I walked through the door only to be surrounded by a group of giggling squealing girls.

“VANNAAA!! You made it!” Amelia laughed at the excitement of our friends.

We all took our positions around the TV, managing to sit by our favorite kinds of candy with the bowl of popcorn in the middle. The Proposal was playing out on the screen.
Lola was there, as well as my friends Diana, Georgia, Rose, and of course, Amelia.

George cleared her throat loudly. Our heads turned her direction, her gaze on me.

“So, Lola told me something scary happened at the shop today. What exactly went down? She pried.

“Did Lola tell all of you what happened the night of the party?”

“I told them all of it, including Harry watching you through the window.”

I nodded, taking a deep breath in before proceeding to tell them what happened at the store, and everything afterwards.

“And, Amelia, that’s why I wanted you to pick me up tonight. I was afraid of walking by myself, so exposed to Harry.” I finished my story.

She gulped down hard. Her mouth opened and then forcefully closed, as if she was scared to speak her mind.

I pushed her along.

“What, Amelia? If you have something to say, please, say it.”

“Do you think Harry followed us? T-to my house? He seems persistent. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was lurking in my front yard....” She weakly trailed off.

All the girls faces had fear displayed on them.
Immediately, I felt guilty. Why was I so stupid? There was a huge chance Harry followed us! I would be surprised if he didn’t. I could have been putting all my friends’ lives in danger.

“Vana, I’m worried about you.” Diana said, before wiping a stray tear that escaped from her eye.

Lola piped in, “At least he’s hot!” We all stared at her in silence before we erupted in laughter at her completely ill-judged comment. For some strange reason that inappropriateness lightened the mood until-

“May-maybe, maybe you should talk to your parents...” Rose suggested.

I jumped up. “I can’t do that! My parents would never let me out of the house if they knew! Besides what would they do, what can they do? My dad already has a lot on his plate, with his job and my mom and all. Oh my gosh, my mom. I couldn’t upset her, I can’t have anything worrying her further.” The girls all looked down. They knew my family situation and how complicated things were now. Georgia looked up at me, her eyes full of compassion. I began to sob. “Besides,” I continued “These guys are dangerous, they could hurt the people that I love...I just, I just don’t know what to do.” Immediately, I was surrounded by my friends, all of them trying to comfort me. All of us were unsure of what the future had in store for me, and it worried us.

Notes