Obsessed | ✓

Chapter 15

"You know about it now? You know that it was me who was talking to you all this while?" He asked, fear evident in his eyes.

Fear of what? Rejection, perhaps?

"Yes," Alex replied, "I know it was you and I can't believe it. I just wish you told me about this before. So, that I didn't get so messed up with more emotions and feel so lost."

"I'm sorry. I really am. I just... I just wanted to talk to you, to be with you, and I knew that you would talk to me as freely as you would have if you thought I was Zach. I'm sorry. I know it's like betraying but I truly didn't mean to do that," he said convincingly.

Liar, you did it purposely, a voice in his head yelled but he hushed it out.

"I know you didn't. That's why I'm not mad at you," Alex said softly.

"You were being honest, right?" He asked hesitantly.

"About what?"

"About..  about loving me? You do love me, right?" He questioned nervously. 

A faint blush coated Alex's cheek as she nodded shyly at him.

"Great." He smiled. "Because I love you too."

------

"Are you sure about this? I mean, isn't this too extreme?" Alex asked, worrying about the consequence of what they were about to do.

"You love me, right? So, trust me. Our families are never going to accept us and this is the only way out. Plus, I told you of how your mother has been lying to you about your painting. Who knows what else she is lying to you about? This is the best way out. Trust me!" Jared said, a weird glint in his eyes.

Alex was scared, extremely scared, but she didn't say anything.

Jared was right, she couldn't trust her mother anymore, not after the lies she was told on a daily basis by the woman who gave birth to her.

"Alright then," she finally agreed, hauling her bagpack over her shoulders.

She just hoped she won't regret it. Regret this split-second decision they made about running away from home, from family, from everything.

-----

Jared slammed his fist on the table. "How many times do I have to tell you to not hide my drinks?" he yelled, his voice ringing through the entire house.

"The doctor said you need to cut down on your alcohol. It's not good for your health," Alex said firmly, although she shuddered as he continued to shout at her.

"I don't care what the doctor said and I don't care what you think," Jared argued, his voice still thunderous, "I just want my bottles on my desk by the time I take my bath. Is that clear?"

"No," Alex mumbled.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

"I SAID NO!" she shouted back, her face red as she ran her hand through her hair.

"Jared, I am doing this for your own good," she said softly, trying to make him understand that she only was thinking in his best interests.

"I don't care! I want it here! NOW!" he yelled, shaking his head at her.

"No!" She yelled back, backing away from him as she saw him take the kitchen knife and bring it close to her.

"You sure you want to say that again?" He asked threateningly.

She shook her head, her eyes extremely wide.

"Good girl. I'm glad you understand," he told her softly, kissing her forehead before leaving the room, the knife still in his hand.

She fell the ground, fear eating her up as she sobbed silently on the ground.

If only she had not listened to him that day, if only she knew how crazy he was, she could have had a better life today.

Instead, she was stuck with a psycho who was so obsessed with her that she was always trapped in their small house, without any form of contact to the outside world, and the only thing she could do was wait for death to save her from all this pain.

----

After two long years, Alex got to taste the heat of the sun on her face. She felt the tingling feeling of grass touching her bare feet, the taste of victory on her tongue and freedom surrounding her.

It felt like there was no hope. Like she was doomed to stay inside that gloomy house with an abusive man who she had the unfortunate luck to fall in love with.

Yet, she found a miracle in her neighbours, who found it odd to see two new people entering the house on the day it was bought and only one person leaving it on a regular basis.

Their curiosity was like a miracle to Alex, the only reason why she was free to breathe in the fresh air as she watch Jared being dragged away by the authorities for a number of charges including abuse and even murder.

She regretted everything she did two years prior, running away from home, acting impulsively but now she was different. She was a changed woman and she knew that her naivety needed to be gone.

As she watched Jared being dragged away, she knew that now, with a fresh start, she was going to change her world, and leave all the toxic things about her life behind her.

It was time for a new life.