Having slept in mums bed I awake for the first time in a while, relaxed and refreshed.

I slowly inch my way out of the bed so I don't wake Lou or mum, then make my way to my room to get ready.

As I walk in its unusually cold but nothings out of place. I get ready for school and make breakfast for mum and Lou then leave.

I refuse to use my phone from now on. Every single time it goes off I have a heart attack. I hid it in my bedside table and left it there.

Making my way to school I feel I'm being watched constantly. I hate the feeling. I'm getting so paranoid

I get to school on time just as the bell goes and I make my way to History.

As soon as I sit down Bens keeps poking and prodding me.

"What?" I say slightly annoyed as he continues to stab my shoulder with his finger.

Having enough I whack it away and he chuckles amusingly. " where did you go yesterday?" He asks.

"Nurses office."

"Why?"

"I... um, felt light headed" I quickly lied.

"Oh, ok. You're okay now though?" He asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine" I say and Ben nods.

"You missed Thomas and Oliver fighting when you left" he chuckled at the memory.

"What! They fought? What do you mean?"

"Calm down" he said noticing the fact that I'm slightly panicking "they had a fight with pens" he chuckled. I make a 'oh' face and smile.

"Who won?"

"Oliver because he pretended Thomas got pen in his eye and he started panicking saying 'I can't see! I can't see'." He laughed

"Thomas started to freak out. Oliver then disarmed him and doodled all over his face" Ben was laughing as he told the story.

I started laughing at the thought of it and patted Bens back as he tried to control his laughter.

"They're idiots" I huffed.

"Complete morons" Ben chuckled.

After a while the bell goes. I'm on my way to Art when I feel an arm grab my wrist from behind. I immediately panic and whack the arm on me before I even look to who it.

"Hey, easy Cas."

I turn around to see Oliver "Oliver you ass, you scared me" I said placing a hand on my chest to calm myself as I rip my hand from his grip.

"I'm sorry munchkin. You haven't answered any of my texts and I got worried. Especially when you disappeared from school" he said.

"Oh, no I'm sorry. I-uh-I lost my phone?" I say more like it's a question. Is it a good enough excuse? I don't want him to be mad at me.

"You lost your phone?"

"Yes, I lost my phone" I said sounding a little more confident with my excuse.

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair looking at the ground.

"I was really worried" he said quietly, I almost didn't hear him. He then looked up to me "So you didn't get any of my messages?"

"No, I'm sorry."

"It's ok, I was only asking if you wanted to go out after school...?"

I looked at him surprised. Is he asking me out on a date? An evil grin appears on my face, oh he's nervous. I should probably clarify...at his expense.

"How do you mean? I think you need to specify a little more" I ask in a teasing voice smiling. He starts to look a little panicky.

"I um, I didn't mean a date, unless you want it to be a date, but that's not what I meant, I meant to the arcade and maybe ice cream. Shit, that sounds like a date. But it's not, but it can be-" He says and I stop him from his nervous ramble by putting a hand in his arm.

"I'd love to go, but..."

"There's a 'but'?"

"I'm sorry but I kinda got a small job at a café and when I finish, I have to pick Lou from a friend's house and take him home, I'm sorry" I say feeling guilty.

He smiles " it's okay, some other time maybe?" he says and I nod, he starts to walk away when he turns around. He digs in his bag and pulls out a phone.

"Here, take my old phone so I can text you."

I look at him confused " why do you have two phones?" and he looks at me with wide eyes and mouth open.

"Uuuh, I, in case one breaks" he pauses " in case I break one. Then I will have another." He looks at me and smiles sheepishly "It's known to happen if something really pisses me off " he slightly chuckles.

"Oh, ok. I get it, I smashed my phone once by throwing it against the wall because I was angry " I smile and he laughs.

"What made you so angry?" He asks.

"I can't remember" I said, I can though. This stupid stalker made me angry and upset. But I can't exactly tell him that.

We part ways and I get to Art just in time.

———

It's the end of the day now and during P.E Miss Becet received a note from the office and at the end of class after I get changed, she came up to me.

Apparently, Mr Kyle would like to see me after school to discuss my mock exam homework that he set last week. So... I'm guessing I fucked up.

I make my way to his classroom after the bell rang and reaching the door I hesitate for a couple of seconds before knocking lightly three times.

I don't feel good right now, a strange feeling consumes me. I'm snapped out of my thoughts when I hear Mr Kyle call for me to come in.

I open the door and close it behind me as I take step forward towards Mr Kyle who's sat at his desk still looking at the papers on the table.

Standing there for a few moments he tells me to grab a chair and sit in front of his desk, he tells me this without looking up at me. I do as I'm told and grab a chair.

I really hope this doesn't last long. I have my first shift at the café today in about 40 minutes.

He finally looks up at me as he goes in his draw and grabs the top paper without breaking eye contact. Now I'm feeling scared.

As he drops it on the table, I see the mark, C, that's not that bad, why am I here? I did good, didn't I?

Still looking at me, "hmm" is all he says in a low groan as he looks away from me and at the paper.

"Yes, you got a C and that's...okay but, it's your mistakes that startle me." He says flicking through the paper and stopping at a page.

"This one here" he points to a question that has a PH scale on it, it has a big red cross where the mark goes "you know this, we did the experiment, you know where they go so why have you muddled it all up?" He asks and I'm not sure if he actually wants me to answer the question but given the swarming silence in the room, I guess he does.

" I don't know, I can't remember doing the experiment" I say looking anywhere but him.

"You don't re- you seriously don't remember the experiment?" He says raising his voice with a little anger mixed in it making me jump at his tone.

" I-I remember that- that we did an experience but I don't re-remember the details of it. I'm sorry. I, i, i had a family issue the same day and I must have forgotten because of it" blatant lie, there was no family drama, it was that fucking rose.

I silently swear at myself as well for stuttering, giving myself a mental head slap.

"I see" is all he says looking away from me. He starts to pack his things away including the paper.

Once he's done, he sighs and rests his elbows on the desk looking my way. I look up to him. His hardened face turns slightly... sympathetic?

"Are you okay Casey? I have noticed your grades in other subjects slipping as well, you're predicted an A, maybe even an A* and you were getting high B's before but now" he sighs "it's silly little mistakes as well. Is everything okay at home, what's this family issue you talk about?" His voice sounds so calm and reassuring.

I don't know what to say. So, I don't say anything at all. Minutes pass and I hear him sigh again.

"Okay, you don't have to tell me, just sort it out so it doesn't affect your school work" and just like that he's back to being his old monotone self. I nod.

"You may leave" he says looking away. I bend down and rest my hand on the desk for support as I pick up my bag, just as I start to stand up, I feel something on my hand.

I turn to look and Mr Kyle has his hand on top of mine, rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb in small circler motions.

"If you ever need to talk or if someone's giving you trouble, you know where I am" he sends me a one-sided smile which give me chills, I rip my hand away from the desk and him.

I stand there not knowing what to say. "Sir, I, I have to go." I say backing away to the door "I would a-appreciate it if you didn't touch me like that" I said and before he can say anything I turn around and leave.

———

After getting home I changed and went to my first shift. It was okay, mainly consisted of them showing me where everything is and the rules.

———

I get home after picking up Lou and I look at the phone Oliver gave me then I get my phone from the draw. Turning it on I start to bit my nails with stress.

The light flicks on and it starts beeping. Great. I anxiously look at it only to sigh in relief when I see 3 messages from Oliver and ONLY, Oliver.

Oliver's old phone, which I'm definitely giving back as soon as possible, goes off. I smile to see its Oliver.

New phone, who dis?

He texts. He's such a idiot.

Wanna meet up tomorrow after school?

He asks.

Sure, straight after?

Yeah, why not.

Ok see you at school.

Night.

Goodnight.

I put the phone down and lie on my bed and think.

How can I stop all this? Why are they watching me? There are so many girls who are more pretty than me, Becks for example, she's gorgeous but I wouldn't wish this on anyone. The unknown and the stress of this is horrible.

I have a deep sudden feeling of dread. Should I start writing this all down? Keep a track of it all? The notes, messages? Maybe I can look through it all and find out who's doing this!

I decide to do just that, I get a spare notepad that I've never used and start from the beginning from the first note. I jump from my seat and rummage through my bag, I remember throwing one or two in there.

I find them and set them aside. I have some screwed up in my locker too, I'll get them tomorrow.

I write everything that's happened, leaving room to stick in any notes I don't have right now underneath on the page. I even write what the text messages said and when they were sent. I track everything back to dates and even some exact times.

When I finish, I step back from my seat and hide the notepad under my pillow. I then climb into bed and go to sleep.

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