Chapter Four

Erin's POV:

How was ur first day?

Must've been great

It was alright I guess

R u a senior?

Nope junior, u?

First year of uni

I have tons of homework to finish already

Dw I had to sit through two lectures today

I still have three years ahead of me

Sometimes I consider dropping out but I can't

Why, will ur parents not let you?

I mean which parents would want their kid to drop out. Stupid Erin. I mentally smack myself across the face.

No

Then?

Way to not be nosy.

It's nothing

I gtg out ttyl

At 9 at night?

I need to be somewhere that's it

Bye

Ok bye

Well that was a rude way to end the conversation. I asked him simple questions, it couldn't be that hard to answer, I think, while looking at the messages for the third time already while sitting at the lunch table with Avery and Reagan the next day.

"Maybe, he simply doesn't wanna tell you. Besides you haven't talked to him before this." Reagan suggests.

"You're right." I nod to myself, convincing myself that Reagan is probably right.

I decide to head over to Reagan's house to do English homework together that day. Of course we get no more than two sentences done, by 8 o'clock. I mentally yell at myself knowing I have to walk twenty mins to get home, because I have no car today. Evelyn and I share a car, but I told her I wouldn't need it this morning. I mentally face palm myself.

Without wanting to bother Reagan, I assure her I will be fine and head down the empty streets. It starts to get pretty dark, and I start to get the chills. I wrap my arms around myself and keep my head up as I walk. Her neighbourhood doesn't look as pretty as it does in the afternoons.

I hug my sweater tightly around my body and pick up my pace, hoping to get home faster. I notice a group of young men in the distance and hope they don't notice me. Sadly, they do and start walking towards me. The least I could say is they look drunk or high or both.

I am halfway home, and I can't decide between running past them or back to Reagan's. Instead, I walk at a normal pace towards my house. As they move dangerously quickly, I decide to call someone to pick me up. Or just to make it look like I'm not a loner?

I dial Evan's number, but he doesn't pick up. No shit.

Evelyn said she would be at her friend's house and I know she lives a good thirty mins away, so she definitely won't get here on time. I debate on calling Reagan but think otherwise, as I don't want to bother her. Both my parents are still at work and now I'm stuck and feel like a loner. I have absolutely no one to call.

I scroll through my contacts to find nose piercing boy, but shake my head knowing I can't call him, I don't even know where he could be right now. I pass by a small pathway, but decide not to run down it.

Don't want to be apart of a cliche movie where the girl gets trapped in a sketchy alley.

They start to near me, approximately ten metres away, and block my path. There are five of them, I know now I can't outrun them.

I could barely run down my stairs without panting, what was I thinking?

One of them steps forward, "Going to a party, I need a date. Wanna join?" He asks, tilting his head to the side. He's tall and buff, with a lot of ugly tattoos and imitating piercings. His hair is cut short and is thinning, messily sitting on the top of his head. His fingers are covered with thick shiny rings and if that doesn't make me visibly gulp, then I'm convinced it's the triple lip piercing.

"I can't." I stutter, not making eye contact with him. Oh god Erin, you need to get yourself together.

I clear my throat quietly, hoping I sound more confident next time.

"Why?" He poses, taking a step forward, letting his big boots clank against the floor.

I blurt out the first thing I can think of in that moment.

"I have a boyfriend." Oh Erin who would date you?

He turns back to look at his friends and moves closer, inches away from me, "Your boyfriend isn't here right now. I'm sure he won't mind me having you for just a few hours." He sneers. His teeth subconsciously make the 'sksksksksk' sound.

My insides relax a bit, hoping he's really a VSCO guy and not an undercover creep.

"Oh I think I would mind." A voice booms behind me. "And I sure am right here." Whoever it is, adds quickly. It's definitely a male and it echoes from behind me. I don't become all happy. For all I know, it could be creep 2.0.

I turn around slowly to see who the voice belongs to and find nothing but darkness. I squint and try to spot a figure with my 20/20 vision, but I'm convinced I need glasses now, because the creeps instantly stiffen.

Far in the midst of the dark, I notice a little sparkle, smaller than a star. It takes me a second to see that the sparkle is the sparkle of a nose piercing. I follow the nose to identify the face to find the one and only nose piercing boy.

Woohoo, my inner fan girl screams.

He's wearing a dark outfit and I'm not surprised that I can't identify what exactly he's wearing, not that it concerns me. Although, a knight costume would be nice and cliche.

He walks, scratch that, strides towards me and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me towards him in a swift motion. I yelp quietly, before uncomfortably melting into his touch, leaning into his warm body.

"This is your boyfriend? I'm sorry but you're too gorgeous for him." He says and laughs an evil laugh, opening his mouth wide. Ew, gross.

"Yes, she's my girlfriend." He confirms with a smirk. His grip on me tightens and I begin to relax. But, I can't help how my insides flutter at that sentence, making me feel just a teensy weensy bit special.

"Whatcha gonna do about that? Trust me, you try hurting her, and I will call the cops on you. Mark my words." He says threateningly. More like spits, just not literally.

"Mark your words, my ass." The man says laughing again. His creepy friends join along, as if copying exactly what he does every time.

"Don't you make me pound your face into pulp. Your friends won't look any better, not that they do right now either." He says taking a huge step, towards them raising a tightened fist, with his left hand still protectively around my waist. I shift closer to them and I can feel the creep breathing on me. Noticing the close proximity, nose piercing boy moves back and I copy his actions, standing a few feet away from them.

Taken aback, they slowly turn around and back away to their spot by the lamppost. Their boots clink and clank as the walk, slouching their bodies and moping like middle schoolers when they don't get the girl they want.

Haha.

After they leave, I stand there, still and unaware of what to say. He removes his hand from around my waist, letting it drop to his side and lets out a deep breath, causing the redness in his face from all the anger to disappear. I'm surprised he actually cared, or maybe he can just act really well. He steps away from a bit, so we aren't standing so close that our arms are practically shoving at each other's.

He pulls my forearm gently and twists me to make me face him. I look up to him, and whisper a quiet "thank you." Only because, my breathing was quickening and two words was the most I could say.

"Is that it? Really? I saved you from five drunk and high goons and a whisper is all I get? Damn girls." He says, massaging his temples and letting go of my forearm.

"So I guess I was right." I smirk to myself proudly. I guess I'm not so dumb after all.

"Right? Right about what?" He asks confused, as how I could just change the topic so quickly. I was queen at that.

"That they were drunk and high." I say proudly with a huge grin, glancing over at them. They're back to smoking and doing whatever goons do on school nights.

"Goddamnit! You act like a five year old." He mumbles the last part under his breath, but I manage to make out what he's saying, causing a tiny frown to form on my lips.

"I do not!" I shout offended. How rude of him to say that! I'm sixteen for gods sake!

"Whatever. You're still not my type." He mutters and I know he regrets what he said instantly, as his eyes shoot wide and he opens his mouth to correct himself.

"I mean, um, what I meant was that, uh.." He stops there, unsure of what to say next. His face crumples when he realizes he's messed up and offers me somewhat of an apologetic look.

"I wasn't planning on dating you anyway. You were just some boy I accidentally met at the fair. It doesn't matter. I don't need to be your type." And with that, I walk away. I can hear him yelling and screaming a few things like telling me to wait and come back, but I don't hear footsteps. This is how I know he's a jerk.

A few seconds later, I hear the roaring of an engine nearby. I turn my head to see, of course nose piercing boy in the driver seat. Suddenly, I take back what I said earlier. He rolls up beside me and slows down so he's driving at the same speed I'm walking at. That's gotta be like 4km/hour.

I just realized, I've never asked for his name. So I suddenly blurt out, "What's your name?" Confused, he looks at me like I just grew three heads. If only, I'd be able to prove that aliens were real and probably become rich. Or worse, get killed and put into a mortuary for investigation.

"It was a simple question," I say again, with a light shrug. But he continues to stare, furrowing his thick brows.

"How about you tell me your name first?" He urges, with a smirk and I already know I don't like this.

"I asked you first." I argue like a child.

"Ugh, then you don't get a ride home then." He chuckles, with a smirk. He knows what he's doing to me.

Frustrating my nonexistent guts.

What audacity does this man have?

"I am not getting in the car with you." I say firmly, crossing my arms over my chest to make it more dramatic.

"Well according to the weather network, it's supposed to start raining and you still have quite a bit to walk it seems like." He says, looking down at his phone and then up at the sky, before letting his eyes fall onto the long road again.

Who is he? The goddamn climatologist?

But he's right, I've barely gotten halfway.

Unamused, I take a few more steps, before he drives over to be beside me again. I mentally groan, before quickening my steps, hoping he'll leave eventually.

"Clearly you're dreading it." He smirks. Again.

Without being able to take it anymore, I say "my names Erin," and walk towards the back seat of the car. I decide to avoid any eye contact and look at the tops of my shoes as I walk.

"Nice name, Erin. It suits you." But the door handle won't open when I tug on it. The boy locked it. I groan noticeably.

"Oh right, the back seat is full of stuff and it's not nice to let girls sit with boy stuff right? You know condoms, razors and boxers? So how about you come over to the passenger seat. The door is unlocked." Ugh disgusting. Typical boys.

I mentally face palm myself for getting myself into this situation, and defeated, walk over and into the passenger seat. I shut the door and sit as far as I can from him, before fixing the seatbelt tightly.

"Good girl. Now tell me how to get to your house."

I begin reciting directions, but honestly, he seems to have no trouble with my horrible directions. I can barely identify right from left and vice versa. I'd have to say, he's a great driver, at least compared to Evan, who drives quite recklessly.

Soon enough, he parks the car in front of my house and asks, "Old house isn't it?" He scans the house from head to toe and nods, biting his lip.

I nod, not knowing what else to say. This time I say "thank you," more loudly before getting out of the car. He responds with a no problem, and I'm glad he didn't complain saying I wasn't being thankful enough.

"And if you ever need a personal driver, I'm always available." He winks and damn, does he look good when he does.

"Um sure, but I don't think I will, thanks and bye." I say awkwardly, and walk towards the porch steps. I put my key into the keyhole and notice he didn't leave.

Just leave already goddamnit!

The lock clicks open and I give him a small wave before rushing inside and shutting the door behind me. I lean my back against the door and try to breathe normally.

What kind of experience was that?