You slipped out of your friend’s back door around 2:30 am, making sure no one saw you leave. You weren’t supposed to stay overnight but because of the “unforeseen” delay caused by your friends by initiating another round of shots, you had to stay for couple hours into midnight until you felt better enough to make it back home. Besides, you didn’t leave far and you’d rather walk back now so you won’t have to struggle heading to work in a couple of hours. 

The gust of cold wind pummelled to your direction as you locked the fence into place. You muttered something under your breath, teeth chattering over of the cold. It’s the middle of winter, you weren’t so sure why you chose to walk to your friend’s rather than driving there, but the cold didn’t bite that much and you were thankful there’s no blowing snow or worse, a blizzard, wrecking havoc at the moment. 

You dug your nose into the your wool scarf, hands tucked into your pockets as you fasten your speed down the gloomy sidewalk, wanting to get home quickly. You don’t have your headphones with you to drown yourself with music during your walk so you opt to bore your gaze to your shadow fixed past you, the crumpling sounds your boots made with the snowy ground filling in your senses. You make a little detour, choosing to take the alleyway as the shortcut rather than the main street in an attempt to avoid any suspicious-looking people that may be hanging around the dingy pub around the corner. There was a slim chance of that strip being empty so you didn’t want to risk becoming prey or some sort, especially at this ungodly hour. 

The last thing you’d want to happen was to piss off some nobody and get physically assaulted for it, and you seriously didn’t want to upset you parents if that were to take place. Coming back home this late already broke their trust, but only if they do find out. A big part of the reason why you were able to stay over so late was because they’re both not home, but in a different state for a visit, though they will come back tomorrow at 7 am sharp so you had to be home no matter what to avoid trouble. 

Rounding up into another quiet street which eventually is the way to your home, you tuck yourself into the shadows, an incoming migraine threatening to terrorize all lobes of your brain so you yank your beanie down to your eyebrows, making sure your ears are covered. You feel the wind getting stronger and colder, causing you to swear under your breath with a pant, almost breaking into a sprint along the way if it wasn’t for the brief flash of light from the opposite side of the sidewalk you’re on. 

You cast a quick glance to the parked van, its headlights blaring. You can make out two bodies inside but they were completely devoid of any details, though you can feel their eyes shift to your hunched up figure, barrelling through the street. You didn’t look twice and just kept walking despite the growing anxiety ghosting up your arms and the down your spine. 

You somehow can’t shake the feeling that you’re being watched, but you try not to mind, though, it didn’t get better when the goosebumps broke into your skin like rash, sending your senses spiralling into the void when you hear a beep from the same car. It downed to you that whoever sat inside are trying to get your attention.

You’re fully alert now, fingers on your right hand wrapped around a small sharp weapon in your pocket you made sure to bring with you whenever you’re alone as you sped up now, raw fear coursing through your veins.
 

You nearly screamed when a deep baritone voice infiltrated your hearing.

“It’s okay!” You feel an arm land on your shoulder, yanking you into their warmth. You didn’t look, but you feel how tall and broad they were compared to you. You could only gasp, unable to get out from their grip. 

“Wait-”

“Just keep walking, I got you.” 

He grins a little, dark onyx eyes falling on your light brown ones. He’s beautiful, especially with those plump lips, you don’t think you’ve seen him before but he couldn’t be more than two years older than you. He wore a long black coat and a sw