Ghost of You

8

-Kennedy-

I was on mile two of my night run when I started feeling it. There was this weird sensation like I was being watched. I began to pick up my pace and shivers ran down my spine as I feared what awaited me. I kept checking my surroundings but no one was there. The streetlight cast an eerie glow on the pavement and the night was quiet except for the occasional car that passed by. I was feeling more secure as I got closer to my neighborhood, that was until I heard a stick clearly snap behind me. I whipped around to see a hooded figure. The shadows were too dark to make out a face. I stood my ground whipping my hand into my pocket to grab my phone. The figure who had been distant began sprinting towards me and I found myself screaming when a car took a rapid turn braking between us. The lights were blinding and the horn deafening. The hooded figure dashed away in fear as a tall man stepped out of the car. I noticed the tennis shoes the stalker had been wearing. They seemed oddly familiar.

"Ashton?!" I screamed in relief and confusion as I identified the man coming out of the car that had saved me.

"Kennedy?! What are you doing out here?! What the hell just happened?!" He yelled back.

"I don't know! I was going for a run and then I realized this guy was following me!" I explained still a little out of breath.

"Are you ok?" He asked putting a hand on each of my shoulders and looking me up and down.

"Yeah I think so," I replied trying to let my breathing slow.

"Do you want me to call the police? Could you see who it was?" Ashton asked in a calm but firm voice.

"No, it's ok. I didn't see who it was and he didn't hurt me."

"You sure?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

I nodded decisively.

"Well get in then, I'll drive you home." He said pulling me into a hug. "Are sure you're alright?"

"Yeah I'm just a little shaken up. Would you mind if we stopped somewhere to breathe a little before we go home? I don't want to scare Luke."

"Of course." He nodded sitting back down in the drivers seat.

We ended up going to a 24 hour diner that looked like it was straight out of the 60s. He ordered a chocolate banana milkshake and I got an Oreo shake.

"Thank you," I smiled shyly at Ashton, "I don't know what I would've done without you."

"Luke's going to be jealous when he finds out I was the one to swoop in and save his girl," Ashton grinned playfully. "I'm kidding, honestly he'll just be glad to know you're safe."

"Agreed," I responded taking in a sweet sip of milkshake. I had been scrolling through my phone to see if something totally improbable could be true. I gasped as my fears were confirmed.

"Kennedy what is it?" Ashton exclaimed with sudden concern.

"The person that was following me... no it can't be... I think it was my ex boyfriend." I murmured.

"Show me," Ashton commanded. I zoomed in on a picture of Will from Instagram in which he was wearing the same tennis shoes. "That seems about right, height and body shape wise." Ashton agreed. "But why would he be after you?"

"Well... let's just say he has very aggressive tendencies that have been getting- well- out of control lately. He found out that Luke and I were together and he wasn't happy. He kept calling me, he thought that I had been cheating on him with Luke and tried to confront me at our house, he left a very graphic box on our front door, and now this. He's like obsessed." I explained, realizing how crazy it all sounded.