AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"But, I'm gonna opt for the mango smoothie, hoping it has far fewer calories."
"Eves, you're pregnant. You're supposed to put weight on. I know buying pregnancy pants has freaked you out but you aren't, and never will be, fat."
I thought about what he'd said and nodded.
"Thank you."
He nodded and sat back in his seat.
"I'm still opting for a smoothie though…"
He smirked and got up to order our drinks as I sat staring out of the window, watching passers-by. The longer I sat there the more I thought about the individual people, looking at their faces and trying to work out their character from the way they looked at other people. Then I realised, I couldn't work out people like that. That the most lovely looking person could be the evilest fucker of them all. It set a deep panic in my stomach as I glanced around the coffee shop. Everyone surrounding me was a stranger. Any of them could potentially be here to track us, to keep tabs on us. I glanced back out of the window again and nearly jumped out of my seat when I saw a guy pressed up against the window, his hands up beside his eyes trying to look through the window. Once he saw me jumping out of my skin he apologised through the glass and I realised he was just looking for someone. I took a deep breath and looked out of the window again when I saw a man passing that had Ralph's face. I got up quickly and took a few steps back, bumping straight into Kit’s body.
"There's… there's—" I mumbled trying to get my words out and as I stared back outside at the man, now feeling the safety from Kit's hands on my hips, I realised the man wasn't Ralph at all. I lowered my head, feeling absolutely crazy as it dawned on me that my mind had just completely made that up.
"I thought I saw someone," I said to Kit once he turned me around.
"Are you okay?" he asked and I just stared at him. I felt numb from the shock but I eventually nodded and apologised for my outburst.
"I need to leave," I eventually said and he nodded before following after me.
I kept my head down, embarrassed about the scene I’d just made. Despite not feeling many eyes on us, I still felt like a complete idiot.
"Who was it that you thought you saw?" Kit asked once we were both back in his car.
"It doesn't matter now," I answered brushing it off and staring out of the window.
"Eves," Kit asked me more sternly.
I looked at him, seeing his face so serious in the darkness of the multi-story car park.
"Ralph," I eventually said and he nodded before sitting back in his seat.
"He can't hurt you anymore, Eve, he's gone."
I thought about it, and how I'd seen Ralph's body under the assault of bullets forcing him backwards. He was dead—no doubt about it. Still, he haunted my memories and I wondered if I'd ever be free of him.
* * *
"Just like her mother."
I closed my eyes harder, trying to drown out his echoing voice in my head.
"I need that wealth!"
"No!" I started chanting, reaching my arms out trying to snatch his face from my memory, trying to claw his face out of my head.
"No!"
I shot up so fast my head spun and placing my hands on my head, I brought them into sight to see the sweat dripping from my fingers. Taking a deep breath of freedom after feeling so trapped, I glanced over at the morning light starting to stream in through the window. When I did, I saw Kit sitting in the corner of the room, in his chair, just staring at me with his fists to his mouth. I'd seen him like that before, and just like the last time, he looked as if he was overseeing everything and analysing me.
"How long have you been sitting there?" I asked, feeling a little nervous.
"Long enough," he answered, not giving anything away. "I was about to wake you up," he added.
"Did I wake you up?"
He shook his head. "I got up to go to the toilet, when I came back you were mumbling."
