This is just a sick joke, right?

Dedicated to @Sterling

Date | 10th of October 2021
Time | Its around 8pm
Weather | A slight drizzle
Surroundings | People are on their way home
Attire | light blue jeans, white sneakers, a thick grey sweatshirt and brown wool jacket

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“Get home safe alright?” Jade smiled kindly to the small kid that didn’t feel like letting go at her leg. A soft laugh left her as she squatted down, “this is not goodbye, we’ll see each other next year again” the little girl looked at her with her big brown eyes “you promise?” Jade nodded and ruffled the thick brownish hair “Of course, same time next year” the girl finally relented and went with her parents and got into the car. As the last car drove away Jade stood and waved them goodbye. Tim came over to her, putting some gum into his mouth “you really should stop promising them that” he mumbled, Jade turning a confused look at him. “Why? I’m going to be here next year too” Tim shook his head and took one of the boxes and walked over to the house.  These weeks always took a lot of energy, but as Jade bounced back to the house, she could feel how it still gave her an accomplishment that she always got when it involved her job.

As she was about to walk into the house, she heard Tim scream. A scream that you normally heard in horror movies, as something scared you so much that all your body could do was let it out in a sound that would make people either come running or run away. Her heart was beating heavily in her chest, as she slowly got up to the door looking inside. She had no idea what to describe what it was she saw, but one thing was sure; it was like a horror movie. Tim’s dead body was lying on the hardwood floor in its own pool of blood. Her hands flew to her mouth as she looked up seeing what could only be described as a monster, fangs, long nails. What the hell was that! She turned around and took off running. The bathrooms, if she could get to the outside bathrooms, then she could lock herself in and call the police. Not that she knew what she could say to explain the vision she had just seen.


The stall door was such with a bang as she put her feet up on the cold toilet seat, her fingers trying to find her phone. Someone, or something entered the toilet, and she pressed her hands in front of her mouth and nose. She had a promise to uphold, she couldn’t die today!

Damned shadow creatures. They had been lurking in the dark for all of summer, and now that it was getting darker, they started to poke up around and about. Sterling had arrived to Athena by the end of September, as he was going to attend the funeral of his fellow hunter, Quentin. Ever since he saw his little sister at the funeral, he had chosen to stay for a little longer and join her on finding their sister. Together they would find er easily and hopefully, he could help the lost souls in Athena. He was wearing a slightly heavy jacket with different kind of ammunition and weapons. Around his wrist was a bracelet with four small stones, which would light up in different colors depending on what creature he was dealing with. It was quite complicated to walk around with in the city, but on these hunts, they were alright. As of for now, it had a slight grey tone and he knew very well, that it was the shadow creatures. The color simply got stronger and more vibrant as he approached a camp. It seemed like a place where kids came to get all of those marks and go on forest-trips.

His eyes investigated the area, looking for anything unusual. He could hear how something moved around and even how an engine was started and drove off. That was probably for the best. He moved towards the sound which had been moving around and got closer and closer to a room for what seemed to be the headmasters for the camp. He wasn’t that smart about camps – he simply guessed.
As he got closer, he noticed how a window had been cracked open and suddenly he heard a scream. He cursed underneath his breath and quickly kicked the door in. No matter how many people who was in the hut, it would hopefully take the creatures attention to him. He whistled a little to help it find him. He loaded a gun and found a little container with sunlight. He waited and kept listening for the raspy breathing and heavy steps. As soon as he could sense that it was close enough, he threw the small container, which quickly opened and both blinded and burned the shadow creature. He picked up his gun and quickly shot the creature three times. Abdomen. Heart. Forehead. He got the pleasure of being splattered with the slimy tar like blood. The creature fell and with a simple kick he managed to close the container with light for later use. He glanced towards where the creature had come from and looked for any survivors or alike. What he found was a very pale man who had been impaled by the shadow creature. The man was dying and no matter what Sterling was going to do, this man wouldn’t make it.
He quickly looked out the window and noticed how someone was running towards a building. Sadly, for the dying man in pain, he would rather save a life than end the misery for another on a human way, so he quickly shot the man in the head before he barged the front door opened and ran towards the building the girl had run at. On his way he changed his gun to another and as he got inside, he couldn’t hear a thing. No panting or sobbing. Had she been killed already?

He moved as silently as possible trying to listen to anything which would seem like a supernatural creature who was in for something brutal. But there was none and every door was shut. He picked up the small container with sun and threw it up in the loft which it stuck to and opened up, lightning the room up completely and in every stall. A creature hissed in one of the stalls and he quickly went to the door and kicked the door open only to realize, that the creature had snug itself along the wall and had hid behind a girl. As of right now, he didn’t pay much attention to who it was or what gender the person was, but more to the fact that she was in danger.
“Duck!” he ordered her and quickly shut above her head, making the creature splatter with the black tar blood. He then reached out for the person on the toilet and quickly dragged her into his arms, holding her tight to his body. He had learned to always cover the ears of survivors when there was shootings, so his left hand sought around her covering her ear with his hand as best as possible as he shot the creature two more times before it fell to the ground.
Though Sterling was a welltrained hunter, his heartrate always went up under a hunt. It was the adrenaline. He quickly looked for anyone else before he lessened his grip around her too look her in the eyes. “It’s going to be alright,” he said keeping his eyes on her. “I’ll protect you” he promised.

Her hands were still over her mouth and nose, listing to the steps that walked around the big public bathroom. Her heart was pounding like crazy against her chest, fearing that whatever was trying to figure out if she was here or not, would be able to hear it. Which of course was ridicules, because, no one could hear a heartbeat could they?

Something lit up the room, her eyes widening looking at how it illuminated everything. Then something hissed behind her, and a scream left her as she saw the shadowy figure hissing at the light. The door went open, and someone yelled at her to duck. And she did. Because she knew the voice, she couldn’t pinpoint it at the heat of the moment. But as she was pulled into his arms and could look up at his face. Even covered in splatter of what looked like oil. She knew. She could recognize that face anywhere. “Sterling” her whisper was overshadowed by the loud gunshot. Her arms locked around his body, shaking as he told her that it would be alright. That he would protect her. She wasn’t even that scared anymore, only shocked and didn’t understand what was going on. Was this a dream? It had to be, right? But it had been so long since he had been in any of her dreams. So maybe. More question that answers was going through her mind. Her eyes found his as he told her that it would be alight, that he was going to protect her. For a moment she was afraid she had lost her voice, but after just staring at him she finally found it. “What the hell, was that - Sterling, what, what are you even doing here!?” she demanded to know, what was going on. What even was that! It had to be a dream, yes of course, stupid to think it was anything else. A nightmare, a – she turned around looking at the monster at her feet. This wasn’t a nightmare, “oh, oh my god” her voice hitched as she tried to battle the many emotions or fear bobbling through her body as she flung herself around him again. Finding only comfort in knowing that he was there.

Their eyes found each other, and she asked what it was and what he was doing here. “It’s a shadow creature. It lurks in the dark and only wants to kill-” he spoke softly trying to be sure that he didn’t draw more attention to them than necessarily. she turned around and obviously looked at the dead creature. It was almost like she jumped back into his arms, and he made sure to wrap his arms around her for now. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” he hushed. As he had looked at her, she looked familiar. The features of the face seemed so familiar and the bright light from the loft had even shown her freckles. But as of right now, he honestly couldn’t be sure whether or not he actually knew who the girl in his arms was, even as she had said his name. His eyes shortly looked at the exit and towards any windows. His eyes then sought towards hers, and he tried to move his arms to cup around her face, “Hey, look at me,” he breathed. As soon as he looked into her eyes, he noticed who this face belonged to. “Is there anyone else here?” he asked of her. As much as he wanted her out of here, he had to know if there was someone else who he had to save too.

Shadow creature? He had to be joking her, there was no such things as, but how he looked at her she was quite sure that he wasn’t joking at all. For a moment she was sure she would faint, blood rushing to her head and making everything around her turn around. But as he asked her to look in his eyes she did, and was able to take a deep breath calming down her heart rate. Anyone else? “ I” she licked her lips, wait there was, Tim! “ Oh my god yes, in the house, Tim, my colleague and I was the only one back after the children was sent home, I heard him scream and -” it was clear she realised that Tim wasn’t alive anymore, a chocked sob left her. “ No, there was just us” she felt the tears prickle in her eyes, she had worked with Tim over a year now, considered him a close friend. What was she supposed to do now. “ Do we call the police? I don’t understand why anyone would do this” she kept herself somewhat clear, even though her lungs and nose burned.

She still didn’t believe the fact that it was monsters and not just, humans that looked a little weird. Maybe they were on drugs? That zombie drug that made skin burn and fall off? She had to have heard wrong. Monsters didn’t exist.

She mentioned the guy in the house and he pressed his lips a little together shaking his head a little. She sobbed a little. He was used to civils getting shocked or something alike, so he didn’t take it that much to heart, besides from that he knew her. “He didn’t make it,” he exhaled, watching how tears threatened to spill from her eyes. “I have a special team on their way to take care of the rest, don’t worry about the police,” he tried to calm her, “Think of the creatures as wild bears. They doesn’t think like us,” he tried to tell her. “Come,” he said, taking her hand to know that she was following and started to head out, constantly keeping an eye out for the creatures. As they got outside he crouched a bit down in his legs. It was something he had just been trained to do in a dangerous field. “Do you have a car nearby?” he asked quietly, shortly looking back towards her. He wanted to know which was the closest to them. If she agreed, that she had her car nearby, he would ask if she had her keys with her. No matter what, he would head towards the car which was closest to them, her car or his.

All of this was just very weird, and she didn’t really know how she should comprehend the information that her friend told her. Or former friend? It had been such a long time since she had last seen him. Around ten years now? How time just flew away without one noticing. She shallowed the lump forming in her throat, as they went outside. A special team. Think of them like bears. What the hell was going on! She had more questions, and no answers as time went by. Car? She looked towards him “Yes, of course” she mumbled, and looked around, her keys? She padded down her jacket and finally found her keys for her old Nissan standing by the trees, parked besides Tim’s car. Her friend, that wasn’t here anymore.

“Here, here we are” she mumbled, and saw herself in the car window. Her face had drops of black goo, just as Sterling was. Jade didn’t even notice how she zooned out just looking at the car, without opening the door even after she had unlocked it. She knew that she was processing trauma, she understood that. But never experienced it on herself, but only helped other people through it. She had no idea what to do or say, goodbye? Let’s meet under other circumstances next time? Was she even capable to drive?

She had a car, and it was even parked relatively nearby. As soon as she had her keys, he made sure to take her hand and drag her to the car, making sure they moved at a safe fast pace and didn’t run into any traps on their way.

They reached her car and she unlocked it, but nothing else. She just stood there. So, as someone who as used to the situation and civils reacting to trauma, he acted as quickly as possible. It was a pressured situation. “Jade. Hey, Jade,” he tried to get her attention and grabbed her arm. “Give me the keys,” he said and put his hands near her keys for her to give them to him. Whether or not if she gave them to him, he would pull her towards the passenger side. “I’ll get us out of here. But you have to trust me, okay?” he said and opened the passenger door. “Watch your head,” he said as he helped her getting into her car. He didn’t put on her seatbelt on because as of right now, he might be able to do it when he himself were inside the car if she hadn’t managed to do it herself. He hurried and closed the door as soon as he was certain she wouldn’t get a finger or alike in between. With swift movements he got to the drivers door, hearing the known raspy breath approach. He quickly grabbed his gun and turned towards it. It was already so close. He aimed for it with one hand, while the other hand sought to his pockets for another container.


He couldn’t find it, and instead of getting killed, he simply started shooting the creature. It took so many more gun shots, because it wasn’t weakened by the sun light, but before it could reach him it fell to the ground souping tar all over. Quickly he got into the car and started the engine. He was quick to ask much of the old car, and the wheels started to move them away from the camp, running over a skull from the creature he had just killed. “Tell me ten maiden names,” he said, trying to make her think of something else than what was happening.

"Yes?” she mumbled turning her foggy eyes towards him, how long had he been talking to her? Give me the keys “oh, okay” she mumbled putting her car keys. Had she been in her right mind she would have asked him why, or how he would be getting home if he drove her. Or if she should just stay here until she felt better. But as he guided her around the car and put her in the passenger seat, she opened the door and sat down on car seat. She was feeling somewhat alright, just processing everything. But as she expected him to sit down beside her and didn’t. She turned around only to see yet another of those monsters. Her eyes widen as her hand flew towards her mouth keeping down the scream that threatened to leave her mouth. What was happening! Why was this happening!?

But as it seemed that he was having trouble, she was almost ready to get out of the car. She had something that could help right? But before anything could be done, the monster was down as all of the others, and he could get in the car and drove off. While he was driving, she finally figured she hadn’t even put her seatbelt on and did that as he asked her to tell him ten maiden names. “What?” she looked at him with raised brows “But, definition of a maiden name is a womans last name before being married, or a virgin? So, do you just want me to find ten female names? Or last names? It has -“ she smiled and let out a small chuckle as she leaned back and closed her eyes “Okay, thanks, that helped” she laughed again not knowing what else to do. “After ten years this wasn’t how I thought I would meet you again” she breathed letting her fingers find a strand of her hair and pulled at it.

He noticed how she got confused by his question and started thinking about what he meant. As he heard her chuckle he pulled a little smile. She had realized what he wanted with the question and even though she hadn’t completed the task he asked for, the goal had still been achieved. “Any time,” he replied.
He looked towards her as she mentioned this wasn’t how she had imagined meeting him again. He pulled a cheeky smile as he looked back at the road, “Oh really? You didn’t imagine that I would be in Athena to save you?” he chuckled a little, keeping his eyes on the road, looking out for any creatures that might try to stop the car or jump into it.

She shook her head and couldn’t keep the smile from forming on her lips. Her eyes glided out the window, no she hadn’t imagine seeing him ever again. After she had met Madelaine as she had become a lawyer, working on cases together. She had of course asked how Sterling was, knowing very well that Madelaine had been very good at picking up on the younger girls crush. “No, I have to admit it really wasn’t how I imagine it, but to be fair, when I met Maddie after she moved here back in 2018, I never thought you would be coming here” she sighed as the mentioning about her friend, and his sister came up, knowing that she was still missing. The chances of her ever showing up was very slim. But that didn’t mean that the loved ones didn’t hope every single day. "I really miss her" she whispered closing her eyes for a second, before looking back at the road so she could give him directions.

“You can just take a turn up here” she said and pointed towards the road coming up to their left. “I live not far from here, on Rosen Road, then I can drive you back when I’ve calmed down” she said still feeling how her heart pounded in her chest, how her hand was still sweating. To be fair, she was still waiting for her to wake up.

The house was nestled into the woods, just like the rest of the houses in the area it didn’t look like it was a part of a road. But it was just her style. Peaceful and quiet.

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house & house

He glanced towards her as she mentioned she actually didn’t think that he would be coming here. “Really?” he said wondering a bit. He didn’t really understand why he wouldn’t be coming here, but of course, he had had a lot of work in the past in the states. So much work that he hadn’t even been able to go here when he first had gotten the news about Madelaine. “You don’t have to answer that,” he decided to tell her, because he didn’t really wish to know why she didn’t think he would come to Athena. He held his breath for a moment at she confessed that she missed her, “I do too,” he exhaled, once again keeping his eyes on the road. It was bugging him so much that she was still missing, and occasionally he started to believe that she wasn’t alive anymore.

Sterling gave her a small nod, as she informed him about where he could turn. “You don’t have to drive me back, I’ll do fine by myself,” he said pulling a small smile. When she was safe and sound in her home, he wouldn’t want to bring her straight back to the monsters who had been so close to killing her, without she even noticed it.

They arrived by the house. It was quite grand and well hidden between trees. Very much her style; peaceful and quiet. He killed the engine and got out of the car, and if he reached her door, he would open it for her. As all the doors were closed, he would make sure to lock the car and follow her up to her house, giving her back her car keys.

“Of course, you will” she mumbled, but with a slight teasing tone in her voice. She did remember quite vividly how he would always carry so much on his own shoulders. Like not letting her drive him back, clearly because he didn’t want to put her in anymore danger. Which was commendable. But who made sure that he wasn’t in danger? She let herself watch him as he shut down the engine and got out of the car. A small breath left her, as she was reminded of the feelings, she had been having for him. When she had been overweight, braces, she had even worn glasses. And her acne. Such a cliché, the ‘ugly’ girl that had fallen in love with the person that could get anyone that he wanted. And so many women had been on his chase. So, she had kept it inside, watched from the side lines, being his friend instead. Which had been great, until the day her mother had told her they would be moving.

“Thank you” she whispered as he opened the door and let her out. She would have gotten out herself, but the events for the day, and her own flashback to her childhood and teenage years. Had rendered her in a passive position.

Walking towards her house she padded down her jacket once more. Only to remember he had her car keys, which was also where her housekeys were. She turned around finding him rather clothes. “Thank you” she said once again, taking the keys from him and turned around to unlock the door. As she did and pushed it open. She was taken aback with how dark it was. She took a harsh breath through her nose. Turning towards him again she hugged her keys close in both of her hands in front of her chest. “Could you stay?” she asked with a rather weak voice “Just, while I check that no one is in the house?” she got flashes from how these animals had looked like. And they were still rather close to where it had happened. Her heart still pounding in her chest, while she looked straight into his eyes. Suddenly not being quite sure if it was because he was so close, or the memories making it pound.

Sterling always made sure that every damsel in distress was safe. Besides, he was known to be a knight in shining armor. He could make sure he was alright by himself. He didn’t need a person to shield him. He knew when he had reached his limits and when he had to go and ask for help. And he sought help often. He knew he wasn’t invincible.

He followed her all the way to the door, even after he had given her, her keys. He stood quite close to her, being ready to defend her if it should come down to that. She unlocked the door and pushed it open. It was dark inside. He looked down at her as she asked if he could stay. A light smile blossomed on his lips and he put a hand on her shoulder, “I’ll stay as long as you’d like,” he informed her. There was no one else who needed saving from the camp, so he just had to be sure that the creatures wouldn’t lure themselves in. “Come on,” he said and pushed her gently inside and closed the door behind them, locking it for her. His hand sought for the light switch, but he couldn’t find it. “All of your doors and windows are closed, right?” he wondered, just to make sure the creatures wouldn’t sneak in or them or maybe already were inside. Some people were so confident in their neighborhood that they let doors and windows stand unlocked and open.

Stay as long as you’d like. Those were dangerous words, because she wasn’t sure when she would be ready to let him walk out the door. The hand on her shoulder was warm and comforting. By the gods, she had forgot how beautiful his smile was. Could it really be that easy to reignite the flame in her heart for him? Even after she had found great love in other people? Apparently. She shook her head with a soft smile, as he pushed her inside, gently but she still felt the impatience. The lock was put back in, and as he asked if she had all her door and windows locked, she snorted. “I grew up in new York, granted my grandparents where rich, but you still then you never leave your house without having every door securely locked and the alarm system on” she looked at him, raising a brown and shook her head a little with a smile “yes, all the doors and windows a locked” she added,  before she walked over and turned on the light in the hallway, dining room, study and kitchen? It was a small house, but it only had to house her. So, she had looked for something that wouldn’t make her feel too alone when she was here.

As the light was turned on, she turned towards him, making a small gasp. “Dear god” she mumbled stepping closer, letting her fingers touch his face where the gooey substance where “what, the,  hell” she breathed out and took a step back “Okay, well, might seem like you need a wash to get that out, because you’re not leaving, but you are not sitting down in my furniture like that – and your clothes are filled with it too” she laughed, because what else could she do? She took off her jacket and hung it up. Seeing that she had some of the splatter on her jacket. She looked down, okay so her pants needed a chance too. “Do you think it comes out in a machine wash?” she mumbled looking back at him, damning her heart for skipping another beat.

Sterling’s smile grew as she explained how everything was locked. She had a way with explain things which she found obvious. “Good,” he said, slightly relieved. He could hear how she stepped around and turned on the lights in her place, which made him realize that the wall he tried to find a switch on had no switch and he removed his hands. Luckily, the palm of his hands were clean.

He raised his brows looking at her as she gasped. He wondered what she was so surprised about. He frowned a little as it seemed like her eyes were focused on something on his face, but as she touched the tar-like blood, he understood why, and almost couldn’t help but smile. Then she started to talk about how he needed to get a wash and wasn’t allowed to sit down nor leave. His smile was bright behind his dark skin and the black blood. “Alright, alright,” he said not being able to pick off his smile.
She took of her jacket and finally noticed how she had some on herself. “It’s worth a try,” he said, “And if it doesn’t comes out, I’ll make sure you get some new clothing so you can throw it out without a worry,” he assured her. “So, where’s your washing machine, or do you want to wash it later?” he wondered. If she wanted to wash their clothing later, they probably needed to find a plastic bag for their clothing, so it wouldn’t smear off.

Be still my beating heart.

That smile should be illegal. But there was also something very comforting about it, it made her forget some of the horrors that she had been faced with tonight. Something she greatly appreciated. “You don’t have to make sure of anything, I can buy my own clothes” she gave him a big smile and scrunched up her nose “You saved me tonight, if anything I should be repaying you with new clothes” she nodded as he asked if she had a washing machine “Yeah trying to wash it right away seems like a good idea, come with me” she turned and walked through the kitchen and opened the door into the bathroom. Quite big and spacious, which was why she also had the washer and dryer in here. She opened the door to the washer and started pulling of the clothes that had been splattered with the blood after he had shot one behind her. As her pants were off, she turned and tried to look at her hair. “Aw man” she breathed and closed her eyes, throwing her hair back in a slightly childish manner. But her hair always took such a long time to wash. She just considered herself lucky by the fact that she was mixed and had inherited some of her mother’s Scandinavian genes. “That is going to be hell to get out” she mumbled, and returned her eyes towards Sterling waiting for him to strip down so she could get the machine going. “Who would have thought that I would have Sterling Jackson stripping down in my bathroom” she teased “all the schoolgirls that would have sold their soul to be in my place right now”

He shook his head a bit as she didn’t accept his offer, but instead suggested to repay him, “No, don’t buy me clothes. It’s been made to get dirty,” he explained. If something wasn’t to come off, he would either keep it as a memory or he would get a new set – at least that was how he had it with his hunter clothing. He didn’t have to look nice in his hunting clothes, the most important thing was that it was practical.
He followed her as she told him to and soon, they stood in front of the washing machine. He looked at the bloop of blood in her hair and was close to comment on it as she noticed it herself and clearly wasn’t satisfied with it. She mentioned it was going to be a hell to get out, which made him pull a little smile. He liked that she cared for her hair. While she was inspecting her hair he pulled out multiple gadgets for hunting and put them on the toiletseat before he pulled of his jacket which had been open all of the time and threw it in the washer. He looked over at her with a smile as she mentioned him stripping. He grabbed the guns in his belt and added them to the toilet seat before he pulled off the belt. “Are you sure about that?” he laughed a bit as he finally grabbed onto the dirty t-shirt and pulled it off his body, revealing tons of scars all over his body and threw it in the washer, without even thinking about the scars or telling her why he had them. He loosened the straps on his boots and lid out of them before he took of his pants, which revealed spotted scars traveling down his legs. He threw the pants in too. The only thing which actually hadn’t gotten dirty was his pants and socks. It was such a dirty job. He turned towards her as he waited for her to put the washer over.

She forgot how to speak for a moment as he pulled of his t-shirt. He had asked her if she was sure that people would be jealous, and for a moment she wanted to ask him if he hadn’t noticed just how many girls had been crushing on him. As he turned to look at her, clearly waiting for something. Her brain started working again. “Ehm, oh, yes” she turned and started putting in the soap and fabric softener. Putting it on high temperature wash. As it was done, she moved around looking at him, feeling how some heat was forming in her cheeks. God damn it.

“So, a bath?” she asked, looking around walking over to her small shower and turned it on so the water could become warm, and then found some towels that could be used. Still thinking about his wording to answer her comment about him taking of clothes. “Are you really telling me, that you never noticed?” she let out a small chuckle as she looked towards him. “How many girls had crushes on you? No, that, you had to notice! You always had giant piles of valentine cards when the holiday came around!” she shook her head leaning against the sink, not noticing how her eyes travelled down his body. Her eyes also found the many weapons that was lying on her toilet seat. What the hell was he doing with so many guns? Did he work for the police or something like that?

He noticed how her cheeks got a little more color in them, but he didn’t think much to it. “Yeah, a bath sounds great,” he said, watching her as she turned the water on, “I can help you with your hair?” he offered. His mother had taught him how to take care of the curly hair they had in the family, also because Hannah sometimes needed help with the overstimulation.

He frowned a little, lifting his brow as she asked him if he hadn’t noticed. For a moment, he didn’t know what she was talking about, until she mentioned the many girls had been crushing on him and how he always had many valentines’ cards. He bopped his head a little to each side, shrugging. “Some of those were from the sports team, Jade,” he chuckled. He remembered how everyone on the sports team had sent him a valentine’s card one year, so when he had opened his locker, every card flew out of it, making him have to clean it all up and get detention from arriving late to class. He licked his lips as he noticed how her eyes was sliding over his body, “You know as well as I that the girls who had a crush on me didn’t even dare to look me in the eyes,” he said, crossing his arms a little, “And it’s rude to stare,” he teased her as her eyes had ended on the guns. “Have you ever used a gun?” he wondered.

She made a long nod, moving most of her upper body as he asked if she needed help. Normally she would have said no but getting that out of her hair would get tricky, so the help would be appreciated.

Her eyes went big as he told her that some of them were from the sports team. She pulled in her bottom lip. Trying very hard to keep her lips from turning upwards into a giant grin. But she failed miserably as she started laughing. “Oh my god, sorry” she shook her head and laughed, letting her hands grab around the sink’s countertop “it’s not funny” she tried, pulling one hand up placing it in front of her lips. Because it really was, but that still supported her theory. The boys had clearly done it, to make him aware of how many girls actually liked him.

Girls who had a crush on me didn’t even dare to look me in the eyes. She was just about to tell that wasn’t true, as he told her that it was rude to stare. Used a gun? “No” she shook her head, breathing in “I carry a taser and pepper spray, but that is mostly when I’m working very high-risk children” she explained and then return her eyes towards his. “it isn’t true by the way” she breathed giving him a half smile “some did dare to look you in the eye, even though they had a crush on you” she walked past him to check on how warm the water was. “at least I did” she said nonchalant as her fingers glided under the running water. It felt warm enough. She grabbed the bottom of her t-shirt and pulled it over her head. Reveling her very freckled body. Keeping her bra and panties on, she stepped towards the shower curtain and pulled it back to get clean her hair.

She started laughing, he could see it so clearly. He smiled a little himself. He also thought it was funny, but as it became a habit from the team, he simply just threw away valentines’ cards and honestly didn’t really celebrate it anymore of that very reason.

She hadn’t used a gun before. He nodded a bit as she explained what she carried. High risk children. He wondered what exactly that was, but she would probably explain it at some point. He tilted his head slightly confused as she said something wasn’t true. He wasn’t really sure of what she meant. He frowned kindly wondering why she would say that. He watched her as she walked over to the shower to check the water. At least I did.

It took a moment for him to understand what she was saying, “You had a crush on me in high school?” he wondered watching how she pulled her t-shirt over her head. For a moment he actually caught his eyes adoring her freckled body before he corrected his eyes back up and approached the shower so he could help her with the hair. “Turn your back to me,” he told her so he could help her as easily as possible.

She turned around as he asked if she had been crushing on him. She snorted a little “yes?” she answered and moved around so her back was facing him as she stepped into the shower and let the water hug around her body. Feeling how her curly hair became heavy and hung around her back and shoulders, getting longer by the minute it soaked in the warm water. “I thought it was so obvious, had one for years right up the day I moved away” he chuckled, closing her eyes as he started working on her hair, hoping he would be able to get whatever it was in it, out.

She licked her lips, feeling how water was dripping down from them. “But you know, never got the courage to ask you, and then it was better to stay your friend, in risking it for something that might just make it awkward” why was she telling this? Because it didn’t matter anymore, and it was a funny story to keep her mind occupied from everything that had happened up to their reuniting. So, for a moment she could just pretend that nothing bad had happened.

She approved of his question. She had indeed had a crush on him in high school. He hadn’t thought she had been crushing on him, but then again, you learned something new every day. He  waited for a moment as the hair got soaked in the water and eventually took the showerhead and placed it a little closer to her hair so most of the blood could dissolve by itself, falling off in bits and pieces. He held his breath for a moment as she explained that she had had a crush on him for years. He didn’t really want to tell her that he hadn’t noticed. He had just really cared for her friendship. She had been such a good person and she still carried that goodness with her. He put the shower head back and gently started to work on the curls in her hair, staring with only focusing on the strands which had been affected by the blood.

She explained how she had never had the courage to ask him and she wouldn’t want to risk their friendship. He understood that, because back then, he might not have wished for a relationship at all, even though as she had expressed; ladies flew around him like flies to a dump. “I’m sorry I didn’t think that far,” he said licking his lips while his eyes were focused on her hair. For a short moment he looked around to see what kind of hair products she had and eventually stumbled upon a coconut oil. “Just a moment,” he said as he went to open it and take some of it into his hands and warming it up a bit, letting it help with removing the last blood, almost like removing dried candle spots from a glass table.

“Nothing to be sorry for” she quickly told him, because he didn’t. Even though an unrequited love was painful, and heavy for the soul. She couldn’t blame him, he hadn’t known. And even if he did and hadn’t said anything to spare her feelings, like she knew he would have done had it been the case. It still couldn’t be his fault. Sometimes a soul would just fall in love alone. And it was painful and lonely. But the only one she could really blame, was her still beating heart as she felt his finger over her scalp. It felt so extremely nice.

She looked over her shoulder as he told her just a moment, seeing that he found her coconut oil and warmed it up in his hands. She saw how dark substance was gliding down her legs into the drain. This was still so weird, and she was starting to form it, that it had to be some kind of sick bears running around the woods. Had to be, right? As he was done with her hair, she moved around looking him into his eyes. “Thank you” she mumbled, stepping beside him taking a towel and wrapped around her hair before taking another for her body. “I’ll let you take a bath on your own” she gave him a slight teasing smile, placing two towels for him. She stepped out of the bathroom and walked towards her bedroom instead.

She had dressed herself in some slacks and a hoodie. She stared out the window, letting memories glide back into her mind. How scared she had been, the scream from Tim. Her throat started to close, and she sat down her bed, trying to calm herself with some forced deep breaths. “Oh my god” she mumbled, placing her head between her legs, her wet curls bouncing around her face.