Between Love And Hate

Chapter Fifteen

Raven

Janelle had managed to drag me upstairs to her room, away from her very funny kid sister, and her parents.

She had flowery wallpaper. At least they were not pink, too pink like Brittany's room. I stared at the pictures hanging on her wall.

I took my time, and my eyes caught something, a shadowy figure. "When did you take this picture?" I asked, pointing at the pictures she'd carefully glued to the wall. "Took them a few days before we started talking. Me, Ren and Marie went camping."

I nodded, "but, who's this person in the picture. It's quite shadowy. Think you have another one, that's quite clear or something?" she carefully scanned the picture, before racing back to her bedside drawer.

She brought out a small box, made of wood. She took of the lid and started placing pictures on the bed. "I'm sorry. I have a thing for saving pictures. I took all of these myself."

I walked back to the bed, "why are you apologizing? if you are sorry, then I should be sorry about my room too. It's filled with blue." I heard her soft chuckle. And maybe, too many butterflies jumped around.

My eyes caught the same shadowy figure again, but this time, there were other pictures and in most of them, the face was clear. I scrutinized the pictures, the person was a man. Tall enough, and even well built.

And then it hit me hard, he was the same guy from yesterday. The same man who Janelle had bumped into yesterday. Whoever he was, I was certain, completely certain, he was Janelle's stalker. He was the same person who attacked her few days ago.

"You okay?" Janelle asked, confusion spelled out on her face. "I am. I'm just thinking is all." I shrugged.

"Eh, can I keep this?" I asked, holding the picture up so she could see it. She smiled, "sure. You can keep it." I nodded a thanks and got up.

If I could connect all this dots, then I could get to find out why he was stalking Janelle. I shrieked when I felt a pain in my rib. I glared at Janelle, she shrugged.

"You weren't quite listening to what I was saying. Needed your attention."

She was smiling. That smile I loved. The one where her dimples went deep and you wished you could poke your fingers at them. My heart fluttered.

"Alright, what?" I asked, ignoring my palpitating heart. "Well, it's past your bedtime. And as much as it hurts, your dad had asked me to make sure to send you home early, he said, and I quote-" she made air quotes with her hands, I found them funny.

"He said, "make sure she gets back home early. don't let her eat strawberries without chocolate, it'll irritate her later. Uh, don't let her scratch her eyes either, you'd not want to see her after she does that. But most of all, please make sure she gets back home early, she has school tomorrow. You both have school tomorrow." Your dad's something else. So, I have to let you go home early."

She tried her best to mimick dad. But she wasn't getting it at all. Dad didn't sound like someone who'd swallowed a frog.

"Well, dad cares a little too much." I placed my hands in my pocket, "So, won't you walk me out?" I asked her.

"Sure. Urhm, why not?" We walked out of her room together. And when we passed Brit's room, she stopped me. "Won't you say goodnight to your new friend?" she asked, I shrugged.

I knocked on the door first, maybe because I was being polite. I opened the door when I heard Brit's soft but insanely high voice. "Hey, I came to say goodbye. I'm going home." I said as I got to her bedside. She squeezed her face into a frown. "Why? Do you really have to go? Will you ever come back to visit? Are we not friends anymore?"

So many questions, "I'll come visit again. And yes, we're friends. But I have to go home tonight, or I'll be grounded." she smiled instantly.

"Get me ice cream when next you come over. And oh, don't say goodbye if you'll come to visit again. My mum says goodbyes are for when people are never coming back."

I chuckled, "your mum's pretty wise though. But I have to go. So, goodnight little Bri. I'll come visit next time with ice cream. Now go to sleep, sweet dreams." and then I kissed her forehead. In return, she gave me a peck on my cheek.

I closed the door behind me, walked slowly downstairs. Janelle's house wasn't exactly too big, but it wasn't small either. It was just there, and it was cozy too. You could feel the love without trying.
I said goodnight to her parents, her mum, insisted I visit again. And her dad, refusing to be called Mr Ontario because he was obviously younger than I thought. I laughed at that. Her mum engulfed me in a warm hug and wished me a safe drive home.

Janelle held my hand as she walked through the door with me. She only stopped when she got to my car. "Your's?" she asked.

"Nope, Dad's. He let me borrow it for the night." her lips curved in the shape of an o. I watched her quietly, wishing that I could kiss her.

She untangled our hands, pressed me against the car, stood on her tiptoes, and when she figured I was still an inch taller, she pulled me down by my collar. I knew she was going to kiss me, so I waited patiently to feel the pressure of her lips, when she'd pressed them to mine.
She took her time, savoring every small second, I guess.

And then I felt them, her lips. My knees went weak, my heart fluttered, I don't know nor remember how many times I tried to blink. My hands moved from her back down to her waist, and I pulled her closer.

We pulled out of the kiss in record time, I was completely out of breathe. We both were. She had a massive blush on her cheeks. She gave me a peck on my lips, then moved her body away from mine.

"G'night, Raven Grey. See you tomorrow at school." And with that, she rushed back inside her house.
I still had my back against the car, and I knew I had the most stupid smile on. I opened the door, got in, started the car and drove off.

I didn't ignore the depreciated truck I saw down the street as I rounded the corner. But, I was just too excited to notice it either.

Who, in a thousand years would think I'd be kissing Janelle B. Ontario. Even I would never have believed.