The Teenager

The Teenager

A teenage boy walks alone down a city sidewalk.
People smile and say hi to him as they walk by, but he keeps his head down as he is not in a mood to talk.
He keeps his eyes focused on two people walking up ahead of him.
Walking hand in hand, it’s the girl he is in love with along with her boyfriend Tim.
He shares two classes with her but he’s invisible to her.
A thought running through her mind of dating him has never occurred.
She looks right through him like he is a ghost,
but one day she will realize she loves him and is meant to be with him the most.
He is confident in that.
He is sure of it.

His love and boyfriend stop walking to look into a shop,
as he hits the brakes a ways behind them and comes to a sudden stop.
He doesn’t want her to notice him, at least not yet,
although he does want her boyfriend knowing he’s a serious threat.

She turns her head and looks briefly in his direction.
He quickly puts his head down for his own protection.
Would she even recognize him anyway?
She doesn’t even notice him when they have class together every day.
She hasn’t ever said a single word to him.
Not even when they had to run a mile together in gym.
He doesn’t understand why he even loves her without even knowing her,
but he does and knows his heart longs for a connection to her to occur.
She’s beautiful and perfect in every way.
It just angers him seeing her with Tim every day.
She deserves better, she deserves him!
She needs to get with him and dump the loser Tim.

His love and Tim continue walking until the reach a popular restaurant and walk inside.
He’s not sure if he should follow them inside but does so in stride.
He’s seated at a table all by himself but has a good view of his love,
sitting at a nearby table with the guy he wants to dispose of.

Tim smiles at her and can’t seem to take his eyes off of her.
It makes him fucking sick and causes evil thoughts inside his dome to stir.
He’s a popular high school athlete who gets all the girls.
He’s just a quiet loner named Earl.

A waitress approaches his table and asks him if she can get him anything to drink.
Earl orders just a water and says he needs some more time to view the menu and think.
He places the menu in front of his face as the chair across from him slides out from under the table.
He blinks a few times feeling his mind begin to come unstable.

He puts down the menu and is startled to discover a man sitting at his table across from him.
The man supports a nice goatee that is kept nicely trimmed.
He wears all black dress clothes and smiles at Earl in a friendly, confident manner.
Earl wonders if creeping up on people is his standard.
Unsure of what to do and very creeped out, Earl begins so stand up from his chair.
This table is not something he cares to share.
The strange man speaks, “sit down Earl I’m here to talk and encourage you.
I can see that you are feeling a little down and blue.
Have some anger brewing inside.
A beast locked up that is getting tired of having to hide.”

“Sorry I’m not comfortable talking to you and will be leaving.
Whatever lies you are trying to sell me you won’t find me believing.”

The strange man looks Earl in the eye and tells him to sit.
He just does that without throwing a fit.

“Good, now listen to me Earl.
I know you have been following that beautiful girl.
You love her and want her for yourself,
and there is no one better to help you achieve that goal than myself.”

Earl just continues to stare into the strange man’s eyes.
He couldn’t get up and leave now even if he tried.

“If you want to win the girl, you have to proof to her you are the alpha male.
Your skin is beginning to turn pale,
but don’t worry this will be easier and quicker than using blackmail.
I’m going to turn you into a lion, not a snail!
I know you have a knife hiding in your back pocket.
You can take that knife, go over to Tim and stick it deep into his eye socket,
or press it against his throat and slowly slit it,
and while he dies on the floor, take your new woman home, strip her naked, throw her on the bed and hit it!
Make her yours you alpha male!
Now go make your mark and go down as a legend, not no forgotten folktale.”

Earl gets up from his table and walks towards the table where his love sits.
When he first walked in here, he was far too terrified to do this, but now he has found his wits.
As he makes his approach, his love Crystal notices him approaching.
His eyes scream evil intent but she hopes they are joking.
She vaguely recognizes him and believes she has a class or two with him.
She’s certain she has had him as partner in gym.

Earls eyes are glued on Crystal as he reaches the table.
She is afraid as he appears to be mentally unstable.
She forces a “hi its nice to see you,” then tells Tim its time for them to leave.
She’s nervous and finding it difficult to breath.

Earl smiles as he takes out his knife and presses it against Time’s throat.
He lets out a loud, sinister laugh as in his mind he begins to gloat.
Earl licks his lips at Crystal as he begins to move is knife.
Suddenly a shot rings out putting an end to the escalating strife.
Earl’s eyes go dark as out drains his life.
He drops to the ground dead failing to make Crystal his wife.

An off-duty police officer puts away his gun and rushes to the aid of the two that sit at the table.
The strange man exits the building happy with the situation he has enabled.