Off Ice.

Chapter Twenty-Eight.

Avery

It's like now that we know he's back, we think he's everywhere.

I don't blame Finn for freaking out last night, I don't blame him one bit. Especially after speaking with him about it. I know he didn't tell me everything Mason had said and usually I'd get annoyed at that, but I'm honestly not sure I want to know. I know that Finn wouldn't keep anything from me that was really serious or that would impede me from being safe.

We talked for hours and after I went into bed, I spent even longer thinking. Mason has been around for who knows how long - he's been watching me and figuring out what my routine is. I don't think that's changed - the only thing that's changed is that I know now.

I'm sure that's a naive way of thinking, I'm sure my mind is just trying to downplay everything for the sake of feeling like I'm not trapped. I'm not even sure if it's working, if I'm being honest. I feel trapped in every sense of the word.

I feel trapped in my own head. I feel trapped in my apartment. I hate that I can't even walk to my car alone without thinking about how he's probably there watching. I'm a pretty independent person and having to rely on my friends for help is making me feel really fucking useless.

I got myself another bottle of pepper spray that have not left my key chain, while I keep the other that I've had for a while in my bag so that I have some kind of protection if I need it. I've also been watching a lot self defense videos online as well, learning how to get away from different holds and how to escape if I'm cornered or being held. Watching those videos and knowing who you'd have to use it on makes everything ten times scarier.

Those moves are all that's running through my head as I walk the short distance from my car to the front entrance or my apartment complex. I'm glancing around as I go, not wanting to be blind sided by anyone or anything. I wonder if I'll be ever be able to go out without looking over my shoulder.

I drop my head to the elevator wall as the door shuts me inside, letting a sigh of relief out as I let go of the pepper spray. I can't wait to take a hot shower and make dinner with Cam. It's been a while since we've cooked together because we've both been really busy. But he's coming home around the same time as I am and it's the last night in together before I go on my trip, since he's working tomorrow night.

It's Monday so I leave in 2 or so days and somehow even though I've missed Finn immensely the last couple of weeks, they've gone faster than I thought they would. I was really busy with the weirdly obscene amount of school work I've had along with going to the library almost every day.

When I went there after the first day of classes, my old professor, Joyce, was sitting right smack in the middle of the desk. Her thin grey hair was stylishly tied into a small bun, her whispy bangs framing her gracefully wrinkled temples. Her long lashes were coated in a purple mascara and her lips were painted with a dark plum lipstick - a black chunky turtleneck sweater tucked into some jeans and dark purple heels covering her body and feet. And really can't forget her DIY wire earrings that are in the shape of an abstract face and her round reading glasses.

I aspire to be her when I grow up.

Her face lit up when she saw me and she stood up so fast I was afraid she was going to fall over. She shuffled her way around the desk and embraced me in a tight hug, saying how I've only gotten prettier since the last time she saw me and how I was glowing.

I'm not sure I'd go that far, but I do remember the last time I saw her. I really wasn't having a good day, honestly. Theo and I had gotten into a huge argument, shocker, and I just couldn't stand looking at him anymore. I knew he'd show up to my apartment if I went home so I came here. I had told him about how I liked coming here to hang out with Jo but I knew he didn't listen or just didn't remember, so I was safe from him here.