interesting reasons to hurt you.

"Is it so hard to believe that people are nice?" He said, amused. He must have heard me. I felt heat rush to my cheeks.

"Yes" I breathed.

"Ah, a girl with trust issues I see?" He chuckled. I blushed even more. The way he put it made me sound, feel stupid.

"I guess you could put it that way" I shivered. Why was I even talking to him? Maybe talking to someone that's not my sister and mother after so long is finally taking its toll.

No, I have to stop talking to this boy. It's wrong.

"What's your name? I'm Aiden" he said introducing himself.

"Um..." I can't give him my real name! Think, Athena.

"Sofia" I say. Great, you told him your second name. That is still information he could use against you! You should've said something like Rebecca or Juniper.

Stupid, Athena!

"Thats a nice name. See you around, Sofia. I have to go" he saluted me.

I quickly closed the window and shut the blinds before he decided to say anything else.

What have I done?

***

I read on my laptop, and take notes. I am homeschooled if you haven't guessed and I am currently studying trigonometry-which I hate- a lot.

I hate this! I needed a break. I slammed my laptop shut angrily and my anger dissolved as soon as I saw the sunset. I walked tentatively to my window, pencil still in hand and pressed my other one to it.

It looked so tempting. I opened the window and shakily put my pencil in my window sill. I stretched my right hand towards the tree in front of me. So close. A beautiful bird was perched on its branch, making a nest.

I tentatively touched the branch, then retracted my hand to my chest quickly. I wiped my hand quickly on my shirt, I had to get it off me. The outside smell.

The bird seemed to glare at me, as if she knew I was criticizing her home. Then she flew away into the big, purple and orange sky. I extended my hand to it, perplexed.

Then I hear them. The voices in my head.

What are you doing? It's dangerous.

It doesn't seem like it...

"Daddy! Help!"

"No! Shut up!" I screamed, feeling my eyes water. I collapsed on my window seat, face in my hands. Stupid, Athena. You can't do anything right.

"It's okay, sweetheart I'll help you I promise" his voice was shaky with fear.

I felt the now familiar tip of a blade on my neck.

"Daddy" I croaked before I passed out.

"Shut up, shut up" I whispered, tears streaming down my face.

"Scream one more time and I will cut your fingers off, one by one princess"

"It's not real, it's not real" I said, covering my ears. Tears we streaming down my face and my breath was coming in ragged gasps.

"Are you okay?" I heard a voice ask.

I jumped and looked towards the direction of the voice. It was Aiden.

I was thinking of closing the blinds or making a witty remark but I was weak. "I'm used to it" i finally said.

"Want me to come over?" He asked with concern in his voice.

I kept staring at him in shock, not knowing how to react. He slowly put one foot on a tree branch, then another and grabbed the trunk. He then stepped on my branch and slowly crouched in front of me.

He was so close to me, we were eye to eye. I shook my head and got out of the window seat and ran to my bed quickly.

He chuckled lightly and sat down in the window seat. My window seat. I was shaking uncontrollably and couldn't feel anything, I felt nauseous. A stranger is in my room.

More tears streamed down my face.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, closing the window. I suddenly felt cold. I liked feeling the sunshine, it was like going outside without the commitment.

I shook my head. Thinking about it made it worse.

"Do you want me to open the window?" He asked. He must've seen me staring at it.

I nodded. He opened it. "Come on, sit with me I won't hurt you" he said, tapping the space beside him.

"Come on, sit with me I won't hurt you"

I felt light as air, adrenaline coursing through my veins. I quickly grabbed my pepper spray and pocket knife.

"Woah, no need to do that" he said, standing up. He was walking towards me slowly, like a explorer walking towards a lion. To be tamed. I wouldn't be tamed.

He slowly took my hand and I felt a small shock go through it, I immediately pulled it away. He looked at it confused.

He then pulled the other down. He tried to slowly pry the pepper spray off my hand. "Don't worry, you will be okay" he said looking into my eyes.

"Don't worry you will be okay"

I closed my hand tightly around the pepper spray and un-capped it. Then I quickly sprayed it into his face with my eyes closed. This all happened in a matter of seconds.

***

A/N: Hello! Hoped you liked it. I'm so sorry if it's boring but you know how the first chapters in a book are!

Italian-blossom