The Boy Witch

6: The Car Stalker

Dim light filtered through the window shades despite the blaring beep of my alarm. I groan as I close a hand down over my phone, cracking an eye open to turn it off. I lay there in bed for a moment, momentarily wondering why I would need to get up so early. I sit up quickly in bed, suddenly wide awake and aware that today was the first day of school.

Yesterday I had spent the whole day cleaning the house and making it livable until I could do more. I had also called Wintervale High School and arranged with them that I would be coming to school today. Everything was in order, now was the time for my careful plan to mess up. I was almost sure of it.

I quickly set out my daily routine, washing up and the like. There was no food in the kitchen, so I decide to stop by a coffee shop on the way. I leave the house wearing clothes I consider normal, which consists of worn combat boots, faded jeans, and a simple dark colored shirt and jacket. I sling my messenger bag on my shoulder and lock up the house.

"I don't think anyone is going to come all the way out here to break into a scarcely lived-in home," Morrigan states flatly from my shoulder. She was a relatively small cat in this form, so more often than not her favorite perches are from my shoulders and head. I glance at her from the corner of my eye. "That's sort of the point. Now we don't have to worry about prying eyes."

I walk down the porch steps and set out down the dirt road in the early morning light. "When we get into town, don't let anyone see you, please," I ask, slightly exasperated. "I don't want any unwanted complications in school today."

Morrigan snorts, shaking her head slightly. "Why don't you drop out of school if you don't want any trouble? It'd be a lot easier on us." I heave a sigh, not wanting this conversation again. "You know exactly why I can't and refuse to drop school."

No matter how many times I tell her, I can't seem to get it through that thick head of hers that I actually like school. That, and that I can't legally drop from school until I'm sixteen. Even then I need to have a guardian's signature and since there is no guardian to sign off, someone would find out eventually.

We continue the walk into town in silence, the sun beginning to come up. It was maybe about half an hour into the walk when a black shiny car shows up from down the road. It drove towards me from the direction of the town and I step to the left side of the road to let the car pass. As it drove past and disappeared over the small hill, I wonder where the car could be heading this far out.

A few minutes later, I hear a car's engine not unlike the one from before driving up behind me. At first, the only two responses that came into my head was to turn around and see who was driving or to just make a break for the forest. I resist against these, however, and continue walking down the now paved road, pretending to ignore the car pulling up besides me. The car slowed down to the speed of my walking, not stopping completely but not leaving me alone, either.

I chance a glance over to the black tinted windows and look away, speeding up my walking just a little. The windows of the car roll down, once again attracting my attention and pulling my sight back to the window. The window rolls down fully, revealing a boy not much older than me sitting in the driver's seat. He had a shock of golden styled short-cropped hair and icy blue eyes that were slightly familiar, but all the while different. He wasn't bad looking, either. He was handsome, I would give him that, a definite lady-killer.

"Need a lift?" He asks, leaning out the car window slightly. I was suddenly glad Morrigan decided to disappear when she heard the car down the road. I only frown at the suspicious teen, stating a short, "No thanks." I stuff my hands further into my worn jacket pockets and push myself to walk faster, as if I could out-walk a car. The car easily matched my pace, keeping up with me effortlessly.