Chapter Four, Rumours

A week later

Alex couldn't concentrate on the lesson; he'd done the homework anyway. Ever since the false alarm, he'd quickly become obsessed with Erin. Little of what she did seemed to add up, and what did was suspicious. Alex had been quietly investigating her, slipping her into conversations to gather information. Considering that Erin talked to no one at school, a surprising amount turned up. He'd begun to write it all down, something about Erin wasn't right and he was determined to find out what. Alex's friend Tom sat down next to him.

"Alex? Can you give me a hand with this stuff, I haven't been listening to a word?" tom looked a little sheepish and Alex felt bad refusing him.

"Sorry Tom, I haven't been listening either."

Tom didn't look too upset; he shrugged and begun to doodle idly in his exercise book. Alex decided to take a risk.

"Tom, have you noticed something about Erin?"

His friend put down his pen slowly and looked up at Alex. "I think I know what this is about."

Alex felt his hopes rise, out of all of Brookland. Tom alone knew the truth about Alex.

"You're falling for Erin, aren't you?"

Alex felt his hopes die; Tom hadn't made the same conclusion as him. His friend took his silence a confirmation.

"I knew it! You've been talking about her none stop for like, a week now!" Tom exclaimed gleefully. Alex quieted him.

"Shh, I do not like her!" he hissed. For some odd reason, that statement didn't sit right in his mind. Alex mentally shook himself, Erin was right in front of him, she'd hear them if he didn't quiet Tom. His friend looked a little disappointed,

"You don't like her?"

"No!" again, that odd feeling of untruth. Alex frowned a little, why was that? Tom looked at him curiously.

"Why do you ask about Erin then?" He enquired. Alex just shook his head.

"Never mind. Let me see your work, I might be able to help."

After a few minutes, Tom went back to his own desk and Alex was able to bring his list out. He went over it for what felt like the millionth time.

Odd things concerning Erin:

Saw her in Office- hacking admin. System?

Knew my name without being told

Constantly making strange calls

Rumour says she got into trouble with police and that she was involved in bullying (No one knows if she was bully or victim).

Talks to no one unless forced

She's on none of the class lists and no one knows her last name

Teacher's always nervous near her, she seems to enjoy that

Seems to be able to avoid me well, hard to follow

Alex sighed. He knew his list wasn't much and that the last point especially was enough to make him look like a weirdo stalker. Yet… he knew there was something about her that was just wrong. For the rest of the day, Alex dwelled on his misgivings, if Tom noted his mood he didn't comment. At the end of the day, Alex said goodbye to his friend and went over to the bike rack. As he wheeled the bike out, he caught sight of Erin riding slowly to the street crossing. Before he knew what he was doing, Alex was on the bike ready to follow. Then, he paused.

'What am I doing? Was I really about to follow this girl just because I have a hunch she might not be a normal student?'

Watching Erin cycle across the road made Alex's mind up for him.

'Yes. There is something wrong here and I will find out what it is. What if it turned out I was right but told no one and she did something. It can't hurt just to see what she does, if Erin heads straight to a house or something, I'll leave right away.'

With that in mind, Alex took off after Erin. Once she was in sight he slowed down, keeping her on the other side of the street and a good 6 metres ahead. After awhile, they entered an industrial zone, construction sights and dirty building surrounded them. Somehow, Alex got the feeling that Erin was up to something here, his suspicions were confirmed when she dismounted her bike and stood waiting by the side of the road. Alex tied his bike to a nearby stand and stood in the shadow of a half constructed building, ready for whatever was about to happen. He didn't have to wait long.