I See you

Chapter 9

Christy

The school day drags on, me worrying about Saph not showing up for classes. In my notebooks, I Doodle me, kicking EJ's ass if he hurt Saphire, making me feel immensley better. Half way through the day, I catch a flash of orange, and turn my head, almost screaming and falling out of my chair. There, right outside the three story window of my English class, was Tic,holding on for dear life as he waves at me.

'What are you doing here?!' I mouth at him. He shrugs and pulls down his muzzle, mouthing, 'Bathroom, now.' at me. I sigh, and grab my pass book, going up to my teacher.

"Um, may I go to the restroom?" She looks up from grading her papers and smiles, quickly signing the paper, and going back to grading. I head to the girls bathroom, checking under each stall, and closing the door, just as Tic climbs in through the window.

"What is it?" I whisper over at him, and he leans against the wall.

"Have you s-seen EJ?" I blink, and a swirling sensation starts in my stomach. I shake my head, grab my abdomen, and start to pale sevearly. My intuition tells me somethings wrong. And my intuitions never been wrong before.

"No.. And Saphs not here either. Somethings wrong. Somethings very wrong." I sigh shakily, and lean against the sink.

"Are you ok?" He asks suddenly, walking over swiftly and pulling out a paper towel, gently wiping my pale brow.

"I'm fine." I whisper back, breathing deeply to calm down. Huh... no cologne, no Axe or Bod, just a clean smell with a slight tinge, like mint. His toothpaste, maybe? I blink away the thoughts, and loo up at him.

"Y-You look like you're going to faint." He whispers back, only a foot away. He takes off his muzzle and goggles, wiping sweat from his chin. It is unnaturally hot in here.

"I'm fine, really." I say firmly, and he grins. Hes still so close... I could just... I quickly drop my hand, and shift so that I'm sitting on them, so that they cant move on their own.

"Christy. I have to tell you something." He says, looking down. He starts tapping on the sink next to me, his arms suddenly on either side of my thighs, trapping me. I make a little, "mum?" sound, and he sighs.

"You know... that I'm the one... who saved you?" I take a moment to register what he's saying, then through my head back and laugh.

"Christy?" He asks, connfused. I smile and wipe a tear from my eye with a flourish.

"Of course I knew that! Why do you think I read your story in the first place? I saw your picture, and I go, 'Huh... That looks familiar.' I read up on you, and I had no doubt you were my Toby." He blushes suddenly.

"Y-Y-Your T-Toby?" He whispers. I shrug.

"Well, the Toby I knew. My Guardian Angel, as my dad calls you." I tilt my head, wondering why hes so..nervous all the sudden.

"Oh... O-Ok." He whispers, and looks up at me, staring at me. I can feel his breath on my lips, and my hair swings down, covering part of my face.

"Can you... p-promise me something?" He asks sheepishly. I raise an eyebrow, and lean slightly forward.

"Yeah. Sure." I respond, and his eye twitches ever so slightly, the glow of his cheeks reddening.

"Jeff. He... H-He found out about you. Hes... stuck in his ways. He th-thinks that EJ and I are weak for not killing you and Saph. He wants to finish the job," He starts digging around for something in his back pocket, "both of the jobs." He whispers, meeting my eyes. I stare at him, and clench my fists. "So, if some guy that looks like the joker went Emo, use this." He hands me a chrome finished pen. I glance at him, taking it, and raising my eyebrow higher.

"What is it?" I ask, and click the top. Instead of a ball point, a long antenna shoots out, with a sharp point. I yelp, and click it back in.

"Heh, sorry. Sh-shoulda warned ya. Thisll p-protect you if he gets to you when I'm not around. But I hope that doesn't happen. Remember, hes a ps-psycopath, and wont hesitate to kill you. If you have to, kill him. Anything to stay alive." I look up, hardening and narrowing my eyes.

"I'm not scared of him. I'm not scared of any of you." I say strongly, meeting his eyes. Hes closer. Six inches.

"You should be... S-scared I mean. E-Especially of me." He whispers. I smile, and shake my head.

"Why?" I finally ask, and he meets my eyes. Four inches.

"Because I'm a killer. Were all murderers. Were all insane." I chuckle.
Three inches.

"Hey, don't you know? Were all Mad here." He chuckles, and his breath tickles my lips.

Two inches.

"Yeah... We are." He closes his eyes. I close mine. I put my hand on top of his and--

BBBBRRRRRIIIIIIING!

I yelp and jump back, falling into the sink as the bell startles us both. He looks around wildly, and I shoo him out, jumping up just as a group of girls comes in. I quickly reapply some clear lip balm, and wave as I walk out.

My cheeks burning, I make my way to my next class.

~×~

"Good bye, Christy!" My school play director calls after me. I turn, walking backwards, and wave. We got done later than usual, and its about 9:30 at night when I finally step out into the crisp fall night. I start walking, humming along to my own tune. The wind whips around me, whistling. Almost... like its trying to warn me. I stop, and the wind stops.

And I hear it.

Footsteps.

I start walking again, reaching into my jacket pocket for the antenna pen Tic gave me, and gripping it tightly. The footsteps get closer.

Its probably just someone from the play. Or a night-jogger. I try to reassure myself, but I realize that the footsteps are too quiet to be natural. My own footsteps are silent, years of dance class when I was younger fought me how to move silently and gracefully, and these footsteps are almost imperceptible. Like someones trying to be quiet, but their shoes are too heavy.

Like combat boots.

They're geting closer, and my hand its shaking from gripping the pen so tightly. My jaw is shaking from my effort to keep from screaming.

"Hey, dear. Aren't you up late?" I whip around, only seeing the white hoodie, black hair, and sinister ear-to-ear smile in the dark. He pulls out a large knife from his pocket, and looks up at me, his unblinking eyes burning with insanity and bloodlust. "Why don't you... Go To Sleep!" He screams, and lunges for me.

My hand comes out of my pocket, I hear a click, and blood splattered all over me.