Jerry

I followed her. Not in the stalkerish way that that sounds, but more the way that I wanted to make sure she was going to be okay. She seemed like she was about to let me in. I could almost see the walls she’d built slowly lower themselves until she panicked and they shot back into place. A girl like that shouldn’t have to feel like they have to take everything on their own. They can just relax sometimes and vent with someone they trust. Or at least they should feel that way.

She turned into a shop. Or down an alley. Shit, I lost her. I scrambled to figure out where she could’ve gone.

“I should’ve known you’d follow me,” she murmurs from directly behind me scaring the shit out of me.

“Okay, to be fair, I didn’t intend on following you. I wanted to make sure you were going to be okay, but obviously, I wasn’t very invisible.”

“No, no you weren’t. I could see you almost immediately and you weren’t really trying to hide.”

“I was actually trying to hide and stay out of your sight, but I guess you’re better at this than me,” I smiled coyly at her.

She hesitated standing there facing me for a moment before turning around and sprinting away. She moved so quickly I lost her in the crowd. I pushed past the people crowding the sidewalk in order to look for her. I couldn’t lose her again. I can’t.

* * * * *

I never found her. I decided to try and find out her classes so I could corner her and ask her what happened. Every girl I asked that I thought might be in her class tried to flirt with me until I asked about Callie. Then, they got all petty and never answered my questions. I asked a couple of my teachers if she was in any of their classes, but to no avail. She has truly ghosted me and I can’t let it go.

Callie

I watched from afar. He kept trying to find me, but hasn’t realized that I don’t want to be found. I stopped believing in hope or hoping for the best a long time ago. I always prepare for the worst case scenario. If good things happen, I know that there’s something bad coming up right behind it. That may make me a cynic, but if that’s what it takes for me to get through my crappy life then so be it.

He was very close to giving up on finding me. That is until he finds the only person that hates me and is in almost every single one of my classes.

That was when I knew my cover was done. He was going to find me.

Jerry

I finally got a lead. I knew what and where her next class was going to be. I was set. Until I realized that I literally stalked her in order to get here. Now I have to explain why I went through this trouble. Why would I go through the trouble of finding her if she didn’t want to be found? Why did I feel the need to find her?

What do I do now? I know her schedule and I know a couple of things about her, but not enough if I’m gonna try to break down the walls she’s done so well keeping up.

Callie

I’m in my dorm packing up my stuff. If Jerry’s found me, then who knows how far until HE finds me. I can’t let that happen. I have to run away again and I was getting so used to being her. I really loved my classes and the fact that my tuition was free made it all the better. I knew it was only temporary, but I wish it wasn’t this temporary.

Jerry

I waited for her. I figured maybe she might have decided no to show up today for class, but might catch her teachers before they leave for the day. This was proven as a fact when she showed up at the end of her teachers last class of the day to either turn in work or talk with them. I stood around.

I watched another guy follow her inside. He looked big and burly, like a wrestler on TV might look if they were fresh out of college. I assumed he wasn’t in college because he looked too old to be that big and in college. The only people that have time to work on their bodies that much are the student-athletes and they don’t even have that time some days. I didn’t feel right about the situation, so I followed the guy in to the area of classrooms.

Callie

“I wanted to give you the work from today and what I worked on for the rest of the year. I won’t be attending your class anymore. If it’s possible could I collaborate with you through Skype so I can still technically attend your class?” I asked my teacher. It was a long shot, but worth asking because then I wouldn’t have to officially drop the class.

“Normally I wouldn’t do this, but because you’ve asked and you’re a very good student, I’ll do it. We can set up a video camera in the class focused on the board and I’ll make sure you can hear me by wearing a mic or something. We’ll work it out. Is everything okay, Callie?” He asked me with concern etched all over his face.

“Something came up at home and I have to go back to help. I don’t really wanna talk about it.”

“That’s okay. I hope everything turns out all right.”

I was looking at the floor when I heard the thump of a body on the floor. I looked up to see him standing there holding brass knuckles in his right hand.

“Miss me, baby?” I started cowering away from him as he slowly stepped closer to me.

I tried forming a thought that wasn’t get away from him. I came up blank as my back hit the wall of the classroom and I saw there was no where to go.

“Leave her alone!” someone shouted. Then I heard another body hit the ground. I hid my face and started crying. Someone came over and wrapped their arms around me. I was being lifted from the ground.