Consume my broken heart

Chapter 5

I eye him suspiciously. How can he act so normal, as if nothing has happened? How come he's so certain I'm not picking my phone to dial the cops?

I'm staring at him for half an hour and he still is here. I look at the clock that hung on the wall. Another five more minutes and I have to close the bakery.

Impatiently, I tab with my finger on the counter as my work is done, except for counting the money. Maybe he's waiting until I close the bakery and he can kill me with no one even noticing it. I grit my teeth in frustration. "This is just a terrible dream, nothing more." I soothe my negative thoughts.

Suddenly, I see him looking at his watch, taking one last sip of his coffee before pulling his wallet out of his pant pocket. Maybe I can get a glimpse of his name. Silently, I walk toward him, trying to be invisible. If he's a threat to me, I need to require more information about him and his agenda with me.

The man stands up from his seat, a small smile appearing on his face. I stop dead in my tracks, not wanting to be too close to him. He steps one step closer toward me with a fifty-dollar bill in his hand. Quickly, I stumble backward, afraid he might want to harm me. I was so afraid wanted to harm me because I knew about the man he murdered last night.

"Relax, if I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't have let you leave last night." He says playfully. Does he think he's funny? He's a murderer, for god sake. With his smug face, his eyes roam my entire body. "I need to get back to work." He says, his demeanor changing to the indifferent person I have met at the alley.

"Work?" I repeat coldly, crossing my arms in front of me in defense. I will not lie, but this man keeps me on edge the entire time. He makes me cautious about my own words and body language. It's like he sees everything. He knows how I feel and sense, what I will see, even before I realize it. He looks right through me. I'm that transparent, obviously...And that makes me a weak person, a danger to myself. He eyes me suspiciously, a small smirk playing on his face.

"Yeah, work." He retorted. Then he lays the money on his table. His eyes never stop looking at me. I'm not sure what to think of him right now, but he still gives me the chills. That man is dangerous and craves control, that's why he checked up on me. He wanted to see with his own eyes I didn't kill myself. He wanted to see his victory.

That man plays with lives like it's the most normal thing to do. But why did he care about my life? What means one life in his eyes? If he was smart, he would have killed me, as I was a potential witness. I could have ruined his life. Still, he's so sure and calm I will say nothing to the cops. What if I come clean to the cops about last night? I don't even know what to do...

The stranger puts on his leather jacket with so much ease. There wasn't any sign of stress or frustration. He's so sure about himself, that righteous prick. If he thinks he can control the queen of controlling, he's mistaken.

"Have a great night, Grace." The man spoke before vanishing out of the door, out of my view. How does he even know my name?

I park my car next to Barbie's and notice another car across the street. Panic hits me again. If he knows my name, he sure as hell knows where I live. I breathe in and out, trying to ease my building fear. After all those years, I had a way of dealing with panic attacks and one way is to mention all the animals I know of. It's so lame, but it always helped me a lot, so I begin with my horse as always. "Horse, donkey, monkey, elephant, dog, parrot,..." I blow out, shaking with my shoulders to ease the tension in my buddy.

"Relax Grace. It's just a stupid car." I assure myself before I shove my purse under my arm and open the door of my car. I open the front door and close it behind me. I hear mom talking in the living room and relax instantly. Everything is alright. Don't be so dramatic, Grace, I tell myself.