The Teacher's Pet

Chapter Twenty-Five

Kat Claire:
It has been a full week since the incident, the bruising on my neck hasn't went down, neither has the pain. Sometimes I awake during the night just because I can't breathe, or when the pain becomes too much to bear. Every time James awakes right next to me, he stays up with me when I'm unable to fall back asleep, even if he has a busy day the next day. He says he would do anything for me, and staying awake is barely something.
In the past week we slowly moved into the new house in the flower field, our beautiful own place. No more walking into Dante, no more eating breakfast with strange people, just me and James.
Even though I helped move some boxes and decorated most of the house to my own liking, I didn't notice too much from the moving. James said it was because I was still in shock from what went down between me and Liam's brother. Speaking about him, he is still in critical condition in the hospital, James got him really good. And he told me he had no regrets about it, he had to do whatever it took to save me. Thanks to James I'm still alive, thanks to him, I get to walk the earth, with him by my side.
"Hey Kat, I'm going to run to the store really quick, I need some onions for dinner tonight." James says, coming up from behind me, wrapping his arms around me.
"I will do it." I don't have to look at him to know that he has a very confused look on his face. The past week, I didn't go out because I was afraid I would see anyone from Liam's family. Even though James reassured me they won't bother me ever again, I don't trust it. Deep down, I know James appreciates it too that I stay home, it keeps me out of possible dangers, close to him. But now, I can say with certainty, that I failed school, missing a whole week while I already missed plenty is the drip that makes the bucket spill.
James was willing to talk with the schoolboard and explain everything so they will give me a second chance, maybe I'll take that chance.
"Are you sure?" I blink and shake my head, once again, I have drifted off completely in my thoughts.
"Yes, I can't be locked up forever."
"I will come with you, first times are always scary, but don't you worry, you can rely on me completely."
With a spin, I turn around and look him up in his eyes, the big brown eyes. The eyes that I want our children to have in the future.
"James, I'm fine, the store is close, I'll be back before you know it, and if anything goes wrong or if I feel too bad, I'll call you." I take his face in both of my hands, automatically his eyes close and every muscle in his body relaxes. "Okay?" He just nods in my hands. I could stay like this for months, but I pull back and gather my wallet.
Deep down, I am quite nervous, but I don't let him see, if he sees, he won't let me go alone.
"I'll see you soon."
"Bye, I love you."
My thoughts are too distracted to say it back, I don't even have to say it back, he knows I love him, with every bit of me.
With beautiful new red shoes, I make my way down the hallway, my hallway. It's decorated beautifully with paintings to bring a bit of the society,-where James is most of the time- home. He loves it, and to me they don't look half as bad as I thought.
With a thin scarf wrapped around my neck I leave the door. No one has to see this stupid bruise, even though most people already know I have it. The rumor went around in school fast enough, and once it's in school, the whole city will know.
I only have to take one bus to get to the nearest supermarket, so I do. No one is on the bus, no one except for this little boy all the way in the back of the bus, hiding away behind a chair so no one sees him. He then picks up his phone and starts typing, somewhere he looks too young to have a phone, somewhere he looks 13 or 14.
"This is the last bus stop ma'am."
12 minutes passed in the time I thought 10 seconds passed.
Onions, I only need onions, I tell myself as I pass by the chocolate aisle. But he won't mind if I take one, right? With a grin on my face I take a chocolate bar in my hand, in my other hand I hold a bag of onions.
The bus ride here was longer than the actual shopping time I needed, so now, I'm already waiting for the next bus, that comes in... I check the golden watch I'm wearing,-a one month anniversary gift from James-30 minutes, great.
After 10 minutes, my legs begin to grow tired from standing at this bus stop, they should've made benches. I'm about to sit down when gentleman comes from besides me.
"Excuse me, ma'am."
Forest dark hair swings in my face as I turn to look at him. A man around the age of 50 possibly, he has grey hair and dark eyes, eyes exactly like James. Never had I met someone who eyes similar to James's. His nose has the exactly the same as James's
"Is your name Katherine by any chance?"
"Yes sir, that's my name."
"Do you know anyone named James?"
The older man steps a bit closer to me, and I take a larger step back, giving him a nod to his previous question.
"Ah, I'm his uncle." A relief washes off my shoulders, not a complete stranger coming up to me, and it gives an explanation to why he looks so much like James. "He asked me to give you a ride home, the bus that is supposed to come in 20 minutes, has been cancelled unfortunately."
To make sure this person isn't lying I check my phone for any texts from James. There are none.
"Are you sure? He didn't send me any text."
"I'm sure Katherine," He pulls up his phone in front of my eyes, multiple texts appear between him and a person who is in his contact listed as 'James'. They have the same profile picture as well.
The texts say 'hey uncle Cedar, my girlfriend Katherine just went out to the store, but for the next 2 hours busses have been cancelled, I would pick her up myself but I'm quite busy with something right now, do you mind picking her up? I would owe you a big one.'
Not only does the text totally not sound like James, he also never calls me Katherine unless he's very serious. And James never mentioned anything about an uncle.
Everything screams at me not to follow him to his car.
"That's very kind of you to do for your nephew sir, but I think I will be fine, I'll just walk home, it's only a couple of miles. Nothing I can't handle."
"Oh really, it's no big deal, I pass through your neighborhood on my way home." James's uncle, supposed to be named Cedar, grabs me by my arm gently to lead me to his car.
"Really, I'm fine, I'll be home before you know it, thanks for your concern."
With my other hand, I get his hands off my arm and begin to walk away with a fast pace. I need to get away from this guy and call James as soon as I can. This is definitely not James's uncle, no matter how much he looks like him.
Cold metal presses hard against my bare back, where my shirt is too short to reach my pants the iron is pressed.
"Don't move or say a word." The same voice says, but with a much different tone. Gone is the guy who was so sweet and gentle a few seconds ago.
"You're going to follow me, and if you scream or look at anyone for help, I will shoot you, don't test me."
Then the realization hits, the iron pressed in my back, is a gun, a weapon. Something he is willing to use to hurt me.
My voice sounds pleading as I ask. "Why are you doing this?"
"Save the questions and begging for mercy for later, get the fuck in my car." Cedar holds open the door, he doesn't wait for me to get inside, a shove in my back is enough to make me fall into the back seat.
"Buckle up, I can't have you dead before I did anything to you." With these words he scares me, before I did anything to you. He is going to hurt me. I want to lunge for my phone, but I can't seem to find it anywhere in my pockets or bag.
"Looking for this sweetheart?" He holds up my phone in his hand, whilst sitting in the driver's seat, ready to take off. "Don't bother."