Page 58 of When Darkness Calls

I’m just not sure how I am supposed to react to this. Is he a stalker? Aren’t they usually crazy and try to kill you? Or kidnap you? He hasn’t tried to hurt me though. The fact that he could if he wanted to does something to me. It’s a wild sort of feeling that simmers beneath my skin, begging to crawl to the surface. Dancing with the devil they say. Maybe for other scenarios, but for this… It’s more like teasing the boogeyman.

“I think I’m going to pack up my bags and move to Venezuela. I heard it’s nice there this time of year. Maybe I can buy a duck and keep it in my bathtub. I’d call him Carl.”

Liz is standing, arms crossed, entirely unimpressed with me.

“Carl isn’t the right vibe for a bathtub duck, babe.” I deadpan.

She scoffs, shaking her head. “You’re such a bitch, Deeds. What’s going on? You got that weird faraway dreamy expression on your face. Like the one you get when you see dudes in uniform.” Liz raises her brow in question.

Huffing, I glare at her. “Listen. I have you know that was one time, and it was weird seeing Alex wearing something other than cut up T-shirts and basketball shorts, okay? I was fourteen.”

She laughs. “You still did it though. Drooled everywhere.”

“And you call me the bitch,” I mutter under my breath.

“Seriously, though. What’s going on? Give me the details, I need the brain break from this little breakdown. Who is it? What’s his name? So, he in one of your classes?” Her eyes search me frantically and I’m not sure how to respond.

“Uh, it was the first week of school.”

“Ohhh, go on, go on.” She sits next to me on my bed, scooting closer, excited. Then she gasps, gripping my arm. “Oh my God, wait! Is it the guy from lunch the other?!” She bounces in her seat, jerking me around with her. I laugh pushing her off.

“No? Maybe? But not like you think? Ethan’s okay. He’s really nice and I’ve enjoyed the conversations I’ve had with him, ya know? And he’s cute. But that’s not, um…that’s not really who I was talking about…”

“Gasp! Danielle Beckett, my word! Have you not one, but two viable suitors after your hand?” She grabs it, shaking it in front of my face.

I scoff. “Please. And no. Really, it’s nothing. Ethan’s a…friend. And the other…I haven’t really spoken to him. I don’t even know his name.”

Liz kind of deflates. “Oh. Okay. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. It’s not a big deal.”

She’s quiet for a moment.

“You know. If you want him to talk to you, you should make the first move. If you wait until he approaches you first, you could miss a big opportunity. Some guys like it when you take charge and stuff.” Liz shrugs, and a devilish smile starts to form.

“Maybe you could go all like femme fatale on his ass. Mysterious and alluring and—” her voice drops into a throaty whisper, “sexy.”

We both burst out laughing.

I wipe the tears from my eyes, grinning at her. “Yeah, I just might.” It could work. At least I could get some answers. Like why me? And how did it happen twice? What are the odds of that happening? Shadow Grove isn’t the biggest town in the world, but it’s not the smallest either. There’s about fifteen thousand people who live here and in the smaller communities surrounding the town. So, it’s not like multiple extremely random run ins with him would be normal.

“Okay, enough with me. Back to you. Do you think Issac was being honest?” I asked her, sincerity lacing each word.

Liz had told me about the contents of Issac’s letter. He pretty much gave a rundown of the whole situation.

“I mean, if he wasn’t he needs to change his major to fucking English cause it’s one hell of a story.”

I snort. “Yeah, I guess so. He seemed really put out the other day, though. I mean, he was wearing sweatpants.” Liz gasps.

“What? Sweatpants?”

“Yeah, and not like joggers either. Straight up sweatpants, Rocky style.”

Her hand goes to her mouth in shock. “Oh my god.”

“And, not to make him seem like all great and shit, but he did kind of save my ass the other day.”

“What happened? Just lay it on me.” She falls back onto my bed, arms over her face. “My body is ready.”