Stalker 101 (Book 1)

// 16 //

"Do I need to spell it out for you? Clean. It. Up. It's that simple. You even said you would yourself. Either way, you're going to clean it up. I'll come back in a bit and give you some attention, I expect this to be clean," Jase looks down at me, smiles at me and exits with his hands behind his back.

I stay there, still looking down at the bandaid he kissed. It was. . . sweet? It was absolutely sweet. Yet, my stomach still danced with the feeling of how cruelly he said it. Give me attention? Like I purposefully dropped it to get his attention so he could give me attention? Truth be told, he barely spoke to me at all after the thunder incident. Only greetings and asking if I was hungry or comfortable. Giving me books and simple tasks. It made me feel trapped, even more than I was. No one to talk to, no one to vent to. No one at all.

I open the drawer I knew held clothes in them and lay about six down to soak up the juice before collecting the pieces of glass under the cloth. I push most of the glass into the center of the room and kneel down to collect it all. My knee hits the cold floor and a small piece pierces my knee. I fall back on my butt and swipe the piece off onto the cloth. Was he right? Could I really not be alone?

//

"Come in, Acacia," Jase booms after I knock on the door of his "office". That's what he called it after our little thunder session, yet I didn't think of it as an office. More like his bedroom minus a bed. I already knew where he slept at night, thanks to the nightmare-inducing events from our first encounter. Sleeping with me while I didn't even know it.

I push open the already cracked door and leave it open as I walk in. Jase was standing up, holding a green book with gold words on the side. He gives me a look of dissatisfaction as I walk up to him.

"I used towels to clean it up. I just wanted to know where to put them to wash them," Jase closes his eyes, then the book and lays the book on his side.

"How many did you use?"

"Six," I state and he opens his eyes, clearly annoyed. He huffs and rolls his eyes back to the shelf, placing the book back in a place.

"Six towels? Are you incapable of cleaning? You clearly only needed three at max," I take a step back and cross my arms. Was he criticizing me on something me told me to do? He never told me there as a limit or a certain way he wanted it done. In fact, I didn't care that he was annoyed.

"You're wrong, I needed that many to clean it up. It was almost a full glass of juice," I felt satisfied with my comment, even though my brain told me it was a bad idea. Jase narrows his eyes at me and his nostrils flare.

"Did you just tell me I was wrong? I have half the mind to grab you by that pretty little head and throw that glass back on the floor and make you pick it up with your teeth," Jase darkly replies. For some reason, the fear in me made my adrenaline rush which made my sass meter tick all the way up. Where was this girl a week ago? The whole plan to make Jase think I love him was trash at this moment. I wanted to taste the tart slice of satisfaction.

"You don't scare me," I slowly say and nod once it comes out of my mouth. I wasn't, not anymore. Alright, maybe a small bit. But, not at this moment. Right now, I felt like a king. Jase clenches his fist tightly, the veins in his lower arm begging to explode with anger. The regret pours into my head as he races toward me. I back up and turn around to run out of the room. A hand grabs the top of my arm and pulls me back, and I fall onto my butt for the second time that day. I feel my hair harshly pulled back. I scream and feel the strands begging to rip out as he indeed starts to drag me out of the room. My legs kick and I grab onto his lower arm, clawing with my nails. I could feel his skin under my fingernails as I slide across the floor. We stop moving, but his grip was still deadly on my hair as he pulls me up more. I scramble onto my legs and tilt towards him to lessen the pain. He swings me around to the kitchen and releases me, throwing me at the cabinets. Tears poured from my eyes as my hands find my head, touching the sour place.

"I don't scare you? Then why are you crying? Stop crying!" Jase shouts at me, making me hit the cabinets once more. I shut my eyes and tell myself to stop crying. It seemed crying made him angrier and angrier wasn't what I wanted. I feel small objects followed by wet balls hitting my skin. I look down to see the towels in my lap and small red marks forming where the glass towels hit me with force. I look over at Jase through the tears and he was slightly crouched after throwing them at me.

"Pick it up! You aren't scared to pick them up! Every fucking piece until I say you're done! Isn't this what you wanted? You wanted me to be like this, didn't you?" Jase cackles and turns away from me. I didn't want this, I didn't want this at all. I didn't want him, I didn't want to be here. There was no way out. My head hits the back of the cabinets and I cast my eyes over towards the door next to them. Always locked, never open. Just like the windows.

"Are you deaf now, Acacia? Pick it up with your teeth!" Jase yells and I feel another towel smacks my face. The cold, wet object stings and I feel more tears form. I wanted out. I didn't care. I wanted out of here. I get on my knees and lay my hands on the floor, glass pressing into my palms. I don't even care, I just wanted to get to that door. I needed that door. I start to inch toward it.

"What are you doing? Stop that, you look so pathetic!" Jase yells and throws another towel at me. I turn the small corner between the cabinets and the door and raise my hand towards the door. I could almost touch it soon. My hands press against the storm door and I push myself up on my knees. My hands start to shake as I grab onto the handle and twist. It easily twists open and I pull the door.

"Are you trying to leave me? Acacia, stop it!" I could hear a small twinge of hurt in his voice, but I didn't pay attention. I could hear the footsteps nearing me. I quickly twist on the doorknob I knew was locked and it surprisingly twists. I gasp as I feel a rough hand on my wrist and I kick open the door, revealing the sun outside. I could smell the grass, see the small bugs intertwining themselves in the weeds. My glimpse is cut short as the door slams and Jase throws me back down on the floor.

"You were trying to leave me! I can't believe you, why would you hurt me like this?" Jase had his own tears coming from his eyes. He takes the same key from his pocket and locks the door, slamming the storm door shut and walking over to me. He stands above me and looks down at me with a face full of deception. I ruined it. Any chance I had, I blew it. Jase wipes the tears from his cheek and sniffles.

"I can't have you leave me, Acacia. I just can't," Jase says, his voice now crackled from the crying. I lift myself up on my elbows and inch away from him. His foot slams down on my leg and I yelp from the impact. Jase sniffles again and takes a deep breath. I felt myself being lowered into a grave.

"I'm sorry, Acacia. You leave me no choice," His leg pulls back and sharply comes down on my leg. I hear a harsh cracking before the pain registers and I feel the bone pierce through my skin. I slam my hands down on the floor and scream as it happens again and again. I scream at him to stop, but he doesn't listen. He justs kicks until he's satisfied. The king of the castle was back for his throne.