Obsession

CHAPTER 20

I was standing in my Mom's kitchen, stirring my coffee with a little silver teaspoon.
After my argument with Gray last night, I decided it was best for both of us to spend some time apart. I left this morning while he slept.

He's called me a couple of times but I couldn't bring myself to pick up the phone, not yet. I don't know what to even say to him, I lost a little faith in us I guess.
He doesn't believe me when I need him to the most, so I was feeling let down.

"Are you okay,Sweetheart?"My Mom asked, placing a sympathetic hand on my shoulder.

I mustered a smile"I'm fine."

"You've been stirring that coffee for fifteen minutes now, why don't we sit and have a chat?"

My Mom walked across the room and took a seat at the glass dinning table, she sat a couple of seconds waiting until I followed her over.
I know it's serious when we're sitting at the dining table to chat without a meal in front of us. Usually we sit here for dinner and dinner only. My Mom is oversensitive about getting scratches on her glass table.

"Your father told me what happened last night..We were lucky that he was in town on business."
She placed her hand over on mine."What happened, Layne?"

I sighed."You know what happened,Mom. Like you said, Dad told you already.
I was drugged last night..My Stalker took me back to my apartment and I can't remember anything else."

"Your head wasn't right,Darling. You were mixing drink with your medication.
It's no surprise that you passed out and don't remember much"

She had me seething with anger in my chair, it was an emotion I wasn't used to having towards my Mom."I remember what happened, I'm not making this up.
My Stalker isn't locked up..He's out there and he's coming for me."

Jesus I'm sure I sound like a bad horror movie right now. But it is the truth.
I'm just waiting in anticipation for him to make his move, but I need to be ready.

"I should leave."I said, getting up from my chair. I walked towards the kitchen sink, pouring my full cup of coffee down the drain.

My Mom followed me and stood at the island."You only just got here."

"I just want to be alone right now, Mom."I don't want to be around people that don't believe me,I thought but didn't say.

"Are you coming back?"She asked.

I looked back at her before I walked out of the kitchen."I'll call you." I walked down the hallway and left the house.

I had thought that coming to see my Mom would be a good thing, but obviously I was wrong.
I thought she would believe me, she's supposed to be my Mother after all.

***

I was standing in the shooting range, Yes I know totally ridiculous of me. I don't believe that people should be allowed to shoot guns or own their own guns, but I need to protect myself because let's face it.. NO ONE ELSE IS!!

"Ever fired a gun before, Miss?"A male member of staff asked, the man looked like he was in his early sixties and he seemed to be very helpful so far. He's already given me my lesson twice..Now I was ready to shoot.

I smiled at him."No, Harry. This is my first time."

"I see a lot of young woman come in here looking to learn how to fire a gun.."

"Well there's a lot of crazies out there.
We should he able to protect ourselves from the bad ones."
Sometimes though, we don't even know the bad ones if they're standing right in front of us.

I raised the gun at the target,my finger on the trigger.
In my mind I was thinking of all the pain that this Prick has caused me and how no one even believed that he was still doing this to me.

"Fuck You, Asshole!!"I fired the gun at the target over and over again just wishing it was my Stalker so I could take him down once and for all.

"You're a quick learner, not many hit the target on the first try.
Do you want me to sign you up for classes?"

I wasn't proud that I hit the target..I didn't want to be the type of woman to carry around a weapon but I have no choice."Yes, Classes would be good."
I have a feeling I'm going to need them!!

"Do you want to shoot some more?"

I raised my arms again pointing the gun at the target.
I need to get a licence for one of these, so when he comes for me I'll be ready.

***

I didn't want to go home incase Gray was there and I couldn't face him, I needed space.
The man I trusted couldn't trust me back and I was still angry about that.

So I knocked on Imogen's front door and she answered after a couple of seconds.

"Can I stay with you?"

"Of course you can, Come in."Imogen opened the door wider and I walked in. She immediately walked to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of wine.
I guess she knew I needed it by the look on my face.

I threw my bag and jacket down on the armchair and followed her to the kitchen."I'll be going back to mine tomorrow, I just need to stay the night."

She glanced up at me as she poured wine into two glasses."You stay as long as you like.
What's going on?"

"Gray didn't call you?"I asked, and Imogen shook her head in reply.
I thought he would call her but maybe he thought better of it and decided to give me the space I needed.

Imogen moved the glass of Red across the island towards me."Drink this and tell me what's going on?"

I took a few gulps from my glass before following her towards the living room. I settled my glass down and sat beside Imogen on the couch.

"Last night I left the bar alone and feeling totally out of it, someone slipped something into my drink and I think it was my Stalker."

Lines formed between her brows."Your Stalker, but I thought they caught him?
Are you saying the police have the wrong guy this whole time?"

"Yes, That's exactly what I'm saying. When I got into the taxi last night he was with me, I remember him.
Not his face..But I remember his words.
When I woke up I was lying on my living room floor with the door opened."

She gasped."Oh My God, Do you think he.."she paused, unable to bring herself to finish her sentence but I knew what she was about to ask me.

"No, My clothes were still on zipped and buttoned. He didn't touch me thankfully.
He's fucked with my head though, I'm reviving calls and messages from him.
My underwear is going missing from my drawer at home."

She shivered."That so creeps me out. You should tell Decetive Roberts about this,Layne"

"She won't believe me..No one does."
I wiped my teary eyes with the sleeve of my cardigan."Gray basically called me crazy last night and told me it was in all my head, my Mom isn't much better."

"You two had a fight,That's why you're here?"

I nodded in reply."I just can't be around him right now.
He's supposed to be my boyfriend,he's supposed to believe me."
I looked up at her, sniffling back tears. "I'm not making this up Imogen, He's still out there. I look crazy because that's the way he wants it to look."

She moved forward on the couch and hugged me."I believe you,Layney."

"I knew I could count on you. I knew you would be there for me."
At least I have someone on my side.