13. You

Nova

I've never really imagined how my first time would happen. Never really thought it was necessary to visualize that entire scenario. When my expectations and reality will be completely different.

This is men we're talking about.

My eyes go to the man sitting beside me on the couch. He was already finished with the glass of wine and had just poured himself another.

I'm expecting my emotions to be all over the place. But i feel nothing, absolutely nothing.

I'm telling myself i just want to get this over and done with.

I feel the space beside me where he's sitting shift as he moves closer to me "So i was thinking since we're already settled on the couch there's no need to go to your room you know? Might as well, just get settled in," he runs his fingers across my arm "right here"

I clear my throat and move away "Would you like more wine?" I stall

His stares at me with raised brows and chuckles "Yeah. But why not when this bottle is empty first. Or later on when we're thirsty again" he says the last part with a suggestive wink

I decide i cant do this anymore and I rush to my feet and move away from the chair "Uh I'm really sorry but i can't do this. You need to leave"

He scoffs loudly "What? You kiss me at the party, turn me on and then invite me over to your place and you're turning me down... now?" He scoffs loudly again and shakes his head "Thats bullshit man" He stands up

"Yeah, and I'm sorry." I apologize as i walk to the door.

He groans and runs his hands across his face "Well, sorry is not gonna cut it"

"Look dude. I already apologised which to be honest i shouldn't be doing, so if you don't mind, please...leave."

He scoffs and pulls the door open roughly "Fucking prude bitch" he says and walks out angrily

"You're talking about your mother, not me!" I yell after him as he stomps off.

I'm closing the door when I hear the word "Whore" screamed at the same time my glass shatters as a stone flies through.

I gasp loudly with a slight jump to my movement "Are you fucking kidding me?!" I yell angrily.

Confused and pissed I lock all the doors and make my way upstairs to my room. I grab my phone and text Tiffany telling her what just happened.

And just like i guessed my phone rings immediately. "Hey" i answer

"What the fuck is wrong with that asshole? Are you okay babes?" She rushed out bombarding me with questions

"Yeah I'm fine. Can't say the same about ny window though" I sigh tiredly and gently massage the area between my brows.

"Shit. Do you need me to come over?" Tiffany asks without hesitation

"Oh no, not at all. I'll see you tomorrow babe, I'll be fine. You should get some rest too"

"You sure?"

"Yes Tiff, don't worry. All my doors are locked and I'm in bed right now. I'll see you tomorrow" I yawn softly making sure to avoid the speaker while yawning.

"Okay. Goodnight."

I nod weakly as I let out a silent goodnight in between another yawn.

I end the call and place my phone on the bed beside me before sleeping on my stomach. Using one hand to move around the bed searching for my stuffed teddy, and bringing it close to me.

My eyes begin to droop as i let the sleep embrace me and loose myself in it, completely.

I'm startled awake with a faint ringing coming from somewhere in the room. It gets much clearer the more i open my eyes, and awaken fully to and take in my surroundings.

Once I'm sure the ringing is not a dream and I'm fully awake i search for the source of my discomfort, my phone.

In my head I know fully well my parents don't care enough about me to call this early or late whichever.

With heavy eyes i press the answer button and bring the phone to my ear.

"Hel-lo" i draw out weakly still consumed by sleep

There's silence from the other end for what seems like minutes. That is until I hear a gruff deep voice speak, saying "Come downstairs" The call ends and I squint at the screen.

Only half awake I hiss, as I let my head fall back unto my pillows letting the sleep gradually take over me.

I hear ringing again but this time it's only brief and as i try to fall back asleep, the call i received earlier suddenly dawns on me and i jolt fully awake and aware.

I open my drawer and take the taser Leonardo gave me the last time I went visiting, before making my way downstairs and checking every nook and cranny i passed in the house.

Even though I'm sure i locked everything, I can't help but feel like I've got eyes on me.

I make my way to the door, i take loud heavy breathes the same time i make sure the taser in my other hand is fully active and my fingers are pressing hard on it. I force the door open after several mental count downs and I'm met with nothing.

There's no one standing there just streetlights reflecting from afar and the moon in the night sky shining against surfaces.

I'm breathing heavily and my fingers are shaking lightly, completely confused as to why he'd call me downstairs and not be there. I go to close the door and thats when my eyes see the box.

I take a couple of steps back from it before kicking it with my leg and immediately moving away farther from it.

I pause for a few to see if it moves or does anything unusual.. but nothing. And thats when i decide to pick it up and i immediately close the door and make sure to lock it up again.

I walk to the window that the idiot from earlier shattered and I'm a bit calm to see that the tape technique I had improvised, before I get it fixed tommorow, was still there.

I drop the box on the table. It looked perfectly wrapped and felt kind of light as if it contained nothing.

I pushed away any fear I was feeling right now and opened it as slow as possible.

Tearing apart the ribbon then the wrapping paper i see there's a paper attached to it. I pick it up to read. Immediately after reading the note I cant control the eye roll and digust that washes over.

The idiot thought sending me an "I'm sorry" note and a gift after shattering my window would fix what he did?

"Fucking dumb college bo- OH MY GOODNESS!" I scream loudly as I run backwards and my back hits the couch. I'm breathing heavily and uncontrollably trying to fathom what I just saw in the box.

"Oh my God!" I chant slowly as I try to control my breathing, my hand placed on above my rapidly beating heart. Unable to take my eyes of the sight in front of me.

"Did you like your gift?" I hear a deep some-what distorted voice say from behind me.

I jolt upright from the chair with loud scream and run to the other edge of living room, against the wall. My breathing has increased alot more now and my entire body is shaking rapidly. "HELP!" I scream loudly while eyeing the door and him at the same time.

Trying to calculate how fast i can make it to the door and get the hell out of here.

He laughs lowly. But it comes out more like a chuckle "Shout all you want kitten. No one can hear you" He walks slowly to the table and peeks into it scoffs and continues to walk around but never coming close to me.

To scared to ask what he means by no one being able to hear me, I look around where I'm standing, instantly regretting why I swept the shards of glass from earlier. "SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!" i scream again. Refusing to believe anything he says.

He shakes his head with a loud sigh and sits himself on the couch. Comfortably making himself at home.

My eyes widen and I can't help or control the way my body is reacting in fear to the complete stranger in my private space "W-what do you want?" I rush out.

Hating the way my voice broke, I made sure to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. While moving slowly along the wall towards the broken window.

He raises a finger at me and waved it left to right "You've not answered my question, princess" he opens the box properly revealing the "gift" very well.

He sits back with a sigh, relaxing into the couch. As if admiring his work with pride. I could swear I saw a hint of what looked like a satisfactory smirk, even from under the mask.

I look around one more time and i realized that the key i need to open the door, along with my taser were on the table, directly in front of this mad man. My throat forms a huge lump as i find it hard to swallow my saliva, due to fear.

"What q-question?" I asked with a shaky tone

"Did you like your gift?"

"Wha-what?! You call this a gift!" Call me fearless for yelling at a murderer and also my stalker, but what i really am, is stupid.

Call me crazy, insane or whatever but a part of me also knew that if this man wanted to hurt me he would have done so long ago.

"You don't like it?" He asks, sounding genuinely bothered that i showed no appreciation to his crazy gift giving skills "Ah. Perhaps a different body part will do? Yeah?" Is he being for real right now!

"Are you crazy? You brought me his fucking tongue! I didn't ask for that!" I yell angrily. I was beginning to feel alot more of anger than fear.

I was angry that he wont stop hiding like a coward behind that mask and face me!

The speed he uses in standing to his feet from the chair has me flinching and moving backwards till my back hits the door. "He fucking insulted you!"

I flinch a little at how loud his voice gets. "And so! Who the fuck are you anyway?" I utter immediately after regaining composure of myself

He chuckled "So, kitten. I'm the only one allowed to call you a whore," he uttered each word lowly as he took slow deliberate steps towards me "And that will happen when you're writhing helplessly beneath me" He stops and stares at me and at the little space left between us before he stops moving any further.

Is he bothered about personal space now?

My chest is heaving heavily along with my ragged breathing that i can't seem to control since I'm mere inches from a murderer "Are you going to hurt me?"

"Hurt you? I'd never hurt you," I bring my tongue out to wet my bottom lip. Somehow hearing him say it personally seems to help calm my raging heartbeat. I notice his hand lift from his side but drops back immediately just as soon as he raised it "But you know that already don't you, princess?"

I ignore what he asks "Why did you cut his tongue off? Is he dead?" I rush out. Suddenly the thought of me being the cause of that assholes death doesn't sit well with me.

But part of you is happy he won't be able to disrespect another woman like that again.

My mind chides me. And i hate it.

Because it's right.

The sound of his chuckle brings me back to the situation at hand "I can almost see the wheels turning in that pretty little head of yours" he laughs slowly before raising his hand slowly and stroking the side of my face. He drops it back slowly but pauses mid air as if he was contemplating going through with the action again. But he thinks otherwise and lets his hand fall back to his side.

"I-is he dead?" I ask, my voice going higher than I expected.

He sighs and turns to go sit back on the couch. "I'm a jealous man princess. I couldn't let a man that had touched you. A man that wasn't me, live another day. He's dead baby" he tells me nonchalantly without any care in the world for what he had done.

"What!" I gasped loudly, staring at the mask covered face in front of me.

"Oh Please! Spare me the fake remorse. You and I both know he deserved it," he stood up and walked to the broken window "Think of it as doing the world a huge favour" he stated. Trying to justify his actions

"N-no! He didn't deserve to die! But you killed him anyway" I scan the room for my phone and just like the key, it's also on the table.

"Yes i did. What are you going to do about it Nova!" I flinch a little but pray he doesn't notice it

"Get out!" I yell at him. I don't care how he got in, he can't get out the same way.

"You chase me today I'll just come bac-" he stated, as he made his way to me

I move away from the door as i notice him getting close. I eye the taser on the table and walk towards it "I said Get out of my house! Leave!" I rush towards it but my movement is brought to a halt when his hand wraps around my arm and he brings his hand up to cover my nose with the piece of clothe in it.

The last thing I remember hearing as my eyes started to close is a voice, not the distorted one of earlier whisper in my ear "When you accept that part of you, that you've deemed as 'dark' that's when i will reveal myself to you. Only then will you know the real me, Kitten."