Finding You

chapter 47

I do a full one eighty and turn completely around, almost tumbling into Roman.

"Sorry, totally forgot you were there," I muster.

He laughs and walks in the opposite direction with me. "It's fine. But um, isn't your class that way? Why'd you turn around?"

"Just taking a different route," I say with a simplicity that I don't feel.

He looks around suspiciously. "Alright," he says. "Avoiding an ex or something?"

"Uh yeah, an ex," I mutter distractedly. Quickening my pace, I try to play it off as nothing. That could have been anyone in a black jacket. What are the odds that the same person from the mall is here now? Or maybe I just imagined the whole thing.

But I'm already shaken up, and I don't want to take any chances. We pass a different hall that leads to my class, but I keep walking, heading for the bathroom.

"Are you okay? You look kinda pale," Roman notes.

"Yeah its just my stomach, I'll be fine."

"Okay," he says, but I can tell he isn't convinced. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, bye," I say and rush into the bathroom.

I consider locking the door but realize I'm being overdramatic. I sit in the only chair in the room and take a deep breath. The bell for 6th hour rings and I continue to sit there, trying to think about nothing.

Fifteen minutes pass and my phone buzzes. And then it buzzes once more. It's Zay again, and this time I answer him, so he won't worry.

Zay: Amber?

Zay: Where are you?

Me: just in the bathroom. ill be out in a minute

I sit there for a half an hour. Zay texts me again, asking if I'm okay. I just say it's lady issues, and he doesn't say anything else. Not until five minutes later when he calls me.

"Hello," I say.

"Hey what's goin on, you missed art."

"Yeah, I know. Are you calling me in the middle of class?" I ask.

"No, I left early. I'm at my locker, where are you?"

"Still in the bathroom. I'm about to go to mine, can you meet me there?"

"Why are you still in the bathroom? Are you sure you're alright?" he asks, his voice worried.

"Yeah. I'll talk to you when I get there."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye."

I slip my phone back in my pocket and exit the bathroom cautiously. The halls are empty; there's still a couple minutes of class left. I sprint through the halls to my locker, getting there just before people start filing out of the classrooms.

It's right then that I notice my locker.
Taped to it is a plastic bag filled with skittles. A note is attached to it, reading:

U forgot these! ;)

The winky face mocks me and my terror. The note confirms my suspicions about the hooded person earlier. Whoever I just saw was definitely the same person from the mall.

"Hey."

I jump at Zay's voice.

"Whats wrong?" he asks as soon as he looks at my face. He notices the bag of candy and peels it off, examining the note. "What are these from? Who gave it to you?" he asks suddenly.