3

Colton broke away from me immediately and looked out the window.

"Shit" he cursed, putting the knife in his back pocket. "The police are out front, you have to come down."

"What?" I was scared now, I didn't want to get involved with cops or anything like that. Colton was desperate, but not that desperate, he was calm in spite of everything. What am I supposed to tell him?

"Make something up, if they ask for me...." He watched me carefully... "You'll say what you think best." He stepped back and sat on the edge of my bed, leaning his back against the back of it. "That's if: you haven't seen me, you don't even know me."

The doorbell rang again. I was stunned, lying to the police is a crime, however, I remembered that Dad would be coming and if he looked at the police he would be alarmed.

I nodded, adjusting my glasses, gave Colton a quick glance and then left my room. I walked down the stairs with trembling feet and went to open the door. Two policemen stood in front of me.

"Good evening, we're sorry for the interruption but we need to ask you a few questions" said the taller one, flashing his badge.

I tried to act as normal as possible, crossing my arms.

"That's okay" I muttered under my breath. My voice hadn't sounded fearful and I was grateful I hadn't hesitated.

The officer pulled out a photograph and showed it to me.

"Do you know this boy? I got a report that he had been seen around these parts." The photo was undoubtedly of Colton Dashner, he was bruised and had the badge of having been in jail held in his hands.

Was I sure I would lie to the police for someone I barely knew, for someone who just recently showed me a knife? Would I do that? I don't know if his crimes are heinous, I don't know if he murdered people. I don't know anything.

"I've never seen that guy, I'm sorry" I answered matter-of-factly. "But…" I stopped short when I realized what I was going to ask.

"Yes?" insisted the officer.

"Why are you looking for him?l I asked in a whisper so the boy in my room wouldn't hear.

The officers looked at each other and then put the photograph away.

"I'm sorry, that information is confidential. Thank you for your time, but if you see him, call us" he handed me a card with their contact information and phone numbers.

"Okay" I agreed, closing the door. I could breathe easy; in my hands was that man's phone number, I didn't know if I would ever use it. A noise in my room made me run upstairs, finding Colton coming through the window to leave. "Where do you think you're going?" I questioned. He had made me lie to the police and now I wanted answers.

He looked at me.

"To my house?" he scoffed.

"Colton..."

"No, Monique, I won't say anything" he only needed to launch, but before that there was a silence of some seconds, until he decided to speak again: "it's better that you stay away from me."

Having said that, he jumped up, I saw him stand up again and go home; why did he want me to stay away from him? He wasn't going to explain anything to me? Did he think I was going to stay just like that? Colton Dashner had planted the seed of doubt in me about him, but I was forgetting something very important, and that was that he had made out with my sister. I didn't even know if they were dating. But I wanted to say that my sister liked him. And I couldn't do anything about that.

***

I couldn't sleep, I had been trying to fall asleep for about half an hour, moving from one side to the other. My head kept thinking about those deep black eyes, I kept thinking that I had lied to the police, that Colton has a secret enough for the police to look for him like that. I sat up in bed, running my hands through my hair, I need to sleep.

I looked at the night clock: 12:30 a.m.

A light coming from my window made me frown, as it wasn't there before. Without thinking twice I got out of bed and went to the window, I pulled back the curtain a little to see where the light was coming from. It was from a four, the window was open and had no curtain so I could see clearly what was going on inside. There was only the empty bed, but a silhouette passed by.

Colton.

It's Colton's room.

The boy was putting on a shirt, but not before giving me a good look at his abdomen. But was he going out at this hour? If he was, it was because he was up to no good. I don't know from where, but my body moved in the direction of my closet, I grabbed a coat and some wool boots.

I had to know what he was going to do, and maybe then I could find out why the police were looking for him. I walked over to the nightstand and put my glasses on, I didn't bother to tie my hair up, I wouldn't procrastinate. I didn't even know where I was going. I walked over to the window, Colton was putting on his jacket now. He disappeared. The light in the room went out, I thought he was gone but seeing a silhouette coming down the window made me quickly leave my room, I carefully closed the door, walked down the stairs until I reached the door.

I took the key and opened the door, then carefully closed it.

I waited for Colton to appear through the wax, until he did, he was walking quietly as he lit his cigarette. I stood still in the dark so he wouldn't look at me. When I saw him walking away through the streets I got ready to come out of my hiding place, the streets were deserted, there was no wind at all but the weather was freezing, cold.

Colton turned down a street, causing me to run where he had turned, as I arrived, I looked out, watching him walk down the street. I don't know how long I spent following him, but my legs ached. We were going through a slum, a neighborhood I knew existed but I had never dared to set foot in. Here there is movement, there are murmurs, music. Yes, I heard music in the distance.

"Colton!" someone called out to him. I was a little close to him, but so he wouldn't look at me, I hid behind a bush.

"Did you get what I asked for?" Colton asked in a hard voice.

"You know I never look bad" the other boy replied. "Here you go."

I knew I had given him something, but I didn't know that if I poked my head out they might see me.

"It's complete" said Colton.

"Will you stay for the party?" he asked.

"For a while."

"Well, I'll see you there."

I heard footsteps walking away, so I breathed easy.

"You can come out now, Monique."

I opened my eyes in shock and swallowed thickly, how had he seen me? My hands and feet began to tremble as I realized he had caught me and now I don't know what I would do.

I got out of the bush, embarrassed, it was the first time I was caught following someone, actually it was the first time I followed someone.

Colton was smoking his cigarette as he watched me, however he didn't look angry.

"Hmmm..." I didn't know what to say "I was.... Are you coming to the party too?" good question, Monique, good question.

He scrunched up his face and then guffawed.

"And you are?"

I nodded unconvinced.

"In pajamas? Come on, Monique, accept that you were following me."

"Following you?" I laughed nervously. "No, you're wrong" I looked at my nails, when I lied I did that.

"You're lying" he said. "You look at your nails when you do it"

I hid my hands behind me, looking at him.

"Okay, I admit it, I was following you"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

Why? Because I want to see what you're up to, Colton, you intrigue me.

"I just wanted to know where you were going so late at night. I just wanted to know where you were going. It was strange."

"You'll never know, Monique, and one more thing: go home, this neighborhood is dangerous for someone like you" he turned around and kept walking. I didn't think twice, I followed him until I caught up with him.

"I don't remember the way" I lied, the truth was not that much of a lie. LI'll wait for you"

Colton stopped to look at me, he was going to tell me something but another voice interrupted him.

"Colton Dashner, good to see you, my friend," the boy squeezed his shoulder in greeting, then looked at me. "Oh, who's your friend?"

"She's not my friend" Colton replied, "She was just leaving" now he looked at me menacingly.

"Not really" I crossed my arms, looking at the blond"I'm with him, what happened is that we had a fight and he pretends he doesn't know me."

The boy smiled amused.

"I'm Victor" he shook my hand.

"Monique" I received it.

"Monique..." he pronounced my name, it was more like a sentence.

I took my hand away and looked at him.

"It's not your kind of place" I muttered.

"Let me decide that, will you?" Okay, I don't know me right now.

Colton looked at me for many seconds, until he finally snorted.

"Fine" he began to walk. The music became more audible, apparently we were very close.

"Trust me, you'll have fun" Victor winked at me. Minutes later we were in front of a house, music blaring, couples making out outside and others mimicking in the yard made me wonder if it was okay what I was about to do. I could feel Colton's gaze on me, so I looked at him, I'm sure he looked at my horrified face as he smiled in amusement.

Well, at least he wasn't still mad.

"Ready?" Colton questioned "If you go in there's no turning back."

I took a deep breath, steeling myself, telling myself there was still time to leave. But I didn't, just faked a smile and added:

"Ready."