My feet were frozen the second I walked into the training area. My eyes wandered around at the many people doing aerobics and thrusting their hips into the air. Brooke was on the ground staring at Chet who lifted his shirt, what a show off, Ray and Madison were eyeing Brooke without her even noticing. I leaned against the door and couldn't help but stare at their handsome trainer, Xavier. He's tall, lean and has the most beautiful eye I've ever seen and his blonde hair-

"Katherine!" my boss shouted and I jumped up and turned around to see that man pointing at the clock and the many people looking for some fresh towels. I eyed Xavier one last time before hurrying up and thanked god no one noticed me staring at him. "Here you go." I said handing some blonde girls their towels not caring that I almost threw it at their faces. I groaned and tiredly rested my head against the table I was at.

I know the name of every person who comes and goes and of course I get some dirty looks from people who have apparently never seen a girl always dressed in black before. "Katherine get your ass out of that table and go make some milkshakes for our customers." From somewhere across the room my boss told me since the other guy was passed out.

"Yeah yeah coming. God,this job sucks balls."

"Who sucks balls?" I looked up and saw Brooke walking over to where I was with her bag in hand. "This job. Seriously I'd do anything to leave this place." I mutter and finished making some milkshakes and handed a couple their frozen yogurt. Brooke and I have been friends since we were in diapers, I moved here about a year ago and she just arrived a few months back.

She furrowed her eyebrows and look at me, "Then why don't you leave?"

I shyly look behind her and she turns her head back to see who I saw. "Oh, so that's why! Our Kat has a crush on Xavier." She teases and leans closer to me. "Since when?"

"About a year ago." I answer her and close my witchcraft book so she doesn't see what I'm reading. Since she'll surely ask if I'm a Satanist.

"Have you spoken to him?" I look behind her and see him chatting with Ray and nod my head a few times, "Yeah when he comes over to order his usual." My brown eyes focuses on Brooke who's shaking her head in disapproval.

"That's been a while now. Why don't you just talk to him? I know you're usually quiet and keep things to yourself but you gotta make a move on him." she whispers since he's right behind her. I look over at him again then Brooke.

"...What if he's gay?"

"Just talk to him."

"She was stabbed for like forty times, her throat was cut she was basically decapitated." Xavier said to the guys and came closer to where I was. My knees were shaking and luckily I had this table so he couldn't see me. Madison came from behind him, "Describing your last date?"

Xavier rolls his eyes at her, "Ha ha hilarious. No, there was a murder a couple of days ago. Supposedly it's the same person who's committed all those murders. Cops are calling him the night stalker." He says looking at me then Brooke.

"I heard serial killers become more active at nights in the summer when it's hot." Brooke suddenly says and everyone looks at her. She seems nervous and hits my arm hard, "Y-Yeah. Brooke is right, I love these sort of things so I know what she's saying is true. I don't really scare easy but if I saw the night stalker I'd probably lose my shit." I tell him and mentally slap myself when I'm being given weird looks again. I glance up and see my crush staring at me.

"Mhm because people sleep with their windows down all night." Brooke finishes saying. I fake a cough and hug Brooke's shoulder, "This is my childhood friend, Brooke. This is Xavier, Ray and Chet." Brooke shyly nods and I was gonna introduce her to Madison but apparently they met in the showers. I still wonder how Montana and Xavier even dated back then.

Chet comes over and I see Brooke's eye light up when he shakes her hand, "How you guys know each other?" They all began to talk and walk away so Brooke came by and grabbed my arm so I'd follow her, everyone began to tell how they met each other. "And you..how'd we meet?" Xavier turned around and pointed at me.

"W-When they offered me the job..you showed me around the place?" I was a bit heartbroken when he didn't even remember when we met or even my name before I could say anything else he continued to speak, "Anyway my cousin said this guy is going on a rampage like on 78 which is why I'm leaving town for the next couple of months. I got a gig as a counselor at summer camp, it's a couple hours from here..You guys should all come. I mean they're desperate for counselors." Everyone looks at each other and I awkwardly listen. Does that mean just me?

"Hey I'm going, when do we leave?" Ray asks sitting up and looking at Xavier who got his backpack on.

"Tomorrow after class."

"Why can't we leave tonight?"

"Slow down, what's with you?" Xavier tells Ray who was all ready to leave this dump. "You know you should come with us." Montana turns around and looks at Brooke and I. I look at my friend asking, if she goes I go.

"Oh..sound fun but I'm taking classes at Santa Monica for collage."

"Wow aiming high." Montana says which almost made me laugh. "You going goth girl?" she asks looking at me next. "I don't think I should, I'd just be going there and ruining all your fun." I finish saying and Ray rolls his eyes and Montana absentmindedly waving her hand.

"Not at all. We'd love some more help on the road." Xavier says looking at me. I feel my face burning up. "Better make your choice. Don't wanna be here all summer it could cost you your life." He says before walking away and everyone else going their separate ways. I stare over to where Xavier left and then looked over to see Montana eyeing Brooke and giving her number. "Wow" I mouth and begin to follow Brooke.

****************

"Still it's such a coincidence we live three blocks away from each other." Brooke said parking the car and turning off the radio. I chuckle and grab my backpack and agree with her. "Finally I won't have to spend my days at work alone, I'll get to talk to you."

Brooke rolls her eyes and stops before she enters the apartment building, "Kat, seriously I don't want to sound rude but if you go to this trip you have to open yourself some more. I want you to finally date a guy you like, and having that first boyfriend doesn't count, we were in elementary." I give her a long sigh and grab her hands.

"Okay. I don't promise anything but I'll try my best, and I'll make sure to not pack any black clothes. I'm pretty sure Xavier isn't into goths." Brooke gives me a smile and hugs me.

"Be careful. I'll see you tomorrow ." I wave at her goodbye and make sure she made it inside the building. I grip onto my backpack and begin walking down the empty and dark streets, my stomach began to make some noise so I checked for my wallet and luckily had some money on me. Up ahead was a 24/7 so I entered and it was empty. I raised an eyebrow when I saw the employee was asleep with a pile of nachos next to him.

I shook my head and began placing some junk food on the basket I had in my hand when suddenly I tripped and braced for the impact. "You okay?" a deep voice asked. I opened my eyes and see that a man saved me from the fall.

"O-Oh thank you. And yes I'm fine!" I said blushing hard when I looked up at the tall figure dressed in black. His eyes were almost black and his long hair covered most of his face. 

The man smirked and slowly let go of me but held his hands on my shoulders, "What's a young girl like you doing at this hour?" The man stared down at me and I took a step back from him since we were way close, "I was kinda hungry so I decided to stop by..I'm K-Katherine." I say shyly and extend my hand for him to take, he does but kisses it instead of a handshake.

"What a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. You can call me Rich." He says and smirks. "How about you pay for those and I can walk you home? It can be dangerous for a woman like you." He suggests and I eye him for a second but nodded.

"Sounds like a deal, Rich." I walked over to the counter and began poking the guy up when I felt someone behind me and touch my shoulder. I looked back and saw two men in uniform, "Night young lady. We got a call from nearby saying someone might've seen the night stalker. Have you by any chance seen someone suspicious" the tall man questions me.

"Not at all officer."

He looks at me then at the employee who's asleep, "You paid him already?" I nod my head repeatedly and he slowly nods his head. "Alright just be careful around the area." I back away and stopped in front of the store and saw no sign of Rich. "Where did he go?"

I give up on trying to find him and quickly headed home, the rest of the junk food I didn't eat I left it for tomorrow's trip and started packing two luggages and a backpack. I gave up and started piling it up with non black clothing and zipped it up with the rest of my supplies in. I set up the alarm for tomorrow morning and had on my oversized shirt on and began slipping into the covers. I started closing my eyes and drifting to sleep when all of the sudden a loud banging made me jump up and turn the lamp on and grab my wooden bat.

Good thing I practiced baseball when I was little. I got closer and the banging continued and I heard Brooke begging me to open. "The fuck?" I hurry and unlocked the door, Brooke came brushing in leaned against the door and locked it all up and took the baseball bat from me.

"What the fuck happened it's nearly twelve?" I ask a bit annoyed since I was almost falling asleep. "He attacked me! The night stalker." She says moving away from the door and with me following her around and checking if the windows were locked.

"Really?! And wait a second you slept with the window open? Weren't you the one who said to keep them closed, and have you ever heard of a fan?"

"Shut Up, Kat! He might know I'm here. He said he was going to find me, so I hope it's alright I stay here cause there's no way I'm going back to my place." I pinch the bridge of my nose and walk over to slowly grab the bat from her.

"You're more than welcome to stay. You can sleep on the bed with me I have no problem..just don't snore." I see Brooke shaking but she still nods her head. I give her a hug and calmed her down a bit. "Don't worry tomorrow we'll be far way from here."