Subtle Endearment

17. A Painful Reminder

Kira

Several weeks pass by and I've become accustomed to my job. Ian and I try to keep a distance at work in order for me to avoid unwanted attention from coworkers as I'd suggested. He was surprisingly all for the decision which doesn't seem like him considering how easily jealous he gets when I simply go to lunch with Daniel. It's mid December now and it's gotten colder than before so there's not as many outdoor activities for us to do anymore. Ian had made it a point to take me out once a week and it was usually somewhere outdoors which I love.

"Hey Kira, are you busy on the sixteenth," Alice questions as I come back from lunch with Daniel.

"No, why?" I ask curiously.

"My mom is short on models for an upcoming photoshoot for her company. A lot of the models that were booked can't make it since it's the holiday season. She's too nice to tell them no," she says annoyed at the last part.

"That sounds bad but what does that have to do with me? I'm not exactly model material," I ask.

"Sure you are, you basically have the same body type as one of her models," she explains.

"I know someone else that might be good for the job too," I say. "Sure, who is it" she asks.

"Violet."

"Sounds good, the more the merrier. I'll text you the details later today."

"Okay," I say happily, eager to try on new clothes I'll probably never have.

"You seem to be in a good mood lately. What's got you so happy?" Daniel says as he collects the files that we'd completed for the day. "Or should I say who?" he says, his voice falling at the word 'who.'

When I don't respond he leaves with the files, taking them to Lyla. I can't read the expression on his face when he leaves. Regret? Anger? Disgust? It doesn't matter, I've found my happiness and I'm not letting him ruin that for me. Still, maybe I should've told him long ago that I don't have feelings for him. It wouldn't serve me any favors to announce it though.

Ian said he'd have to stay behind to prepare for an upcoming meeting. I told him I'd ride home with a friend but seeing how Violet left early today to prepare for a friend's wedding and Daniel is clearly in his feelings I should probably just walk home today. It's a bit cold but it shouldn't be too bad, I need the exercise anyways.

As I step outside I realize that it's darker than I thought it would be. It almost reminds me of the time I thought I was going to get kidnapped. The only difference is that I could've sworn I just saw someone duck behind into that alley. I turn towards it just to see that there's no one there. I must have a very active imagination.

Just in case, I cross the crosswalk hoping to avoid any suspicions. Just as I cross the crosswalk I pull out my phone and begin power walking. Someone followed me across the crosswalk. It wasn't all in my head. As I click the call button on my phone I feel my airway being blocked off. Two hands pull me by my collar and my arms flail trying to attack whoever is assaulting me. In a nearby alleyway my assailant pins me up against the wall covering my mouth. I can't see him clearly since it's so dark but I can vaguely make out the features of the man's face.

"This is from the Stubborn Elites," the man says, holding a blade to my neck as he presses up against my body. "Hello? Hello? Kira?" Ian yells from the other side of my phone that had fallen to the ground during the altercation. "Madam Melanie sends her regards," the man says, ignoring the phone. He then pulls the blade to my arm and before I can even realize what he's doing he moves his arm in one swift motion making the blade slice through my skin. I yell in agony as the man leaves me gripping my bleeding forearm.

"Help," I scream as the blood flows seemingly endlessly from my arm. Tears flood from my eyes as I pick my phone, smearing it in blood. Every step is painful as if he'd crushed my legs too.

"Kira, where are you? Did you walk home? I'm on the way now," Ian says, panicked.

"I'm in the alley, across from the company," I wail into the phone letting the phone drop beside me. The pain is unbearable and by the way my arm is covered in blood I can tell that it cuts deep. I apply pressure to my arm with my free hand hoping to stop the bleeding. He had managed to cut through my sweater and made such a big gash.

"Kira, Kira are you here?" Ian shouts as he comes up on the alley.

"I'm here," I shout back. Panic fills his face as he sees my arm but it's quickly turned to anger as he sees the tears flowing from my face.

"Come on, we'll go to the hospital," He says carefully picking me up from the ground. On the ride to the hospital I try to muffle my cries but every time I see my arm I can't help but fall into a new fit of tears. I already have a low pain tolerance but mixed with the words of my assailant I can't help but feel overwhelmed.

"He told me to stay away from the Stubborn Elites," I scream into the unusual silence.

"I know, I know," Ian says, trying to calm me.

"No you don't, someone wants me dead and I don't even know why. It hurts, Ian," I scream as another onset of pain fills me as I move my arm.

"It hurts, Ian," I cry aloud again.

"We're here," Ian says as he unbuckles his seatbelt. He comes around to the passenger seat and picks me up, bringing me into the hospital. It's not long before I'm sitting down in front of a nurse. She checks my vitals and immediately calls for a gurney. A sudden onslaught of fatigue overtakes me and I grasp Ian's shirt in an attempt to hold it together.

"She's going to need to get surgery immediately. Her blood isn't clotting the way it should be," the woman explains to Ian.

"Am I going to die," I mumble. Ian shoots a nervous glance at the nurse and I close my eyes, tears making their way through the cracks..

"I'm Dr. Steven," a man says, moving the curtain out of the way to get to the space they'd taken me. I hadn't even noticed that I had been moved. How long had I been here now?

"You'll be in my care today. Cynthia, give her the IV drip now, we need to go into surgery right away," he commands.

"Ian...," I say, grabbing at the air hoping to catch a glimpse of him before the anesthesia wins.

"Don't fight the anesthesia," I hear the doctor say as two hands lay me back on the bed.

"I'm scared," I say just as I slip off into the darkness created by the anesthesia.