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"Fuck!" he screaony

"And don’t call lanced at the others They all had blank stares on their faces as they looked at their friend on the ground

So moved from the shadows--so fast my eyes couldn’t keep up I stood frozen in place, no tiuys were lifted off their feet and flung in opposite directions, their ht air, followed by heavy thuround I twisted and turned, searching in all directions "Hey!" I hollered What the hell?

Then, froe Frouy I moved closer

"Don’t," he said, and I stopped His shtly accented voice crossed the darkness toGroans froht air Chaz, who sat still, growled low in his throat

My insides shook Not out of fear, but out of adrenaline What had I just seen? Rather, not seen? And as he hiding? "You’re pretty quick Thanks--"

"Are you stupid?" he asked, his tone steady, angry, as he interrupted me "Why would you come out here so late? Alone?" He swore under his breath

I blinked in surprise "Uh, rabbed Chaz’s leash, and started back up the cobbled curve to head hoilante? He didn’t have to know I needed no help at all, but dary? Not all females were helpless I shook my head and crossed the park, and I made it all the way to Inksomnia’s back door before his voice joltedthe key into the lock and Chaz runs inside, and in the next second, he is standing directly beside me My reflexes kicked in, and ht it in one hand His grip was like steel, and I couldn’t budge my arm I lifted my knee, but before I could cram it into his crotch (in case you haven’t noticed, a favorite ainst the brick wall ofbehind hi more than a dark shadow With one hand he closed the door My heart thumped fast This was not a situation I wanted to be in I stared at his darkened face, waiting

"You’re too careless," he warned "Those punks outnumbered you They could’ve hurt you" He drew his head closer, and I could barely see the outline of a strong jaw, shaggy hair He lookedfamiliar "I could hurt you," he said, his voice deathly quiet

I knew he could see every inch ofevery feature I had The streetlaht poured directly onto me I jutted out et the fuck off me," I said, just as quiet "Now" One screa outside, but I waited He seeh the situation as he stared at me I felt threatened but not fearful Weird

It was several seconds before he released me from the wall "Don’t be so reckless," he said "You’re not as strong as you think"

I wasn’t stupid Even though I felt no fear, I didn’t exactly want this guy forcing his way into uess he could have done that earlier, had he wanted to I kept my eyes trained on his shadowy face and eased my hand behind ently turned the knob A sound behind lanced, and when one Yeah, just that fast I took a quick glimpse up and down -where I didn’t wait for a reappearance I hurried inside and locked the door As I got ready for bed and checked on Seth, who--surprise--was still sleeping, I tried to put the whole strange incident out of ive a rat’s ass if I was reckless or not? Finally, I drifted off

Soht up in bed My breath cah my T-shirt Chaz, on his bed in the corner, kept silent The streetlaed white brick wall, and for a flash second I thought so ilante had returned Then I thought better "Seth?" I said, thinking he’d come in and needed me "Is that you?" I reached over and turned on the laauzy white curtains hanging at the balcony’s French doors billowed out on a breeze I didn’t re the doors open I listened for a few seconds,to clear I then realized the TV was on in the living roo out of bed, I closed the French doors and followed the sounds to find Seth, sitting on the sofa, watching MTV With his shades on I stood in the archway, yawning "What’s up? You feel better?"