Chapter 96 96

Chapter 96 96
ADELINE
It was like getting a moment breather after long minutes in the water. Kris and Jay would always be home, anchors no matter how chaotic my life got. Kris dreamed bigger, but Jay always had one dream, to live a simple life no matter how rich he got. Maybe I should have listened to him because whatever I was doing sure as hell wasn’t working in anyway for my peace of mind.
“Adeline!” Kris’s excitement broke through my area of despair and concern. Rich family problems can wait till later!
She bundled me into the tightest hug I’ve received in a while, there wasn’t even enough air to tell her she was actually going to kill me if she didn’t let up.
I tapped her shoulders in panic because my lungs were starting to close in and remind me that I was infact only but a feeble human at its mercy.
“Well, you said you’d be back in no time, it’s your fault for making us miss you so much!” She whined already yanking my wrist towards the house like I was some child.
“Can we stay out for a bit?” The weather was just perfect, that in between sweet spot where it’s neither too sunny nor raining. Dark clouds hovered over us, tainting the familiar blue of the sky with a coating of darkness, but the kind that was more a break from the usual and offered you something different.
“Oh oh, what’s going on? What’s wrong?” She halted halfway to the top of the stairs on their entryway and did a full three sixty to face me head on. Her eyes narrowed in inspection. I felt like a germ under a microscope.
“Nothing is, it’s just so right out here.” I tried to explain without actually explaining because what has being specific with the details ever really done for me?
It was the perfect weather for a good nap or a romantic evening, I should have been spending that with Grayson, not like I don’t enjoy being with Kris and Jay or anything, but something about spending the rarity of an in between weather with Grayson just felt so right.
“I don’t believe you. Since you vanished with your boo, all we’ve gotten are texts and suddenly you kiss us so much you show up and now, you want to stay outside. You only ever want that when you’re unsettled.” She went off on a rant I barely listened to because I was too busy following an odd man with my eyes.
The street was mostly bare, which in itself wasn’t odd considering no one really ever relocated to this side of town because it wasn’t close to where the buzz and fun of life was; The man dressed in a full on black hoodie and some sneakers from at least last three seasons. Again, that wasn’t unusual but he had to be atleast clocking fifty, what’s worse, he was grinning at me from behind the hood of a car, I’m pretty sure wasn’t his. How I’m sure? Oh, the owners were in the car smooching it up and locking lips, something I would be doing with Grayson if the she devil hadn’t interrupted. Oh God! Now I’m a creep watching two unsuspecting strangers kiss like it’s live porn!
“Say something crazy.” I fisted onto the arm of Kris’s shirt for their life, like she was the one grounding me to sanity in that moment and all she had to do was say I was actually losing my shit and I would crash like a stack of cards.
“Em…” She squinted at the sky, her bottom lip soon after got trapped between her teeth as she struggled. It was a painful sight to watch, horrible even. “I don’t know. You being here!” She rushed like I’d promised her an award and had a timer set for the period she had to impress me for it.
“How is that crazy? That’s just me, an amazing friend, visiting you, an underserving one.”
“Oh, spare me.” She rolled her eyes, waving me off.
The man was still there. I wouldn’t be so antsy if he had maybe at some point looked away or mention name or something. Nope. Instead he watched me from the distance, that twisted smile plastered on his face still. He tipped his head to his left side, turning his gaze to Kris, made an indescrible gesture.
Maybe the weather wasn’t so great after all. “You know what, I’d tell you inside. I think we could make some ginger and honey tea, some cinnamon rolls and we can call it a day. What do you say?
“I say you’re losing your shits.” Kris didn’t even miss a breath. She scoffed and leaned back into the closest stairs. Didn’t she realize someone was watching us, and with that creepy smile, I would say he wasn’t getting paid from Grayson, but there was no way he would and still be dressed like a homeless man who missed his way to his shelter or something. The hoodie in question was faded, almost turning grey from overuse.
“Well, how about I lose it some more inside.”
“Good idea.” She didn’t even wait for me to finish before she pushed off the stairs like she’d been waiting for that moment all her kid years.
“I’d come join you in a minute, just want to take in some fresh air.” I crossed my arms over my knees and pull them closer to myself.
“Fine, but don’t be too long. I still have that story you promised me.”
“Pinky promise.” I curled my pinky and she took it with a smile. The door shut behind her as she yet again, goes ahead.
I’m not particularly sure where exactly I was going, I was just left my thoughts, empty account and a talent that’s brewing underneath but has refused to be useful for its owner.
The crunch of my feet against the stone floor pavement was all the proof I needed that someone was on my tail. Every step I took from that moment was replicated, repeated, copied, whatever it was it was his last day, the latter part I whispered more to myself than anything. The crunching sound was swords.
He was close now, way too close for comfort. Wait, why was I even runny and what? From an elderly man?!
Okay, that was it! If he was bored, I’m pretty sure there was some bingo cards lying around somewhere he could focus the energy on.
I’d barley made a one eighty turn. Hard metal pressed against my temple, hard and fast, leaving what would definitely be a bruise by morning.
“What the hell?” I swung fully, managing and struggling at the same time to see passed the four figures of the man before my eyes. “What do you want?” Panic rose in my chest faster than any bread I’d ever baked.
“Oh darling, you’d find out soon.” Never in my years of life had I ever sat down to consider that someday I would be nested by men.
I struggled hard to stay still, to see what was going on behind my back.
“Stop!” I cried, fighting and failing but my hands won’t cooperate with me. Shit!
I was still busy trying to get out of his grip, I hadn’t noticed the strong smell coming from his larger than life pockets made even more odd by the chocolate khakis he wore to complement the hotties.
A heavy fog settled in my brain, the more I struggled, the more powerless I was against what had to be some form of sedative because that was exactly how I felt.
“You had just one job!” A voice hissed impatiently, just as a second pair of sneakers joined the old man. I struggled to hear but the more I did, the weaker I got and soon all I saw was darkness, closing in and encircling me in its captive embrace.