She hurried back to her apartment. She had lost her keys so she buzzed for her neighbor. Then she remembered it was day time and she was at work. So she buzzed for the old gentleman who lives downstairs from her.
“Who is it?”
She couldn’t respond back so she just buzzed it a couple more times. The man just yelled at her to go away and stop pressing the button. She started to cry. Her emotions were starting to spill over. She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to get inside.
"I believe these would help."
She spun around and froze. Scout stood there holding out her purse and keys. Cautiously she grabbed her things. But now that he was standing there, she was nervous to turn around and unlock the door.
"Serena I promise I won't hurt you. I saved you from those guys, I watched over you until you woke up, and now I've returned your things to you. And whether you choose to believe it or not I can hear you!"
She looked down at her keys and then back up at him.
Thank you.
She turned back around and went inside, leaving him standing there. She went upstairs to her apartment; stopping at the old gentleman's apartment to explain it had been her pushing the button. Once she was inside she collapsed on the couch and thought about what she just went through. She hugged the pillow and curled up and cried. Gradually she fell asleep.
She woke up to someone knocking on her door. She was hesitant to answer it. She looked through the peephole and saw her neighbor, Blair. She unlocked the door and let her in.
"Wow you look like hell! What the fuck happened to you?"
She walked across the living room and got her dry erase board she used to communicate with people who couldn't sign. And as hard as Blair was working to learn this wasn't a conversation to try and sign.
Last night I was chased and attacked by a group of men
"OH MY GOD!"
Don't remember much just being chased and then falling
"That's terrible did you call the police?"
I can't call the police and if I went down there what would I say?
"I guess you're right. Since you don't know anything except that they were a group of guys. Oh speaking of guys...who's the guy sitting outside? He asked me to let him in but I know better than that."
Blair laughed but Serena was frozen. He was still out there waiting…
He saved me.
"What?!"
From the guys who attacked me
"What?"
He didn't hurt me. He helped me. Complicated.
"Maybe I should go downstairs and have a little chat with him! But then again if you said he helped you then he's a good guy and not bad looking either."
Wait! Invite him up here and maybe he can explain more about last night
"Ok sounds like a plan."
Blair went to the intercom.
His name is Scout
"Hello Scout? Are you still waiting out there?"
"Yes, Im Scout, I'm here to see Serena!"
"I'm Serena's neighbor and I'm going to let you come up so you can explain to me what happened to her."
She buzzed him in and the next thing they knew he was knocking on the door. Again Serena looked through the peephole and slowly opened the door.
"Thank you for letting me in."
Serena gave him a half smile.
I didn't know you were waiting.
"Please sit...so please explain to me how Serena came to look the way she does now? Her outfit is ruined, she's covered in dirt, and her hands are cut up!"
"I saw her walking, quickly, down the street by herself. A couple of guys were yelling and whistling at her. Then she turned toward the harbor. The guys seemed to like this. She started running and they chased after. But she tripped on one of the docks. They started touching her hair and dress. I couldn't just stand there and let them do it. So I yelled at them and hit one of them...finally they gave in and left her alone. I didn't know what to do. So i just left her laying there and waited until she woke up. Then she freaked out when she came around. I tried to explain but she took off. So I followed her to make sure she was okay and to give her purse back to her. And that brings us here."
They were silent for a moment.
"I'm sorry but you do realize she is mute? She can't speak."
"Well...yes. I caught on to that."
Serena just sat in her chair staring at this stranger. A man who she had never met before, who had saved her, who could hear her. She looked at him. He seemed even bigger in her small apartment. His body was nothing but muscle. She could see tattoos peeking out from the edges of his shirt. His large presence scared her. She wondered about Blair's comment...was he good looking? She noticed him smile and look from Blair to her and back to Blair.
"I believe you and trust you. And if it's alright with you, Serena, I need to be getting home. But I'm right across the hall if you need me."
With the last statement she looked back at Scout. Blair stood up and started towards the door. Serena followed behind her. When Blair was walking out the door she turned and asked if she was ok to be alone with him. Serena just smiled and nodded. Then she shut the door behind her.
What do you want?
"Like I said I just wanted to make sure you were all right."
Before she sat back down she went to the kitchen to wash her hands and face. He followed her. When she looked at him he stepped closer to her. He started to raise his hand and she flinched away.
"I'm just trying to get a spot you missed in your cheek."
She let him wipe away the dirt on her face. She suddenly felt very uncomfortable and backed away. She walked back into the living room and started to grab her dry erase board.
"You know you dont need that with me…I can hear you without it."
She dropped down onto the couch and just stared at this man. Feeling like she was crazy for even listening to him let alone start to believe him too.
"I don't know how. I hear you just as if you were talking to me like any other person. I didn't know you were mute until you woke up and told me."
Serena was exhausted and Scout could see that. He hadn't gotten any sleep himself last night.
"You should rest, you look exhausted."
I just took a nap, thank you.
As she thought this she yawned.
"Maybe but after the night you went through I'm sure you could use more sleep."
As he said this he fixed a pillow on the end of the couch and picked up the blanket that was laying across a chair. Then he just stared at her waiting. She finally gave in and laid down. He covered her up.
"I'll be leaving now."
In a dazed, sleepy tone he heard her.
I'm scared to be alone.
"If you want I can have your neighbor come back over."
Serena was almost completely asleep. Please stay.
He was unsure about it and after debating in his head whether he should stay or not he decided to sit down in the chair. He watched her fall asleep. Watched as her breathing slowed. A piece of hair fell into her face and he fought the urge to push it back into place.
She stood there, her heart racing. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. With every step he took towards her, her breathing began to grow faster. His dark eyes never moved away from hers. When he got close to her he gently placed his hands on her hips and slid them around to her lower back. First he kissed her on the forehead and slowly moved down to her cheek before kissing her lightly on the lips. Every hair on her body was standing on end. It was like there was an electric vond between them. She started to blush. She placed her hands on his arms and caressed his muscles. She reached up on her tiptoes and in a rush of emotion kissed him. Her head started spinning. Then she started to hear voices. Not just anyone's voices but their voices...the men at the docks! She opened her eyes and saw them all standing around her as she laid there….SCOUT!
In one swift motion she sat up on the couch and found no one there.