Aubrey came into the house and dropped her backpack on the floor. She listened to see if she could hear any sounds.
"Hello? I'm home!" She called and received no response. Shrugging she plopped down on the couch and turned on the TV. After a couple minutes of flipping through channels she felt goosebumps on her arms. Something didn't fell right. Aubrey turned off the TV and listened closely, then realized there were footsteps upstairs. A chill ran down her spine. Slowly she began up the stairs to her room where the noise was coming from. Her door was slightly ajar, she peeked inside and struggled not to gasp. A man in a long black coat stood in her room. Aubrey couldn't see his face but felt he was familiar.
"I suppose she isn't home." He said. He picked up a picture of her and her father and snarled. As he did a whimper escaped her throat and his head turned in her direction. A evil smile spread upon his lips and he began to walk toward her. Without hesitation Aubrey sprinted down the steps toward the front door. As she reached it she found it unable to open and the man only a few feet away from her.
"How did you- she said to herself wondering how he got there so fast. But the situation quickly became real again as he reached out to grab her. She ran toward the kitchen and scrambled to get to the knife rack. He walked in after her still smiling. She faced him her hand shaking as she pointed the knife at him.
"Don't come any closer freak!" She said trying to make her words sound threatening. The man chuckled at her and again reached out to her. Aubrey felt adrenaline kick through her and she plunged the knife into his hand. She felt her lunch come up as the blood began to pour from his hand.
'I'm sorry." She said softly.
"Humans." He said shaking his head. The man pulled the knife out with ease, causing her eyes to go wide. She tried to get to the exit but ended up at one end of the kitchen table while he was at the other copying every move she tried to make. Trying to make a break for it she tripped over her feet, she fell toward the table and her arm knocked over the salt shaker which spilled on the man's hand. It began to sizzle as he grabbed it cursing at the pain. Aubrey looked his face for the first time but found she was glued to his pitch black eyes.
'What the hell?' She said. He chuckled at her.
"Exactly." He said winking. She found now she couldn't move. His hand shot up and she was flung against the wall she felt blood trickle down her head and then….
"GOOOOOOD MORNING!" sang the DJ on her alarm. Aubrey shot up sweat covering her head. It took her a moment to realize it was all just a dream. A very, very, very, vivid horrifying dream. She shook it off and began to go downstairs for breakfast. At the table was her step-dad George. He bunched happily on bacon while reading his newspaper. He had a large, round belly and worked as a fry cook at a burger place. Aubrey always thought it looked like he definitely brought his work home with him, in his digestive system that is. It's not that she didn't like him, they just never really connected. She never complained though, if mom liked him then she'd deal.
"Did mom take a double shift at the hospital?" She asked while pouring herself some orange juice.
"Yeah. She won't be home when you get home from school either and I have to stay late at the tonight so order a pizza or something." He told her. An awkward silence was exchanged till he excused himself for work. Aubrey found herself looking at the clock a little more today. She was used to being home alone but after that dream it was kinda creepy. It was quite a relief when the bus finally came, it felt safer to be around people. She took her usual seat in the back by herself. It's not that she didn't have friends it's just she didn't have good relationships with people. Her mother was very paranoid and rarely let her go out to do anything. You could forget dating all together. Her day carried on as usual till her 3rd class, math. Aubrey was a good student but she always felt her teacher had it out for her. Her mom always told her sometimes teachers pick a punching bag, but Aubrey felt he actually had a real hatred toward her.
As he droned on about something she found her thoughts going back too that dream. Feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand up she looked out the window to get her mind off it. She did note a sweet 1967 Chevy outside and something else. She caught sight of a handsome man in a trench coat. He caught her glance and they locked eyes. She smiled at him at first and he smiled back. But the realization dawned on her that there was a stranger staring at her through a window at school. Before she could react a voice startled her.
" am I not entertaining enough for you?" Mr. Jacob asked her. She snapped back into attention.
"Did you want an honest answer?" She regretted the smartass answer right away. This was most likely why he wasn't fond of her. He glared at snickering students.
"Please tell me what I can do to captivate you." He said sarcastically.
"Well maybe juggling, or riding a unicycle could help." She grinned trying to lighten him up.
"One more word and I will have you in a month's worth of detention you foul mouthed child." He growled at her. A hushed silence filled the room.
"Okie Dokie." She replied. He ignored her response and went back to teaching. Everyone seemed to let his comment slide fearing they could be punished as well. It was senior year nobody was looking for trouble. After a few minutes she dared to glance out the window again only to find the man gone.
Relief swept over her like a wave as the lunch bell rang. As she hurried down the hallway she bumped shoulders with a janitor. As she turned around to apologize she realized he must be new. He was very tall with long hair.
"Sorry about that." She said.
"Oh no problem." He smiled at her waving her off. Aubrey made her way into the lunch line and was surprised to see a new lunch lady- or rather man too. He had hazel eyes and appeared to be looking longingly at the sloppy Joes.
"Sloppy Joes please." She said when her turn came.
"Here you go." He said putting the meat on the bun.
"Cool." She said without thinking when she saw his nametag.
"What?" He asked confused.
"It's just your name is Solo like Han Solo." She blushed feeling like a nerd.
"Just for that you deserve an extra helping." He smiled but she put her hand up stopping him.
"Thanks but I'm not sure this meat even comes from our galaxy." She said as she took away her tray. As she was about to take her first bite she felt a tap on her shoulder.
Please don't be Patty. Please don't be patty. She thought to herself.
"Hi Patty!" She said when she turned around. Patty wasn't a bad person she was just kind of depressing. Since no one else really showed any kindness toward her and Aubrey did she took that as an invitation to be super duper bestest friends ever.
"May I join you?" She asked nervously.
"Yeah, go ahead."
"T-thanks!" She said cheerfully next to her. Aubrey attempted to take a bite of her meal but found that Patty's heavy breathing ruined her appetite. She pushed away her tray.
"Smart choice! It was probably like alien meat or something." Patty snorted. Aubrey gave a fake half hearted chuckle at the girl's attempt at a joke.
'Well look here it's Ratty Patty." Said a smug voice. Daphne, Aubrey's sworn enemy since kindergarten stood behind them pink nails on ridiculously skinny hips. Aubrey couldn't remember exactly why they weren't friends. Maybe she took her cookie, or maybe Daphne broke her favorite toy or Aubrey's biggest hunch…. Daphne was just a bitch. Patty looked down at her hands defeated, but Aubrey stood up to face her she didn't go down as easy.
"Wow, Ratty Patty. Somebody finally finished reading Cat In The Hat. Now leave her alone." Aubrey smirked. Throughout the cafeteria many chuckled at her comeback it seemed now everyone was watching them, including the lunch guy and janitor.
"Shut up loser. I should call you ratty I mean look at that shirt." She sneered earning only forced laughs from her minions. Aubrey looked at her shirt to see the AC/DC logo.
"Hey AC/DC/ is an AWEOSME band. It's also how you think the alphabet goes.' Aubrey retorted. In the corner of her eye she saw the lunch guy chuckling to himself. Before Daphne could reply they both noticed Mr. Jacob walk in. Daphne fell to the floor clutching her stomach as he did.
"Mr. Jacob! ! Aubrey hit me! Help it hurts!" She cried out flashing an evil smile toward Aubrey who stood mouth hung open.
"That is a lie!" She said as he came to help her up. Aubrey looked around and could tell none of her classmates would speak up for her. Even her only hope Patty was deathly afraid to even look at .
"You be quiet you little- he stopped dead in his tracks and was gapping at something behind her. She spun around to see the man with the trench coat from earlier.
Where did he come from? She wondered. appeared a little nervous and maybe even a little afraid of the man. He walked past her and in front of the teacher.
"The girl lies.' He gestured toward Daphne. She couldn't help but melt a little at his voice. gulped not making eye contact with the man.
"You are?" He said. The stranger pulled out a badge from his coat.
"Detective Wesson sir. The girl is lying Aubrey didn't lay a hand upon her." He looked sternly at her teacher. She couldn't help but feel there was a hidden message in his stare at who took a moment to reply.
"Well I suppose someone in law enforcement wouldn't lie. I'm sorry Aubrey." Mr. Jacob said leaving quickly. The crowd still stared at her. Daphne had stormed off. Aubrey noticed the lunch lady and the janitor were exchanging worried glances.
"Detective huh? How come you're at our school?' She asked not sure what else to say. He slowly turned back around to face her. She forced back a smile at his beautiful blues. He looked up at her and seemed to have to repress a grin as well.
"That is uh…..um…. constipation m'am." He said. Aubrey cocked her head to the side.
"Don't you mean confidential?" He thought about that for a moment.
"I suppose it might be." He simply said, making her laugh he smiled a at her giggle making her blush as well.
"Well thanks I guess."
He smiled and nodded to her and walked off. As he left the lunch bell rang and she cursed at herself for not eating. The rest of the day was mostly a blur her mind kept going back to the scene at lunch. She was just thankful to think about something beside that dream. She and Patty walked toward the exit as the day ended.
"That cop totally had the hots for you!" Patty smiled. Aubrey laughed a real laugh this time as she headed on the bus. It was a nice thought that he might have a crush on her. But something else was still on her mind: How did he know her name?