Duplicity [h.s]

27

There was something so intriguing about him, and I couldn't put my finger on it. He was the last type of person I would choose to be around; he's rude, obnoxious, threatening, and dangerous. Every time I was around him my body would sweat and my throat held a massive lump in the back. It was hard to think around him, hard to speak. He just made me so erratic whenever he was in my presence. I was scared around him most of the time, but when things felt normal between us I just feel nervous.

His flips in behaviour made him the most toxic person in my life. I wondered if he was bipolar, but I think he just gets pissed off and frustrated very easily.

I watched him as we walked down the street, cigarette in his mouth and stolen sunglasses covering his green eyes. I looked down at his arm, watching to sway as he walked. It was shortly after two in the afternoon as we walked along the sidearm next to the beach. The weather continues to scorch us, but I think my shoes were finally drying, I knew the bottom on my feet were shrivelled though.

"Why did you save me last night?" I spoke up as we walked, a question that's been circling my mental.

He looked down at me next to him, jaw sharpening when he sucked on the cigarette.

"Haven't we been over this?" He murmurs, looking back ahead of him as we walked.

"I know, but you told me something on a rooftop in Philadelphia." I murmur back.

"And what was that?" He chuckles in amusement, the two of us weaving through everyone on the street.

"Why would you save someone that wouldn't save you?" I quote his exact words from that night.

He goes quiet as we walked, bouncing his tennis ball and blowing smoke like a chimney. I awaited patiently for an answer, hoping he wouldn't try to steer from it.

"Do you like adventures blondie?" He asks me a question back.

"Answer my question first please." I mumble, I had no confidence when I as him a question. I was also on alert that he'd blow up form just the wrong vowel I spoke.

"I am." He brings the cigarette down by his side. "Do you like adventures?"

I knit my brows together, peering up and taking in his side profile.

"I mean, I guess it depends on what kind of adventures you're talking about." I answered, not understanding where this was going.

"Doing things that keep you alive, you like that stuff?" We walked along the sidewalk in front of all the shops and buildings, his cigarette going back up between his lips.

"If you're talking about things like rollercoasters then no.." I felt dumb that I couldn't answer this properly.

I didn't expect it when he suddenly grabbed my wrist and yanked me over in his direction. My sneakers scraped against the gravel as I was pulled quickly between two brick buildings we were passing by.

The alley between the buildings were narrow, separating us from the public. I couldn't even process what was happening until he grabbed my hip and pushed my back against the brick wall. He was quick to be standing right in my proximity, height difference making him a whole head taller then me.

With my head against the brick I looked up at him, my heart racing as the public chatter was a bit more distanced. I turned my head and saw we weren't that far from the open street, if I needed help I could easily get it if I screamed. It was dim in the alley, secluded.