The guy hung around the cafe for most of the day. I didn’t like it, not one bit. Deciding to put matters in my own hands, I eavesdropped only to get the information I needed. That being just his name. Chad.
What kind of douchebag name was Chad anyways?
I quickly found his social media, job, and address during my fifteen-minute break.
This town was small; it wasn’t hard to track anyone down if you really wanted to.
When my shift ended, I lingered around the alleyway by the parking structure waiting for him to leave. When he finally exited the cafe, I pulled my hood up and followed him into the lot. Cloudy skies and neglected lighting that should have been updated years ago gave the space a dim glow.
My focus wasn’t on our town’s flaws, but on Rosalie's safety and how badly I wanted to deck this guy in the face. Avocado-on-toast motherfucker.
I tightened the straps of my backpack, quickening my pace behind him, then pulled out my switchblade from my back pocket. I flicked it open as adrenaline took over. Sharpening my senses, I launched forward. Wrapping my arm around him from behind, I dug my blade into the guy’s stomach. My opposing hand covered his mouth to muffle his cries. I twisted the blade only to pull it out, shift my hand upwards, and stab him again to puncture his lung. Again and again, I wrenched, torquing it before jabbing in a kind of mechanical rhythm I fell into. I shifted the hand I had over his mouth, balling my fist into his hair and yanking his head back.
“You thought you could take her from me?” I whispered into his ear. He struggled against me, blood pooling onto the concrete below. “No one will ever take her from me.”
No one, and I mean no one will ever stand between Rosalie and I. Ever.
A gurgled gasp left his lips as I swiped the blade across his neck. Letting go of him, he crumpled to the ground with a loudthud. I took a step back, glancing around to ensure no one else had noticed. I pocketed my switchblade. Keeping my hood up, I dragged his lifeless body towards the dumpster. With each step that I took I felt liberated, knowing that Rosalie would remain pure, untouched and safe from prying eyes such as his who didn’t understand her beauty.
Once the body was taken care of I took off my black sweatshirt, stuffing it into my backpack. I hurried to where my bike was parked and put my helmet on. Before closing my visor, I paused, glancing into the cafe, relieved to see Rosalie was still at the counter, blissfully unaware of the threat I’d taken out for her.
Don’t worry, Rose, I’ll keep you safe…
Knowing she’s out of danger for now, I twisted the key, revving the engine of my bike and drawing her attention. With a wave, I took off down the paved road.
2
Rosalie
Iwas just being paranoid, that was the only explanation. Of course I would feel uneasy walking home alone at night. Who wouldn’t? I was only five feet and two inches tall, and quite slim compared to most girls my age. In today’s world, that made me an easy target. It was rule number one of being a college girl. Don’t walk home alone at night. Yet that’s exactly what I was doing.
I just finished studying at my friend Margot’s house after several hours of ballet class, and my home was only four blocks over from hers, which was pretty convenient in my opinion. Luckily, neither of us lived all that far from school or the dance studio I attended either. It was all within walking distance more or less. Sometimes I missed living with my parents. My parents in general really. My dad got mixed up with people he shouldn’t have andbam! Twelve years old and I lost not just both of them, but everything. I ended up growing up with my grandma, and ballet became my escape because of it. Now that I was older, and my gran was gone, it was just me and this tiny little town my gran raised me in. Even though this was home, I felt a little lostwithout any guidance from Gran despite her passing over a year ago.
A soft sigh left my lips. I checked my phone to see I had no new calls or texts either. “Typical,” I muttered to myself, shoving my phone into the pocket of my hoodie. I was alert walking home, drifting my gaze to my surroundings. A sense of unease washed over me.
The sound of a bottle rolling across the sidewalk startled me. I stopped, slowly turning around and looking at it. I gulped.
Why do I feel like somebody's watching me?
Part of me wanted to call out and ask who was there, but the other part of me knew better. It was a small town and there were reasons it wasn’t advised to go out at night. Coyotes, bears, cougars, that sort of thing. I picked up my pace, running the rest of the way home.
The moment I made it back, I locked the door behind me for good measure.
What a dreary day. It was already raining when I woke up. Luckily, my friend Sadie offered to let me carpool with her to work, since she worked at the boutique across the street from the cafe I worked at.
“You are a godsend,” I greeted her, getting into the front passenger seat.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. What would you ever do without me?” she quipped lightly.
“Certainly not ever get to work on time.” I giggled.
She rolled her eyes. Sadie shifted gears and began to drive. Neither of us were morning people by choice, but unfortunately this tiny little town of ours didn’t know the concept of sleeping in. Sadie and I spent the first half of the drive jamming out to some music and mentally preparing for the day, but then our music session was interrupted by the morning news.
My brow furrowed, listening to the news channel speak of a body found last night in the parking lot behind the cafe I happened to work at.
That’s strange…
Sadie and I glanced at one another.