My bed creaked underneath me as I bounced my leg. Ever since the incident, I had stayed in and it was beginning to drive me insane. It was a nice night out and I had nothing else to do, but I knew it was a bad idea. I hadn't seen Dug around school and Heather had reported him anyway, so that wasn't an issue, but there was still the stalker issue.

A thud came from my window and I practically jumped out of my skin as my eyes flew over to see what it was. I spotted my neighbour's cat outside the window, pushing its side into the window to encourage me to open it, so I pushed it open and began to give him a pet. As I entertained him, I looked out at the forest at the end of the garden. Shadows bounced around against the garden shed, reflecting figures of small animals coming from the tree line. The night was calm and the sound of the trees swaying in the light breeze was very relaxing.

I climbed up onto the windowsill, dangling my legs off the ledge as I lit my cigarette. Inhaling it, I felt a buzz as the warm smoke filled my lungs and then twirled out of my lips, dissipating into the night sky. I pushed my hair out of my eyes, keeping a careful eye on the tree line. If anyone appeared, you best believe I would go crashing backwards into my room and locking that damn window.

My mind had been pretty preoccupied with what had happened yesterday. Feeling that feeling of somebody watching me at school had set me on edge and at lunch today I had tried asking about the post it note, but everyone had promised that they weren't behind it. Unless it really was Dug, I was running out of possibilities. After the strange staring incident yesterday, Heather and I had decided it was better to keep these conversations private. Just in case.

I'm fairly certain that whoever was behind the feeling that I was experiencing was aware that I was onto them. I mean, how else would they have escaped from the classroom yesterday so fast? I was so close to catching them yesterday; I had probably made them nervous. At least I hadn't felt it again today while at school.

Fishing the post it note out of my pocket, I ran my fingers over the letters with shaky hands. The feeling I got when I touched it was unexplainable. The buzz was dull, but it was similar to when I inhaled a cigarette. I knew it was bad, but I craved it in an unhealthy way. I wasn't sure why, but this whole thing was consuming me. I thought about it constantly: the feelings, the strange looks, the mysterious person. I couldn't get it off my mind.

"Cameron!" A voice yelled, snapping me out of my thoughts.

That scared the shit out of me and I grabbed ahold of the window sill in a panic, ready to fling myself back into my room if it was anybody dodgy. Looking down, however, the grinning faces of the twins stared back at me from my backdoor gate. I flicked my cigarette butt away and made my way across the window ledge to the garage and down the drain pipe to greet them. It was a bit difficult without shoes, but I was practically an expert at this point.

"What's up?" I greeted the twins, figuring it wouldn't hurt to have a conversation whilst still in my garden.

"Dug was taken in for questioning during school yesterday, so that's why we didn't see him today. Apparently somebody reported him in school and their allegation matched up with a 999 call from the night before." Mike explained, "You coming out?"

"Promise not to run away if we get into trouble? I've got a stalker now, remember. Can't be risking it." I bargained, relieved to be getting out the house for a bit.

"Agreed, but I'd grab some shoes. Can't run very fast bare foot." Mike joked, gesturing to my bare feet.

That was a fair point. I grabbed some old shoes from outside the back door and slipped them on, ready to go. They had been left outside because they were muddy, but now they were dry the mud came off with a couple of slaps against the fence.

"I left my baccy in my room, so you'll have to help me out tonight." I smirked, Mick reluctantly nodding.

"How come Heather never comes out with us?" Mick pouted, kicking a rock as we walked towards the park.

"Her mum would murder her." I deadpanned, "One time she caught us in bed together, not even doing anything, just friends, and she chased me out of the house. Haven't been able to show my face since."

"What I would do to be caught in bed with Heather." Mick gushed, making Mike and I share an uncomfortable look.

"Even you've got to admit that one was creepy, Mick." Mike grimaced.

"Don't tell her I said it, then." Mick blushed.

"My loyalty lies with her, unfortunately." I chuckled, "Maybe one day she'll decide that conventionally attractive men aren't her type."

"Hey, that's an insult towards me too. We're identical." Mike glared playfully.

The infamous feeling came rushing back again and I groaned, looking around with a deep frown. I couldn't see anyone, which meant that whoever they are, they were learning to keep their distance. I couldn't make sense of why I could possibly sense them, however. Unless I was just being paranoid because I'm out at night again. It's more rational to believe it's the latter and since I value my sanity I decided to just kill the feeling by smoking at the park.

"Have you got any bud?" I asked Mick, who shook his head.

"We had the same dealer and I officially ran dry the other day. Need to find another one or become one." He shrugged, "Anyway, you sound like Heather. The only reason she talks to me is to buy bud."

"You shouldn't give her crazy discounts, then." Mike huffed, flopping down in his usual seat on his swing, "You basically give it to her for free."

Mick took his spot on the other swing and I claimed the slide, per usual. Mick passed me the tobacco bag and I took a paper, rolling myself a cigarette. It was good to get some free smokes, but all I really wanted was to drink the stress from the last few days away. It was building up and I was sick of being worried about what I was doing every second of every day. Before all of this began, I was relatively care free.

I took a drag of my cigarette, closing my eyes and enjoying the feel of the cool metal on my skin. The twins were bickering amongst themselves, but it was a comforting sound. Things felt normal again. I looked up at the sky, noting that it was relatively cloudless tonight.

"Did you get an invite to that party this weekend?" Mike directed the question at me, snapping me out of my haze.

"Yeah. She texted me not long after the break up happened." I confessed, "It was actually like twenty minutes after."

"I don't understand how you get girls like that." Mick shook his head, "It's insane. You have a queue of girls waiting their turn."

"It's because he doesn't care about them; girls don't like desperate." Mike's tone was implying that Mick should chill it with his pestering of Heather, but obviously Mick didn't catch on because he's dense.

"I've actually decided to take a break from dating. I'm just not into it and before you ask, Mick, yes that means she's available." I mocked, making him pout.

"Dick." Mick muttered, kicking the bark on the floor.

"Did you hear anything else about Dug? What's going to happen to him?" I questioned, wondering if I had to worry about him anymore.

"His little brother's in year ten and he was telling our sister that he's being charged with carrying a knife, since he had one when they detained him at school. He's still a minor, so no prison time, but it's pretty intense stuff. Behaviour correction stuff. Good thing we all ran in time." Mike sighed, taking a drag of his own cigarette.

Biting my lip in concentration, I reached for their baccy again. I rolled myself another cigarette, thinking once again about what would have happened if that guy hadn't shown up. Dug definitely would have caught up to me; I can't run very fast. Was Dug insane enough to stab me for calling him a bull dog? Probably. That guy essentially saved my life, in that case.

"Watch yourself when running your mouth in future, smart ass." Mick glared, "You put us all in danger."

"Will do." I nodded.

I was pretty suspicious about who told Dug in the first place, but as long as he wasn't an issue anymore, I didn't really care. Live and let live, or whatever. The feeling in my stomach was still there, so I took another drag of my cigarette to drown it out. If these feelings continue, I'm going to get lung cancer.

"About that note, do you have any idea who it was?" Mike seemed genuinely curious, making me a tad suspicious. Was it him?

"At first I thought it was my mum, or one of you guys. However, there's no way my mum could or would go shimmying up the drainpipe and I hope to god you guys aren't lying, so I've got no clue." I admitted, peaking their curiosity.

"It might be your ex." Mike pondered.

It would be a viable suggestion if I hadn't developed some kind of sixth sense about the whole situation. I knew instantly that it wasn't my ex. It wasn't a 'her' at all, judging by the build of the classroom incident yesterday. I was fairly confident that it was a guy following me, watching me. The same guy that had fought Dug in the park.

"Doubt it." I answered simply, not bothering to explain why, "Anyway, you better bring your A-game this weekend. I want my stomach pumped by the end of the night."

"Somebody's had a bad week." Mick scoffed.

"It's only Tuesday." Mike pointed out, chuckling.

"The illustrious life of Cameron White." I gushed with fake enthusiasm, looking back up at the sky, "Get bud by then too."

"Will do, Cam." Mick promised.

Settling back against the slide, I let my eyes flutter closed. I finished off my cigarette and spent a while longer enjoying being out at night for the first time in what felt like forever. I felt pretty chilled out and I didn't want to move, but the twins had to be back before the sun rose, so they headed out with a wave.

Obviously, I didn't want to stay in this creepy park alone for very long, so I went on my way too. As I walked along the tree line, I admired how different it looked in the night time. Some might think it looked eerie, with the moonlight illuminating the branches, but I thought it made it look even more beautiful. Everything was better at night time. The patches of moonlight leaking through reminded me of glitter on the floor.

I was only around the corner from home when I noticed a slight rustling sound coming from the bushes up ahead. Slowing my pace, I came to a complete stop a few metres away from where it was coming from. There's no way I'm approaching whatever that is if I have any kind of common sense. I'd rather walk all the way back to the park and take the long way home. I held my breath, watching carefully and ready to run at a moments notice.

All of a sudden, a large deer flew out of the woods. I screamed and stumbled backwards, tripping on a stray stick and falling backwards and onto my ass. Scrambling back, I put some distance between myself and the giant deer that was now freaking out on the forest path. The feeling in my stomach was going crazy, which was telling me I was definitely being watched right now and was adding to my panicked frenzy. My eyes darted around the path wildly, finally spotting a figure in the trees watching me.

It saw me look directly at it and froze. We both looked at each other for what was probably half a second, but it felt like eternity. My mouth dropped open slightly, trying to process whatever was happening right now. My feelings were on fire. I felt frantic and wild, conflicted as to what to do. My brain said run away, but my heart was saying run towards him since he had protected me last time. I couldn't see his face, since it was covered with a mask, which was freaking me out, and he was hidden in the darkness of the trees.

I tried to speak to ask what he was doing here, following me, but it was too dry. I spluttered, stumbling over words that felt too large for my mouth all of a sudden. He didn't dare move, or make a sound, which was good because it probably would have sent me running. I very slowly got off of the ground, wincing as pain shot through my left ass cheek. That fall to the floor was unfortunate.

"Are you okay?" He asked, not daring to move still.

His voice made my heart thud. I felt breathless, unable to think all of a sudden. It was deep and husky and it sent shivers down my spine. I bit my lip, trying to shake these thoughts away. I hadn't ever felt like this. I'd never been attracted to anyone, so this was unbelievably overwhelming for me right now.

"Cameron, please answer. Are you okay?" He asked again, more urgent this time.

I felt like crying; I was so overwhelmed. Whatever emotion I was feeling right now, I just didn't understand it. I felt like throwing up with nervousness, but I also just wanted to run towards him. I hadn't even seen his face and I was a good twelve feet away but even just hearing his voice was making me like this. This was dangerous. He didn't seem aggressive, only concerned, but I didn't understand why I felt like this and why I trusted him. Everything is overwhelming.

So I ran.