1:00 am.

My parents were sound asleep in their room. Chicken was sound asleep in my room, curled up on my bed. The moon was up in the night sky, glowing brightly. And I, Skylar Anderson, was dressed up in a black T-shirt and jeans, my favourite denim jacket, and some butt-kicking motorcycle boots.

When I looked at myself in the mirror, I kind of resembled those actors in gangster movies. I looked like one of those sketchy dudes lurking in those creepy New York alleys, having anything but good intentions.

Maybe this was the exact reason why my mom never approved of me dressing like this.

With a heavy sigh, I went back towards my closet and picked out another decent pair of jeans, a crew neck sweater this time, and changed into them. Once again, I stood in front of the mirror and eyed my boots. With a frustrated huff, I took them off and slipped my feet into my sneakers.

I couldn't believe I was thinking too much over my clothes when I was sneaking out of my house, way after midnight, to someplace where I would probably get myself killed one way or another.

I was officially going insane.

I glanced over at Chicken once again, making sure that cat was still asleep, then went over towards my window and slowly opened it up without making any noise. Cautiously, I swung my legs over the window sill and hopped out. My heart almost leapt out of my chest as my feet hit the grassy ground of our backyard.

Few seconds later, I was walking towards my bicycle just after making sure that I hadn't woken anyone in my house. Thankfully, the neighbours' lights were off too as I sat on my bike and put on my helmet.

Unlike Alex's parents, my parents thought I was still too young to get a car, so I got stuck with a bicycle instead. I was glad that Alex's parents weren't like mine though, because that way I didn't have to walk each day to school. God only knew how I would've managed that.

Without wasting another second, I took off towards the so-called Chriswood Street, hoping I was following the right directions. I knew this town enough to know where each street was. Still, it was a bit nerve-wracking to pedal down the almost empty streets. This town got so eerily quiet after midnight.

After so many twists and turns, I finally stopped by a spot that kind of looked creepier than the streets I had left behind. Everything was so dark around me, the graffiti on the walls chipped and old, the surroundings looking a bit abandoned.

I kept my senses on high alert and slowly took off my helmet, parking my bike along one corner. I had my hand hovering right over my pocket, ready to take out my phone and speed dial 911. I was really hoping though that it wouldn't come to that.

There was barbed wire curling at the old wooden fence beside me, almost giving this place an even more scary feel. Moving alongside that fence, I found myself standing in front of a big playground, the swings and slides radiating that horror-movie vibe.

I wouldn't be surprised if one of those swings started moving by itself.

"Think positive, Sky," I muttered under my breath--which, hey, I was an optimist usually, but knowing that I had willingly walked into a death trap was so not helping. "Now's not the time to think about horror movies."

I tried searching around for anyone else besides me but failed to do so. It was as if I was all alone on this entire street.

"Hello?" My voice sounded a bit strange, interrupting the dark silence around me. "Is somebody here?" I got no response to that. "Is somebody alive?"

Just as I said that, however, I heard a swift crunch behind me, as if someone had stepped on one of those fallen twigs. I whipped around in an instant but found no one anywhere near me. I bit the inside of my cheek anxiously, a few strands of my ponytail whipping across my face.

If I die, it's all on me.

Controlling the sudden urge to groan out loud, I followed my gut instinct and decided to walk back towards my bicycle.

My parents would flip out if they found out about this. I couldn't even imagine what would happen if my mother suddenly decided to wake up right this second and check up on me, only to find out that I wasn't in my room.

With my heart hammering inside my chest, I looked around nervously and started to turn back towards the way I had just come from.

I only got to take two steps when a loud firing sound erupted in the air. My eyes widened in response and I froze.

I didn't have to hear it a second time to figure out what that sounded like. It was definitely a gunshot, the loud sound of it still ringing faintly in my ears.

Trying to swallow the sudden dread, I forced my legs to move. This was surely not going to end well if I didn't run at this exact moment. But I didn't get to do that. Not when a series of bullets started firing around me, with my heart almost stopping at the same time.

What the fuck was even happening?

It was panic clawing up my gut when I couldn't see anyone, not even a single silhouette around me. And those gunshots were loud. Really loud. I was going to die, I thought. Oh Lord, I was going to die and they were going to find my rotting corpse here in this abandoned playground and maybe Mom won't even cry because it'd be a burden less if her pathetic, failing-in-physics, daughter died so easily. In this creepy bullet-firing spot.

Naturally, I got so terrified that my feet didn't obey me when I tried to move. The bullets kept on firing around me and I started fumbling around for my phone.

"Oh God." My voice came out in a scared whisper, being eaten up by the loud shooting noises around me. "Oh fuck."

I started taking a few steps backwards, stumbling, seeing shadows but not sure if those were just the trees or real people.

I was definitely not alone.

I was a hundred per cent sure I would've gotten shot only if someone hadn't pushed me out of the way right then, shoving me with a grip so strong that it blew me off guard. And then I felt my back hitting the concrete pavement a little too harshly.

"Ow!" I complained when the back of my head slammed against the ground. There was absolutely nothing, nothing pleasurable about getting yourself body-slammed on rock-hard ground. I was pretty sure my vision went black for a few seconds there.

Blinking rapidly, I felt a pair of strong arms around me, a heavy body on top of me. I tried to make out the face but it wasn't that easy, especially between the darkness and my throbbing head.

I would've probably gotten squished under him (I think it was a him, let's be honest) if he hadn't pulled away the next instant, gripping one of my arms, swearing under his breath, and snatching me up from the ground as well. I tried my best not to stumble and fall over as he dragged me behind him, reaching a narrow alleyway and stopping behind the concrete wall.

I wasn't just scared, I was way beyond terrified at that moment.

"What is--" My words were silenced when he shut me up with his hand over my mouth. I probably would've pushed him away only if I hadn't heard the sudden footsteps approaching the same alley we were hiding in.

I closed my eyes out of horror, silently hoping to get out of here alive. I didn't want to die, I just wanted to go back home.

I wouldn't ever follow random directions on a spam mail, I thought. I would even work hard on physics, tell my Mom she was the best mother I could've ever wished for, maybe even get Alex some cupcakes. I'd do anything. Please, please, please, get me out of here alive.

Much to my relief, the footsteps stopped and started fading away, leaving the narrow alley instead of catching up to us. I opened my eyes, blinking rapidly, and felt the thudding of my heart slowing down a little.

The guy who had just saved me from those bullets waited for a few silent seconds before pulling his hand away from my mouth.

"Could you have been any more obvious?" He was talking to me, I realised. And he sounded furious. I couldn't see his face in the dark, but I think I kind of recognised his voice.

A small confused sound formed at the very back of my throat.

He waved his hand at me, at my clothes as if my sweater alone was giving way too many kill-me-first vibes (which I guess it was since it was an orange too bright), and took a step back.

That's pretty much when I saw his face when the moonlight angled right over him.

This can't be happening.

"Caden?" My voice sounded squeaky and I cringed inwardly at that.

The third time in the past twenty-four hours that I was crossing paths with him. I couldn't believe it. What was he even doing here in the first place?

He looked back at me and I saw the frown first, probably because he must've recognized me too. Or at least I would've liked to believe that.

"Not you again." He spoke that in an offensive manner; a tone that would've wounded any girl's pride. But since he had just saved my life, I chose to ignore it.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him in disbelief. Then my eyes widened. "Were you the one who sent me that letter?"

His frown didn't waver. "Let me ask you the same question. How in the hell did you end up here?"

I scrunched up my nose at that, crossing my arms against my now-dirty sweater. The throbbing in my head hadn't faded even in the slightest and I almost gritted my teeth in pain. I was sure I'd be having a bump at the back of my head when I go to school.

"I...I got a note from someone," I told him, managing to look away from his face, his figure almost towering in front of me.

I was still confused about those sudden gunshots. I was confused about that letter that had been addressed to me. This couldn't just be a prank. I would've probably gotten killed and that sounded way too far to be a prank.

I felt Caden staring at me. "And that person asked you to come here?" He made it sound like I was talking trash, even when it was the truth. If only I had stuffed that white envelope in my pocket before coming here, I would've had some evidence to throw at his stupidly perfect face.

"Yes," I responded. Just in case he thought I was making this whole up, I also added, "I'm not lying."

Why else would I come here anyway?

"Maybe ask your boyfriend to plan out your dates somewhere normal next time." He sounded almost disgusted. "Who evens asks someone out over a fucking letter?"

My eyes widened a little at that, a bit horrified and a lot offended at his words.

"Excuse me, but I don't have a boyfriend." That was probably not the wisest thing to say, but I was not going to let him make any more bold assumptions after that.

He scoffed at me. "Right. Who would even ask you on a date."

I parted my lips a little, highly taken aback by his statement. A statement that should've sounded like a question.

Did he actually just say that? Right to my face?

"You know what would've happened if I hadn't seen you back there?" He asked, taking another step back, his glare boring into my skin. "You'd be dead and lying in your own sickening pool of blood."

That hurt a bit.

Before I could've started tearing up on that insult--which did sound more like an insult, rather than him just stating a simple fact--I gritted my teeth before stepping out of his way.

"I got a letter addressed to me, from an unknown person. I was told to come here." I glared at him. "But then again, I don't actually care about your fucking opinion."

A phone buzzed in between us and I was sure it was his. Instead of answering it, he just eyed me with his narrowed gaze.

God, wasn't he just too mean?

Even though I just wished to go back to my bike, not wanting to be here any longer, I still faced him one last time and looked straight into his steely green eyes.

"Just so you know," I said. "I've never met somebody as fucking rude as you."

Then I walked away.

I didn't even spare another glance in his direction, slipping onto my bike and riding away.

I finally knew why they labeled Caden Miller as the biggest shithead at Crestmont High.

______

ick the ★ below ↓

Xoxo,

Crystal 🌿