Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli
Put Your Head On My Shoulder - Paul Anka
The daily routine went a little like this; I would wake up in a druggy state with fresh clothes from my own wardrobe that I knew he stole. He would come in with a plate of food. Sometimes it was my favorite food like pasta or fruit and sometimes it was something I didn't recognize. He would sit next to me, coax me to eat and when I denied his food, he would yell at me. Telling me how lucky I was and how much he loved me. I haven't even learned his name. Then, he would clean me up if he inflicted any violence and drug me again.
"You have to eat, Acacia. I won't let you die, pretty girl. Look how skinny you're getting, all because you won't trust me," He says, cooing at me. I turn my head away from him, looking up at the fairy lights that I wanted to hang myself with.
"Still won't talk to me, eh? What will it take for you to talk to me?"
"If you weren't a pyscho," I sassily say, crossing my arms over my favorite black t-shirt. It bothered me deeply that I woke up in different clothes, especially since that meant he would have been the one to change me. I hear the plate slam down on the table, but I keep my gaze locked on the wall.
"I'm getting fed up with this consistency, Acacia. Anything you want and I'll give it to you. Just please, eat, drink, talk to me," I finally look over at him. His eyes were starting to fill with tears, yet my heart stayed relentlessly cold. The pink bandage was gone, but a small white scar remained. I sigh. If I survived, it wouldn't hurt to have information on him.
"What's your name?" He starts to wipe the tears from his eyes and a dimple-filled smile replaces the stone frown.
"Jason Alecander Mavis. But to you, it's Jase," I bite the inside of my cheek. Jase. Jason. How funny.
"How old are you?"
"20, well, almost 20. My birthday is March 16, exactly 74 days away from yours," He beams, proud of the information. My stomach didn't even flip at the creepiness, finally used to the ways of my stalker.
"Why am I here?" I gently press, hoping that wouldn't send him over the edge as our first encounter. If I asked the right question, maybe I could get out. Maybe I could teach him to trust me enough to let me leave this room, even for a second.
"Because I love you. Don't you love me? Mhm, don't answer, of course, you do. It's just the sick society that has made you forget that you love me. They stole you from me, Acacia, that awful world. But don't worry! I'm working on them one by one,"
"Working on them?" I question, leaning forward. He eagerly drums his fingers on the table and smiles at me.
"You know, taking care of the problem. Making sure they don't come for you. Permanently getting rid of the pests," My heart sinks at this. He was going to kill people, wasn't he? My stomach wasn't ready for this and starts to churn. Or maybe it was the lack of food and the delectable pasta in front of me. Jase looks down at the plate and back up at me. He knew I was going to break.
"I know you want it, it's your favorite. Angel hair pasta, a single scoop of butter, exactly five spoonfuls of parmesan cheese," The accuracy is worse than the fact I was in the room. How often did he watch me? All that time to learn those facts meant all that time I didn't know someone was watching me. Oh god, he must have spent hours upon hours of his day just studying me. Like this moment was a test for him and he studied me up until now. It was hard to say he was passing.
"I'll take a bite to prove I didn't do anything to it. Would you like that?" I nod my head. The first good idea I heard from his mouth. He beams over at me and shovels some into his mouth, chewing and swallowing. I'm quite sad to admit his face didn't turn purple or foam spewed from his mouth. He walks the food over to me, sits down in front of me and holds out the plate. The smell wafted into my nostrils and even made my insides water at the intoxicating smell of food. Well, he would have died if it was poisoned and I didn't want to die myself even though I would rather be anywhere else than this room.
"Good girl," Jase exciting says as I start to eat. I offer him a nod as I scarf down the food, thankful yet fearful of the fact that it tasted exactly like how I made it at home. He holds out a glass of water and motions for me to give him the empty plate. I gulp down the water and close my eyes in satisfaction. Damn was I starving.
"That wasn't so hard, was it? It isn't that hard for me not to yell at you or hurt you. This is just like when you're asleep," Our first encounter flashes through my mind. He used to sneak into my room and sleep with me before he kidnapped me. God, he probably still was now that it crossed my mind.
"Are you going to drug me again?" I wearily ask as he gets up to set the plate and cup in the slot of the giant door.
"That depends on how the rest of today goes. Are you going to do exactly what I say?" I stop myself from screaming and swallow my built up pride. I wanted to yell curses and throw the vase of roses at him. I wanted to be ten times my size so I could crush him. I wanted to get out of this room. I nod.
"Great! Now, pick a board game! I got Monopoly, checkers, and Candyland."
//
To say he was a sore loser was an understatement. Candyland pieces were scattered on the floor, monopoly money was shredded on the table and the checker pieces were begging for their lives. Jase glares over at me, his knuckles turning white as I move to his king place.
"King me," I say and he lets out a cold laugh.
"You are cheating, but I love you so much that I'll let it slide," Incorrect, but I wasn't in the mood to be a Candyland piece on the floor. I was just thrilled I wasn't drugged on that bed right now.
"Tell me something," I start, as he moves a few spaces. He nods in concentration and places his piece down.
"How long have you been, uh, in love with me?" I choose my words carefully so I wouldn't upset him any more than he was. He purses his lips and tilts his head in a debate.
"A few days after you came here, I believe. I saw you in the library and knew you were the one for me. Why do you ask?" I move my red piece and set it down close to his. I look up and eye the small scar on his nose. Now that bandaid was gone, the glasses slid down his nose all the way.
When I thought about who was stalking me, I didn't imagine the soft boy in front of me. Now that I was here with him and got to see who he was, he was much worse than my own imagination.
"Just curious," He lays his hand down and covers mine. I take my hand away, regretting it when I see his face. Poison oozes from his glare as he stares me down.
"Why are you always doing this to me?" I silently move my piece, taking his king again. The board flies off the table and joins the Candyland pieces.
"Answer me! Look at me when I talk to you!" Jase looms over me and I shut my eyes, not wanting to see the torture waiting for me. A loud beep rings through the room. I open my eyes.
"Oh dear, I've lost track of time. Be a good girl and wait here for me, will you? We will continue when I get back." I watch him as he clears his throat, adjusts the black collared shirt he was wearing and exits the room. The sound of a lock rings throughout the room and I am left with my own thoughts once again. That and the mess of board game pieces.
//
Jase didn't return for a long time. There weren't any clocks or electronics in the room, for that matter. After I clean up the board game pieces, I scanned the books on the small shelves. They were all my favorites from both my grandma's library and the town library. I chose a dystopian novel and settled on the bed to read.
The metallic noise makes me jump and I look eagerly at the door. God, now that I wasn't asleep, I realized how dependent on him I was for entertainment. What I wasn't expecting was Jase to have blood smeared across his face and lower arms. He smiles at me and walks over to me, laying across the bed and reaching his hand out for me. He motions for me to give him my hand. I stare at the red dripping down his cheek, past his jaw, and down his neck.
"Will you let me hold you? Just like old times?" I continue to silently stare at the blood on his body. The copper smell lingered and now possessed the room. I shake my head.
"You're covered in-"
"You're supposed to say yes," He interrupts, propping himself up on his elbows and pushing the glasses up his nose. It spreads more blood up to his nose and a fingerprint of blood remains on his glasses. He doesn't seem to care.
"I'm going to ask again. Will you let me hold you?" I didn't seem to have a choice in the matter. I nod my head and close my book, setting it next to the bright rose vase. He wraps an arm around my waist and lays his head on my stomach. There was blood on his hair, and now there was blood on my shirt. Jase sighs in happiness and presses his cheek to my stomach.
"One day, I'm going to get rid of all the vermin. I'll make this shitshow of a world a better place for you. For us. Doesn't that just sound wonderful?" His arm starts to crush my waist. I whimper in pain and nod my head.
"Answer me!"
"Yes, it sounds wonderful," I say, my voice sounding weak. I was weak. He was draining the power from me like a black hole drains the beauty from space. Jase starts to hum.
"I'm sorry if I hurt you, Acacia. I lose my temper quite often. I don't mean to hurt you or yell at you. I just want what's best for you," I listen to the sweet lies he says and sighs. He was incredibly smooth, I almost believed him. The candy-coated words made me want to believe him, but the blood made me remember how lethal they actually were.
"I love you so much. I'm glad you're finally realizing how much I love you."