Just Run

Chapter 24: If Only I'd Known.

Chapter 24: If Only I’d Known.

The next morning I woke, the space beside me filled once again by my ‘flatmate’. He was looking at his phone, his other arm round me. I snuggled closer to him sleepily.

“No work today, so what do you want to do?” He asked.

I pulled back slightly and looked at him confused.

“No work? Why?” I asked.

He shrugged, “Dunno, something happened at the club last night, I got a text not to worry about it and that the clubs closed for 24 hours. So what do you want to do?” He asked again.

I snuggled next to him again and yawned, “Hmmm, sleep” I groaned annoyed that I’d woken up so early, well early for someone who  had been working till the small hours anyway.

Zander chuckled, but I didn’t hear anymore as I drifted off again.

The next time I woke the smell of bacon had my mouth watering. I opened my eyes to see Zander holding a tray of food and waving his hand over it, obviously sending the smells my way and silently laughing at me.

“Wow, perfect guy or what!” I grinned happily.

He smiled, “Good, only the best for my girl”

I froze where I was about to take a bite. “Your…girl?” I whispered looking at him.

His face fell for a moment, “Well….i thought…that…well last night….and…”

He stopped as a tear fell down my face, “Oh crap, no, no please don’t cry!” He begged.

I shook my head, “No, happy tears” I smiled up at him.

He set the tray down and pulled me into his arms his lips finding mine, “I was worried you didn’t like me” He smiled.

I shook my head, “It was just a shock.”

“Soooo, you feel like coming out on a date with me today?” He grinned.

I just nodded and grabbed the food, to impatient and hungry to wait this time.

After breakfast we got ready and I found a beautiful summer dress in the things I had bought, slipping on flats to go with them. I looked in the mirror and sighed as I noticed this time even more of the dye had come out of my hair. I pinned my hair up strategically before going to meet Zander by the door.

We had a fabulous time walking through a beautiful park in bloom, the sun shining and families around us also enjoying the day. It was like a scene from a film. Having suddenly become ‘his girl’ it seemed like Zander had brought down walls I hadn’t realised he had up. he became less of the cocky teasing boy and more of a handsome passionate man.

We went round the sights of the city, things I’d been too tired to go and see or too busy to notice before.

By the time we came home from a restaurant that evening I was well and truly wooed. It was lovely to come back at a normal hour and was a novelty to watch normal evening tv. It was perfect. My first date and it couldn’t have been better. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as I went to sleep that night, dreaming of the future we’d have together.

If only I’d known about what was to come.

It can’t have been more than 3am when it started.

At first there was a knock at the door, which turned to bashing. Zander got up to see what the commotion was about.

What happened next seemed like a blur. In the darkness I couldn’t see who it was, but I heard the sound of Zander shouting. I ran back into the bedroom and tried to crawl under the bed. I screamed as something grabbed my ankles, dragging out. My nails made an awful scratching noise against the floorboards, the pain in my fingers easy for me to ignore in my panic.

I tried to grab at the bed, holding on for dear life, Zanders voice far in the distance was angry.

I lost my grip, instead starting to lash out at the figure holding me. I thrashed and scratched as best I could, feeling satisfied when I heard the figure cry out in pain. I stood and tried to run, but didn’t realise there was another behind me. As I felt something hit my head I faded quickly into darkness, only remaining conscious enough to know that I was being carried out into the night before passing out completely.

MillaB x