I woke up alone again, he didn"t come back to bed. I knew he was a gone this time. He was acting weird this morning, maybe he was regretting getting in bed with me. And the claw marks on his hands. Was he hurting himself on purpose? Dan was downstairs this time. He was more tense than usual. Any sound he heard outside he would check. It became worse when it started raining. I told he to just sit down and enjoy friends with me. But once again I was ignored.
I couldn"t eat, everything I looked or thought about eating made me feel sick. I could only stomach down some fruits and snacks. I was starting to get worried, if it continued tomorrow I would tell Xavier to take me to a pharmacy or something.
I planned on having the conversation with Xavier. We needed to talk about what we were and what we were doing. I need to tell him my boundaries and he can"t keep hiding things from me. We were in this together, I wanted to know where he was going everyday. I have questions that needed to be answered.
I was sitting down waiting friends on the tv, waiting for Xavier. It was already nighttime and I was getting tired. But I didn"t wanna waste another day.
I heard a car in the driveway and before I saw the lights. Dan was up before I was.
"Stay here" he says making me frown but I listened.
I watched as he moved towards the door slowly.
"What are you so worried about its only Xavier" I say
.
There was a knock on the door. It was more of a banging than a knock. Xavier never knocks. He had a key. We listened waiting for another but only heard the rain. I looked at Dan, eyes wide. He reached behind his back as was about to pull out something. I knew it was a gun.
"Xavier!!" I froze at the voice and ran to the door.
"Vanessa!" Dan says trying to pull me back but it was too late. I already opened the door.
I stood there shocked as I stared at the people in front of me. They were soaked from the rain. I remember the last time I saw her. It felt like it was years.
"Stephanie?" I whispered surprise.
How did she get here? I looked at the person standing next to her.
"Alan?" I haven"t seen him since Canada.
"What are you doing here?"
Alan pushes past me and walks in. Dan had lower his gun when he saw it was them. I looked at Stephanie still speechless, she looks at me uncertain. Like she wasn"t sure what to do. I pulled her in and hugged her. Her body was stiff for a second before she put her arms around me.
"I"m so sorry Vanessa" she whispered confusing me.
What does she have to be sorry about. I pulled away and looked at her.
"This wasn"t your fault Stephanie"
"As nice as this is, we need to close the door" Alan says making me look at him
I pulled her in closed the door. I was excited that they were here, I needed the company. I watched as Alan and Dan moved to the kitchen talking in hush tones. I knew it wasn"t good if they were both here. Stephanie moves to the sitting room taking off her wet jacket, she didn"t look as happy as she did before. She looked like something was haunting her. Her face was emotionless and her eyes were empty as she sat down.
"Do you want me to get you anything" I asked cautious
"No I"m fine"
"Do you wanna talk about it" I say taking a sit next to her
She didn"t say anything, just kept looking at her shaking hands. I didn"t know what to say or do. I could still hear them talking in the kitchen. I tried to listen but they were talking quietly.
I hear sobbing next to me making me, "Stephanie" I say looking at her
" I can"t do it Vanessa, I can"t" she says crying
"Do what?" I asked confuse
"Marry that old guy, I will kill myself before I get married to him" she says surprising me
She was getting married. "Who is making you get married"
"The order" she hiccups " my father"
" I can"t do it Vanessa, he is twice my age" the tears kept falling. I can"t believe they were making her get married. She was still in high school, how sick are this people. I stayed silent as she cried. Knowing how she feels.
"Listen, you won"t get married to him or anyone" I whispered not wanting Alan to hear me
"You can stay her with me and Xavier. No one will touch you" I won"t let them take another girl for their games.
"I can"t, they will find me. They always" she a says sending s.h.i.+vers down my back.
"Not if you ran away with us"
She froze as I said that. I knew it would be difficult to get Xavier to agree to this. But he would I"d he truly loves me. We can take her with us, it can"t be that difficult. And besides they were friends.
She looks at me speechless.
"You don"t understand, Xavier is....." she stops talking and was looking behind me.
I was now aware that he was behind me. I didn"t even hear him come in. My body tense and my breathing got loudly. It felt like he caught he doing something I wasn"t supposed to do.
" Stephanie, I didn"t know you where coming as well" he says coldly. He pulls me up and put his hands around my waist possessively. I looked at him confused why he was acts hostile.
"Did you eat" he asks me looking at my stomach. Was he trying to say I was fat?
Snice cara left I have been cooking for myself, I was still learning.
"No, I don"t feel hungry" I say pulling away.
"Well you need to eat, I will have Scott bring something" he was still looking at my stomach. I was so confused. Was he saying i was skinny? I wanted to tell him the thought of food made me feel sick but I didn"t want him to be more on me.
"Xavier" Alan walks in. They nodded at each other and sat down. Stephanie hadn"t said a word since Xavier walked in.
" is see everything is going well" Alan says nodding at us.
"Yes" he answerers pulling on his lap. Rubbing my back.
"The plan worked" Alan says smiling
I feel Xavier tense and his hands stop moving. He gazed at Alan hard. Like he was tell him to shut up. I looked between the both of them.
"What plan?"