“I’ve watched you…” He leaned closer, our lips touching lightly in an almost kiss. I felt a warm hand slide beneath my dress and stop just before my thigh. I suppressed a moan, surprised at the quick reaction of my traitorous body. “I’ve watched you and I’ve studied you,” he began again, breathing deeply. “I memorized you. I know what makes you hurt…I know what makes you sad…I know what makes you cry. But all your deepest fears, I will know. I’ll take your so-called strengths and I’ll make them your weaknesses.”
If Keiran scared me before, he terrified me now, I admitted with a tear burning a hot trail down my face.
“I’ve got a whole year with you,” he stated, finally releasing me. I slowly slid down to the floor, my legs too weak to hold me up. “I’m going to break you. But most importantly, I’m going to make you pay.”
*
10 Years Ago
“I hate you,” he whispered.
I was tugged to the ground by the pretty, ballerina bun that my aunt helped me do this morning. My hair fell around my shoulders and I cried out in pain when he stepped on my hand. “B—but why?” I could barely speak around the sobs and trembles that wracked my body.
“Shut up and stop crying. You’ll get me in trouble if someone hears…you don’t want me to hurt you, do you?”
I shook my head and looked up at him fearfully. He wasn’t that much taller but to me he seemed like a giant. Maybe it was because I was sitting on the floor because of him.
I had just come out of language class and was distracted by the bad marks I got on my essay about what makes me happy. I guess Mrs. Peterson didn’t like that I wasn’t happy…not anymore. Not since my parents disappeared. Every day I hoped it would be the day they would come to rescue me.
Maybe they’re lost, I thought. Mommy said she would “see me soon” when she left so she had to come back. Mommies were supposed to keep promises, always.
Not long after my parents failed to show up, Aunt Carissa decided to enroll in me in the local school. My first day was today and all day I’d been wondering about the mean boy who pushed me off the monkey bars. Earlier, I saw him again for the first time, during recess. Our eyes met across the play area and I knew he recognized me. The empty look in his eyes filled with hatred when he saw me. Just as he started forward, the bell rang, and I practically ran for safety. I wasn’t expecting to see him again so soon, but he found me. Little did I know this would become our ritual.
“Why are you still here,” he asked scornfully.
“My—my parents didn't come get me yet.” I felt a fresh set of tears forming when I thought about how much I missed them.
His eyes narrowing caught my attention, pushing aside thoughts of my parents. “Why?”
“I don't know. Ma—maybe they’re lost?” I don't know why I was asking him but a small sign of hope would help me feel better.
“Maybe they’re dead,” he snickered.
“Don’t say that!” I shouted and balled up my free fist. He watched my fists clench tighter with mocking eyes.
“I bet they’re dead,” he taunted further.
“No,” I moaned.
“Or they left you behind…” My shirt was now stained with my tears as they released from me uncontrollably. “Jeez, you’re just like her,” he said with an annoyed tone. He frowned his face and kicked my hand away with his foot in disgust.
“Who am I like?”
He ignored my question and his frown deepened making him looking meaner. “I’m going to do it one day, you know, he prompted in a hateful tone.
“Do what?” I asked shakily. His fists balled as he stared down at me with angry eyes. I suddenly got the feeling that I needed to get away so I started to back away from him. I scooted across the floor while he followed after me.
“I’m going to kill you. Just like I killed her. It's the only way.”
*
Over the years Keiran would remind me of his promise. He’d unleash his subtle threats on me to scare me and it always worked. Keiran could always get inside my head with little effort. Willow called it a mind fuck. I called it torture.
I turned into my driveway on autopilot. My mind still could not define what had just occurred at the pharmacy.
He touched me.