'Yeah,' said Mark with a fake excited voice. 'Now you can make up for today's movie!'
Dennis's face fell. 'Jee, Mark, I'm sorry. Thought we could do something fun today.'
'We will. We'll watch Netflix.'
Obviously, if Netflix was enough entertainment, people wouldn't still go to cinemas, but they had no other choice at the moment.
Ian walked in soon, and even though he tried his best to hide it, he still looked a bit irritated.
They left the station, and Dennis exclaimed about breathing fresh, natural air at last. Mark forgot to ask Dennis about the time, but he noticed it was already night time. Everything went too fast after he woke up. He didn't have the time to notice anything or ask anything. Without noticing it, his father came and he had to go through an interview.
'It's already night time?' he asked and Dennis frowned in response.
'Yeaaaah...'
Mark didn't reply and quenched a desire to kick him again.
Ian just gave a sign of notice to Dennis's presence by asking him about his ride, and Dennis's face brightened. They soon entered a conversation about Dennis's current situation.
'Then why don't you come with us?' Ian offered. 'We got Netflix.'
'Oh, sure, I was going to mention something about that.'
Ian took out his keys and proceeded towards the car while Dennis stayed behind and performed a mini-celebration dance.
'Don't you have Netflix at home?' asked Mark.
'Dad cancelled our subscription,' Dennis replied. 'Said we're watching too many movies. That's why I'm going to exploit your subscription!'
Mark couldn't remember hearing Dennis's evil laugh before that, but he had to admit. It was good.
'Mark, Dennis! C'mon!' Ian called out from beside the car. It was parked some walking distance away from them.
'Coming!' Dennis yelled back and dashed towards the car, but Mark lagged behind, reflecting on his abnormal behaviour... at all times.
Then, he felt it again. This time, it was even more real than before. It was as if he could even touch it and feel it, as if its existence was the most obvious thing ever.
Someone was watching them.
He looked around, but he got more confused. The street was filled with cars. The sidewalk was loaded with people, yet that feeling still lingered, and for a reason or another, it didn't feel like it came from any human on the street.
It was close, but distant.
He tried to think rationally as it gripped his chest and caught his breathing. This wasn't normal. It couldn't be normal. It shouldn't be normal.
'Mark!'
His attention snapped back to his current situation when his father called out for him. This time, Dennis was beside him, also trying to catch his attention.
He gazed at them for some time, then answered.
'Ye... yes, I'm coming!'
###
Lea didn't spoil herself in a junk food restaurant, nor did she find the presence she felt. When she remembered the train was cancelled, her frustration multiplied. She accomplished nothing that day and only ran around Kornwell. Her shoulders hurt her from the weight of the bag which dangled from them the whole day, and the first thing she wanted to do when she gets back home was take off her shoes and soak them in warm, soapy water, but at the moment, she was far away from home, somewhere in a residential block she couldn't remember ever visiting before.
Her stomach rumbled. Lea didn't eat anything since she left home, and it was already night time. The online maps on her phone didn't help, and the streets were empty, so she couldn't ask people to clarify the confusing directions in her phone's maps.
Lea sighed and felt like giving up. She was lost.
Her phone rang.
With the frustration, the hunger, the confusion and the pain, Lea just wanted to yell at him for annoying her, but he might use that against her, so she breathed slowly and calmed herself.
'I should tell him to take it easy,' she thought, 'and leave me alone.'
When she looked at the number on her phone, though, her heart sank.
'It's him.'
She thought there was no reason for him to call. She gulped and placed the phone by her ear.
'Hello?'
'Why, good evening Lea,' replied an old, masculine and familiar voice.
'Dominic?'
'Oh, yes it's me. I can see you weren't expecting my call. I apologise for not calling more often.'
Lea shook her head. 'There's no need. I know you're busy.'
'Why would he call now, though?'
'Busy I may be, I don't see it as a fitting excuse. Though, Lea, I didn't know you were a night person.'
She furrowed her brows. 'How did he know I'm away?'
It only meant one thing, and her heart leapt when the realisation struck.
He replied before she could ask though. 'I wanted to surprise you when coming home, but Alas! You're not here!'
'He's home,' she thought. 'He's actually home.'
'I'll come over right now!'
'Not if you're busy outside with a friend or something of the sort. I heard you, yet again, succeeded in striking friendship with more people than anyone can count.'
She didn't think hard to guess how he knew that info. Only one person would tell Dominic these details.
'I'm not busy,' she reassured him. 'I can come home right now.'
'Then, I shall be waiting. Good evening!'
'G... Good evening!'
He shut the line, but she didn't care.
Butterflies fluttered from happiness in her empty tummy.
Lea was happy. She twirled and turned around and danced and laughed in the empty streets under the street and moon lights.
Then she remembered.
Lea was lost.
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