John Doe and me

Chapter XIII

Beep........

Beep........

Beep........

"Alright, I'm up..." I said with very little energy while turning off my alarm. I wish I could just stay in bed, but that's not an option anymore, especially when I have work.

"Ugh... What time is it?" I lifted my head up from the pillow and looked at my bedside clock, only to realize that my shift will start soon.

"Fuck... I slept in. I need to get going if I'm gonna make it to work."

"Should I take a shower?"

"...Eh, I can go another day without a shower. I doubt anyone going to the gas station will really notice anyway." I got up from my bed and fix the sheets, normally I would do it a bit more neatly, but since It was early morning still, I was very sloppy with it.

"...Something doesn't feel right..." I thought to myself as I put on my work clothes, walked out of the apartment and hopped on the bus.

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As I sat in one of the seats of the oddly quiet bus, my eyes were more interested in looking at anything else. However, it didn't last long, as my eyes made contact with another person on the bus. Aside from the driver, we were the only ones here in the vehicle.

"...That guy's been staring at me this whole time..." I thought to myself as I kept my attention on the stranger. Wide eyes, a large smile and long black hair. His clothes, much like his hair, were all black as well. He is a stranger to me, yet he looks so familiar. Do I think he's cute?

"...I guess he's kind of cute... In a gross stalker kind of way. Yeah, I definitely have a problem..." 

I turned my attention away from the stranger, and then before I knew it, the bus arrived at my stop. Without wasting any time, I quickly got off and stood in front of the gas station.

"Alright... Time for work..."

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"Slow day..." I said to myself while slumped over the counter. It felt like I'd been here for an hour and surprisingly, no one came in. Which was a bit wired... If I knew this was gonna happen, I would have phoned in sick. As I was minding my own business, I suddenly felt the presence of someone.

"Huh...?" I lifted my head to see who it was, only to see a somewhat familiar face.

"Oh... It's that creep from the bus..."

"Hi," He said.

"Uh... Hi? How can I help you, sir?"

"You smell good."

"Uh... Ok..." 

It's really nothing new to see a wired person coming in and out of here, but this guy is the weirdest by far! Watching me on the bus is one thing, but saying how I smell is really crossing it. I want to walk away, but I couldn't. Not just because I would get into trouble with my boss, but also because I can't seem to move my legs.

"May as long play along, for as long as possible..."

"What can I do for you? Do you need something?" I asked again.

"What's your name?"

"Y/n..."

"That's definitely one of the names I've heard. Mine's-" Just as he was about to say his name, my surroundings just suddenly changed. Everything looked like it was moving, shifting and possibly breathing. Any form of sound has fallen deft to me. The sound around me was like, white noise? No, static?

"But you can call me John Doe."

"John Doe... That name is so familiar..."

"Ok..."

"Are you doing anything after work?"

"Should be honest? Or should I lie...?"

"No... I'm not doing anything. Why do you ask?" I asked John but he didn't say anything, just stood there in silence. And then he just walked away!

"... Weird."

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"Finally off work. I can't wait to get home and go to sleep," I said as I walked out of the gas station.

"Hi." I was greeted by a familiar voice, it was so sudden and out of nowhere that it made me startled me. I turned my attention to the source to see John Doe.

"Oh-! Geez, you scared me!"

"... Do you like being scared?"

"Kinda... But only when I want to be! You shouldn't jump out at people like that."

"You're cute when you're scared."

I couldn't bring myself to say anything. I honestly could feel my face getting warm, am I really blushing? But why? Is it because he said that I was cute? This John really is weird, though I can't say that he's the worst I've ever met. Just when I was about to say something, my bus appeared.

"Can I come home with you?" John asked.

"Is he really asking me if he could come home with me...? Should I say yes? But..."

"... I... I guess?"

"You shouldn't invite strangers home."

"Then why bother asking me?! Is he just testing me or something...?"

"Oh."

"But don't worry! I'm not a stranger! You know me now!" John said while holding his hands together and showing his large smile. Probably the largest I've seen so far. And also very sad that what he said was somewhat true. Nothing else was said between us as we got on the bus.

"Why do I feel like I have made a grave mistake..."

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