Before Dawn |✓[ completed & edited ]

3

"What was that?" The stranger asked as we continued our aimless journey.

"What was what?" I asked, biting my lip as the nervousness hit me up like a thunderstorm.

I couldn't let him see me vulnerable, not when he was a stranger who could be a serial killer on the run.

"Don't act dumb. You flinched away when all I wanted to do was just help, " his voice almost sounded sad, like he was sad I flinched away from him.

"You are practically a stranger, " I retorted as the night grew darker and darker.

He rolled his eyes. "You don't flinch away like that from the person who was trying to help you."

"Stop exaggerating, I didn't flinch in any way, " I lied.

I flinched away.

I flinched away like he was fire and I was burning on it.

I flinched away like he was the plague itself.

I flinched away like he was going to rape me.

And I couldn't do anything to stop it.

HE

She was scared.

She was scared like I was going to hurt her.

And it was not helping my already bruised ego.

She didn't know who I was, she didn't know my profession, she didn't know that I loathed the public's scrutinizing eyes, the way they assessed me, judged me, envied me.

I just wanted to disappear for a second, without anyone noticing.

I wanted to be someone else for a night.

And here I was.

With a stranger, in the middle of the night, in New York City, who didn't know who I was, whom I didn't know.

It was easy, simply. We would part our ways before dawn.

Never to meet again.

But now I was getting curious.

The way she flinched away not only bruised my already damaged ego but also flicked a light of concern for her.

And the way she was refusing it, was a clear indication of denial.

And I would know the reason behind it before tomorrow.

SHE

His eyes were analyzing my every step, every move, he knew something was up.

I knew that something.

But I was hell-bent on keeping the past on the little box that I have hidden inside my heart.

The memories were too painful to visit. They were like those old wounds that didn't hurt physically but emotionally, you were miserable.

That was how the betrayal was.

It hurts more because they were given by my own people.

People that you should be about to trust.

People who were supposed to be your savior but instead they just turn their backs on you and all you could do was run.

Far away from them, far away from your past.

"Why are you glaring at the poor dog?" The stranger asked as we were now standing in the middle of the street without moving an inch for ten minutes straight.

"Sorry, " I muttered before starting to walk again.

The roads were now crowded again, making the guy beside sigh with an uncomfortable nod.

"Why don't you like this attention?" I asked, confused with his behavior towards the people that definitely liked his presence.

"Because they are fake, " he blurted out and the way his eyes widened in surprise, I was guessing that he didn't mean to say it out loud.

"How do you know that?"

"They don't want to know me, they just pretend that they do, " he shrugged casually.

"Do you want them to know you?"

"No, I just want them to stop pretending."

I just chuckled humourlessly. "We all are pretending here, lying to every person we are meeting, what's the difference?"

"Touché"

His words were defying the emotions that were slowly but surely pouring out of his tough exterior.

"But I do want them to stop intruding in my life, " he said after a moment of silence made me think that he pestered over this idea before.

"But your life comes with being in the spotlight." I didn't know his profession but the resignation on his face was a clear indication that whatever it was, the attention was included in it.

"Maybe I just want to finish my work and go to my home like a normal person?" He asked more than he said, which made my heart clench.

He looked lost.

He definitely didn't like the “perks” of his job, which was just sad because he looked like he did enjoy working.

Or maybe that what he told to the whole world.

"So you do like your job?" I was supposed to be stating that instead, it came out as a question.

He gave me a sad smile before shrugging non-committedly.

"Your answers are vague, " I said as we were now standing just below a street light which was supposed to lighten the streets instead it darkened it.

"You are nosy, " he gave me an amused smile, with no trace of annoyance or irritation.

I slightly leaned towards the wall behind me and waited for any of us to start the conversation again.

I felt him sigh beside me, clearly too tired to do this shit. "I like to write."

My lips slightly tugged upwards, making a small smile.

Well, that's progress.

Edited.

Really sorry for the delay, it was supposed to be published yesterday but I was hella tired.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

We still don't know what happened to Lily in the past, and when we will know, I want you guys to be warned before.

Please, vote, share, and comment.