Chapter Three: Club

Yay! We have a name for our mysterious man. Thing is, it makes him seem even more mysterious. Muahaha.

 

Five agonizingly long days went by, as I pondered endlessly. I ended up dismissing it all as a dream in the end, but I couldn’t shake how incredibly real it had all seemed. Especially him.

 

The doorbell rang. I turned my head and stared at it, confused. It rang again. “Adriana, is that you?” I called out. No answer. It rang again. “Alright, alright, I’m coming,” I replied to the incessant ringing. I got up and walked to the door.

I almost collapsed when I looked through the peephole. I threw the door open with so much force that it banged against the wall, possibly denting it, but I didn’t care at the moment. “You!” I yelled in accusation, grabbing his shirt and backing him up against the hallway wall. I was surprising myself. I had never been this violent, or loud for that matter.

He barely reacted, looking over me at the lights in my apartment. “Oh, good, you’ve got the electricity back up. Nice of Adriana,” he commented.

I stared at him in disbelief. He hadn’t changed much since five nights ago. He even had the same blue clothes on, though they were dirtier.

He smiled at me when he caught me staring. “Speaking of Adriana, she’s going to call y–”

His voice was cut off by the sound of my phone ringing.

I backed up into my apartment, eyes still on him. I stumbled slightly, then turned and grabbed my phone, holding it up to my ear. “Yes?”

“Hey, chica, it’s me. I was headed out to the club tonight, and I was wondering if you’d like to go. I understand if you don’t want to, but, you know, it would be nice to see you and everything. It was great seeing you so happy at the party before, and so I figured you could use some extra fun,” Adriana gushed, saying too much at once like usual.

“Don’t go with her,” he warned, now inside the apartment and looking at me urgently.

“Liz, is someone there?” Adriana asked.

“No,” I said quietly. I shook my head, trying to clear it. “No, I’m just near the TV. Let me move away from it,” I said, glaring in his direction. I turned my gaze and walked into my room. “Which club is it?” I inquired.

“I can’t remember the name right now. It’s the new one that they added a couple months ago. It doesn’t really matter. I haven’t been there so I wanted to visit. It’d be nice to visit it together.”

“Oh, that one. Yes, it would be nice. I’ll be there. I’m going to walk.”

I heard his footsteps as he came over to me. He tried to signal no silently in several different ways. I smirked at him.

“Sure thing. See you then,” Adriana replied, and hung up.

“Ugh,” he moaned. “Why did you have to do that?”

“To spite you, of course,” I replied. I was shocking myself again. Elizabeth Meridian didn’t spite people. He was annoying me, though.

“I only wanted you to be safe,” he mumbled.

I glared at him as he sparked my memory. “Do you know how much I’ve thought about you these past few days? How much I’ve agonized over what happened? This should be broken,” I said, pointing at my ankle. “But instead, I’m completely healed somehow, because of you. That kind of thing drives the mind insane! I’d started thinking that perhaps I just dreamed it. It’s a bit unnerving when your dreams show up at your door. And not even a single word of explanation! Just hi there, you’re healed now, goodbye. And then you show up here and start ordering me around and expect me to just go with it! And you knowing all this stuff that you shouldn’t, what’s that about? Am I just supposed to assume that you mean well and you’re not some creepy stalker?” I took a deep breath. “I think that’s the most I’ve ever said at once.”

“Are you finished?” he asked, looking genuinely concerned that there was more. I simply glared at him. “Right then. I’m guessing there’s no way I’m going to be able to talk you out of going with her.” I continued to glare. “Will you at least let me come with you?” he asked.

“Fine!” I exploded. “This isn’t fucked up enough. Let’s just have you wandering around with me now. Fine. You can come. I’ll probably end up murdered in some alley, but you can come.”

He winced at that last statement.

“Sorry. You’re just confusing me a lot is all. I don’t know if I can trust you or not.”

He nodded. “I understand. I appreciate that you’re letting me go with you…” he trailed off and stared down at himself. “I’m not sure what people will think if I show up like this, though.”

I walked to my closet and he followed. I pulled out some guys’ clothes. “I have these because they’re baggier, and hence, warmer. And I don’t really care about how I look. So use my shower and then get dressed in some of these.” I put all the clothes in a heap on the bed. “Don’t take too long,” I added, and then walked off.

I sat on the couch and mumbled to myself, deep in thought, until he came out. He was wearing a grey sweatshirt, blue jeans, and some of my old sneakers.

“My shoes actually fit you?” I muttered in disbelief.

He nodded and smiled slightly. “They’re a bit tight, but they’ll do.”

“Good grief. Well, I’m going to go change. Stay here,” I ordered, walking towards my room.

“As if I had anywhere else to go,” he replied.

I looked over my shoulder at him, slightly confused, then shrugged it off and went to change.

I quickly decided on an old blue blouse and jeans due to my limited wardrobe. I put on low black heels and walked back out into the living room. “Let’s go, before I change my mind about you,” I said in his direction, and then walked out the door, grabbing my jacket on the way.

The walk to the club was quiet, for the most part.

“Stay by me while we’re in there, okay?” he said when we were in sight of the club.

I looked over at him, mildly curious but still annoyed. “May I ask why?”

He looked at me, then away and back again. “Would I be right in assuming you won’t take no for an answer?”

“Yes,” I replied simply.

He looked away again, appearing to be in deep thought. “Can I just say…it would be safer? And when I say safer, I mean a lot safer.”

I sighed. “Would I be right in assuming you won’t let me know much more than that?”

He smiled and looked down at me from the corner of his eye. “Yes.”

Adriana wandered outside then, and saw us at once. “Elizabeth!” She ran towards us.

“Hey, Adriana!” I called back to her.

“Hello there,” she greeted, hugging me. That’s when she seemed to notice him. “Who’s this? Is he with you?”

“Umm…” I mumbled, looking from him to her. “Yes. Sort of.”

Adriana looked at me in confusion. “Sort of?”

“Well, we only just met a few days ago. I don’t really know him all that well yet, but I figured I’d take him – that is, if that’s okay?”

“Of course it is!” Adriana replied, eyes sparkling with excitement now. “You,” she said, indicating him. “Go on inside and buy a drink for the girl. We’ll catch up with you in a minute.”

He looked at me with slight worry, then nodded once and walked inside.

“Quiet type,” Adriana remarked. “Who is he?”

“Just someone I met,” I mumbled.

“Yeah? What’s his name?”

“Umm…James.”

“James. Not the best of names, but I guess it could be worse. And how did you two meet?”

I bit my lip. “I was out shopping the other day and I bumped into him at the mall. The whole outgoing thing seemed to have rubbed off on me or something – I just struck up a conversation like that. We ended up exchanging phone numbers and I decided to invite him. Sorry for not telling you, I decided after you had called.” I was immensely surprised at the sudden lie that had come out of thin air.

Adriana looked into the club in the general direction he’d walked off. She turned back, a slight smile on her lips. “If I may say so, nice choice,” she giggled.

“Oh, stop it,” I said, laughing back and hitting her playfully on the arm.

“Go hang with your man. I’m sure he’s got your drink by now. I’m going to go dance,” Adriana stated suddenly, and then skipped off.

I walked into the club, immediately recognizing him sitting at the bar. He didn’t blend in, even with those blue clothes gone. I sat down at the empty bar stool next to him. There was no drink. “What, are you short on money?” I teased.

“Actually…yes, I am,” he mumbled, as if he’d just realized it himself. “But I wouldn’t get you a drink anyway…”

“Why not?” I asked, feeling a bit offended.

He paused, fidgeting slightly. “Adriana doesn’t know you were an alcoholic once, does she? That’s why she told me to buy you a drink. She wouldn’t have otherwise.”

I sat frozen in place for many moments, just staring at him. “No…she doesn’t know.” I kept staring. “I told no-one.”

He smiled uncomfortably. “Sorry about that. And everything, really. I just can’t help but know you.”

“You’re a stalker, I swear you are,” I muttered.

He was looking in the other direction. He didn’t reply.

“You don’t have to worry about the alcoholic thing, anyhow. It was a one time thing. I’m over it. Never going to happen again.”

He still didn’t reply.

“In which case, you can buy me a drink,” I said slowly, trying to get him to catch the hint.

He glanced over at me. “Sorry, I’m not just short on money. I have none.”

I took some money out of my purse and handed it to him. “Use that, then.”

He looked down at the money and then back up at me. “Why do you want me to buy you a drink, anyway?”

“Adriana told you to buy me a drink, and you appeared to have agreed. If I don’t have a drink when she decides to come over here, which she will, it will be a bit suspicious.”

He leaned forward onto the bar counter and looked around nervously. “May I do one thing first?” he asked.

I considered. “Depends what it is,” I responded.

He sighed. “Just trust me…this is for your own good.” He shifted his composure so that he seemed somewhat normal, a lot less nervous at the least, and put his arm around my waist, pulling me closer.

I tensed, unable to move. “What the hell are you doing?” I demanded.

“Try to look comfortable,” he urged quietly.

“Easier said than done,” I hissed.

“Please,” he begged, his eyes wild. Then he shifted his composure again, slamming the money down on the counter and yelling loudly at the bartender. “Heyyy, a lady for the drink…drink for the lady, please!”

I giggled slightly at his impression of being drunk

“What’ll it be?” the bartender asked, walking over.

“Shiraz,” he said, nodding for emphasis and smiling like an idiot.

“Coming up,” the bartender replied, pouring the drink and taking the money.

He leaned his elbow on the bar counter with his head resting against one hand, looking in my direction. His posture made him look drunk still, but his face was serious. “Don’t drink too much too fast,” he warned.

The amused smile at his behavior faded as I stared down at the Shiraz. “How did you know it was my favorite wine?” I complained.

“Like I said, I can’t help knowing you.”

He still had his arm around me, and I was vividly conscious of it. “What is that for, anyway?” I asked, nodding down at his arm and going slightly tense again.

His arm tightened. “He won’t go after you when he sees me with you. Too much of a coward.”

I sipped at the wine, looking down at the bar counter and trying not to panic. “Anyone I know?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

“No,” he replied.

I nodded, keeping my eyes on the counter.

There was a long silence between us.

“So…let me get this straight. You’re not just a stalker, you’re a psychic stalker?” I said, breaking the silence.

He smiled. “Something like that.”

“Will he harm anyone else since I’m no longer the target?” I asked quietly.

He shook his head. “He dies tonight. Drunk driving.”

There was more silence.

He was the one to break it this time. “How does it feel…” he murmured.

I looked over at him. His eyes were filled with interest.

“Afraid to be around anyone…to let anyone in…and yet terrified at the same time to be alone…so lonely…”

I went pale, frozen again. I was beginning to hate how he could do that to me. But this was different. “The other things…the alcoholism, the favorite wine, the fact that you knew Adriana was going to call…those you could’ve found out some way or another. But that…that you cannot possibly know.”

He continued to look at me with that deep interest. “I just want you to know, Elizabeth…you’re not alone anymore.”

“Hey, you two lovebirds,” Adriana interrupted, walking in from the dance floor.

“I take personal offense to that,” I responded, surprising myself by switching back to normal so quickly. I was surprising myself so much lately that I wondered if I really knew who I was anymore.

“In what way is that offensive?” Adriana asked.

“Well, we’re not exactly an item yet,” I replied.

“You there…James…do you ever talk for yourself?” Adriana demanded.

He looked over at me blankly.

I bit my lip and tried to keep from laughing.

“Yes, when I have something to say,” he said, turning back to Adriana.

Adriana mock-gasped. “He does talk!”

He rolled his eyes. “Boo,” he said sarcastically.

“Well don’t just sit there, you two ought to get out there and dance,” Adriana invited, winking at me.

I groaned inwardly. “I’ll break my ankle,” I said defensively, looking over at him for a split second.

“Oh come on,” Adriana pleaded, literally dragging both of us out of our seats.

We both walked grudgingly to the dance floor. We glanced over at each other at the same moment. We both smirked, and it took a lot of effort for me to not burst out laughing.

I didn’t dance as enthusiastically as I had at Adriana’s cousin’s party. I was still very wary, still suspicious of him. I did enjoy it somewhat, however, although I told myself it was just to appease Adriana.

At two in the morning, when I’d finished my Shiraz and a second drink, danced three times, and filled every silence with meaningless chatter, I was ready to leave. I hugged Adriana goodnight and thanked her for another fun evening.

When she was gone, I turned to him. I had a million questions that I suddenly needed to ask him at once. “Where will you go?” I asked.

“Pardon?”

“Where do you live?” I clarified.

He stared at the ground, kicking the sidewalk with his foot. “Nowhere, really. I’m on the streets at the moment.”

“No wonder,” I mumbled. “You can stay at my place, if you’d like,” I offered, surprising both of us.

He opened his mouth, and then closed it. He seemed to consider for a moment, and then he shrugged. “Of course, if I’m not too much trouble.”

“You aren’t. You saved my life, you know.” I suddenly felt like I had been unfair to him. “I’m sorry about being so aggravated. It’s just…well, I’m sorry anyway. And I’m truly grateful for what you did…whatever it was that you did…”

“You’re welcome,” he replied, grinning. “I apologize for confusing you so much. I’ll explain everything, I promise. I might regret it, but I will.”

An uncontrollable happiness came over me at the thought of figuring out the puzzle that had plagued me so much. It was embarrassing. “Alright,” I said, trying to control my excitement. “Let’s go back to my apartment. You can explain over coffee.”

“Sounds good to me.” He smiled.

“Can you tell me just one thing before we get there?” I asked, starting to walk.

“Sure thing.”

“What the hell is your name? Adriana thinks you’re James because I realized I had no idea when she asked.”

He smirked. “I suppose I could let you continue to think of me as ‘James’…”

I looked at him with puppy eyes.

He laughed. “I’m not that cruel. My real name is Falian Snow.”

“Falian Snow,” I repeated, testing it out. “Quite an odd name.”

“I’m an odd guy,” he responded, still smiling.

I smiled in reply.

As we walked towards home, I had a feeling this was going to be a long night.

Reviews

[Forist.johnston]

'Falian Snow'� Love it. Off to chapter 4!

[KEi]

When you said you had a name for the Mystery Man, for some reason, I instantly thought 'Pablo.'.
I wonder why that is?

I prefer your name for him better, though.
(I still think he's Jesus, I don't care what you say. Either that or he's one creepy guy.)

I'm guessing we find out more about him in the chapters I'll be reading soon, yes?
:)

I look forward to it.

Though I do rather miss Brenda.

[Wolfwind Words]

Oh man! this is remarkable! I love it! It's so strait forward yet everying this is got a curve ball attatched. I'm gittery with excitement for the next chapter! You are a remarkable writer!

[Alexanne Dauntless]

You have a great talent for keeping your readers dangling. haha it's really a great story/book so far and I'm definitely interested in how this continues. =]] I also like the guy's name. Falian Snow. Very mysterious, very fitting.