A bright light burned Lily’s retinas as she finally woke up.
It must’ve been a dream, she thought, sitting up. The mysterious boy… the darkness…
Electric pains scorched through her arms and legs as if her nerves were wires. “Ow.”
She lay on a bed, a bright white comforter drawn over her arms and legs, and they felt so soft and cool.
But… wait…
Wait a second...
She didn’t remember this being her room.
Is this a dream?
She touched the sheets again.
But it felt so... real...
She didn’t remember the feeling of random sheets like this in her dreams... Every part of her just seemed so... numb...
And she usually had nightmares... This didn’t seem like one...
She pulled her arms out of the covers, noticing that she was covered in layers of bandages.
Confusion burned through her previous questions, and she pulled her legs out, seeing bandages surrounding her calves and thighs, too.
What the hell was happening?
Lily remembered something bright and burning... an intense amount of pain... but nothing else.
There were no posters on the walls when she looked up. They were just painted a sea-shell white.
She slid her legs off the bed, dangling them off the mattress while wondering if she was able to walk.
Lightly, she touched her toes on the cold, wooden floor, whimpering when a shock ran up her legs like fire.
When she placed her entire foot on the floor, she had to bite back a scream.
“Here,” someone said.
A warm hand grasped Lily’s arm lightly and wrapped it around his neck, helping her off the bed.
She had never felt someone this warm... And how the heat from his neck deepened into her skin, running through her blood like she was covered in ice...
Only one person gave her this feeling... Even though she didn’t remember how he held her like this...
But for some reason... she recognized it...
Jason...
She was able to stand with support, letting him help her to the kitchen.
They were in a small apartment, the walls painted the same white color as the room she was in, and there were no paintings or posters.
Nothing that hinted Jason’s secrets.
She had never seen a guy’s apartment so... clean before...
He set her down on a stool at the counter and went to the kitchen that rested in front of her.
The scent of eggs and bacon filled the air, making her stomach grumble for some reason.
“I’m cooking some breakfast.” Jason looked up and smiled. It wasn’t necessarily a charming smile... but a mischievous one that that made Lily question whether or not she could trust him...
Rules for yourself, Lily, she thought. Don’t get too close... Something’s off about him...
She saw the corner of his lips tilt a little... as if he were fighting a smile.
“Is this your apartment?” she asked instead.
She took this moment to digest the sight of the place he lived in, ignoring the voice that questioned when and how he kidnapped her.
Judging by the fact that he had no TVs, she guessed he wasn’t much of a gamer or an anime watcher.
There were no posters, computers, or gaming devices anywhere.
What did he do in his spare time? And why did his place seem so... depressing?
She looked over at Jason, who had the ghost of a smile curling his lips...
What was going through his head?
Seconds later, he walked back to the counter and placed a plate full of bacon and eggs in front of her.
I'm not going to eat this.
Lily pushed the plate of food away, fighting the hunger.
Jason chuckled a little, making her look up at his bright, amused gaze. “You know, you don’t have to be afraid of my cooking. I’m not that bad.”
“I’m not hungry,” she said, looking away.
“You sure?” he stated, chuckling. “I heard your stomach grumble.”
No, he didn’t. No one’s hearing could be that good.
“I’m not hungry,” she repeated.
Jason shook his head, leaning an elbow lazily on the counter as his eyes raked her head-to-toe. “You’re a bad liar.”
“I’m not lying,” Lily bit.
But he only tilted his head to the side, smile angling to the right. “You sure about that? ‘Cause your face is red and you won’t look at me.” He shrugged. “Typical signs.”
“How do you know where I live?” she demanded.
He didn’t respond, and she looked up to him, glaring. “How?”
He was still gazing at her, smirking. “Lucky guess?”
She stood then, glaring at him. “Now I know you’re lying.”
Jason didn’t respond, just gave her an amused once-over.
Lily looked down to see her wearing the same dress she wore to school the day before.
When she looked outside, she judged by the sun rising from the east that it was early morning.
“Where are we?” she said.
“In California,” Jason said.
“Duh,” Lily snapped. “I meant what street? What address?”
He only smirked. “How do I know you’re not going to run off if I tell you?”
Well... she was but she didn’t have to tell him that.
“You do realize you’re holding me against my will?”
Jason chuckled. “Am I?”
Lily narrowed her eyes. “Yes.”
“Then by all means,” he gestured to the door with a wave of a hand, “leave.”
She started toward the door, ignoring the stabbing pains from the burns but then Jason caught her elbow—one of the few parts of her that wasn’t hurt—pulling her to him and almost making her collapse onto him.
“First,” he whispered into her ear, “eat.”
Lily shook her head, attempting to get out of his grasp but he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against him.
She stopped struggling for a moment, taking a break to gain her strength back. “You realize this is kidnapping?”
“Do I care?” he retorted.
“Are you going to kill me?” she demanded, feeling her body tremble as the words left her mouth.
Jason scoffed, though she saw his eyes darken in sadness. “No.”
She shot him a look. “No?”
He only gave her a smile, but a sad one.
But she fought again, only to stop after he tightened his arm around her waist. “Let me go!”
“Eat, Lily.”
“Why should I trust you?” she questioned, fighting down tears.
“Why shouldn’t you?”
“Because you’re a stalker?” she snapped.
“I don’t really like that word,” he said thoughtfully. “I’d prefer—”
“I don’t care!” she interrupted, fighting harder. “Let me go!”
“Don’t do this,” he warned as if he knew what she was planning.
But she slammed the heel of her foot into his shin, making him cry out as she broke free of his hold.
Darting straight toward the door, she almost made it when Jason blocked the exit.
She slid along the floor, letting herself fall before he caught her, and stared up at him with wide eyes when she sat below him.
She glanced left, then right, panic coursing through her veins.
How did he...?
Did he just... teleport...?
“Lily,” he said softly, a slight crack from pain in his tone, “come here.”
She scurried away from him as he stepped toward her, opening his arms as if he were offering an embrace, but she managed to stand, and stepped backwards toward the hallway that led to the bedroom.
“Come here,” he said softly. “Come on. It’s okay.”
She was panting now, fear burning every part of her like fire... until her back met the wall.
And Jason backed her against it, making her stare up at him wide-eyed as he lightly scooped her up and almost made her scream.
“Shhh...” he soothed. “I know you’re scared but I promise I won’t hurt you. I need you to trust me.”
She stared back, a slight shine of tears burning her eyes. “l don’t trust you.”
Jason shook his head, but didn’t respond.
She stared back, attempting to erase her terrified expression but Jason could still see the hardness in her gaze.
“Put me down,” Lily ordered.
“Or what?”
“Or I’ll make you.”
He laughed softly as if what she said amused him.
“Jason.”
He gave her an amused glance, but didn’t set her down, just carried her over to the barstool and set her on the cold leather.
She almost got up again but he put his hand out. “Try it again and you’ll sit on my lap. And I’ll hold you there for as long as I want.”
Her cheeks heated at his words but she looked down to her plate, listening.
For some reason... Jason was faster than anyone could actually be... It was concerning... frightening...
But also fascinating...
She pushed that thought away, deciding then to ask him questions. “How do you know where I live?”
“I have my resources,” was his vague response.
“How do you know so much about me?”
“Here’s the deal,” he leaned his hand on the counter, tipping his weight toward her, but she didn’t move her gaze away from the plate, “eat, and I’ll answer your questions.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Lie,” Jason stated, brows raised.
“How do I know it’s not poisoned?” she questioned.
Or drugged?
He laughed softly. “Why would I want to poison you?”
She was silent.
He sighed. “Lily, I didn’t poison your Goddamn food.”
She shot him another look at his tone, then stared down at her plate, picking the egg with her fork to see if something was off.
“Yes,” he said sarcastically, “it’s yellow eggs. Good job.”
She was quiet.
“Lily,” he said sternly, “eat. I know you haven’t eaten in days.”
“And how would you know that?” she demanded.
“You said I was a stalker,” he stated.
She was quiet after that.
He let out a long, exasperated sigh. “Do I have to force-feed you?”
“Assault in the first degree,” she stated. “Added to the abduction charge.”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “So you’re an attorney now?”
“Once I get a phone,” she stated angrily, “I’m calling 9-1-1.”
“Hmm...” he said, tilting his head to the side when she avoided eye-contact. “Then I guess that means I’ll keep your phone then, huh?”
Wait... “keep”?
She looked up seeing him holding her cell in his hand, clearly pretending to type on the screen to annoy her.
Anger burned her inside, and she reached for it, but he pulled it out of her grasp, grinning. “Eat, and I’ll think about giving it back.”
“Theft in the first degree!” she yelled standing again.
“Good luck calling the police,” he said, smiling. “‘Cause I cancelled your phone service.”
She blinked. “You... what?”
He didn’t have access to that. He was lying.
“Only phone that works now is mine,” he said, patting his back pocket. “You can try to reach for it, but I won’t let you take it.”
She was tempted despite its location.
But she didn’t, glaring down at the counter. “I hate you.”
“You’ll learn to love me,” he said, smirking when she shot him another look. “We have a long time together.”