Perspective changes

“Oh my sweet Darling Iris Reed, I can’t wait for the day you’re mine.” a mysterious man said with a grin across his face.

He continued to walk behind her making sure his steps matched her’s as to not cause any alarm. He towered over her with his tall, lanky figure looming from above.

Iris turned around, after hearing a snap from a twig that had fallen to the ground, but when she did she didn’t see anything.

The man stopped moving, and stood still as she faced him, scanning the area.

“Hmmm, it’s like someone is here, or was behind me, but I don’t see anyone. This is so strange, I must just be tired from school.” Iris sighed.

The man's smile grew even wider, as he began to hold down one hand with the other. 

“Not yet, I want to wait until the perfect moment to finally have you all to myself.” He said to himself.

Iris continued to walk until she got in front of her house, opening the door, leaving it open for just a second, as she ran to stop her pet dog from getting out, before quickly shutting it.

“Heyyy, stop trying to get out, you know you’ll just come right back anyway.” Iris laughed.

She took her shoes off before throwing her bag next to the door, and collapsing on the couch in the middle of the room.

“I can’t wait till we’re done moving, we’ve been here almost a month and we still haven’t finished unpacking. I guess it’s whatever though, mom and dad are having to adjust to city life, which must be a big change for them. So I guess I can’t blame them. I do feel bad for leaving Jaye’sun and Bryce early though, they didn’t seem too stoked to have to do any work especially for a club that’s not even theirs.”

Just then my dog started barking at the window which caused me to get up, and check out the issue.

“Hey boy, what’s the problem?” I said as I reached down to pet him, but he wouldn’t stop barking, it was like he was trying to tell me there was something dangerous out there, but there wasn’t a person in sight.

“Jeez, scaring me for nothing Leo, you must be hungry aren’t you!” I grabbed his bowl, filling it with food before going upstairs to unpack the rest of my stuff.

In my room I noticed the only thing that was actually set up was my bed, and my dresser that my clothes weren’t even put in yet.

“If I don’t make any progress on it, it’ll just build up, and I’ll never get anything done huh..”
I started grabbing clothes out of the box to put in my dresser when I suddenly felt a change in the atmosphere.

“Hello… MOM!, DAD! Are you guys home yet? Y’all normally say something first, if you’re trying to be funny it’s not working!”
Yet I heard no response, nobody answered back, and everything seemed to stand still for an uncomfortable amount of time.
I sighed before realizing the stress of this new school is really getting to me.

“I mean, this school is better than my last but it’s still so hard having to hide who I am, why can’t I be open about myself? It’s not like I’ve ever hurt anyone, or done anything to anyone! I hate hearing my people talked about like they’re monsters, and the end of the world. If society wasn’t so harsh the amount of Deviant crime would probably be cut down greatly.” I toss some more of my clothes inside my dresser before laying down on my bed.

“I just wish I could understand everyone more, people are so complicated, it’s so much more different than taking care of plants, they speak for themselves, their basic needs are easy to identify, and you don’t have to hide yourself in front of them. I just want to be accepted for m-”

But before I could finish my sentence I noticed a tall lanky figure from the corner of my room, causing me to jump out of my bed.

“WHO ARE YOU!” I screamed.

“Hehe… you don’t know me… I know all about Iris Reed… you’re from Aurelia Iowa, and you recently moved here… your parents both work for the Chicago Department of Agriculture. It’s so nice to finally show myself to you! I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!” the stranger yelled passionately.

“I’m s-sorry but I don’t know you, and that’s honestly creepy, you n-need to get out now be-fore I call the cops!” I stuttered.

“Why my love, why do you look so scared we’re meant to be. Me and you have been soulmates since the day I first met you, I’ve longed to feel your skin, and hold your long dark hair in my hands. You always smell so appealing, so soft, your body gives off a warm comforting heat, like being held by the arms of a loving mother!” he said, chuckling. 

I could tell this wasn’t a spur of the moment thing, and that this creep has been falling for me for awhile now, to know what state I’m from is one thing, but to know the city is another. The only way he could know that is if he’s been watching me from my home, just how long has he been following me?

“Y-yeah, I’m not scared, you just happened to catch me off guard is all! I just thought I was alone. I didn't expect to see anyone here, I’m not really s-supposed to have c-company over without my parents, sorry.” I tried to sound calm so as to not alarm him or cause any sudden outburst, but I know if he managed to sneak up on me, my theory was that he must have some sort of Deviation, otherwise how would I not know he was following me. I pulled out my phone in my back pocket, before muting it, and discreetly calling Bryce, and putting it back in my pocket.

“So what can I help you with…?”
I felt the phone vibrating, before suddenly stopping. I had no idea Bryce picked up or if it was sent to voicemail but I just had to hope for the best.

“I want you… Isn’t it obvious! I want you in my arms, I want you all to myself, YOU’RE LIKE ME AREN’T YOU! What do they call us… Deviants… you’ve been outcasted too haven’t you, by society, looked down upon… THEY’RE ALWAYS LOOKING DOWN ON ME… even from up here.” his voice boomed, and his breathing became heavy.

“But you… YOU UNDERSTAND ME…girls won’t even look my way, I don’t understand it… WHAT MAKES ME SUCH A BAD GUY. Girls never like a nice guy, they can’t see what I can do, I can always see how people act when they think I’m not around.”

I started to back up, scanning the room, he stood closer to the door than I did, and I didn’t want to leave my safety up to chance, so I hoped maybe if I could talk him down, he would just leave me alone and I would be fine she thought to herself.

“Oh, so you’re a Deviant just like me, that must be hard. I understand how difficult it is for us to fit in with the world. There’s not a lot of people like us, huh?” I laughed.

“Are you scared of me Iris…?” Jeremy whispered.

“Me? Scared? No way!” I laughed again.

“People tend to laugh when they’re scared, and they feel trapped, you don’t feel trapped with me RIGHT!” he said, scratching his neck, and smiling at me.

“No! No way, maybe we can introduce ourselves properly! My name Is Iris Reed. What about you?”

This seemed to get a reaction out of him as he smiled, and looked at me with a gleam in his eyes.

“I-I-I’m Jeremy Skye, we go to the same school… You've probably never seen me. But I’m a senior, and I run the school's gaming club. Well I used to before they kicked me out of my own club! I mean who would do that! They said I started to creep them out! I wasn’t fun to be around, and I was starting to act creepy!” He said as his voice started to raise.

“What, no way you’re not a creep at all! I was wondering though… How do you know I live at 49th and South Greenwood Avenue.” I said loudly.

“It’s not hard, when I can always be with you, when you’re alone… when it’s just you I’m always next to you, sometimes I prefer to watch from a distance while other times…I just want to get closer…” He shifted his figure, and took a step closer towards my bed. 

“M-mhm… you seem like a great guy, but I don’t really know you that much, but you seem to already k-know everything there is to know about me hahaha.” It was becoming harder to keep my voice stable as he slowly inched closer towards me being only a few feet away now. Before stopping, and not saying a word.

“Iris… do you love me?” he suddenly said, breaking the silence.

“Do I love you? I mean uhm..” 

“DO YOU LOVE ME IRIS!” He sounded more deranged, and seemed to fiddle with his hands.

“I don’t really know you, so it’s hard to say that. I haven’t really told anyone before that I love them. It’s such a strong word.” I said, moving further back, pressing myself against the wall.

“Y-you don’t l-love me…” his smile faded, and his body seemed to have fallen limp.

“Sorry I can’t say I do.”

“IT’S BECAUSE OF THEM ISN’T IT… THOSE 2… BRYCE AND JAYE’SUN… you must be in love with Bryce, he is good looking, athletic, popular… Does that make him better than me!” he snapped.” Jeremy yelled.

“PFFF Bryce no way, he’s cool but he’s not my type, you must have the wrong idea about us.” Iris laughed.

“SO then come with me, just the two of us, let’s run away from this wicked society, and start something new, start something with just us…” he said.

“Yeah, sorry but no I’m fine, and I think it’s time for you to leave now…” I said in a stern voice.

“I’m not leaving… not after I’ve shown myself, we’ll be together, you’ll learn to love me! Just the way I love you!” As soon as he finished his sentence, he moved quickly towards me, blocking off the bed, preventing me from leaving.

“Shhhh, don’t scream, you’ll only make it harder for yourself… just let it happen.” he whispered, bending down with his breath brushing against my face.

I tried to scoot back further but there was nowhere I could go, nowhere I could run. What was I supposed to do? Especially when I don’t know what he’s capable of, I felt another vibration in my pocket that caused the bed to shake a little.

“Oh, is that a phone? That certainly wouldn’t be good now would it! Be a good girl, and hand it over…” Jeremy demanded.

I handed him the phone, hoping Jaye’sun and Bryce would be here soon, I just needed to hold my own. 

Could I hold my own, against someone who knows everything about me, while I know nothing about them?