As if I would make good friends with anybody, but least of all, with her.
She was the girl I wanted to hurt and fuck.
I wouldn’t make a good friend.
I followed her on foot as she walked out of the arts building late at night.
The days were getting longer now that summer was almost upon us, but she had gotten out pretty late, and only a hint of daylight was left.
I wanted to shake her until she understood just how dangerous it was to walk around campus so late in the day when hardly anyone was around.
Anyone could stalk her and hurt her.
Like me.
She barely looked around at her surroundings as she walked back to her apartment.
I wondered if this had anything to do with her sheltered upbringing. Even after witnessing a murder, was she really so naïve to think this world was good, filled with good people who would never harm her?
I kept my distance and stopped about five feet away when we got to a crosswalk.
A man bumped into my shoulder as he passed me, standing between me and my target.
I couldn’t see his face, but awareness made its way across my skin, and I watched the man a little closer.
He was standing too close to Ryleigh for my liking.
I narrowed my eyes at him when he stepped even more into her personal space and, leaning down, sniffed her hair.
My fist clenched, and I would have grabbed the bastard if that wouldn’t draw attention to me. Since my release, the cops had kept a closer eye on me. They didn’t believe the new “evidence” that came in was legit, and they shouldn’t.
I would have no faith left in the police force of this city had they fallen for it, but there were no holes in it, and the fuckers couldn’t hold me.
That didn’t stop them from hoping I would fuck up once more.
I wouldn’t.
The light turned green, and the three of us made our way across the street. The fucker followed Ryleigh for about half a block, unaware of the monster that was right behind him.
I looked around my surroundings, and when I was sure no one was around, I grabbed the fucker by the back of his neck with one hand. The other, I used to cover his mouth so he couldn’t scream out, and dragged him into the mouth of the alley, into the darkness with me.
I pushed him onto the ground, and he turned and took me in.
“Who the fuck are you?” he asked, unable to hide the fear that seeped in his voice.
I smiled, even if he couldn’t see me clearly. “Your worst nightmare.”
He tried to back away with his legs.
I followed him, stomping on his ankle until I heard the satisfying crunch beneath my boot.
He screamed, which was cut off when I climbed on top of him and covered his mouth with my hand.
“Shh,” I said. “You don’t want to draw attention to us, do you?”
The moon glinted just the right way. I could make out his wide eyes, pupils dilated from whatever drug he was on.
He shook his head, and I tightened my grip.