It had been over a week since Betty decided to give Seth a try. At first, she seemed happy and was taking things slowly, but then, she started to show some signs of remorse.
The afternoon was calm, with little student chaos, and we were out of earshot. Betty, CC, and I were sitting at the picnic table on the island after school, waiting for night school to start. Betty had a lot to say about her experience with the new guy so far.
"He can't be that bad." I giggled. "Can he?"
Betty nodded. "I swear, whenever he kisses me, it feels like he's about to knock my teeth out."
"Eww." CC grimaced. "So he literally shoves his whole face into it."
Betty nodded slowly, feeling disgusted by it as well.
For someone who probably had a few girlfriends before Betty and had definitely kissed more times than my one time with Cherise, he sounded horrible. This surprised me.
"Does he at least treat you okay?" I asked curiously.
"Well, I guess so," Betty said with a sigh. "Though he weirds me out by how clingy he is."
"What do you mean? What does he do?" I asked curiously.
"For example, he is always waiting for me outside every single one of my classes. EVERY SINGLE ONE! I don't know how he does it or why, but it's creepy." Betty shivered.
"I knew I had a bad feeling about him." CC crossed her arms and frowned.
I grimaced. "That's really fucking weird. Stalker much?"
"I think that's exactly what he is. He gives me the impression of a stalker," CC said sharply.
"Stalker? Seriously?" Betty became conflicted.
"I honestly think so." CC nodded. "Call it a gut feeling."
Betty frowned, unsure of everything. "I was just giving him a shot. Did I make a mistake?" She muttered.
CC nodded and remained silent.
I just hummed, not wanting to say anything upsetting. Betty was lonely, and I understood that clearly. Additionally, being from a rural area, she wasn't familiar with some of the shady activities that occur in big cities. Recently, there have been many girls and young women who have gone missing after going for a night out in Juarez. Investigators discovered hundreds of human remains in the vast desert; some were identified as the missing girls. The thought of Betty's safety in this context was deeply unsettling.
Mistakes happen all the time and are our biggest teachers, but this was not the time or place to make mistakes while being young and naive.
"I don't even know how I should break up with him," Betty sighed. "I don't even know if I should tell anyone."
"I'll tell you what. I'll start walking you to some of your classes. That way, I'll create some distance between you two," CC suggested.
Betty smiled and put her hand on CC's in gratitude. "I'd appreciate that. A lot."
CC and Betty began discussing their schedules and where they could coordinate to create that buffer. I admired CC's critical thinking skills since summer school. It was fascinating, yet scary. Watching her was like watching Batman planning his actions before his investigations and missions.
In a way, I was genuinely feeling sorry for Seth; he was an awkward nerd like I was. After hearing what Betty had to say and what he was doing, it was even creeping me out.
If I ever started dating anyone, I prayed that I wouldn't end up like him.
After CC had left us for drama club, Betty and I wandered around the halls like we usually did before night school started. This time, she was walking me through her schedule and showing me where her classes were, just as she had with CC.
"You don't think Seth would hurt me, do you?" Betty asked, frightened.
"I... don't know," I shrugged. "He honestly seems harmless to me, but you never know."
"God. Now just thinking about him is putting my stomach in knots." Betty confessed, her fear palpable in the air.
"This is why CC is doing what she's doing. She has a good reason to prevent anything from happening to you." I assured her.
"Thanks, Alfie." Betty smiled.
This new situation had made her anxious, and having someone she knew near her made her feel safer than being alone. I didn't want to leave her alone either, so I walked Betty to her night school class. Even while waiting with her for her ride after night school, she was on edge. She couldn't stop looking around as if someone was watching us.
"Hey, it's okay." I tried to keep her calm.
"I know. I'm...probably just being paranoid now." Betty sighed.
"I don't blame you, but you're not alone. You have us."
"You don't think I'm overreacting, do you?"
I shook my head. "Of course not. If you don't feel safe, I'd trust that instinct. Have you told anyone else about this?"
"God, No. The last thing I want is for all kinds of people to be involved. I don't even want my parents to know."
I became distracted by the thoughts of Betty having a stalker. I was worried for her, and something had to be done about Seth. I had to let the other Misfits know. If anybody knew something more about Seth, it was them.
-----
The next day at lunch, the guys and I gathered in the science lab, where the teacher had no problem letting us play our game of Magic: The Gathering. It was the next best thing after being kicked out of the library so many times.
"Do you guys remember Seth? The tan-skinned, chubby dude with the short curly hair," I casually.
"Hmm?" Boss paused while looking between his hand and all the cards on the field. "Isn't he the one who dated Nikki last year?" he asked Victor while placing down a land card and finishing his turn.
"Yeah. That wanker was weird," Victor said, stacking his cards neatly. "Can't believe Nikki dated him for so long."
We were all weird, but 'weird' wasn't a word we threw around often. When someone weird thinks someone else is weird, that's saying something.
"What did he do?" Bear asked, now becoming curious. He rotated five of his land cards 90 degrees and placed a card from his hand into the play area. "I play Lava Axe...to James."
"Really?" James scoffed as he removed five life points.
Victor chuckled.
"That's just it. Seth started to weird her out, and Nikki couldn't take it," Boss explained. "She had no choice but to drop the dude hard on his ass."
"Then cried like a bitch." Victor added.
The relationship between Seth and Nikki was starting to sound similar to what Betty is going through now. She's already being weirded out and considering ways to drop him.
"Not just that. Nikki told Chrissy, who told me, that he somehow got all kinds of her personal info without her knowledge," James said while drawing a card. "Supposedly, he says he's a hacker. Pfft."
"What the fuck?" I exclaimed.
"Like I said. Weird," Victor reminded. It was his turn, and he played more land, turned them 90 degrees, and summoned a Heartwood Treefolk. "Go, Alfie."
"Hmm." I drew a land card and placed it immediately into the field. I didn't have enough land to make my play. "Do you think he can actually pull off stuff like that and get personal info?"
"Is Betty in trouble?" Bear asked, looking intense.
"Which one's Betty again?" Victor perked up at the mention of another girl's name.
I ignored Victor. "I don't know. They've only been dating for a little over a week, and she's starting to feel uncomfortable around him." I clasped my hands under my chin. "So much that CC is going to start acting as a buffer between them."
"Damn! Buyer's remorse," Boss said, drawing a card. He turned three lands sideways. "I play Bottomless Pit."
"Dick!" Bear growled, discarding a card. "Should we help her? Maybe find Seth and beat his ass?"
We all paused and stared at Bear. I was never one for violence, even though I loved to play-fight. Not only did I not know how to express my emotions in love, but I also struggled with anger, so I always avoided confrontation.
"I'm down if he crosses the line," Boss stated.
Victor smirked. "That guy's a pansy. It wouldn't take much."
"I guess, given the circumstances and if I had no choice, I would, too," I shrugged. "But for now, let's just...play things cool. I'm not trying to jump to conclusions."
Bear cracked his knuckles with an intense look in his eyes. "Just say the word."
Is this really what it was coming down to? A call for violence?
Throughout the week, CC's plan to provide security was working. Whenever I saw Betty walking down the halls between classes, she was either with CC or some tall, skinny, well-groomed dude. He looked like a fashion model and bore a resemblance to Sebastian from "Cruel Intentions." That must have been Ryan.
As I spotted Seth walking along with them, he looked annoyed that he wasn't alone with Betty.
CC was a genius. This plan is working better than I thought.
One day at lunch, I was heading toward the library when CC cut me off unexpectedly. She looked flustered, angry, and worried, yet relieved to find me. Something wasn't right and it made my heart sink.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"I need help now," CC shuddered, eyes wide with panic. "It's Betty."