2A/N: I'm trying not to write too many author's notes because quite frankly no one really reads them and they get in the way, BUT I just want to inform all you readers that this story needs a beta reader! I'm searching for one now, but If you're one reading this now and interested in the position, PLEASE send me a pm. I'm far from a perfect writer and my story is going to have plenty of mistakes. As pointed out by a reviewer, my Grammar skills are lacking in the writer department.
Short Version-? BETA READER WANTED. IF YOU ARE ONE/KNOW ONE, SPREAD THE WORD. Thanks.
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I'm groggy, My face kills and I have definitely not had enough sleep to clear my mind, but the moment I cracked my eyes open I knew I wasn't seriously injured. I blinked back sleep and found that I was still in this stranger's arms. Well shit, I couldn't have just slept through the torture I was sure was coming? But of course not.
My arms had somehow found my kidnappers neck during my nap and I felt heat brush my cheeks as I pulled them back to rest in my lap. How embarrassing. I wished I was dead already when he looks down at me. I look away just as quickly as we start ascending stairs. For a fleeting moment, I can't believe I'm worried over little things like this when I could be dead minutes from now.
I look over his shoulder to find that we are no longer in the alley. We're not even outside anymore. From the looks of the place, we seem to be in an apartment building. Seems pretty empty and not very taken care of. Bet rent was very cheap. Very convenient for our killer. I wonder if I screamed right now if someone would hear...
All the better that I'm in his arms. He couldn't stop me unless he dropped me, and if he did that I could try to fight him off again. Before I can weigh the pros and cons we come to a landing on the second floor and we're in front of a door at the end of the corridor.
He's now lowering me to the floor and the minute my feet hit the ground I try to run again, only to get jerked to a halt when his hand finds my wrist. He sighs and buries his hand through his hair. "Would you stop trying to run off? It's not like I'm going to murder you."
I snort. "I'm sure you say that to all your victims. Don't try to play smart with me. I'm not stupid. I can obviously see where this is going." I say this while giving him a critical look. He can not think that I'm naive enough to believe he chased me down, fought me, kidnapped me and brought me back to this apartment just so that he wasn't going to murder me or rape me for that matter. Did he just plan on having a chat over tea and cookies? I think not.
He gives me a blank look and turns back to his door as he fishes out a set of keys from his pocket. I'm staring with my mouth hanging when he finally pushes me inside. OK, either he's not trying to hurt me after all or he's obviously crazier then I thought. After he re-locks his door he turns and brushes past me into his apartment.
I turn and continue to stare at him while he steps into what appears to be a living room. Doesn't he know I can just walk out and get help? Maybe there really isn't any help around, but is he really stupid enough to chance it? What kind of murder is he? I guess I'm about to find out. I take a tentative step forward before I strode into the place like a own it. I figure if I'm brought he against my will, then I can act how ever the hell I want.
This earns me a raised eyebrow from Mr. tall, dark and mysterious but I ignore it and head strait to the only arm chair in the room. I didn't wanted to sit on his couch and chance him sitting close by me. When I'm comfortable I cross my arms and stare him straight in the eye. Those beautiful eyes. OK, so I'm about to be massacred and everything, but one can not simply look into those eyes and hate them. I just don't like the person they reside in. At all.
I breathed in and blew a stray strand of stringy hair out of my face, reminding me how I really wish I was showered and dressed in clean clothing right about now and asked the question that had been on my mind every since I'd first seen him. "What do you want with me?"
Prior to our little chase, I had seen this man frequently for the past three days. I remember when I first saw him. I was on my way to my sculpting class. It was an early Sunday morning around eight and there was a slight nip in the air. I locked up my apartment and took the elevator down to the first floor. I still had twenty minutes until class officially started.
So, being on my usual coffee binge I found myself walking to a little cafe the on corner. When I reached the door it opened and out came a man. The same man in front of me. He looked at me for a moment before holding the door open for me. I quietly thanked him and slipped inside.
I reached the counter and on instinct, looked back. He was still there on the other side of the glass, staring at me. After seeing me look at him he turned and walked down the street, hands in his jean pockets.
Feeling a bit creeped out I order my coffee to go and fast walked down the next couple of blocks. I'd never been happier to enter the comforting walls of the art institute. I don't know why I freaked out so much. Perhaps it was instinct or intuition. I honestly didn't know.
For the next few days, I'd often catch glimpses of the strange dark-haired man. Either in a crowd walking down the street out of a taxi window, or seeing him out of the corner of my eye. I first thought I was seeing things and being paranoid but then my suspicions grew when I kept seeing glimpses of him, It was like he was everywhere. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks: he was stalking me.
I knew I should get help or something but I didn't have any evidence and it wasn't like he attacked me or even tried to. He hadn't threatened me I couldn't stay at a friends because I really didn't have any in the city. I kept to myself here and only have a few acquaintances. So I tried to stay within the more popular spots.
I was in the park, walking around. The last I checked, it was full with running children, older couples and joggers. That's when I lost track of time as I walked around lost the the world in thought. The sound of approaching footsteps is what brought my head out of the clouds. He was in front of me, walking forward slowly. I freaked then, turned and sprinted in the opposite direction hoping to get away.
We all know how well that turned out.
I glared as he plopped down onto his worn down love-seat across from me. He didn't seem to notice as he pulled a phone from his pocket, hit speed dial and waited. I continued my leering as someone answered him after a series of rings. "I've got it...yes...yes,yes, no and yes. Freaked out? That's an understatement." He then looked me right in the eye.
It took me a minute to figure out he was talking about me. I then proceeded to give him the bird. He simply shook his head and went back to talking. After the little back-and-forth between the stranger's, he hung up and stuffed his phone back into his pocket before looking at me again.
"I'll explain everything once my, eh, partner gets here. All you need to know right now is that I'm not going to hurt you and nothing is going to happen to you. We simply need to talk, just not right now." I let out a frustrated breathe glared at the man once again.
"That explains absolutely nothing. How do I know you're not lying, hmm? How can I believe you? Besides, no sane person stalks and kidnaps another person. If you wanted to talk, you could have just bought me a cup of coffee." I then flung out my arms as if that would prove my point.
He sighed and ran his hand through his hair again. "You just have to trust me. I haven't done anything relatively bad so far. I'm not planning on it either. You'll understand once we talk." He explained as if talking to a kindergarten. Before I could respond he was already talking. "It's going to be a while until she comes, so I suggest you get comfortable. You can shower if you want. I can find you something to wear."
I really wanted a shower, but with this creep a room away? I still wasn't convinced he wasn't going to kill me. He looked at my stiff form and sighed. "It has a lock. I'm not going to take advantage of you. Especially while you're in the shower. That's low. You have my word. Cross my heart and hope to die. You can punch me in the face as many times as you want if you suspect I'm watching. Which I won't be, but I'm just saying-"
I put my hands up in a surrender motion and swiftly stood up. "Alright, alright. Just shut up. Not helping with the headache," rubbing my temple, I continued "Just show me the bathroom already. I expect my clothes to be placed in front of the door AND I swear to God if I find you peaking, I will murder you m'kay?"
He nodded and turned around to disappear into a hall way. I followed cautiously, taking in everything before me. For such a crappy apartment building, he's actually got a some-what decent place. It's plain with just the necessities, but it's got quite a bit of room. We passed by three doors: two on the left, one on the right, before we came to a little door tucked away at the end of the wall.
He turned and gestured to it with a smug smile on his face. I gave him a look before I flew inside and turned the lock. Then I slide down the door and laid my head back. Back there, he was blabbing on and on because he knew I'd get sick of it. That prick. Well I was here anyway, I might as well get my shower out of it.
I sat for a moment longer before I pushed myself up. Grabbing the bathroom counter in my hands I peered into the mirror. Wow, do I look like shit, for lack of better word. Right smack in the middle of my forehead was a huge scrap covered in crusted blood. Scraps where located all over my face, focusing mainly at my scrape and on my palms and knees. My eye's where a bit puffy as if I'd been crying and rimmed in red. What little mascara and eyeshadow I'd worn were smudged and my hair seemed to be a force all on it's own. With dried blood framing my face and covered in a seen of dirt, it looked as if I belonged under a bridge.
I scrunched up my nose in distaste before I turned from the barbaric image of myself. No windows to escape from and no shower curtain – lovely. After I spared a quick glance at the door I pealed off my now grimy skinnies and sweatshirt and practically threw myself into the shower. I scrubbed my scalp furiously as an attempt to remove all the grim. I think I took the quickest shower in existence. As I finally wrapped a stiff towel around my middle before I looked at the mirror again.
I looked much cleaner and more refreshed as if none of the things happened before. The only reminded of the craziness was the scrapes and brushes. I sighed and unwound the turban binding my hair. Lightly running my fingers through my hair to release the tangles I wondered what in the world that man wanted. If he wasn't going to hurt me, what in the world was important enough to kidnap someone and keep them prisoned at your home?
It made absolutely no sense. My senses were telling me something was fishy and that I should bolt if I get the chance but then again I was quite curious. I could always find out what he wanted and then bolt. I chewed my lip and though it over while I crept to the door. After glancing under the door and not seeing anyone, I cracked open the door.
After another scan of the hallway and making sure it was empty, I looked down the find a pile of clothing. I scoped them up and set them on the counter while I kicked the door shut. I rung out the first article of clothing my fingers touched and found it was basketball shorts. I held them to my waist to find that they reached way past my knees.
I frowned and pulled them on, rolling them up until that just grazed my kneecap. I then unfolded the next article – a sweatshirt. I rolled up the sleeves as best as I could and adjusted the baggy shirt around my waist. When I fixed it as best as I could, I flipped the hood over my face and sank down to the floor again.
Something was telling me my simple life was about to come to a screeching fault, and I felt like I could do nothing to stop it. I never asked for a complicated life and I didn't exactly want one...OK that was a bit of a lie. As a child, I'd always be up for adventure and wanted to lead an exciting life. I guess I just grew up into a simple life and dealed with it.
But this? I'm not even sure what this it, let alone if I want it or not. I put my face in my hands and leaned further back into the floor. What in the hell was going on?
A/N: Hey readers. So, I said I would try to update every Sunday...yeah. There is no way in hell I can do that. I think I can manage every month on Sunday. I don't know, school's just in the way. I can't keep up with writing every week. I've also never been good with dead-lines and such. Heh. Sorry! I'll try to update earlier, but no promises.
This chapter it a bit boring, but what can I say? It's going to start coming along, I promise. I still need a beta as well. :) SOO, Beta's Welcome!