I had to quit my job at Walgreens. I’m not kidding! I had a dream the other night that I was just chilling in the chip aisle with an inflatable couch, watching TV. That can’t be normal. Maybe I needed therapy.
"Walgreens therapy?" Oliver laughed when I told him.
"I have been through a lot," I pointed out.
He looked around the building curiously. "Maybe we all should quit."
"Maybe we all need Walgreens therapy."
He turned and gave me a wide, mischievous grin. "You know what we should do?"
I didn’t like the way he was grinning me. He was up to no good. "What?" I asked warily.
"If we’re gonna quit anyway, we should just be little hellions and see who gets fired first."
I frowned. "And get a bad rep?"
Oliver laughed. "Wouldn’t wanna tarnish your perfect rep." He leaned over and gave my lips a quick peck. "Now would we?"
He did it so quickly, so casually, that I had to rethink what had just happened. He’d been doing a lot of casual stuff like that lately. Like holding my hand, wrapping an arm around my shoulder, getting up in my face. I wasn’t complaining. But I was a little…..confused. We hadn’t really talked about…us. If there was an "us", that is.
"What’re we doing, Oliver?" I blurted out.
He blinked. "Working? Well, I guess we’re s’posed to be working." He made a face. "D’you want me to go so you can concentrate on your important duties?"
I shook my head. "No, that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about….."
"Queens, Hudgenson!" our manager screamed, coming out of nowhere. "Get to work!"
I sighed, spinning my chair around so my back was to Oliver. Would I never be able to ask him when I finally worked up the nerve?
Our manager stomped away to yell at the next lazy employee and Oliver slipped behind my counter. He spun my chair around, making me face him again. "Coast is clear."
"No, she’s right," I said defeatedly. "We need to get back to work."
Oliver looked at me as if he might like to say something. But he shrugged his shoulders and hopped over the counter.
I watched him longingly. Someday, very soon, I would get over it and just ask him about us. I would very much like for there to be an "us", and I was anxious if he would be, too.
I worked through the entire day without ever talking to Oliver. Well, I mean, we talked; but it wasn’t the kind of talk I wanted to have. These awful thoughts crept in my mind somewhere before closing.
What if I was making something out of nothing?
What if he didn’t really like me and was just screwing with me?
What if, when I told him how I felt, he just stared at me?
Or laughed?
What if, what if, what if.
All. Day. Long I had these thoughts. It was exhausting! How did more insecure girls cope with these thousands of questions racing through their mind day in and day out?
"Oh, for the love of Pete," Kasey groaned. "Why don’t you just talk to him already? You won’t ever know until you ask."
She had a point, I had to admit. "So….does that mean you asked Todd if he liked you?" I asked her. We were going around locking up and turning lights off.
Kasey laughed, but she had an undeniable dreamy look on her face. "Hal, you’re acting as though you’ve never had a crush on a guy before!"
I didn’t bother reminding her I had only ever had one boyfriend; look how well that turned out for me.
Kasey, knowing me better than I even knew myself, slipped her arm through mine. "Is Dalton still giving you a hard time?"
I nodded. "Last time he was drunk."
Kasey bit her lip. "Do I need to come over tonight? Cause I will."
I knew she and Todd had plans tonight; Kasey’d been bragging about it all day. I shook my head. "Nah. He hasn’t really tried anything for a while. I think I’m good."
"You sure?" Kasey looked doubtful.
I knew I had to really sell it, otherwise she’d never go on her date. I didn’t want Todd hating me. Ever since our talk, Kasey had been really sensitive about the Dalton thing, making sure she was almost always had my aunt’s house. She had cancelled out on many dates already. I just couldn’t do it to her again.
"Yeah," I said. "I’m positive. You go have fun."
Kase bit her lip, but eventually nodded. "Okay, then. But if he starts anything, you call me."
I nodded. But really I was thinking of how I would love my caped Halle’s Hero to come to my rescue.
The next hour passed by in a blur. My head was a haze as the cops came, guns blazing, and took him away. My aunt Marion was crying and my uncle Tom just held her, talking dazedly to the police.
One police officer came and crouched in front of me. "Can you tell us what happened, miss?" he asked me gently.
I looked up into his eyes. He seemed so kind, even though only a few minutes ago he was shoving Dalton’s face into the dirt. But I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. He was here to help me, and right now he needed the whole story.
So I opened my mouth and explained as calmly as I could what occurred when I got home from work that same night.
Kasey seemed genuinely happy as she drove off with Todd. I was glad I didn’t make her go to my aunt’s house. It had been days, and Dalton hadn’t pulled anything. Everything was gonna be okay.
He was waiting for me when I got to the house. I didn’t see my aunt or uncle’s cars in the drive. I put my cell phone in my underwear—I had learned a long time ago not to trust pockets.
It’s fine, I told myself as I walked up to the porch. He won’t dare try anything. Not now. It’s been too long.
"What’re you doing here?" I mumbled, clutching my keys just a bit tighter.
"Your aunt and uncle went to Columbia for dinner," Dalton explained. "I offered to stay here and look out for you."
I stopped dead in my tracks, my blood running cold. Something told me he had suggested that dinner. He was up to something.
"Oh, well, I just came to get some stuff," I said, still not moving. "I’m staying the night at my friend’s house tonight. But, uh…thanks anyway."
"Come and get your stuff, then, Halle," Dalton said darkly.
I looked at him for a long minute, gauging his thoughts. When he smiled, I knew I was in trouble. I spun around and started for my car in a mad dash.
Dalton was prepared for my flight, and leaped off the porch after me. I never had been a strong runner, and he caught up to me all too quickly. I was only a few agonizing feet away from freedom when he caught me by the waist and brought me down.
"Asshole!" I screamed. "Get off me!"
He put all his weight on me, pinning me to the ground. "I have waited for this since the beginning of summer," he growled.
I clawed at the dirt, struggling to pull free of him. "Get off me!"
He laughed darkly, sending chills down my spine.
I pulled one of my hands free and quickly stuck it down my pants, searching for my cell phone. When my fingers brushed it, I clung to the thing for dear life, punching in the numbers for the police.
Dalton got up enough to turn me around. He glared down at me hatefully. "I just want us to be back together, baby."
I gritted my teeth together, refusing to say a word.
He stroked my face. "I can’t do it without you. I love you. Don’t you realize that?"
"You’re sick!" I spat, turning my face away from him.
His palm slapped across my cheek. I didn’t feel the sting of it until a second later. "I’m pouring my heart out to you, bitch! Don’t disrespect me!"
"Go to hell!"
Dalton, glaring furiously down at me, reached behind his back. He pulled back a gun and pointed right at my temple. "Don’t fucking move."
I didn’t even breathe. As creepy as Dalton had been, I had never considered he would ever pull a gun on me. My breath lodged in my throat, but my heart hammered against my rib cage. I think I might have been having a real heart attack.
"Are you listening now?" he growled threateningly. When I didn’t say anything, he yelled, "Answer me!"
"Yes," I whispered, my voice giving way to how terrified I truly was.
Dalton smirked, and I saw true insanity behind his eyes. "I love you so much, Halle. D’you know that?"
"Y-es…..I-I love you, too." I swallowed the bitter taste of disgust. I would say anything to get the gun out of my face.
Dalton grinned gleefully. "Really?"
I didn’t dare nod. "Y-yes…I-I really do, Dalton…"
His face turned dark. "Then why have you pushed me away?!"
I shied away from his frighteningly insane face. "B-because! I….was….wary…Um…I was stupid. But I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry, Dalton."
"What about your Walgreens boyfriend?"
"It was all fake! To-to make you jealous," I said quickly.
"I knew it!" Dalton let out this crazy bout of laughter.
"Dalton….honey, you know I love you….right?" I asked as calmly as I could.
He nodded. "Yes. Yes, that’s all I wanted, Halle. To know that you still love me."
"So…so you can get up now," I tried to reason. "My friend….she’ll be wondering what’s happened to me….Can I call her?"
Dalton just looked angrier at the mere mention.
"I just want to tell her the good news!" I added. "That…that we’re back together."
He watched me warily for a full minute. "You think you’re actually ready to tell people?"
"I think, of anyone, she deserves to know first." I forced a smile. "She’ll be so happy for us."
To my utmost surprise, Dalton got off of me.
I slyly pulled my phone out from its hiding place. I glanced at the screen and made a silent prayer of thanks that the line was in use. My fingers did not fail me. I pretended to speed dial Kasey, knowing Dalton was much too happy to pay close attention.
"Kasey, hi," I said breathily. "You won’t believe it. Dalton Pierce and I are back together! Yeah, I know he has a record, but he wasn’t ever charged with rape…" I hoped the police were smart enough to get my hints. "Oh, I’m at my aunt Marion Queens house in Lewisburg celebrating. So, I guess I won’t be able to get over to your house. Lord, help me!" I made myself laugh at the end, but the plea for help was very much real. "I have to go. Thank you so much for everything."
I pressed another number rather than hanging up, making sure the reciever to my phone was able to pick up the rest of the scene from my front pocket.
"What’d she say?" Dalton asked.
I smiled, even though I wanted to scream and run for the car. "She said she’s so happy for us!"
Dalton smirked and pulled me into his arms. I suppressed a shiver of disgust. "You know what we should do?" he murmured in my ear.
"What?" I asked, dreading his answer.
"We should go upstairs and celebrate."
I closed my eyes tightly, willing the police to get here fast. I wasn’t going to go that far to hold up this charade. "Maybe we should take this slow…." I suggested.
Dalton pulled back. "What’re you saying, Halle?" His eyes narrowed in suspicion.
I swallowed. "I’m saying I’m not quite ready…."
"But you love me, Halle."
Oh, God, let go of me, I thought in desperation. Please, let go of me! Haven’t I done enough?
"Don’t you love me?" I threw back. "Don’t you respect me, Dalton? I thought that’s what people did when they were in love. They respect eachother."
"Well, respect me when I say," Dalton’s grip on me tightened. "that we’re going to go upstairs and celebrate our reunion."
I pushed passed the need to flee. If I wanted this to end well, I needed him to let go of me first. "Okay, alright. Of course, you’re right. Let me just get my keys…" I pointed began to pull away from him.
"Halle, can I ask you a question?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think I’m stupid?"
I looked up at him sharply, certain there was fear in my eyes. "W-what?"
And then he was the Dalton I knew; not the crazed man who had easily bought everything that I said. He reached into my front pocket and took out my cell phone. "I hafta hand it to you," he clicked it off. "You really thought you were sneaky! The bad thing is we don’t have much time together. But that’s kinda the thrill of it all, isn’t it?" He winked.
"Dalton, Dalton, please….!" I said, backing away.
"Begging doesn’t become you, Halle," Dalton purred. "You should just give it up."
"Please, you don’t wanna do this…"
He laughed. "I think the point of all this is that I do."
But Dalton didn’t know I had actually called the cops a lot earlier than he thought I did. All I had to do was delay him for as long as I possibly could.
So, when he came at me, I punched his jaw as hard as I could. He stared back at me, his eyes wide. His lips pulled back and he chuckled. "That’s quite a punch, sugar. This is gonna be a lot more fun than I thought."
I took a fighting stance, even though I barely knew any sort of fighting moves. "Come an get me, asshole."
He laughed loudly, taking the challenge. He rushed at me.
I turned and ran. My eyes scanned the land for trees that I could climb. That would definitely help. I had just spotted one, not six feet away, when Dalton dived for me and grabbed my ankles.
I cried out as loud as I could, hoping some good Samaritan would help a poor girl out.
"Shut up!" Dalton hissed, slapping me again.
My head spun and black dots danced before my eyes.
Dalton shook me roughly. "Oh, no, no, no. You’re gonna be awake for this!"
I looked around for any sort of weapon I could use. My eyes landed on a sizable branch. It was within my reach.
I feigned losing consciousness again. Dalton shook me once more, his busy hands leaving my pants alone at last. Lightning fast, I reached behind me, clutched the branch, and slammed it into the side of Dalton’s head as hard as I could.
He fell to his side, and I was able to get to my feet. I kicked his gut and hit his head again with the branch before running toward my car.
That was when three cop cars pulled up into the lawn, one nearly mowing Dalton over.
"Get on the ground!" they yelled, pointing guns at Dalton. "Get on the ground!"
He looked over at me, glaring. One of the cops seized the opportunity of distraction and forced Dalton to the ground, cuffing his hands behind his back. Dalton’s eyes stayed on me the whole time, and he was laughing, even as they shoved him in a cop car.
My knees gave out and I began sobbing. I couldn’t hold it in anymore.
A half hour later, my aunt and uncle arrived. I had pulled myself together enough so that the cop who’d taken Dalton down could talk to me.
"Last year I got involved with Dalton," I choked out. "When I tried to end things, Dalton, he…." I closed my eyes. "He, uh…he raped me. I told the authorities and the case went to court. But no one believed me. He got off scot free."
"What happened tonight?" the cop asked.
I glared at my aunt and uncle. I resented the fact that my aunt had the nerve to be sobbing like a fool. She helped create this. And I wasn’t going to let her get off on her part.
"My aunt hired Dalton to help her around the house," I said. "He harassed me when I was alone, but for the most part I had my friend stay the nights with me. Those nights he never dared try anything. But tonight he coaxed my aunt and uncle to go out and that he’d stay here with me….They believed him."
"He must be a pretty good liar."
I shook my head. "Not really. My aunt’s just gullible."
My parents were contacted the following hour. By the look on my uncle’s face, I could tell my father was not happy with his brother. They were coming home as soon as they could catch a flight. In the meantime, I was to go to someone else’s house.
"Honey, I’m so….sorry this happened," my dad said, his voice catching. "I thought your uncle would protect you."
"They never believed me for a second," I said, glaring at my aunt the entire time.
My dad didn’t say anything for the longest time.
"Just hurry home," I whispered. "I’ll be at Kasey’s house."
"I love you so much. If anything had happened to you….."
"Nothing did, though, Daddy," I assured for his sake. "Everything’s gonna be okay. I promise. I love you."
I didn’t bother packing all of my things. Kasey’s mom was on her way over to pick me up after I agreed that I was in no shape to drive.
"Oh, Halle!" my aunt sobbed. "I’m so sorry! I should have believed you!"
I stared out the window, waiting for the car to pull up. "Yes," I said bitterly. "You should have."
"Please stay!" she begged. "It won’t happen again."
My chest filled with relief at the sight of Mrs. Whittaker’s red truck. I stood up and faced my sobbing aunt and stone faced uncle. "No, it won’t happen again. Send my things to my house as soon as possible." I turned around and hurried down the drive and to the safety of Kasey’s mom.
I was so glad to be out of that hypocritical house. Everything would be right soon. My parents would be home, Dalton surely was not going to get off this time, and I was safe. Finally, I could move on without glancing over my shoulder.
A/N I’ll explain a little more about the baby thing in the next chapter, I swear. Bet you weren’t expecting this! I kinda hadn’t meant for this to go down the way it did, but as soon as I started writing, it just began to flow. Next chapter is the last, with a possible epilogue.
VOTES?
COMMENTS?
TTFN,
HaNnAh
P.S Halle’s Hero will be in the next chappie