Followed | Tagged

Chapter 2 - Dinner

The next morning I woke up at 10 am. My mom left a note for me on my 'front door' saying dad and her were going to look at furniture, and that I can do whatever I want till 3. I decided to take a shower, playing my favorite pop music to sing along to. Once done with my shower, I pulled all my hair in a bun and put on a white hoodie and a pair of green pants. I slipped on my vans and headed out the back door.

Even in January, it was almost 70 degrees outside, so a hoodie wasn't the best idea. This new town wasn't that small, it was actually fairly big and populated for the location.

I decided to walk around town, I passed a few trailer parks, a little kiddy park with a pond next to it, a few grocery stores and gas stations. Eventually I ran into an abandoned building that was packed with teenagers. The sounds of the skateboards and laughing intrigued me, so I decided to investigate. Inside was filled with half pipes and rails, people of all kind seemed to hang out there.

"You lost?" I flinched at the voice I didn't expect, which came from behind me. I turned around to see a guy, probably my age, also in a hoodie. He had a skateboard laying next to him as he sat on a ledge, his legs dangling off. The most noticeable feature of him was his owl neck tattoo. "Ash" he jumped down.

"Rhea" I told him. "And no, not lost. I'm just exploring".

"You new here?" He asks.

"What gave it away?" I smirk.

He thought for a minute, eying me up and down. "Most people around here don't wear hoodies in 70 degree weather".

I smile. "But you are" I say plain and simply.

"Yeah, I'm not like most people around here" he chuckles. "You from up north?"

I lean against the cement ledge he was once sitting on. "I guess you could say that".

"Well, be careful, people aren't as nice in the south" he drops his skateboard to the ground and stepped on it. "See you around, new kid". I waved him off and he joined a group of kids in the middle of the building.

I continue to walk around the edge of the building, dragging my arm across the wall. Every so often I'd get a 'hey cutie' or a whistle in my direction, which I mostly ignored. I was used to this, it happened all the time back home.

"Hey baby, why are you alone?" A voice spoke up from pretty close behind me. I turn around to see a black haired guy who towered over me.

"Not interested, sorry" I say before turning back around and continuing on my way.

"Hey" he reached out and grabbed my arm. I flinched and ripped my arm back. I gave him a mortified look. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. Look, there's creepy people in here that are watching you like a hawk, new prey to destroy. Come hang out with my friends and I, it's not good to be alone in here".

"And why should I trust you? You are probably a creep yourself" I scoff and turn away from him and begin walking full speed away.

He sighed. "Your cousin would say otherwise". I stopped.

"You know my cousin?" I turn back towards him.

"He's only my best friend, no big deal" he shrugs. When he noticed I was still weary he continued. "He's over there" he points his thumb over his shoulder.

After a second of thinking about it, I agree. He leads me over to a group of two other guys in the corner of this area. The two boys were passing a joint when I arrived. The long haired one lets out a cough as the curly haired one takes a hit.

"Okay, which one of you guys is my cousin?" I ask as I cross my arms.

"Dude, you told her?" The long haired boy slaps the first boys chest.