Page 42 of Shadowed With Fear

“Are you okay? I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you.” He apologizes over and over.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.”

A few streets away I can hear the sirens of the cars Alex called. But it’s too late. The red glare of the taillight faded into the darkness of the trees.

Dahlia

Liz, Issac, and I sit in the plaza, burgers and fries littering the picnic bench.

For once, things are going well. Shadow hasn’t called or left me a note in a few days, which is fine. I got to hear his voice. He spoke low on the phone, with a roughness to each word as they tumbled through the line. It didn’t sound very natural, like he was forcing it. But I suppose, if he’s trying to hide behind a mask, he might be hiding his voice too. I don’t mind though. The low timber of his voice had me melting into a mess of giggles and blushes on my bed. I felt ridiculous. Like a cheesy schoolgirl stereotype on the phone with her crush, kicking her feet, and swooning.

I want to do it again.

There is still the unknown, beneath all the things. I don’t know what he looks like, his real name, or what he is capable of, and yet, it makes me excited. Despite these things, he hasn’t tried to hurt me. Something drastically new in the long line of experiences I have had with men.

He said he wanted to be there for me, and he has. Every single time I thought there was an end in sight, he came storming in.

Brahm is gone tonight. I’ve noticed I tend to see Shadow when he leaves. I hope he will be there.

“You did it again,” Liz deadpans.

“Huh?” I blink, looking at her. She chuckles, shaking her head.

“Tell me you were thinking about Grayson’s abs again.”

“What? No!”

“Liar,” she snorts.

Issac glances between us, a crease forming on his forehead. “Grayson?”

“Yup. He was at her house the other night walking around, half naked, looking all kinds of hot and bothered. Right, D?” She smirks.

“I thought you weren’t talking to Grayson.” Issac looks at me pointedly.

“I’m…not? I don’t know. It’s weird.” I turn to Liz, “And he was not ‘hot and bothered’ you fucking weirdo. He was sweaty. If you didn’t notice, B was too, and it dripped all over my floor.” I gag and Liz shrugs, her cheeks pink.

“What was the far off look for then, D?” She tosses a fry in her mouth, chewing.

I plant my head in my hand, looking around campus. The leaves are yellow, floating gently through the warm breeze. It’s October next week.

“My photography project.” Huffing, I scoot a fry around the burger wrapper. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“Really? You haven’t thought of something yet?” Issac chews slowly.

“No. Not really.”

“That’s unlike you, D. You’re usually the first person with an idea for stuff like this. I’m doing mine on humanity.”

“Humanity?” I ask skeptically. “What the hell does that mean?”

“Lots of trips to town and people watching,” he chuckles.

Liz begins balling up her wrappers and trash. “I don’t know why you’re stressing, D. Your best ideas come from you just acting not thinking. Maybe you could start there?”

She stands, and Issac follows, they both wave, walking hand in hand to their next class. I stare off, eyes to the sky as it kisses the mountain tops.

My best ideas come from acting not thinking. She’s right again. I mean hell, I just decided on whim to give Shadow my number, and that has ended exceptionally well. Maybe I need to just keep acting. Keep doing these crazy impulsive things and see where it takes me. Living not surviving that’s for sure.