"Thank you, Harrison," I said, smiling widely. "Wow. My little sister going to college. At Cal Poly!" I laughed again. "I'm so proud of you, sis. I know mom and dad probably didn't congratulate you or anything. But you should know that I am extremely proud of you." I smiled, my eyes starting to water and said, "Thanks, Harrison." Something crashed and Harrison said, "Oh, geez. I gotta go, sis. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Bye, Harrison."
Slowly. That's how the school days passed. Dragging out, long hours in school and even longer nights in the department store. As I sat on the couch one night, I finished writing a poem and turned the page to write another one. But there was no more paper. I stood up and walked over to the school supplies aisle, seeking a notepad. I found one and purchased it, and then walked back to the couch and sat down again.
As I walking down the alley I have to pass through to reach the department store one night, I could feel someone following me. I turned abruptly, and I thought I saw a shadow step out of my sight. But maybe I was just being paranoid. This alley always did creep me out. I took a deep breath and continued to walk, only to hear the quiet sound of footsteps following me. I spun around again, feeling like a movie character as my heart pounded in my chest. There was no one there. I narrowed my eyes at the darkness and turned around, walking faster now. The footsteps picked up again. I turned. No one there. I walked again. More footsteps. Now, I turned fast enough to once again see a shadow step out of my view. I reached into my backpack and pulled out my huge metal flashlight. I walked up to where I had seen the shadowy figure- and the first thing I saw was white hair. I gasped and stepped back. It was Nick Angel. "Geez!" I screamed, "I thought you were a freaking murderer or something!" He smiled slightly for a split second. "What do you think you're doing following me?" I asked angrily. "What do you think you're doing walking through an alley in the middle of the night?" he asked in that deep, scratchy voice. I felt a chill run down my spine-but it wasn't the kind you get when something scares you. Disturbed by this, I stepped away from him. "Why were you following me?" I asked deliberately. He stepped out of the shadows, and I saw that he had his usual outfit. But as he stood so much closer to me than normal, and with only us there, I noticed a chain with a cross hanging around his neck. "I saw you turn in here," he said, and, despite myself, his voice sent a chill down my spine again. "I figured I should follow in case something were to happen." The half-smile returned to his lips for another fleeting second, "You know it's not really safe to walk through dark alleyways in the middle of the night, right?" I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine. I walk this way every night." I felt myself blush at this, not having told anyone about my little excursions before, and was glad it was dark enough that he couldn't see my cheeks. "That doesn't make it safe," he said. I still couldn't listen to his voice without being startled, no matter how many times I heard him talk. It had been that way since the ninth grade, and I still wasn't used to it. Not that I really talked to him that much. "Yea, well... what are you doing out here in the middle of the night anyway? Other than following me." The half-smile again. Always for only a second, but impossible to miss anyway. "I could ask you the same thing." I narrowed my eyes, "Insomnia." Did I just say that? I had never told anyone about that. I had never told anyone anything about that. "Really," he said. "Me too." I raised my eyebrows, "Really?" He nodded, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Well. Alright then." I looked down the alley the way I was going. "Well, I'm gonna go." I turned and started to walk away when Nick said, "I'm gonna follow you." I spun on my heel, "Why?" He sighed, "Because it's still not safe, believe it or not." I rolled my eyes and turned away from him, walking towards the store. But now as I heard the footsteps behind me, I felt safer instead of more in danger.
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