Episode 64: Scene Four
Chantal let her legs swing back and forth during her sitting on the pier. The day, like all traditional first days of school, was immaculate: the sun gleamed warm on her smooth brown neck, the sky was a crystal blue with small white cirrus clouds tracing their wisps across the atmospheres highest layers. A quiet, refreshing breeze stroked her cheek and played with the waves. All was perfect, until...
"Hello."
The sudden realization that Chantal was not at lone frightened her into jumping to her feet to face the one who had invaded her privacy. When the face was a familiar, but nevertheless unwelcome, one, she relaxed a little. "Why did you follow me?"
"I didn't follow you," Justice quickly replied to clear up any misunderstandings. "I was down here to clear my head a bit, just as you seem to be."
"I'm sorry, but I need to go now," Chantal averted her eyes from his and began walking away.
"Do I frighten you?"
The question forced Chantal to cancel her departure. Without turning around, she answered, "Of course not. You're not exactly a frightening kind of person."
"Then why do you insist upon running away from me when I come in contact with you?"
"I'm not running away. I-I just have other things I need to take care of."
"Is that it? Or does it have something to do with my occupation?"
The question angered Chantal into turning around to face him again. "Why are you interrogating me? You don't know me, so quit trying to act like you do."
"Haven't your parents ever taught you to respect your elders?"
"You're not an elder!" Chantal spat back at him. "You look like you're barely twenty-five."
"Twenty-eight, to be exact."
"Twenty-five, twenty-eight, who cares? I'm sure that that person you were working with the day I met you still needs help, so go ask him questions and pry into his life. You don't have to do it to mine," Chantal spun around and began walking away.
"Just because you run away from me doesn't mean you can run away from your problems," Justice called after her, but his declaration had no affect on Chantal. "You'll realize that one day. One day!"
His voice trailed off in the wind behind Chantal. She closed her eyes and shook her head. Don't listen to him, Chantal. There aren't any problems to run away from. You won't let there be any! Remember that!
As soon as she felt that she had put enough distance between Justice and herself, she slowed down and bent over. Though basketball training should have helped her stay in-shape, the added stress from the encounter made her all out of breath. "I've got to stay away from him. There's no telling what he'll do when he snoops around my house and finds out what's really going on."