Hopeless? ~ Third Part of Loverboy.

Chapter 5. ~ Ashley.

As soon as Patrick took the phone off my ear, I could listen to Dionne's mocking laughter.

—How is he?

I sniffed and I really wanted to be able to wipe my tears. —You don't care. 

—Of course I do! —Dionne said.

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. —He's fine, thanks for asking. —I smiled as falsely as I could. 

Dionne crossed her arms over her chest. —I doubt it. 

I didn't answer. I really didn't want to keep talking to her. I no longer felt my arms because they had been tied on my back for a long time and my whole body felt rather itchy, worsening the fact that I couldn't do anything about it. 

I swallowed and suddenly I felt how my own lips had turned into sandpaper and that my throat was dry. My stomach started to growl for food, remembering me that I hadn't eaten in days. How was I going to eat now? They probably had forgotten about my needs. 

—Uh... —I started to say sarcastically—. The prisoner is hungry, just saying.

—Oh, true that. You eat also. —Dionne replied. Was she really that  stupid or perhaps she believed that I was on an only-oxygen diet?

—You don't say. —I murmured softly.

—Just remember that I am the one who's going to give you everything whilst you're here. You better behave when you're around me. —Dionne raised her eyebrows.

—Whatever.

Dionne looked at me one last time before turning entirely to Patrick. —Give her some food. I don't know. Just... Keep her alive.

Was it a relief to know that they wanted me alive? I don't know. 

—I'm going out. Maybe I'll come back later or tomorrow. —Dionne told Patrick, and he just nodded—. Goodbye, darling. Hope you get comfortable.

I looked away and breathed. I heard a car engine starting and how it slowly drove away. I bit my lips and squeezed my eyes tightly. I still hated the fact of knowing that Nathan knew nothing about this, when all I really wanted was to be with him, at his side, and never let him go.

But I must be brave. Moreover, there are thousands of reasons why I should be brave and overcome this: my friends, my family, Nathan, my dad... I really wasn't  scared. Maybe a bit desperate and sad. But I knew they couldn't do anything to break me. I was stronger than ever they couldn't take that away from me. 

The only person who really made me nervous was Patrick. I still didn't understand where he fit here, much less understand what he was doing here. It made me extremely uncomfortable being in the same place as him, and as if that weren't enough, he looked at me as if he knew something I did didn't know. 

—Why are you looking at me like that? —I gathered all the courage I had, trying to put as much hate in my voice as possible. 

—Why? I can't look at you, princess?

I inhaled again and felt a dagger going down on my chest. I wanted him to stop calling me like that.

Fortunately, my stomach started to rumble again. —I don't... I don't care. I'm really hungry, or will you guys let me starve for days?

—Wait a sec.

Patrick walked to the other side of the cabin and came back to where I was, bringing with him some bread and water. If I weren't so sad, I would have laughed. 

What was happening? It all seemed like a movie. 

Suddenly I had an idea: if I untied my hands, would I have the chance to run away? Would I be fast enough to knock him out and run? With my small body and and not so much strength, it almost sounded pathetic and mostly ridiculous, but there were always odd, even if they were infinitesimal, right?