“Andrew...” I whispered.

My body began to shake.

“Now, now.” He realized my nervousness, his cold finger running back and forth along my jaw, the motion supposedly soothing. “We are going to try this again, I’m Andrew. What’s your name?”
I was dumbfounded, unable to say anything, unsure of what was going on, what was going to happen. He was losing patience, his finger pressing deeper along my jaw. His other hand was still placed on my waist, it was icy cold, sending chills through my body, the grip getting tighter. His smile no longer existent, he was getting angry, breathing getting faster and heavier. “What’s. Your. Name.” He repeated. I started to move my mouth, but something in me told me not to comply to his demands. I forced my mouth shut, rebelling against his wishes.
Before I knew it my back was on the ground, pain shooting up my spine. He had shoved me.

“Tell me!” He yelled, his hand raising near my face. I instinctively tried to push my back into the ground, not wanting him to hit me.
“VANA!” I screamed. “My name, It’s Vana....” I quickly muttered, realizing that my harsh tone could have set him off again.
His smile creeped up again. “I always get my way, sweetheart. We’ll see each other soon.”
“Oh yeah, what makes you so sure?!” I quickly spat, instantly regretting not thinking before speaking.

“I have my ways, baby.” He winked.

He winked at me. Oh my gosh. I was trembling on the floor as he pushed through the doors, out of the store. I shrieked as I felt a pair of strong hands picking me up and placing me on my feet.

“Who the hell was that?” Leo, my manager, inquired, eyes wide. I noticed Lola was standing behind him, a look of pure concern on her face.

“Andrew, some guy from a party I went to last night.” My eyes were set on Lola as her look of concern went to pure horror. Leo cleared his throat, drawing my attention back to him.

“Well, I don’t know what you are doing, mixing yourself up with a guy like him, but I don’t want to see that happening in this store again, you hear me?” My face must have expressed hurt at the semi-threatening words said from my manager, because Leo then calmly told me to at least stay safe. He walked passed me and started to attend to the clothes I was previously moving around.

“Vana.” He said.

“Yeah, Leo?” I said nervously.

“You can have the rest of the day off today, if you would like. Business is always slow on monday, and Lola and I can take care of things today.”

I was slightly shocked at his kindness. I quickly thanked him before retrieving my stuff from the back. I soon found myself pushing through the doors my predator had walked through not too long ago. I started walking along the familiar path to my house, and, when turning a corner, I saw it.

I saw the black car that been parked outside my house the night before. This time, it was parked, across the street from me, in front of an appliance store. Harry was in the driver seat looking skeptically at the man who had shoved me to the ground earlier. Harry was nodding quickly. His head turned to face my direction. I managed to hide behind a car, finding my way around the corner I had just previously turned around. “I don’t think he saw me” I muttered to myself. I decided to take a different way home. It was longer than my usual journey, but I knew I needed to avoid these two men and whatever plan they were drawing up for me. I decided to run instead of walk, longing for the comfort of my own home.

Notes