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“I wasn’t attacking you,” he replies, his tone haughty.
“Not yet,” I mumble and rest back in my seat.
We order our food and Lane holds the large paper bag on her lap all the way back to their home where we eat. Afterwards I slink away to my room and glare at the three missed calls I have from my uncle.
I don’t bother calling him back. Instead I finish sorting through my things including my jewelry box that I keep in the center of my desk to remind me of who I am and where I came from. A nobody from a whole lot of nothing.
It’s almost five before Lane knocks on the door to my room.
“Come in,” I call and she enters with Curlyfry by her side, that usual soft smile on her pretty face. The dog jumps on my bed, making himself at home.
“I just came to let you know that there’s a plate of lasagna in the microwave ready for when you get hungry.”
“Thanks,” I utter, looking back at the desk mirror. I’ve been playing with makeup. I’m not one to lather on the highlighter but I do enjoy playing with eyeshadows and drawing on my brows.
“I’m heading out for a few hours. I go to a local book club on Fridays. We take it in turns hosting.”
I tense, knowing this is probably it.
“Can I come?” I ask, and her brows hit her hairline.
“It’s really more of a middle-aged-women thing. You wouldn’t enjoy yourself.”
Chewing on my lip, I take a comb through my hair and nod. “Okay. Have fun.”
“We can do something together tomorrow morning though. Perhaps a trip to the mall? We can look about making this room more of a home for you.”
“Okay.”
Smiling brightly, she gives me a little wave and starts to back out of the room. “You know, Stanley would probably enjoy your company while I’m gone. I know he’s a bit hard to approach but he’s a good man.”
I roll my lips together and try to keep the scowl off my face. Not a fucking chance, Stanley.
“See you,” I mutter, hoping she doesn’t ever leave.
As soon as the door closes, I get changed into my tight, body-fitting gym clothes that I used for climbing before my year in hell, my tatty old graying-white sneakers with decent grip at the bottom and then I pull on my hooded jacket.
I could walk out the front door but I doubt Stanley would let me leave, and from what I gather, he is very switched on to where people are.
My window opens with a groan that makes me cringe.
I could climb down like I planned but then the weather isn’t great. It’s about to start raining, and when it rains here, it pours.
I decide against it for now. Stanley will leave me alone today, he’s not a stupid man.
Or so I thought.
I leave the door open a crack while I play on my phone, replying to really old messages from old friends that might not have the same number anymore, and about forty minutes after Lane leaves, I hear heavy feet coming up the stairs. The dog who was lying beside me abandons me to see his master and my heart starts to race in my chest. I breathe in and out of my nose until it’s all I can hear over the sound of my heart pounding in my head.
“Go to bed,” Stanley clips at the dog and I hear his heavy paws descend the stairs.
My hands flatten against the wood of my door when I slam it shut as he gets nearer. His room is the other way, he has his own bathroom, he doesn’t need to be coming towards my room.
I should have left when I had the chance.
My head is spinning, my eyes misting over with panic.
He knocks on the door and I grab my mace spray, something I was given a while back that I’ve fortunately never had to use until now. It looks like ordinary deodorant to anybody else. This must be why they never threw it away before putting my shit in storage when I was condemned.
When he knocks again and calls my name, I yell firmly, “GO AWAY.”
I should have climbed out of the window and gone. That’s what I should have done. My breath catches in my throat each time I exhale.
“I just want to talk. We really do need to talk.” The handle pulls down and I consider his size compared to mine. I’m strong but I’m not as strong as he is. He has military training and years of self-defense. His muscles are as big as his gut.
I can’t do this.
“Leave me alone,” I shout as the door clicks open.
“You’re being difficult—” The moment the door opens wide enough for me to reach, I launch my attack with the squeeze of my finger. He screams a curse when I spray him in the face with the mace while keeping my eyes covered with my arm. Still, the spicy bitter scent of it gets up my nose.
