The Attic

Chapter 04: Meeting

The days go by quickly and uneventfully.

I call Turner once after being followed by the stalker again. I know he won't be able to do anything about it, but he'd told me to keep him informed. That also meant that he has my number if anything ever comes up in the investigation.

I chat with Jack a couple more times, never really going into too much detail. My mind is always elsewhere.

I don't see Adam at all for the next couple of days. I'll apologize again later. The tension honestly isn't that bad. It never is with him. I can apologize later when I'm not busy with so many things, and it will still mean just as much to him.

I break from my thoughts and sigh as I glance over at my clock. 6:32. I'll have to be heading out in about twenty minutes if I don't want to be late.

I hadn't realized how late it had gotten already and jump out of bed. I grab my phone, wallet, and keys, then put on my shoes. I quickly comb my hair one last time and check that my window is locked before leaving my room and closing the door behind me.

The door to the study is open, so I peek my head in.

"I'm heading out, Dad."

The chair squeaks as he turns to look at me. "Your date?"

I nod.

"Okay. Have fun and be careful. Please call me if you need anything."

"I will." I slowly start inching out of the room.

"And be home before midnight. If you're not going to be able to make it, then call me and tell me where you are and how long you'll be. And let me know plenty of time beforehand."

"I know. I will. Promise. Bye, Dad," I call out, already halfway down the hall. He isn't telling me anything I haven't heard before.

"Bye, Raiden. I love you."

"Love you too." I quickly run out the door and start my car. Quiet music comes on over the radio and I look at the dashboard. It's only 6:40.

The drive to the park is only ten minutes from my house, but I'm too nervous and excited to wait any longer. I pull out of the driveway and start driving.

Nine minutes later, I arrive at the park and park my car in the lot near the back. There are a couple of cars in the lot, but I don't bother to pay much attention to them.

I can see the bench from my car; he isn't there yet. "Of course he's not," I tell myself. "You're ten minutes early. Don't psych yourself out."

After a deep, calming breath, I leave my car and head towards the bench. I turn back about halfway there and put my keys back in the car. I can see it from the bench and I don't like how uncomfortable they are in such a small pocket. There's not much of a chance that anyone will try to steal my car, anyway. Not in this small of a town.

I walk back to the bench, looking around at everyone to see if one of them could be Jackson. I doubt it. There are only a few far-away people here, and none seem to even notice the bench.

I sit down silently and check the time on my phone. Only 6:53. I groan and throw my head back. Waiting is and always has been one of my least favorite things to do. I can't stand it.

The wind picks up and I look at the clouds drifting across the sky. I heard something once, that you can tell a lot about a person by what they imagine clouds as. Like, if they constantly say something depressing, they're probably depressed. But, I mean, obviously. Or if they see food, animals, people, whatever. It all works. All I see is a cloud.

Someone clears his throat and I jerk back to attention. I lift my head off the back of the bench.

My eyes slowly take in the lone figure standing before me. I end up looking up at his face, skeptically. "Adam? What are you doing here?"