She Was There

He yelled as I pierced the shard of glass into his eye. He let go of me as I kicked him. I stumbled upon Emma and scooped her over, wincing as I piggy-backed her, jumping outside the window.

The guy was still yelling in pain.

...

I ran into a nearby abandoned building. There was an garage there with an open garage door. I tested and the door was still working. I closed the garage door with a button switch and tended , spread a mat, lay Emma's body on it as she was still unconscious.Then I laid next to her and passed out.

After what seemed like awhile, I opened my eyes and found Emma curling into a ball, scared.

"Whats up, Emma?" I asked.

"I hope he did not find us. I..I still can't believe it, you know? Who he really was," she said, her voice close to tears.

"I get it,"I said softly.

"Did..did he really know you, Desmond? I recalled how he seemed to know you. Are..are you guys friends or something?" she asked me, her eyes focused on me, curious.

"Well, we did know each other a long time ago..but I seemed to have forgotten about it. I can't remember it at all," I said. I frowned into the distance.

"Wait..how can that be?" she scooted over closer to me, her eyes filled with concern.

"I don't know..he used to be really nice to me. We would always played games together, hang out, last time I remembered, we hung out in a cinema. Then on the way back.."I stopped, my hands shaking.

"Desmond..I'm sorry, if you find it hard to..."Emma started to say when I cut her off,

"No..I'm fine. He ..confessed to loving me secretly at the park, then I..I said I don't love him that way,".

"Oh God," Emma gasped. "I would not have guessed that is what he's into,".

I smirked. "I bet he hides it around you well. When we used to be closer there were a lot of instances in which he would drop clues. Confessing that he would protect me, being overly protective, being visibly upset if I can't hang out with him. I guess I was just too stupid to see it, I thought he was just being a good friend. I don't have a lot of friends growing up, so sometimes I just thought the behaviour was normal,".

Emma wiped her tears and looked at me with compassion.

"I..I am sorry that you haven't got much experience with friends really. You were always alone before?".

I nodded, looking down.

"Yeah, before him..the last time I ever really had a friend was age 12. His name was Greg. He was so nice to me, protecting me from bullies. Until one day.. well, Greg did not rally have a good family history of mental health. One night at Christmas he somehow got his hands on his mother's gun and shot himself. He left a note addressed to me. Said he was actually friends with me just so he can feel like a hero. Apologized to me that it was never real."

"Oh My God.."Emma stared at me with disbelief.

"Yeah..I guess I haven't had much good experience with being anyone's friend,".

Emma cleared her throat.

"Do you think..do you think that's why you don't think stalking me home is..y'know, normal?".

I hesitated to answer her question. It never occurred to me that it was wrong, really. I was just checking up to see what she was doing. But looking at her pitiful her expression, I feel so embarrassed.

"Well, I apologize. I admit I wasn't..I mean..I .." I laughed nervously.

"I was just going to tell you that you exposed your number plate on a social media photo. I was concerned,".

She raised her eyebrow. "Um..what?".

"I guess I could have done it better,"I muttered.

She laughed. "Darn right you should have. Coming into my house like that,".

"Yeah..I guess.uh, sorry?"I looked up at her, scratching my head.

She looked at me, laughing.

"If you come to my house out of the blue like that again, I'm gong to kill you,".

I laughed along, then stopped.

"Well..uh , you don't answer the phone. you sorta ghost me there,".

She turned away, "I guess..I'm guilty. It's just ..you were not..what I expected."

"I'm ugly, that's what you mean," I said matter-of-factly.

"No!" she looked at me again, alarmed.

"It's just.. look, I'm just surprised. I needed time,".

Maybe she does need time. Maybe I was being too harsh. I mean, not everyone is used to me at first glance. Maybe she was going to call me before I came to her house.

" I guess...I mean, yeah not everyone is used to seeing me," I said.

"Do you have any family, Desmond?".

"Non that I met regularly. I probably met my mom's sister 6 years ago in person , we were celebrating her birthday. My mother told me to wear a mask. I found out later when my mother called my aunt that they purposefully made the theme a masked theme so that kids won't tease me,. I never knew my dad, except he was a sailor, one day he sailed 10 months before I was born and never came back."

"I'm so sorry,".

"That's okay, I never really missed him, never knew him that much. My mother was the only one I talk to for a long time, until she was caught selling drugs. She was in prison since the last 2 years".

"Do you still call her often?".

"Not so much now. She used to really be concerned for me, called me everyday. Now when she called, it seemed like she was gone. She would laugh uncontrollably, mumble and says things that made no sense. I knew she was using in prison. I don't know if I can blame her though, 3 years might not seem that much but being locked up away for so long would mess with your mind," I said.

" Man, Desmond, how can you manage all this time? Like you must feel very lonely,".

I looked up at her, shrugging.

"I..guess I developed an obsession with..people,"