AllFreeNovel
Share Us
With my heart palpitating at top speed, my eyes dart over the contents. A photo and a note lying beside each other on a bright coral piece of clothing. As I read, waves of nausea push bile up my esophagus.
Red looks so good on you. See you soon, doll face.
Shivers hammer through my bones as I gaze at my image. Oh my god, he's been following me everywhere. This is a close-up from me going to work. And it's from last week because I'm wearing my new lipstick. Jesus, he photoshopped this, making it look like there is blood running from the corners of my eyes.Is this his way of saying he wants to hurt me again?A loud knock on the front door makes me scream.
"Alex? What's wrong? Open the door."
I'm frozen, but when my brain figures out to whom the voice belongs, my feet come into action. The moment I open the door, Cole storms inside, ready to fight. His eyes roam the space, but when he sees nobody is here except me, he asks, "Alex? What's going on? Why were you screaming?"
Unable to speak, my shaking hand points to the item on the table. And as Cole strolls over, the thoughts inside my head speed up. Flashes of the attack reappear. His face, his touch. I scrunch my nose, remembering the bitter smell of him and his alcohol breath. It was disgusting, and it makes me feel dirty over again. I want it all to go away, but it won't. The sensations overload is so real, that when a hand touches my elbow, the fear takes control of my body and mind.
He's back to hurt me. My vision blurs as memories of the sharp pain and his sinister smile make me launch my fist at the figure in front of me. But it's like hitting concrete.I have to get away.I try to run, but with legs like cooked spaghetti, I drop to the floor.No, I have to escape. He’s going to hurt me again.Knowing it's too late to get away, I curl into a fetal position. As I wait for the pain and the touch of his dirty hands, I beg, "Please, don't hurt me, please." Tears run down my cheeks as the pressure in my chest becomes unbearable.
But then a deep, familiar voice slithers through the suffocating clouds of racing thoughts. "You're okay. No one will hurt you. Please, Alex, open your eyes and look at me."
My lashes part, and as my foggy mind and vision clears, I see the blurry figure is Cole sitting on his knees beside me. My gaze travels up his black pants, a white button-up shirt, and the moment they connect with his eyes, his name travels off my trembling lips. "Cole?"
He nods and slides closer. "I'm here." When his thumb touches my wet cheek, I grab his hand and press my face against it. The warmth of his skin and the intake of his scent soothe me. Desperate to stop this raging fear, I crawl my numb body up and snake my arms around his neck, clinging to him as if he's my lifejacket.
With my face snuggled into the crook of his neck, I close my eyes and whimper, "P-please, make it stop."
"Keep breathing, Alex.”
He gets off his knees and scoops me up bridal style and starts walking. A moment later, he sits us on the couch. "You're safe. He will never hurt you again. I promise," he says, stroking my back with his palm.
"But he already is. How can I forget when he keeps tormenting me like this?"
"We'll find him and put a stop to it. I'm calling the cops."
When he's ready to pull his phone, I tug at his shirt and lift my head to look at him. "N-no, please. I can't do that now." Another tear falls down and lands on his shirt.
He lets out a tense exhale. "Okay... but we'll go to the police first thing tomorrow morning. And I'm coming with you."
Too tired to argue with him, I nod and rest my head back against his torso. "God, I hate being weak."
A strong finger lifts my chin. "Look at me," he says in a soft but serious tone. As I stare into his stormy skies, his thumb caresses my skin. "Showing your emotions doesn't make you weak. It strengthens you. You learn how to deal with them through experience. So I never want to hear you call yourself weak again. Am I clear?"
"Yes, sir," I answer with a weak smile.
I place my head back on his chest. "Thank you, Cole."
"You're welcome, Alex."
His hands return to my back, where they continue caressing my skin in circular motions, and I love it. Being in his embrace, surrounded by his warmth and scent while listening to his steady heartbeat, makes me feel safe and secure. This is the only place I want to be at this moment. I need him.
18
COLE
A long yawnleaves my lips as I stretch my body while watching the enchanting purple, pink morning sky from my balcony. It's breathtaking and calming every time. The sudden sound of running footsteps, followed by someone mumbling, makes me cut my morning routine short. As I step inside, Samantha comes rushing out of the kitchen. She places her backpack on the dinner table and starts stuffing her lunch and books inside like a maniac.
"Good morning, Sam. What's going on?"
"I'm late."
I gaze at my watch to see it's 8:25 a.m. "Didn't today's class start an hour later?"
"Yes, but I was supposed to meet up with a friend at 8:15, and now he's waiting."
