Y2K Pt.11 - Red Alert!!
It had been a week since Betty made the decision to give Seth a try. At first, she seemed a bit happy and was taking things slowly, then she started to show some signs of remorse.
Betty, CC, and I were sitting at the picnic table on the island after school, waiting for night school to start.
That afternoon was calm, with not a lot of student chaos, and we were away from earshot. Betty had a lot to say about her experience so far.
"He can't be that bad." I giggled. "Can he?"
Betty nodded. "I swear, whenever he kisses me, it feels like he's about to knock my teeth out."
"Eww." CC grimaced. "So he literally shoves his whole face into it."
Betty nodded slowly, feeling disgusted by it as well.
This surprised me—a lot. For someone who probably had a few girlfriends before Betty and had definitely kissed more times than my one time with Cherise, he sounded horrible.
"Has he at least treated you okay?" I asked curiously.
"Well, I guess so," Betty said with a sigh. "Though he weirds me out—he's very clingy."
"I knew I had a bad feeling about him." CC crossed her arms and frowned.
"What'd he do?" I asked curiously.
"I don't know how he does it, but he found a way to wait outside every one of my classes before they ended. Every single one." Betty shivered.
I grimaced. "That's really fucking weird. Stalker much?"
"I think that's exactly what he is. He has that stalker vibe," CC said sharply.
"Stalker? Did I make a mistake?" Betty became conflicted. "I was just giving him a shot."
CC nodded and remained silent.
I didn't want to say anything upsetting. She was lonely—and I understood that clearly. Also, being from a rural area, she wasn't familiar with some of the shady stuff that happens in big cities.
Mistakes happen all the time. They are our biggest teachers—but this was not the time or place to be young and naive.
Recently, there'd been many girls and young women who went missing after going for a night out in Juarez. Investigators discovered hundreds of human remains in the vast desert; some were identified as the missing girls.
I shuddered to think something like this would happen to someone I knew.
"I don't even know whether or how I should break up with him," Betty sighed.
"I'll tell you what. I'll walk you to some of your classes. That way I'll create some distance between you two," CC suggested.
Betty smiled and put her hand on CC's in gratitude. "I'd appreciate that. A lot."
CC and Betty started to discuss their schedules and where they could coordinate to create that buffer. I admired CC's critical thinking skills since summer school.
It was fascinating, yet scary. Watching her was like watching Batman planning his actions before his investigations and missions.
I was genuinely feeling sorry for Seth. He was an awkward nerd like I was. If I ever started dating anyone, I was praying that I didn't end up like him.
It was even creeping me out.
After CC had left us for drama club, Betty and I wandered around the halls like we usually did before night school started.
This time, she was walking me through her schedule and where her classes were.
"You don't think Seth would hurt me, do you?" Betty asked, frightened.
"I... don't know," I shrugged. "He honestly seems harmless to me, but you never know."
"God. Now just thinking about him is putting my stomach in knots." Betty crossed her arms, hugging herself for comfort.
"This is why CC is doing what she's doing. She's trying to prevent anything from happening. I'll even help," I assured her.
"Thanks, Alfie." Betty smiled.
I walked Betty to her night school class. This new situation had made her anxious, and having someone she knew near her made her feel safer than being alone.
During my night class, I became distracted by the thoughts of Betty being stalked. Something had to be done.
I had to let the other Misfits know.
-----
The next day
-----
"Do you guys remember Seth? The tan-skinned, chubby dude with the short curly hair," I casually asked while playing a round of Magic during lunch.
Boss paused while looking between his hand and all the cards on the field.
"Isn't he the one who dated Nikki last year?" he asked Victor while placing down a land card and finishing his turn.
"Yeah. That wanker was weird," Victor said, stacking his cards neatly. "Can't believe Nikki dated him for so long."
Weird was a common word among us. We were all weird. But when someone who's weird thinks someone else is weird, that's saying something.
"What did he do?" Bear asked now becoming curious. He rotated five of his land cards 90 degrees and placed a card from his hand into the play area. "Lava Axe...James."
"Really?" James scoffed as he removed 5 life points.
Victor chuckled.
"That's just it. He started to weird her out, and she couldn't take it," Boss explained. "She had no choice but to drop the dude hard on his ass."
"Then cried like a bitch." Victor added.
"Not just that. Nikki told Chrissy, who told me, that he somehow got all kinds of her personal info without her knowledge," James said while drawing a card. "Supposedly he says he's a hacker. Pfft."
"What the fuck?" I exclaimed.
"Like I said. Weird," Victor reminded. It was his turn, and he played more land, turned them 90 degrees, and summoned a Heartwood Treefolk. "Go, Alfie."
"Hmm." I drew a card and placed it immediately into the field—a land card. I didn't have enough land to summon my Benthic Behemoth yet. "Done."
"You don't think he's pulling that shit on Betty, do you?" Bear asked, looking intense.
"Which one's Betty again?" Victor perked up at another girl's name.
I ignored Victor. "I don't know. They've dated for a week, and she's already feeling uncomfortable." I clasped my hands under my chin. "So much that CC is acting as a buffer between Betty and Seth."
"Damn! Buyer's remorse," Boss said, drawing a card. He turned three lands sideways. "Bottomless Pit."
"Dick!" Bear growled, discarding a card. "Should we help her? Maybe beat his ass?"
We all paused and stared at Bear.
"I'm down if he crosses the line," Boss stated.
I was never one for violence, but I loved to play-fight. Not only did I not know how to express my emotions in love, but I also struggled with anger—so I always avoided confrontation.
"I guess if I had no choice, I would," I shrugged.
Is this really what it was coming down to?
----
Throughout the week, CC's plan to provide security was working. Whenever I saw Betty walking down the halls between classes, she was either with CC or a tall, skinny, well-groomed dude.
Seth walked along with them, looking annoyed.
One day, CC ran up to me. She looked flustered, angry, and worried—yet relieved to find me. My heart dropped.
"Alfie! Thank God I found you. I couldn't find anyone else," CC said anxiously.
"Why? What's wrong?" I asked.
"That fucking creep, that's what. He just tried to walk into the bathroom on us!" she scoffed.
"WHAT?!" My eyes widened. "Oh hell no!"
Now he was trying to spy on CC and Betty... in the bathroom!
My knuckles went white. This was unacceptable.
"Where is he?" I asked, furious.
"I... don't know. Looking for Betty," CC hesitated.
"Where is she?" My heart raced.
"Follow me. I made sure she locked herself in one of the bathrooms," CC said, leading the way.
While avoiding Seth, CC and Betty had been hopping between restrooms to lose him. He started calling into them, then going inside to look around. If not for a group of girls who chased him out, he'd have found them.
Now, Betty was locked in a bathroom, and CC brought me along while I watched for Seth.
We wove through crowded halls to reach Betty. I spotted Seth tugging at a bathroom door.
"Hey!" I shouted, shoving through the crowd.
Seth saw me, stepped back, and fled.
"Alfie!" CC called.
I stopped, glaring as he ran. "Fucker!"
Betty stepped out, pale and scared. "What the actual fuck?!"
CC ushered her toward class. Still protective, I took Betty's hand, guiding her like Link escorting a Maiden in *Zelda*.
After dropping her off, CC and I walked to her next class.
"You think he'll keep this up?" CC asked.
I shrugged. "I don't know. But Betty and Seth are done."
CC nodded. "Fuck, that was crazy."
"I'll let the guys know," I said.
"No. Don't," CC stopped me.
"Why not?"
"Betty didn't want to involve her parents or the school," CC whispered.
"I should at least tell Bear."
CC shook her head. "Not even Bear."
I sighed. "Fine."
I'd promised CC not to tell Bear about what happened.
We'd all had a close call. But what now?
Maybe Betty deserved a real chance—with someone who wouldn't stalk her through the fucking halls.
Maybe it's time I give Bear that push he needs.