Lure To The Woods

VII

Sleep was once again a distant memory as I laid awake for the remaining hours of the night, staring at the flaking paint on the ceiling. I had just been going over what happened in my head over and over. Eventually, I texted Heather, telling her to be on time to school so that I could tell her what happened during our free.

I don't think I'd ever been this early to school. I was so early the janitor was still unlocking certain rooms. Sending him a small smile, I jogged up the steps and inside the Sixth Form common room. Heather and Fred, who was awake this time, were sat on our usual corner sofa. I bounded over, flopping onto the pillows next to them.

Only a few people were in the common room, since it was so early, but I decided to lower my voice just in case. You never know, they might tell my stalker what I said. He had said that I would know him if I knew his name, implying our social circles weren't far apart. I wasn't sure why Fred was here so early, but knowing him he had probably just wandered here straight out of a rave.

"I got his number yesterday." I hissed to Heather the second I sat down, making her eyebrows shoot up.

"How in the hell did that happen? You spoke to him? That's not safe, Cameron! You shouldn't have done that." Heather reprimanded me, sitting up straight.

"Dude, you're gay?" Fred blurted, looking at me confused.

"Shut it." Heather grumbled, looking past me warily.

I glanced over my shoulder, noticing a few people were looking right at us, listening intently. They had definitely heard what Fred said. It made me uncomfortable and I could feel in the pit of my stomach that they had something to do with what's going on; I wasn't sure how, but I was going to find out.

"Fire escape, now." I whispered, then returning to a normal pitch, "God I need a ciggie. Coming, guys?"

Heather caught on to what I was doing, thankfully. She loudly declared that she too needed a cigarette and we inconspicuously darted for the fire escape. We closed the door behind us, climbing right down to the bottom of the rickety old metal frame to make sure nobody could see us. Heather shot me an 'explain now' look and I sighed, taking a seat.

"I was going to stay in, like you suggested, but the twins showed up at mine. We walked to the park and chilled there for a bit. Everything was fine while we were together, no weird stalker, but I felt like I was being watched. While walking home, I fell on my ass and he appeared, asking if I was okay. I ran away and he followed me. I ended up calling him, but withholding my number, just to get some answers." I explained briefly.

"Did you ask him who he is?" Heather coaxed, hanging onto my every word.

"Of course, it was the first thing I asked. He refused to answer and gave me some bullshit about it being better if I didn't know. Apparently I know him. Well, that I'd recognise his name if he told me. I just hung up on him; I didn't let him explain." I shrugged, watching Fred try to process what we were talking about.

"What if you angered him?" Heather paled, taking ahold of my hand.

"He's not going to hurt me, Heather." I jumped to his defence, surprising even myself.

I groaned, burying my head in my hands. What the hell was going on with me? Snapping at Heather and defending my literal stalker? I was losing it. I mumbled a sorry and she patted my back comfortingly, saying I probably just needed a good nights sleep. She was right, I needed sleep, but that's not why I defended him.

"Don't hate me, but I think that I might be attracted to him." I mumbled into my hands, afraid to look up at her.

"Attracted like you are to all of your girlfriends or..." She left the question in the air, essentially asking if I had felt genuine romantic feelings.