D U S K ✔

Chapter Six

After successfully avoiding Adam for the rest of the day, I couldn't help but feel a slight sense of accomplishment.

  At time in the day I doubted myself, becoming unreasonable scared, or paranoid, but towards the final minutes of the school day, I realised.

  The day was over.

  And I had never felt such a sweeter emotion course through my bloodstream.

  With a newfound confidence, I parted from Rob, planning on meeting him later after school to finish my dreaded English assignment with him, I strolled from the front gates of the school and made my way towards the bus stop.

  A gust of wind pelted against my face as I quickened my pace, the breeze furiously threw my hair upwards, flicking it in every direction. My arms were wrapped tightly around my body whilst dead, crumpled leaves ploughed into my frame, reminding me of the bitter, autumnal weather that I hated so much.

  I had made it to the bus stop in no time at all, and luckily, to save me the trouble of any social awkwardness, it was deserted. Crawling into the graffitied bench, the small roof above it gave me a slight shelter from the vicious wind.

  My brows furrowed, after a few minutes, checking my watch, I realised the bus was late. I groaned, frustrated.

  Someone cleared their throat behind me.

  I jumped out of my skin,  petrified at the sudden noise. I turned my head to where the sound originated from.

  And then jumped from my seat, my feet completely frozen to the ground.

  He was leant up against the wall of the bus stop, his muscular arm above his head, his jet black hair was messy as the wind scraped past it as well.

  "You're surprisingly good at avoiding people," He stated, the deepness of his voice shocked me as was was smooth like ribbon. And he leant closer towards me, "but, I'm surprisingly good at finding people." 

  I shakily inhaled, glancing at my surroundings, looking for help, or just anything to get me out of this situation.

  Nothing.

  There was absolutely no one around which scared me even more.

  Somewhere deep down I knew I shouldn't have gotten so confident, and I shouldn't have been so naive to think that it was all well, and that he hadn't seen me that night. Or that it was all a coincidence.

  I instantly felt sick to my stomach.

  But I needed to pull through.

  "I don't know what you're on about."

  Adam's thick eyebrows raised in a challenging motion, creating small lines on his forehead. He scoffed, "Lying sure isn't a strong point for you." He mocked.

  I kept my eyes peeled to the floor, as sweat gathered on my palms, I stayed silent.

  I heard him take a step towards me, as I peeked at him through my lashes, he began waking in circles around me, and I tensed. Still staying completely silent.

"I know you're the girl in the window, don't act so innocent." He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest, before chuckling, half-heartedly, "Well, seeing as you have oh so suddenly forgotten that night," he started, exasperatedly, "let me clear it up for you."

  I gulped, squeezing my eyes shut pathetically.

  "I can't, under any circumstance, go back to Juvie." He hesitated, staring at me as my eyes flickered open at such intense news. He taunted me, adorning a slight smirk before repeating himself again, "back to Juvie. So I need to know that you won't utter a word of what you saw that night to anyone. And frankly, by the way you avoided me, you don't seem like someone I could trust."

  He looked me over.

  "Not in the slightest."

  My face paled as his face came ever so close to me, I looked away as his eyes bore into mine, he was so close, I could smell his woodsy cologne.

  "I won't tell anyone." I whispered, as truthfully as I could muster up. I knew that after this I couldn't tell anyone, and I was too afraid to anyway.

  "How do I know you won't tell anyone?" his obsidian eyes narrowed, "I don't even know you're name."

  I contemplated it for a moment, taking my entire school life into the balance. I knew Adam could make my life a living hell if he wanted to. All it would take was for him to snap his fingers and threaten the right people.

  But the thought of not telling him and him making me tell him was, in my opinion, far worse.

  "Gabrielle." I muttered, "And I won't tell anyone. I promise."

  "Somehow I don't believe that."

  I could've sobbed right then and there, but I kept myself in check, and stayed quiet, I didn't know how I could tell him otherwise.

  He cocked his head the the side, it was a simple gesture, but it made my insides coil with nerves, the entire situation already taking a massive toll on me. "How can I believe you? Tell me, how can I trust you, Gabrielle?"

  I thought back to everything, trying to come up with some sort of suitable reason or explanation.

  But I came up with nothing.

  So I went back to basics.

I scrunched my face up slightly, "The word of God?" I stated, more as a question than an answer, join the would take it as it was.

  "I don't believe in that." He rolled his eyes.

  Little did he know, neither did I.

"If I didn't know better I would think that you've already told someone," he scrutinised me, looking for the smallest flicker of doubt or worry, but my face was as blank as a sheet of paper, and deep down inside I was quite proud of myself.

  "I haven't. Nor will I--"

  The sweet sound of an engine interrupted me and I had never felt so elated in my life. Without a second glance at Adam, I scurried onto the bus, praying that he didn't follow me.

  I sat down near the back, a brief sigh escaping my lips whilst some elderly people gave me weird looks. I ignored them.

  I peeped out of the window, making quick eye contact with Adam, who was still stood in the place he was before, an intense look in his eye as he watched me with what seemed to be intrigue.

  I shook off anything and everything I was feeling as the bus started to take me home.