Stockholm Syndrome (BWWM)

Chapter 1

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Sunday afternoon as my fingers went to work on my Mac keyboard, finishing up an essay for my Statistics in Psychology class, I glance out my apartment window at the pounding rain. January in Georgia could be labeled with a borderline personality disorder, because it was either freezing or burning up five days out of the week. There was no in between. I skim my twenty four page paper and sigh, this wasn't good enough. My professor Mr. Carmichael told our graduate class the final assignment could be on a topic of our choosing. So, I decided to research criminal arrests in Atlanta and the correlation they had with the amount of mental institutional patients admitted every year. From experience I knew that majority of the class would do some research in the library or on Google, but being the perfectionist that I am I couldn't settle for that. This was an important assignment and getting hard evidence would guarantee me a good grade and also a letter of recommendation for the job market.

I groan in frustration after I delete the last four pages of the confusion I bullshitted earlier in the day, just as my best friend Kayla walks in the room.

"If you keep glaring at your computer like that the screen will crack."

I glance up at Kayla and smirk. "I hope it does crack so I won't have to write anymore."

"But, seriously I need to ace this for my letter of recommendation." I add.

Kayla sends me an eye roll as she applies scented lotion onto her beautiful chocolate skin. "You always think of something, and besides you have one more semester of graduate school left. It isn't gonna end with a crash and burn because of one paper. All of your teachers like you anyway, so you'll get multiple letters."

She was right. I was overreacting. I push my laptop to the side and kick my feet up on my coffee table. "Do you have a date or something?"

Kayla nods while fixing her freshly pressed hair. "I do, it better be worth it because this rain is killing my vibe."

I smile, typical Kayla.

"Well what about you? You haven't been on a date in God knows how long."

This conversation would turn into how I didn't have a sex life and I wasn't in the mood to discuss why boys weren't worth my time right now. To avoid the questions I quickly change the subject.

"I need to focus on school."

Kayla smacks her lips together but decides not to respond. Instead, she grabs my laptop and flips it open. "What are you writing about?"

"I have to research the arrests in the city and the relationship they have with patients who are admitted to mental institutions with criminal records. I just need to find a law firm that will allow me to look at some files or interview an employee." I explain to her.

"Why don't you go check out Martins law firm? I went there when my old bitch of a neighbor tried to sue me for hitting her dog." Kayla says as her face twists in disgust at the memory.

"Kayla, could you blame her? You put the dog in the hospital for three months."

She rolls her eyes. "Oh come on! The dog didn't die did he? Besides, it isn't my fault she doesn't own a leash."

I shake my head at her and type in Martins law firm in Google. There are a bunch of images of the building; but there are also some images of a few men standing, in suits, in front of the firm logo. One of the men catch my eye.

"Who is he?" I ask sort of speechless.

Kayla squints at the picture. "He's the owner. I think his name is Sam Martins."