I Have No Idea

 I saw him following me. I didn’t think anything of it until he was waiting outside of the store I had gone into. His dark, shaggy hair blocked his eyes from the sun, but not enough so that he didn’t have to squint to see me. The man was tall, tan, and I’m sure most women would think he was beautiful. I, on the other hand, did not, and still don’t, think he’s all that attractive. Especially after he began following me. 

I didn’t know what his motives were, but I was hopeful he didn’t plan on attacking me. Partly because I don’t want my face plastered on TV because some bystander took a video of me, but mostly because I could whoop his butt in a few seconds flat. 

As I walked towards Times Square, the man caught up to me. A few steps behind me, he grabbed the back of my shirt. 

“Hey,” I yelled.

I turned to face him. Rolling my eyes with faux confidence, I turned around and resumed walking. He ran up to meet me again and put his hand on my shoulder. 

“Don’t touch me,” I shouted, shaking his hand off of me. 

I glanced over my shoulder, towards the way I’d already come, and there was a slight opening in the crowd. I looked into the man’s eyes and made note of his facial characteristics. 

Then, I darted through the people. 

My feet slapped against the concrete and people cried out when I plowed through, bumping into them and knocking them over. Mr. Green Eyes was hot on my tail. 

I have to get somewhere where I can hide from him…. But where?  

I noticed an alley across the street. With no better ideas, I ran out into the street, almost getting hit multiple times, and slipped into the alley. I looked back to see my pursuer slipping between the, now parked, cars. 

I pressed my back against the wall behind me. I had screwed up. I ran straight into a dead end alley. My heart and head pounded. I didn’t want whoever this guy was to find me because I was scared something bad would happen to me if he did. When the man’s shaggy hair came into view, I slammed my eyes shut and hoped I couldn’t be seen. 

Please don’t look. Please don’t look. Please don’t look. 

I opened my eyes to see if he had left, He spun around just as I looked at him, our eyes meeting. 

“Ella,” he said, his voice tired but strong. 

I could feel fear boiling up in my veins. “How do you know my name,” I asked, accusingly. 

“We need to get out of this alley. We look too suspicious.” 

“No. Answer my question. How do you know my name? Who are you? Why the hell are you following me?” My hands began to shake. The fear I had a moment ago turned into pure anger. 

“We need to go. Trust me.” The man’s eyes were filled with pure fear, and his voice cracked on “trust.” 

“Not until you answer some of my questions,” I said, my hands shaking violently. I pressed them into my back to stop them, but it did not help. Instead, it made my entire body shake.