Stalker 101 (Book 1)

// 11 //

 Panic Room - Au/Ra
I Will Possess Your Heart - Death Cab For Cutie

I cross my arms and stare out of the dirty window. This was the only time today I was allowed to be alone, but it was limited. My hands shake as I reach out and touch the glass, aching to be outside. If only these damn feet would heal all the way. If only I could get away from that psycho on the other side of the door.

"I don't hear anything, Acacia," Jase taps on the door. I glance over at the handle, making sure the little handle was turned so it was locked. I sigh when I see it was still turned. Thank god for locks.

"That's because nothing is happening, Jason," I hiss and lay my hand on the windowsill, laying my chin in my palm. I watched the birds fly by and the wind blow the leaves. I wanted to get out of here. I wanted out so badly, I felt my soul cry. Then again, what was my life going to be when I did get out? Mare could be dead, Kane would hate me, Mrs.Lean would hate me. I'd have nowhere to go. I let my mind wander in the sweet silence of the small bathroom and soak in the smell of lilac air freshener.

"I will break down this door, Acacia. You're testing my patience," I roll my eyes and tap my free fingers on the granite of the tile wall. My patience was absolutely gone.

"And you're testing my ability to pee with you standing right outside the door! Can't I have a little privacy?" I shout, earning a grumble and then the melodic sound of shuffling feet. Oh, the harmonies of silence were once again upon me. If only I could walk, now that would be the perfect cherry on my bathroom sundae. I hear feet coming toward the door and a familiar metal jungle. He wouldn't dare.

As soon as the doorknob twists, I let out a shriek and leap from the toilet and into the bathtub. I whip the curtain back and push myself against the ice tile. My hands slide down to the single bottle of soap and I bring it to my chest as a weapon. Jase smoothly glides in and looks around the tight space.

"Hm, I wonder where Acacia could have gone? She certainly couldn't have flushed herself down the toilet, certainly not. I guess there's only one place for her to be," I ready the bottle of soap, prepared for the curtain to move so I could throw my bomb at him. I hear the medicine cabinet open. I let out a loud sigh of relief.

"Gotcha!" I throw the bottle of soap at Jase, hitting his face straight on. I hear the sound of a crunch and then throaty laughter. I open my eyes and see blood dripping from his nose and fire igniting his eyes. Jase wipes the blood from his nose on the back of his hand and grabs my wrist, yanking me from my spot and dragging me from the bathroom. We go down the familiar hallway adorned with paintings of mountains and roses and past the pristine wood doors. He throws open the door to the room I was in and throws me onto the floor. I hit the ground with a thud and groan from the contact. My head still ached from the hard-hit it took last night.

"It's always just so hard with you! You won't listen, you won't give me a chance. It's like you're my child! Is that what you want from me? Do you want me to call you my little girl?" I wanted to vomit when I hear that nickname. What I wanted was another soap bottle to make his nose bleed more. I look over my shoulder and look at his still bleeding nose. Did he not realize it was bleeding or did he not care?

"I could have left you to die in that creek, you know. I could have and I didn't. I could have let you die in my mother's house and I didn't. You should start acting a little more grateful to me, Acacia," I look down at the ground and move up on my arm. What was he even talking about? I didn't know who his mom was, let alone anything about my own mother. The only person's house I've stayed at is my grandmother's and the parents.