The shrill ringing of my alarm clock pulled me from a depth of sleep that I hadn't experienced for many years. The first dream that I had experienced in months was cut short, and the nightmare of life was left. I glanced over at my clock to the amount of times I had unconsciously pushed snooze. A grand total of 7 times.
"I'm going to call in sick Bebe," I say feeling mentally dead. Bebe whimpers and lies her head on my shoulder. I know I can't miss a day of work because we need the money, but I really don't want to face the world right now. It sounds too painful. Giving her one last pet, I stand and proceed to getting ready.
As per usual, I got ready and made my way to the door. Bebe walked me to the door, but as soon as I opened it I ran right into Noah. My body jumped back before I even knew what was happening, and closed the door.
"What do you want Noah." I called through the door. Deja vu hit me and I remembered being in this exact position yesterday.
"Open the fucking door, Honey." He called in after me sickly sweet. I needed to get to work, and I knew he wouldn't leave. Reluctantly I opened the door and he reached a hand out to me.
"Good girl." He motioned for me to take his hand. I did as told and intertwined my fingers with his. A smile
We walked hand in hand to my job. Once again after we arrived, he gave me a sweet kiss and pushed me in.
"Good morning, Kat." I called groggily. She looked up from the magazine she was reading in confusion.
"You okay, girl?" She questioned while starring me down.
"Yeah, fine." I mumbled out and walked past the desk after clocking in. She nodded seeing my reluctance to talk about it, and let me slip into the back without another word.
After checking my schedule and seeing it was once again clear, I decided I needed to use up some time. My fingers seemed to have a mind of their own, the pencil in my hand moved swiftly across the page mapping out a beautiful bird holding a vine of leaves in its mouth. The wings were stretched wide and the flowers mingled with its tail.
"Looks beautiful." I heard a quiet mumble from behind me. Kat stood looking over my shoulder at the beautiful art. I nodded and hummed in agreement before standing and creating a stencil out of it, but not before snapping a picture. Kat found a comfortable place to sit in the corner of my room. I sat on the tattoo chair, and placed the stencil down on my calf. After the preparation was done, I started the tattoo. Kat watched intently as my hand drew the lines on my leg. It took around 3 hours before I had finally finished up. Kat sat with me the whole time and when it finished she helped me wrap it up.
"You're an amazing artist." She complimented while starring at the tattoo through the plastic. I was feeling better already, and due to the slow day, neither Kat nor I had any work to do. We sat and talked about seemingly nothing, but it was just the conversation I needed. After wrapping things up and cleaning my station I decided I should leave a little early.
"Kat I'm heading out." I called, walking out of the back room. She walked out from behind the front counter and wrapped me in her embrace.
"Take care of yourself sis." She whispered into my shoulder before letting me walk out of the studio. I had a two hour break before I had to be to my other job, so I set out on my way back home. The cold breeze carried a sweet scent with it, yet something felt so wrong. I quickly became paranoid and picked up the pace of my walking. I didn't like the feeling I was having. I cautiously looked around trying to find something out of the ordinary, when a giant black truck pulled up on the curb beside me. Due to the nerves I had been feeling my feet took control, and I sprinted as fast as I could away from everyone. I didn't dare look behind me, especially after I heard the ferocious growl that followed.
"Come back!" I heard someone yelling from behind me, but this only pushed me faster. I would not turn around. Suddenly, as if my feet had a mind of their own, I stopped running. I stopped moving. My brain was screaming to run, but my feet wouldn't move.
"That's it babygirl." He hummed so sweetly. He made his way towards me taking every inch of me down in his mind. His eyes moved slowly slipping up and down my body until he was just close enough.
His hands gently caressed down the sides of my arms, igniting a fire I thought had been dead a long time ago.
"Beautiful." Me mumbled against the delicate skin of my neck. A shiver crawled down my back as the hair on my neck stood. I whimpered softly as he latched his lips onto my neck, pulling the skin into his warm mouth. His tongue touched my neck causing my knees to cave. I fell into his trap.
"Mine." He removed his lips from my neck and scoped me up with one arm under my legs and one around my waist. It was then, and only then that I realized I didn't know him."Let go of me!" I screeched in sudden awareness of what was happening. His grip only tightened as I continued to scream. In one swift movement he wrapped my legs around his waist and swung my arms around his shoulders. With his free hand he covered my mouth.
"You're mine." He growled. In a panicked state I thrust my knee into his crotch. The satisfying squish of his junk against my knee made a sinister smirk fold on my lips. With one last blow, I shoved my boot covered foot into his stomach delivering my final blow. He cried out in pain, but despite the pain I felt in myself, I booked it. Running home wasn't an option, as I had no doubt that this man would try to break into my home. I ran across the busy road ignoring the honking cars coming my way, I ran in the direction of the store.
The automatic doors didn't open fast enough. I slipped through the tiny entrance, but not before taking a glance behind me.
There he stood.
Eyes burning into my soul.
He marched forwards towards me, so I looked away from his burning gaze. My feet wanted to slow again, and the only thing I could picture was how his hands would feel elsewhere on my body.
No, not now, not ever. I don't know this man. I chided to myself. Our pace never slowed as we both walked as fast as we could without looking suspicious, to the back of the store. Finally, I arrived close to the back of the store where a group of police men stood consulting someone else, so I once again took off in a dead sprint. The man looked confused until his eyes landed upon where I was running to.
"Help!" I called to the police. I didn't want to make a scene, but he was gaining on my, I'm sure. The police men and woman looked up at me before examining my surroundings looking for danger.
"I'm being followed. He tried to kidnap me." I said once I reached them. They all made eye contact before looking back at me.
"Ma'am, we'll check for suspicious characters around the store. What did he look like?" One of the men asked me. I roughly told him what I remembered from our brief encounter, and he nodded before turning and walking away with the woman.
"Ma'am, if you'll please step this way." The remaining officer asked. I had always been wary of police ever since my mother passed away.
He escorted me into a small room on the side. There was a sick bed and a sink beside it. I assume this is where they take injured customers, but I wasn't injured.
"I'm not hurt." I said, turning around to look at the officer. He stood in the doorway looking down softly at me. Suddenly my back became tight and I fell to the ground.
"Are you Adelaide." His soft voice rang in my ears.
"No!" I shouted as I tried to push myself up from the floor.
"Is your daddy home, honey?" The nice police man continued.
"No!" I shouted once more.
"Yes, he's home. Am I in trouble?" My 7 year old self looked up at the police officer he smiled kindly down at me.
"You're not in trouble, will you go get him for us?" The man asked. I smiled at his kindness and walked to my dads office.
"Dad, there are some police here. They want to see you." I knocked softly on his door. I heard shuffling before he opened the door and lifted me into his arms. He has a nervous look on his face, but walked to the front door anyway.
"Ma'am!" The officer knelt down by me and lifted me up. He took out his flashlight and shined it in my eyes.
I blinked hard trying to get the sun out of my eyes. It was too beautiful of a day for this to be happening. The officer looked up at my dad with sorrow in his eyes.
"I regret to inform you that Mrs. Charlotte Fox has passed. There was an accident. She died on impact and felt no pain." The officer looked at me resting my head on my daddy's shoulder. He started to shake as tears fell from his bright green eyes. The same eyes he gave to me. He let go of me, and I slid down his body until I landed on the floor.
"Thank you officer." My dad said before closing the door and going back to his office.
"Daddy?" I called after him. He didn't turn. I stood in the hall letting tears fall from my eyes. I didn't know why I was crying, but I knew my life had changed. For the worst.
"Ma'am." I snapped back to reality. The light was passing by my eyes. "Are you on any medications?" The officer asked.
"No, I'm sorry." I stuttered out before reaching my shaky hand back into my pocket. The officer looked worried, but helped me stand and placed me on the bed. I pulled the small wallet from my back pocket and pulled the medical documents out from the small zipped pocket.
"Here." I managed to say before handing the document. He looked it over before handing it back to me. The radio on his shoulder buzzed before the woman's voice filled the room.
"No one matches the description on the vicinity." The woman's voice calmly called. The officer in the room with me reached out for my hand.
"I will escort you home." He helped me up from the bed making sure to keep me stable. I had given him my doctors note. I had been seeing a therapist shortly after getting out of my final foster home. They had been horrible to me, as most all had. She diagnosed my ptsd as well as many more problems I had. During episodes, I could pull out the paper and hand it to someone. It had my address on it as well as the phone number to my doctor. The officer helped get me out of the small room and into a wheelchair on standby. He pushed me out to his car before helping me into the passenger seat.
"Is this okay?" He asked while leaning over to put the seatbelt on me. I nodded in approval. The drive back to my small apartment was quick. He didn't talk at all, but I pointed him in the right direction as he drove. The silent ride left me feeling calmer, but still not well enough. I stomped my heavy feet up the stairs of my apartment building to get to my floor. Upon arrival, I came face to face with the last person I wanted to see, well almost.
"Noah, what do you want?" I sighed exhausted. I still had more work to do today. I had considered calling in sick, but I knew myself better than that. I wouldn't let anything stop me from getting into work, and Noah only helped by knocking me back to reality.
"Where where you!" He demanded accusingly. I shied from his harsh tone, but still opened the door and stepped in. He followed quickly behind.
"Work." I said simply enough. My guard was still up around him. I didn't trust a word he said.
"You get off work at 4 Adi, where where you?" He demanded more harshly taking a step towards me, but instead of shying back per usual, I stepped forward.
"I was followed home. I ran into a store to find someone who could help me, and I found the police. I had a ptsd attack, and I just want to sleep!" I screamed right back at him. Noah stumbled back in surprise before turning to look back out the still open door.
"Someone followed you?" He questioned, fear filling his dull eyes. I scoffed knowing this would be the thing he cared most about.
"Yes, someone followed me, but I didn't lead them here, I went to the sto-," I was abruptly cut off by Noah stepping back out the door in panic.
"Fuck, they probably know where you live, they probably followed you after you left the store. They might be on their way!" The panic quickly became too much, as he ran quickly towards the stairs. This induced my panic, as I ran to the door and locked it tight. My breathing quickened, and my vision became narrow as I slid down the door. Bebe came into my line vision just as I started to hyperventilate. She walked quickly to me and helped me lay on the floor before laying directly on top of my chest. After a moment of panic, my hands dove into her soft fur. She groaned as my petting and scratching fit just to her liking.
"Good girl." I hummed and took a few more deep breaths. The next thing I knew I was scrambling to get off the floor. Bebe had rolled over and was sleeping beside me.
"What time is it!" I jumped up and looked towards the small clock. "I'm so late!" I yelled running to my bedroom. I grabbed my clothes off the floor and stuffed them into my small messenger bag. Bebe came walking in after me turning her head in curiosity.
"I'm so late, baby, I'll see you later." I mumbled before kissing her small head and rushing out the door. The walk to work, unlike the walk home, went by quickly and smoothly. No more creepy men in trucks and no more Noah. I made it to work in record time only to be met with a familiar face.
"Mr. money bags!" I exclaimed at the first good news of the day. The man from yesterday turned and smiled at me.
"Hey!" He exclaimed right back. I smiled and walked behind the counter.
"How are things going" I questioned. Due to the large smile that encompassed his face, rather than the frown from last time, I assumed things went well.
"We talked it out and the make up sex was fantastic." He smiled happily, "and on the plus side, the tattoo looks really well done. She didn't spare a dime of my money to get that thing." He chuckled to himself.
"So, celebratory drinks?" I laughed along with him. He nodded in approval and I poured us a drink. Who said I couldn't drink on the job? After a little bit of chatting, I started to realize how nice this guy was. He had a well put together life with a nice job, a girlfriend, and they even had a house together.
"Any kids?" I questioned curiously while wiggling my eyebrows. He chuckled into his drink before shaking his head no.
"How about you? Any kids?" He returned the question. I sighed deeply before answering.
"No, I have a boyfriend, well kind of. I need to break up with him, but I'm too scared to I guess. We don't have any kids, but I have a dog." I smiled thinking about Bebe.
"What kind of dog?" He asked. He seemed genuinely curious, unlike anyone else I have ever talked to. I had an odd connection with him. Typically I didn't trust so easily, but I couldn't help trusting him. Yes, he was attractive, but I didn't necessarily want to be with him. I can't explain it, he seems so; welcoming.
"German Shepherd," I said picturing her in my mind and mentally awing.
"Oh wow, that's cool." Mr. Moneybags said looking uncomfortable. Then all of a sudden his eyes went dull and he jumped out of his chair.
"I-I have to go!" He yelled when his eyes got clear again.
"Wait I don't know your name!" I called out as he ran to the door.
"It's Zeke. You?" He chuckled whiles opening the door.
"Adelaide," I called out.
"Nice to see you again." He yelled now out the door running. Strange people.
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Sorry for the late update, I graduated yesterday! Here's chapter 3 hope you all enjoy!
Have a good one peeps!
Love
-B
6/5/20