Stalker Online*ON HOLD*

chapter 4- sleepovers and healing

"What's gotten into you?" I couldn't help the question from coming out of my mouth. Vince's stiff and stern body language was scaring me, I've never seen him like this. He's one of those people who would rather hide away in their room when they're angry, and not bother others with their issues. So this was weird.

"Why were you driving this way anyway?" I ask, confused. Vince lives the other way, so there's no need to come here. "I don't know, I got this feeling...I don't know how to describe it, I just thought something was wrong." He turns to me and quickly looks at my leg, his head flicking between the road and my injured calf. "My parents aren't home, your sleeping at mine, I'll come back and get your car once you're cleaned up." Not wanting to argue, I nod my head and lean back onto the thick fabric of the grey car seat and try to focus my mind on something else other then the throbbing pain running through my leg.

Who was that shadow? That was the question running around my mind. Who was watching me from the shadows? Why didn't they help?
I know that it was probably just my mind being overactive, it was probably some random teenager who found the whole ordeal "exciting".

Back at Vince's house, I was waiting for him to drop my car off, because apparently that's way more important then sorting my leg out first. Sigh. I use this time to admire his room, I've never gotten time to examine all the posters and ornaments spread across his blue and wooden bedroom. His walls were aligned with different images of comic book characters; Harley quinn, Wonder Woman. The typical choice for a 17 year old dork. His furniture was the usual gum wooden, brown with figurines and books covering the tops of his chests and side tables.

In the corner of his room there hangs a lonley red punching bag, tattered and battered with withered duck tape crosses over it. Dust collecting over the top and ropes of it. Memories flash through my mind of me, him and Julija messing around with it from our first year. Julija ended up hitting her head and having to go home early, we got yelled at for almost a week straight. Now it just hangs there unused.

Moving to sit up, my leg stings from my sudden movement and I glance at it, There's blue and purple bruising all over my bleeding calf, and dirt from the man's shoe. Vince had put a towel under my leg and promised me he would " Fix it as soon as I'm back!" I look into the long mirror and fix my bleach blond hair, running my fingers through it to try and comb out the distressed knots. My mascara has now fallen all over my red cheeks, with my makeup almost completely vanished. I look like a mess.

Almost ten minutes later, Vince walks through the door, with my key jingling in his hand like a  baby's rattle. "Ah my saviour!" I joke and laugh, Vince bowing in faux welcome. He walks into his en suite bathroom, coming out with a wet towel and bandage. Vince sits on the bed and pulls my leg onto his lap, taking the wet cloth and wiping the dirt off of my damaged skin. Vince concentrated on cleaning my leg, his brow furrowed in thought as he was wrapping my leg.

I stared down at my hands and picked at my blue, coffin acrylics. I tried not to notice the tension pounding through the air, and avoided the elephant in the room. But Vince had to ask. "Are you okay, Did they do anything else?" His voice got angrier and more concerned as he finished his question, his mind driving him wild. "I'm fine." I said, and he looked pleased by my answer.
"I don't think I'm gonna go to cheer practice for a couple days though" I sighed in disappointment and frowned. I had gotten the title of "Head cheerleader" early last school year, and I loved it. Only problem is that I have to go to practice for 2 hours nearly every day, which doesn't leave me much time to make and edit videos. Sigh.
"Guess you'll just have to supervise. Now get your damned leg off me!" He laughed and patted my leg, me moving it and bringing it to my chest on the bed.

We laughed and joked for a couple hours more, forgetting about what had happened. Eventually we both felt tired and Vince leant me some clothes to sleep in and a cloth to wash my awful mascara stains off. Climbing in bed, I stop and turn to Vince, he was wearing burgundy pyjama pants with no shirt. "Vince this looks so shady." We both bursted out laughing at my observation and slowly die down into a comfortable silence. Of course I have slept here before, but this is the first time I've had to wear Vince's clothes(which consisted of a black "hype" top) . It just looks a little, weird.

Eventually me and Vince both turned over to our most comfortable sides and dozed off into a deep sleep. That feeling from earlier is now long gone. I feel at peace right now.

I feel safe.