Stolen Love

21

21

I stay in the kitchen trying to calm myself down. Matt being here doesn't help comfort me, so I start running numbers through my head. 49, I've been gone 49 days. I still can't believe it's been one.

I was in a cast for about 28 days. Out of the 49 days, I've only put up a fight for about 20. That's part of the reason I'm still here.

I've met 5 of Chris's close family members, I only like 2, Olivia and Matt. Everyone else can go dig a hole and fall in it.

49, it only took me 49 days to start to fall in love- and that snaps me out of it. That's stopping right now, all of those thoughts and feelings I've had towards liking Chris, can't happen. The risk is to high.

After I finally calm down, Matt asks softly, "Do you want to marry him?"

The answer is immediate and clear to me, "No, I don't."

"Then why are you?"

I work my hardest to keep more tears back, and for once I do. "I'm scared. I don't want my family hurt because of me."

He looks disgusted, but not at me. "That sick freak," he mutters. Then he says, "Here is another promise, I won't let you marry him. It's just not right, you should be able to choose who you want, and when you want him. If I would have known Chris would change so bad, I would never had made the promise."

My spirits lift, someone actually cares about me. Ashley and Olivia do too, but Matt can actually help me. For the first time in almost two months, someone is helping me.

"Thank you," I say.

He looks surprised. "For what?" He asks.

"For being here for me," I know I sound stupid and I feel embarrassed, but I want him to know that I appreciate him.

I'm not going to take anything for granted anymore. "No problem," Matt says.

* * *

Three days have passed since Matt's arrival. Chris kept trying to make him leave, but to my relief, Matt is still here. I guess Chris gave up because he hasn't said anything about it to Matt so far today.

I think Chris is secretly glad he's back, but that's just me.

We are having dinner. The only sound in the room is the sound of silverware tapping the plates. Chris and Matt are to busy looking at each other to even notice me.

It doesn't matter though, I think this silence is better than the stiff conversation they were trying to have yesterday. That was about unbearable to me.

A question has been nagging me ever since my cast was taken off. I feel like this is as good of a time as any to ask, "Chris?" I ask, he diverts his attention to me.

"Yeah?"

"I was thinking, you know how you said that you want to make things better for me?"

He nods. Matt starts looking at me with a raised eyebrow. "At first I thought, there's nothing that can make me happier. You won't let me see my family or friends, and you definitely won't let me go home. But then I started to think about things I could do, and there's only one thing that I want. Chris, I want to run again." I don't ask him.

He takes in a deep breath and sighs, "Morgan, I don't know about that-"

"Please," I interject, "I won't run away. It will help calm me down." Part of that might be a lie.

"I'm not in the running type of shape-"

This time, Matt cuts him off. "I'll take her," he says. "I took up running after I left."

Chris starts to think, and then gives Matt the 'try anything and you're dead look' before he says, "I guess I can do that, but you'll have to stick with Matt, and you can only run on the trails." I silently thank Matt, I owe him big time, but I feel guilty. Hopefully I won't have to hurt him.

"Thank you," I say happily. Chris is a dumber kidnapper than I thought.