……………………………………………..
Every step you take…
………………………………………………………
Turns out, avoiding Jeff was much harder than I thought.
It's not that he was following me; every time he saw me, he'd turn around and walk away. It's just that, well, we hung out in the same places, and had the same classes. Plus, it was hard to avoid him purposely all day when we'd been stuck together ever since sixth grade. I often found myself wondering what Jeff was doing after school, if I could copy his English notes, etc.
The truth was, I missed him.
So, about a week later when he asked to talk to me, I agreed. Sue me!
I followed him out onto the school lawn, and up over the hill. He sat down on the soft grass and I plunked down beside him, weary as ever.
His eyes were a normal brown- that much I could tell. So I was safe, right?
"How are you doing?"
I jumped a bit, startled. "Fine." I answered stiffly.
"A week, eh?"
"Yeah."
A pause of silence.
"I have to tell you something."
"What?"
"I'm not really sure how to say this…"
I picked at the grass, waiting for him to speak. He ran his hand through his curly brown hair and bit his lip. "You have to promise you won't scream and run away and call the looney bin."
"Uh," now I was nervous. "I guess."
"Okay," Jeff took a deep breathe. "You know that time I found you at the cemetery?"
"Yeah," what was he getting at, exactly?
"It's hard to explain…" he paused. "I started hearing him around then."
"Huh?" I asked, puzzled. "Him?"
"Him. Pat."
I stiffened, ready to bolt if I had to. "You heard him?!"
"Yeah," Jeff said. "He sort of spoke to me in my head."
"WHAT?!" That's it; my best friend was officially a Looney Toon. I stood up, and turned to leave.
"You said you wouldn't run away," Jeff pointed out timidly.
"I'm not running, I'm walking away." I moved towards the school. "You're insane!"
Jeff caught my wrist lightly. "I'm serious, Em! He's inside me, and sometimes he completely takes over!"
I turned towards him to give him a piece of my mind, and saw his eyes slowly turn black.
"He takes over when he senses you near him…"
The grip on my wrist grew tight, and I stared at Jeff in fear. His pupils were completely black now, and his face twisted in a sneer. "Emily."
I stumbled forward as he pulled me into his grasp, and I landed sitting in his lap. His arms snaked around me and held me close. I was too stunned to try to get away.
"Jeff?" I whimpered. Then I looked up at the man who was holding me. "Pat?" I asked timidly.
Jeff smiled. Or was it Pat? I was very confused.
"Hello," Jeff purred into my ear. "I've missed you, baby. Why've you been avoiding me?"
My brain started to work again and I struggled in his hold- I had to get away. There was no way that Pat was in Jeff's body; that was a nightmare- impossible-
"Jeff." I said firmly this time. "I know that Pat isn't in there, so stop pretending. Pat is dead, and he isn't coming back!"
Suddenly I was thrown on the ground, Jeff lying on top of me, crushing my lungs and cutting off my air. I gasped as he grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head. His coal eyes burned into mine.
"I risked everything for you," he hissed, his mouth inches from mine. "I didn't come back so you could reject me. You will be my girlfriend, and everything will go back to the way it was!" he leaned down and licked my neck, from my collar bone to my ear. I shivered and turned my head away, not wanting to watch him. "And if I have to kill to get you to notice me, then so be it!"
He kissed my neck as I gasped in alarm.
Kill.
Did he just say kill?
"What the fuck is wrong with you, Jeff?!"
"I'm not Jeff," he said. "I'm Pat. I came back, darling. Just for you."
"W-wha-"
And he kissed me. Only this time it wasn't a chaste kiss. It was a fiery, bruising kiss. I squirmed in his grasp, but that seemed to make him a bit... erm, excited.
This is sick. I felt like puking as his lips attacked mine. But then I thought, well, what if it was Pat?
Or maybe I was a Looney Toon too.
"Geroff!"
"No." he trailed kisses down my neck to my cleavage, and I shrieked. He quickly placed a hand over my mouth, but I attacked him with my free hand. No way was I letting my psycho best friend molest me. I clawed at his face until he let go of my mouth and grabbed for my free hand. Then I yelled, and yelled and yelled, hoping that someone would hear.
His lips captured mine again, blocking of my screams.
"Hey!" someone yelled, and I almost lost consciousness I was so relieved. Jeff sat up, his hands still holding onto my wrists.
"Can't a guy make out with his girlfriend anymore?" he asked the newcomer dryly.
"She was yelling, man," the guy pointed out. I looked up at him- some guy from the football team.
I opened my mouth to speak, but Jeff leaned down and whispered in my ear. "If you say one word, I'll beat the shit out of him."
My eyes widened. On one hand, I wanted to be rescued. On the other, I didn't want anyone else to get hurt.
Luckily, someone else made the decision for me.
"Let her go."
This was a new voice, yelled from someone still quite some distance away. I turned my head towards the voice and watched as Rob came running up. The relief must have been apparent on my face, because when Jeff looked down at me he grew absolutely furious.
"This isn't over," he hissed, just so I could hear. "Remember what I said. Don't say I didn't warn you…"
Then he got up off of me, and raised his hands. A gesture of surrender.
"Sorry lads," Jeff said. "Bells about to ring."
It did, right then. Rob stared at Jeff, his eyes hardening. Then he glanced at me, my disheveled hair and swollen lips. He saw the look in my eyes- pure anger.
"Why don't you two head in?" Rob suggested. "I need to talk to Emily for a second."
To my surprise, Jeff just nodded and left. After glancing at me of course. His eyes told me not to tell Rob anything, or I would regret it.
Pfft. Rob could take him any day.
"Are you alright?" Rob asked.
"No," I said lowly. "He forced himself on me. Again!"
"Again?!"
"He's my best friend; kissing him is like kissing an older brother. Gross. But he keeps jumping me randomly!" I curled my hands into fists. "It's like he's a completely different person now!"
"Maybe he's finally hit puberty," Rob joked. I glared at him, and moved to walk past him. His hand reached out to grab my wrist, but he seemed to think better of it.
"Maybe he really loves you." Rob offered, his hand dropping to his side.
I stopped in my tracks and blinked stupidly. "Maybe," I said slowly. "But I don't love him, not in that way. I told him that."
"You told him, and he still hasn't left you alone?"
"Nope."
"I'll beat him up for you," Rob offered. I cracked a small smile.
"No thanks," I grabbed his hand and gave it a quick squeeze. "But thanks for offering."
Then I ran inside the school. If I didn't hurry, I was going to be late for Math.
……………………………………………
Disclaimer: I don't own Looney Toons. Need I Say More?
Thanks to my reviewers porkypick, sweet thoughts, UsagiMiyuki and Skylar Kaulitz. Thanks so much guys! Your reviews are what keeps this story going!