Izalia slipped into the store behind her double then behind a circular rack of clothes, peaking through them as the stranger stopped right outside the window, peering inside. She went further into the store, trying to hide from both the stranger and the double. From where she was, she could hear the group of friends talking wildly to each other, acting exactly like a bunch of girly teenagers. As Izalia watched them over the tops of shelves, she found herself disgusted with her old teenage ways, despite that being her just two weeks ago.

She glanced over her shoulder at the window, noticing the man wasn't there anymore. Scrunching her eyebrows, she used the shelves to bounce up on her tip-toes for a second and scanned the store, searching for the stranger. But she couldn't find him which meant he had to be outside. While she wanted to stay with her double, she also knew that man must've played a role in her death, otherwise why would he be following her around? It made no sense.

Taking one last glimpse at her double, Izalia snuck out the door, stopping and looking to her right then to her left. Still, he was nowhere to be found. Frowning, she started down the sidewalk, peaking around cars and buildings, searching for the man, though she didn't know why. If she found him, then what? Wouldn't she just hide? What if he didn't have anything to do with her death? And everything was just one big coincidence? Besides, even if he was following the friends, what if he was following someone else?

Then she saw him, sitting at a table across the way, a steaming cup of something in one hand and his other holding an older, flip phone, something she never saw anymore. Who used flip phones today? She took out her phone as she leaned against the wall of one of the shops, pretending to look at her phone, tapping on her phone here and there while occasionally, glancing up and over at the restaurant.

The man looked up, too, his eyes wandering around before locking over to the shop her double had gone into. He'd lean back a little, his eyes moving through the windows until, Izalia presumed, he found her, then he'd take a sip from his mug and looked back down at his phone. Izalia pulled her hair around her neck, masking her face.

Finally, her double walked out of the store, looking over her shoulder at her friends who were goofing off, their shopping bags flailing around.

"Alright, guys, I gotta go. Cya." And with that, she left them behind with a wave of her hand. Across the way, Izalia watched as the man stood up, gently setting down his mug and throwing a few bills on the table then briskly walked around the surrounding gate, following her double.

That's definitely suspicious; something's up, and Izalia wanted to know what. Counting a few seconds in her head, she shoved her phone in her back pocket and followed close behind the man on the other side of the street, debating if she should stay on the side she was on or move over to the other side.

Izalia decided it best to stay on the side she was already on to stay conspicuous and, to help with that, she stopped a few times to just take a second to glance into a shop window before hurrying past people to catch up.

Her double finally got to her house and walked inside without a care in the world while Izalia stayed back a few buildings, keeping her eye on the man who had stopped across the street, staring at the house on the other side. She titled her head when he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pad of paper and a pencil, quickly jotting something down then scurrying off.

"Hm."

"Izalia?"

Izalia turned on her heel, coming face to face with her one and only, the guy she'd been crushing on since forever and who had recently asked her out on a date where she had bluntly said no in a moment of panic and nervousness.

"Oh, uh, hi, Joey." She found her fingers fiddling with the edge of her shirt as the butterflies exploded in her stomach.

"Whatcha doing?" He gave her a curious look, the hint of a smile on his lips.

"Nothing?" What was she doing? Why did she have to be like this? Couldn't she just suck it up and talk with him? By gosh, she's known him since she was a toddler, barely out of diapers.

"Okay. Do you maybe want to do something?" It came out hesitant and shyly, his eyes not quite meeting hers.

The butterflies were going to absolutely destroy her. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks as her knees shook violently beneath her. "I, uh, well, um..."

"It's fine if you don't. It wouldn't be the first time you've said no." Joey gave her an amusing smile, murdering her without knowing it.

Izalia frantically shook her hands in front of her face, trying to spit out the words she so wanted him to hear but found them stuck in throat beneath a massive lump of fear.

"So, that's a yes?" His hands came up and grabbed hers, pulling them away from her face as he gave her a sweet smile.

She died.

Again.

And she found herself slowly nodding, her lips spreading into a wide smile, thankful he understood what she was trying to say without having to say it. 

"Do you want to go now?"

Once again, she shook her head, grateful he understood her small brain. 

Joey smiled, his eyes lighting up as he took one of her hands in his and led her down the street, making her forget about everything previous to that moment. She had the most stupid smile on her face, the butterflies swarming in her stomach, her head a bit light, her hand folded perfectly with his. 

"So, how's it going?" Joey asked without looking at her, smiling ahead.

"G-good." her word came out stuttered and unsure thanks to the build-up of nerves that caught in her throat. 

"Good to hear. It's been a while, Iz." 

Izalia glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. "It has."  

They lapsed into a comfortable silence as he led her to a cute cafe that was snuggled on the very corner of a street, the warm light welcoming them inside. Joey opened the front door for her, the small bell above the door ringing as they entered. As if he'd been there dozens of times, he instinctively led her to the table by the window, pulling out her chair for her then pushing her in.

"What a gentleman," she complimented, giving him a shy smile. 

He gave a soft laugh, giving her a look that completely melted her heart. Why on earth did she allow this to happen? She was going to be a puddle on the ground within the hour. 

"I try. So, what do you want? There are sandwiches, cookies, ice cream, shakes, sweets. What suits your fancy?"

Izalia let out a small laugh. "What suits my fancy?" 

Joey gave her a wide smile and nodded. 

"Ice cream, maybe?"

"A lady after my own heart. What kind?"

Her heart fluttered. "Mint chocolate?"

"You're killing me, Iz. Cone or dish?"

"Um, cone?"

"Marry me now."

Izalia laughed, wishing his words would become true someday. As she looked at him, she could definitely see him in her future, fooling and goofing around with her, being the cutest couple on campus and all that sappy, romantic stuff she was a sucker for. 

The waiter came over and took their order, promptly turning and heading straight into the kitchen where he then came back out a few minutes later, a mint chocolate ice cream cone in each hand. "Here you go. Enjoy." And with that, he left them to their own devices.

Izalia licked her ice cream carefully, glancing up at Joey once in a while, watching as he bit into his ice cream. 

"You're the bravest person I've ever met," she said, staring at him.

He stopped mid-bite, looking at her with confusion. "Huh?"

"You just bit your ice cream." Izalia looked at him with a look of awe. 

"Yeah... don't you?"

"Nope. Biting ice cream is like biting into ice. Cold. Very cold." 

Joey cocked his head, a smile growing on his face. "Huh. I've always bitten into my ice cream. It doesn't bother me none."

"Wow. You brave, brave soul." 

He laughed. "I guess so." 

Shaking her head, Izalia started licking her ice cream again, peering outside at the wonderfully blue sky, watching as the clouds moved lazily across it, the sun at its peak. 

"So, Iz, what's new?"

She glanced at him then looked back outside. She wished she could tell him what had happened to her and what she was supposed to do, but he'd probably think her crazy and would leave in a heartbeat, never to talk to her again. Not like it matter, anyways. She was going to die in just two weeks. 

"Oh, nothing. Just the usual."

"What's the usual?"

Just as she was about to answer, Izalia saw the man standing across the way, his eyes locking with hers. She hurriedly stood up, pushing the chair way back making it screech against the floor.

"Iz? What? What's wrong?" Joey looked up at her then followed her gaze. 

"Nothing, nothing. I just, uh, I gotta go. I'll see you later, yeah?"

"Um, of course. Yeah, uh, do you need help or something? What's wrong?" He stood up and reached out to her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Izalia gave him a grateful look. "Thanks for the ice cream. Raincheck, okay." She  took another glance outside and watched as the man started across the street, his feet leading him straight to the front door of the cafe.

Eyes wide, Izalia backed away, saying one last goodbye before stumbling out the door and racing up the street. She could hear Joey calling out her name but it soon faded. She took one glance over her shoulder as she tore down the sidewalk and towards her house. The man wasn't there. 

Izalia slowly came to a stop, looking all around behind her but seeing no sign of him. Where'd he go? She came to a complete stop, looking down from where she had come from but only saw groups of teenagers talking animatedly to each other just as her double had with her friends.

Frowning, Izalia turned around and bumped into him.

—

Voila, chapter 5 for ya'!

Bit of a cliff hanger, eh?

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