Catch Me If You Can

Chapter 19: I'll Be Watching You

TW: talking about rape, physical abuse

I let go of the door handle and turned around. He was standing there with blood dripping down his forehead, holding onto the railing without making a sound. I thought he would chase me down the stairs, but he was just standing there quietly, watching me like his pray. He knew I had no other choice just to get back to his room, cuz there was no way I could made it out of his house without the key. This wasn't just about obsession, the chase or sexual tension anymore. I was trapped in his house after he almost raped me and I couldn't get away.

He was still watching me from above, with dead-serious, cold look on his face. Usually when he tried to hurt me, his arrogance and cockiness got in the way and he made sure he will enjoy the feeling of hurting me for as long as possible. But in that moment, there was no emotion in his face that would indicate any sort of joy caused by the fact that he got me into such uncomfortable and dangerous situation. 

"Please... let me go. I won't tell anyone about this, I promise. Just let me leave, Nate." I started crying and begging, when he finally looked at me.

"I can't let you leave now," he said with almost no emotion in his voice, while pointing on his head. "Look what you've done to me. This whole time, I tried to do everything that was in my power to make you love me. I wanted you to see, that even tho we both have some flaws, we can overcome them. And this is how you're repaying me? By physically attacking me?" 

I started laughing frantically, cuz I officially lost my sanity. 

"You can't be serious right now. Like I can't believe you're actually trying to gaslight me into thinking that it's my fault you just tried to rape me. You're a fuckin psychopath and you should never, ever be around any woman." 

He quickly ran down the stairs, grabbed me by my hair and started pulling me upstairs again. I stumbled few times while trying to keep balance, but right before he had the chance to drag me into his room again, the front door opened.

"I'm home!" 

He looked at me with panic in his eyes, while trying to calculate his next move. He went to the bathroom to clean up the blood on his forehead, while I was standing there, deciding if I should act like nothing happened or quickly disappear without a word. His truck was parked outside, so his mom knew he already came back from school. I was ready to step out of his room, when Marsha spoke again.

"Nate, I told you to not leave your dirty gym clothes in the living room. Is it really that difficult to put them in the laundry?"

I was ready to step out of his room, when he reappeared behind my back and grabbed my arm. "Do not try to make a sound, you understand?!", he said as he gave me frantic look, before he went downstairs to greet Marsha. I couldn't even imagine what's gonna happen if I don't listen to him, but I knew he's not gonna hurt me as long as we're not alone, so I risked it and right after they started chatting, I went downstairs as well. I tried to fake a smile, before slowly entering the kitchen without looking suspicious.

"Hello, Mrs. Jacobs."

"Oh, hey Veronica. I didn't know you were here. I hope I... didn't interrupt something."

Nate looked at me, before looking back at his mom with annoyed look on his face. He knew I could expose him right there in a heartbeat, but before I even had the chance to say something, he decided to come up with more bullshit.

"Yeah, Veronica is actually gonna sleep over tonight. We need to study and... I thought it would be nice if she could stay overnight and then we could go to school together. I always pick her up in the morning anyways, so it's gonna be better this way."

"Yeah, sure, why not. You're always welcome in this house, Veronica." She said with a big smile on her face, without having any clue about what happened just a few moments ago. I couldn't believe how much Nate had everyone wrapped around his finger. 

"Actually, I need to tell you something." I took a deep breath and looked Marsha straight into her eyes, trying to let her know that I really need her help. But she gave me the same look back, before looking at Nate. She already knew that her son is a mentally unstable, stuck up, abusive little bitch who has to use all sorts of manipulation to get what he wants. Both of them were looking at me, but the only one who seemed nervous was Marsha. What would he do if I exposed him right there in front of her? What if he would try to hurt both of us? 

"My... my family... my family was asking about Nate and you two a lot and... they would like to invite all of you for a family lunch on Sunday." 

"Oh... that's so sweet of them! Thanks for the invitation, we will be there." She smiled at me, while noticing how shaky and nervous I was. Her eyes landed on my trembling hands, before she  looked me in the eyes again. Maybe if Cal was home as well, I would be braver than this. But I wasn't and the fact that I failed again so now I have to spend the night at his house was eating me alive. I was petrified. The only reason why he haven't hurt me even more was that Marsha stopped him by coming home. 

"Oh my god, what happened to your forehead, honey?" She asked when Nate started bleeding again, leaving drops of blood on the kitchen counter.

"Don't worry about it mom."

"Are you serious? Come here, I'm gonna give you a bandage."

"It's okay, don't worry about me. I'm gonna drive Veronica home, since we don't have school today and then go to a football practice. Don't wait for me."

He ran out of the house, leaving the door open, so I quickly followed him. I was scared to get into the car with him, knowing that he was too unpredictable to count on him safely driving me home, but I couldn't stay there any longer. 

"Good girl. I'm pretty impressed with how quick you were able to come up with those lies. I should be more careful around you. And the trick with the glass? That was pretty smart too. I shouldn't let you wander around my house alone. Next time, you might pull out a knife on me." He said with a mocking tone in his voice. He was absolutely unaware of the fact that he almost raped me and then kept chatting with his own mother as if nothing ever happened.

"You make me physically sick and I'm pretty sure everyone would be more than happy if you weren't here anymore."

As I finally got this out of my chest with all the rage accumulated inside of me, he quickly slapped my face without a word and then finally drove me home. I was ready to open the door, when he pulled me towards him one last time. 

"I don't care how long it will take me. How long you're gonna hate me, run from me, avoid me or fight. But Imma make sure that as long as you're not with me, your life will be fuckin miserable."

I took a deep breath and fought back one last time.

"I've been drowning in misery ever since I met you."