"Loretta."

My legs weakened at the velvety manly voice. For a second, I even thought that it was someone else. But it all was a dream broken when the next words were spoken.

"Too scared to speak to me, now?"

My eyebrows raised while I swallowed hard.

"Well, you should be scared. Because Loretta, you have done what I have told you to not," he said calmly.

I gulped, feeling my heart dropping in my stomach. With silent steps, I walked towards the window and peeked through the curtain again.

"I can see your damn silhouette through the curtain. Stop hiding and show up," he forced the words out angrily through a straight tone that brought chills to my spine.

I gasped and immediately turned around, pasting myself to the wall, cursing my study table lamp that I had forgotten to switch off.

"Watching another erotic movie?" He chuckled darkly.

I still didn't speak. The mere ability had gone after listening his dark voice echoing in my ears.

"Make bed for your parents too, Loretta. Because they are coming right over to your room to catch you red-handed, right after I make a polite call to them," he spoke.

What was his problem with me watching movies? How did he even say it like he knew very well of my habits?

"Show up," he emphasized but I shook my head, mistaking by breathing harshly.

"Then, fine. I am making the call," his voice faded as if he was hanging up.

I widened my eyes and ended up whimpering, "Why are you doing this? I didn't even tell my parents about the accident."

He let out the dark chuckle. "But they know about it and what they have done after that, has affected me. Because of which, you will have to suffer. I will make you suffer."

My jaws clenched as I felt the sudden anger booming in me. "Look, I have seen how no one gives you a single fuck at the school. Just because I am your junior, you can't dominate me. My parents won't believe you but their own daughter," I partly lied. "So, keep your threats to yourself. I am done with this chapter. My wounds will heal and I will forget. You should have taken care before getting blind and hitting me to almost death."

I gasped and hung up the call, frowning when I heard familiar voices downstairs. Switching off the TV, I left the room and was only stepping down the last stair when I caught mom's angry face. Her eyes softened just as she saw me.

"Mom, what happened?" I asked hesitantly, feeling my erratic heartbeats. "You look angry."

She placed her bag and removed the muffler while I caught Dad sitting on the sofa with his head down. "Why didn't you tell us, it was Brent's son?" She asked back, staring at me in confusion. "We checked the whole footage and-"

"Mom, you saw the footage?" I stared at her in disbelief. Dad looked at me and nodded when mom didn't reply. Instead, she put hands on her waist.

"First, answer me. Why didn't you tell that it was their son?"

I breathed, gulping when I thought that I couldn't lie now. "Um, you hate them and you have always said how we shouldn't be in contact with them. I thought you must be angry as I talked to him and sat behind his bike."

She exchanged a glance with Dad and sighed while looking back at me.

I further explained, "He apologized and took me to the nurse. Wasn't that enough? There was nothing more to say. I even denied him when he insisted on dropping me home on his bike. I came back home on foot. I was just scared, you would be angry at me."

She twitched her lips while sitting on the couch, pulling my hand to make me reach her. So, she could hug me lovingly. I wrapped my arms around her when she told, "I wouldn't have been angry on anything. All I want is for you to share things with us. Not hiding the truths. Who knows if Morgan tried to hurt you knowingly?"

I sighed, pulling back. "It's Marcus. He is not that bad." I swallowed, not feeling good at lying at her face.

"Just a bit scary."

Dad chuckled in amusement. "Well, your mum scared them enough. Madam went right through their gates and informed Mrs. Brent about what happened."

My heart started beating faster as his words revolved my mind. I shook my head in horror.

"No, you didn't."

My dear mother shook her head with a proud smile. "I did. His parents should know the happenings, Lori. It was important to get them acknowledge of the fact that their son has hurt you. Even if, by mistake."

"Mom," I groaned in extreme worry, my chest tightening.

She ignored my reaction and started making bun of her long Auburn hair. Dad was only checking the newspaper while I cursed under my breath.

The freak wasn't lying when he had called me.

What if his mother had scolded him? He deserved that. But I knew how my mom would have acknowledged his mother of the freaking accident. She would have yelled on the top of her lungs and given some empty threats.

This might have irked Marcus.

Did he even meet my mother or not? Maybe, he didn't because mum didn't mention him. His mother must have been angry at him, grounded him or anything. That's why, he called me.

I huffed.

There was not a freaking fault of mine in this. I didn't tell mom, I didn't fight his mother. It came upon him by his fate and he shouldn't be angry on me.

"Rest, baby. I will call you when the dinner is ready."

I looked back at mom, who was now bringing out Vegetables from the fridge and Dad was only removing his thick jacket and sweater. I nodded quietly.

"Sure thing, mom."

Walking back up to the room wasn't scary anymore. Mom's little courage had given me much confidence to deal with this idiot. If I had my bad-ass mom, I didn't have to be afraid.

Shutting the door, I walked inside and thought about revising my homework and then reading some nice novel. I ran my fingers through my auburn silky hair that were now turning frizzy because of my carelessness, I was only yawning when the phone rang again.

It awakened thousands of goosebumps on my skin. But I was ready this time. Gritting my teeth, I walked towards the bed and picked the phone, smirking when it was the same number.

Standing right in front of window and not removing my curtain, I finally swiped to the green.

"What's up, freaky neighbor?"

I could hear a release of breath, followed by a light humming. When nothing came out from his mouth, I chuckled.

"What? Now, you are too scared to speak to me. You know what, I just asked my mom about what happened and she told me, how she informed your mother about the incident." I laughed. "Isn't that so caring of her? Well, your mother would be caring too now. She would scold you up and maybe, ground you. So, you would refrain from hitting innocent girls with your stupid, death bike."

I smiled to myself in pride, but it all faded slowly when the cold voice came finally.

"Okay. I too won't refrain from telling your mom the names of erotic novels your read, the prom movies you have watched and that you have even tried to touch yourself."

My eyes widened in disbelief and narrowed while I clenched my jaws.

"Bloody stalker." I was shaking in anger. "You damn pig with stupid glasses, I didn't know you were this crazy. You keep telling me about my obsession for you ass. Now, this proves who is truly obsessed with whom. How do you even stalk me? Binoculars-"

"I didn't even know, you truly touched yourself. I was only making a wild guess when your wild reaction said it all," he told me, letting me hear the faint dark chuckle. "Now, the call to your mother will be more interesting."

I clenched my fists, glaring at the curtain. "Well, do that. Do freaking call her, send her a letter, meet her and tell about my curiosity towards sexuality. But know that, Mr. Creep. She hates you too much at the moment for injuring her daughter to even give any attention to your words. She will eat you up before you can even complain to her." I humphed at my confident tone, smirking when I heard no reply.

A minute passed full of my ragged breathing when he spoke, "Okay. I will see if she does that."

He hung up.

My mouth opened in shock as the sudden horror struck my mind. Oh God! The opposite trick didn't work. Now, he was seriously going to inform mom about this.

"No. No. No." I whimpered in nervousness.

What would happen if he told mom about that? She could be angry and would even believe it because it had happened before. She had caught my novels an year ago and we had this great fight. I couldn't be the reckless child again by cursing at them and showing my middle finger.

She won't hit me when I was already hurt. But yes, she would surely show me that disappointed look on her face and would try make me feel so bad of myself until I end up crying and promise them to not get into these things again.

This could be bad. Anyhow, bad. I won't be able to look up into my parent's eyes again.

I looked down at my fingers fidgeting with my phone as I opened the call logs and hurriedly tapped the unknown number. Putting on my ear, I could hear the bell ringing, along with that my loud heartbeats.

"Pick up. Pick up."

No one did and the lump had started forming in my throat.

"Pick up. Pick up. . ." I gasped when the call was received.

"Marcus?" My voice cracked.

No reply came except for a slow breath. I blinked the nervous tears and gulped.

"Look, I am sorry for saying all of that. My mom would freak out. She will ground me and will start hating me. Okay? I have no other sibling and not even a best friend. Imagine if my parents too start distancing from myself. That would be a torture. Can you just please leave this? I am sorry my mom came to your home and-"

"I have planned my speech and I am hanging up because I am calling her-"

I gasped. "No. No. No. Please, Marcus. I didn't tell my mom. It was her who watched the footage of street pillar's camera. I myself was shocked."

A long sigh was heard and he finally asked, "Then, how will you payback?"

I was a minute away from cursing him angrily when the terror of seeing my mom's disappointed face again spread on my chest.

"I will do something."

He clicked his tongue. "Anything."

I rolled my eyes, wiping my cheek. "Yeah, anything. But end this topic right now."

"Anything?" He asked again, this time more desperate.

I raised my eyebrows. "What do you mean by asking that again? You are not going to make me kill people? Do you? Or maybe, tell me to became your sex slave. You creep-"

He chuckled tauntingly. "You are only giving me more ideas."

I sniffled, and touched my heart, controlling my tongue when he chuckled again at my stupidity. I blinked slowly, waiting for him to speak. He finally turned silent and without wasting any time, he said, "Be my Girlfriend."

As if someone had stole my breaths, I couldn't feel air around me. My face had turned warm and heart had disappeared to God-knows-where. I couldn't feel it.

"What?" I asked nervously.

He only repeated in a straight tone. "Be. My. Girlfriend."

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. I had a sharp nose, plump lips and brown eyes. But I was short and had a poor dressing sense. On top of that, I wasn't sincere and was failing all of my subjects. I had no talent except for wasting me time around the public parks and food trucks lonely.

"Wait. Why? Don't you have one already?" I asked knowingly, biting my lip.

"No," came the direct answer while I twitched my lips.

"You are my senior and a nerd. Even if you are intelligent, I wouldn't want you to be my first boyfriend. Ever," I muttered while imagining us together. "Have you grown a liking for me while stalking me all this time?"

I could hear him grimacing hard. "I didn't stalk you. I have seen you buying erotic novels and I had heard your friends talking about your habit of watching porn. All clear?"

I stared wide-eyed at the curtain, shaking my head in shock. "Then, why do you want me to be your girlfriend?"

He sighed. "Yes or no?"

I clicked my tongue. "First, tell me the reason. Why?"

He gave his infamous dark chuckle again. "You keep guessing while I make a call to your mom. Good night, Loretta."

My lips parted as I frowned. "Okay. Wait. Wait-"

He hung up the damn phone while I stood there stunned. Immediately, calling him back I waited and waited for him to pick up. But neither he picked my call, nor he called me back.

While all I could do was, wait for the worst to happen.

________

"What do you think of Marcus?"

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