I was halfway out my front door when I realized how late it was. 8:43. I wouldn't even get to the park until at least nine.

Oh well.

I zipped up my jacket and tugged on my pink Converse--I'd decorated every inch of them with multi-colored smiley-faces--and called out to my parents that I might not be home for a bit and that I was going out with a friend. 

The night air was crisp and cool on my cheeks and I tugged my hair out of its ponytail, yawning as I started to jog down the road. It wasn't that long of a walk. And I had my phone. I'd be fine.

I heard footsteps behind me, so I glanced back. The street was illuminated in the soft yellow glow of the streetlamp, but other than that, the night was dark. A few of the houses further back had their lights on, but my neighborhood consisted of a lot of old people who fell asleep pretty fast, so there weren't many others awake.

I paused, looking for the source of the footsteps, but found nothing. Must've just been the echoes of my own, I guess, I concluded, and stuffed my hands in my pockets to keep walking, unbothered.

A rock got kicked in front of me, and I stopped again, staring at it.

Uhhh...

I turned, eyes wide, but once again, there was nothing there.

I decided to just run the rest of the way. My Converse slapped on the pavement, loud in the cold, still night air, but I didn't really want to stop. I wanted to meet up with Caspian, not get kidnapped. Though it was nice that someone was obsessed enough with me that they'd want to kidnap me.

The glowing arches of McDonalds came into view far ahead, and then not long after that, so did the park. It was empty, and I frowned, slowing to a stop and looking around. This is the right park, isn't it? I didn't just get stood up, did I? Damn you, Caspian, and your pretty red eyes--

"Odj!"

That wasn't Caspian's voice, but I recognized it anyway. I turned to see Paris jogging towards me, smiling, purple hair a dim gray in the light of the streetlamps. I blinked and waved. "Oh, hey, Paris. What are you even doing here?"

He hummed, stopping in front of me, and I realized he'd come from the same direction I did. Was he the one who had been following me? A shiver went down my spine, and I grinned. Whoa. "I saw you walking," he explained, and I blinked, wanting to know more. "I didn't know we lived in the same neighborhood, but I'm just a few houses down!!"

I blinked, my mouth falling open. "Whoa, wait, really? I had no ide--"

"Paris."

There he is. I turned to face Caspian, who was frowning at Paris and I and how close Paris was standing to me. He had a McDonald's bag in his arms, and I hoped it was for me.

Paris's smile faded and he, too, frowned at Caspian. "Black. What are you doing here?"

I hummed, wandering over to Caspian to peek into the beg. "He invited me to the park, like some kinda nine o'clock date." Caspian startled at the word, passing me the bag, and swiftly looked to Paris with a triumphant expression I decided I would puzzle out later. "I don't think he knew you were coming along."

"I didn't," Caspian said with a lethal edge to his voice. "Maybe he should go home. It's getting kinda late, I don't want anything to happen to you."

Paris scoffed, eyes narrowed. "I thought we were dating, Odj-! What about Five Below??"

I shrugged, grabbing a burger from the bag and stuffing it in my mouth. I told you that didn't mean I was your girlfriend, Paris." I paused, then wrinkled my nose. "...this burger is gross."

"I can get you a new one," they both said in unison, and then glared fiercely at each other. 

I grinned, sensing I'd be getting two burgers. 

"Cool," I said casually. I like cheeseburgers with nothing expect pickles and ketchup. First one back to me gets to go on the next date with me."

Almost immediately Paris started running for the glowing restaurant, and Caspian snorted and raced after him. It was clear Caspian was going to win, with his long basketball-player legs, so I took the burger Caspian had gotten for me first and went to sit on the swings, chewing on it contentedly.