Roses

Chapter 3

Zoey

I stare out my window as Roses passes by. It's crazy how I know a lot has changed since the last time I looked at these buildings and neighborhoods, yet the feeling they give out is still the same--hopelessness.

I don't want to get sucked into my thoughts but it's a better option than getting sucked in by the aura of the stranger sitting a couple inches away from me.

He hasn't said a word since the ride started. No hi's or hello's. No further explaining the serial killer bombshell he so casually dropped. And it's driving me crazy. But I keep my mouth shut and go back to staring out the window.

Thorns Packers and Movers, Thorns' Pizza Joint, Thorns Car Wash... As we drive by a shopping complex, I mentally read out the names of the shops. The name sounds eerily familiar. Thorns.

"I don't remember these shops," I mutter, finally breaking the silence. From the corner of my eye, I notice the man turn his head in my direction.

"What do you remember then?"

I turn towards him to find him staring at me. I expected him to ignore me but now he has asked me a question I don't really want to answer. The truth is, there's very little about my childhood and this town that I remember. And all of it is bad.

"Not these shops, definitely." I shrug, hoping he'll drop the subject. But when he continues staring at me, as if he's dissatisfied by my answer, I decide to change the topic myself. "So a serial killer, huh?"

"Uh-huh." He looks away, conveying his disinterest. So a serial killer is not interesting enough, but my past is? Okay.

"What does the police know about it?" I press, suddenly very interested to know more. Or if it's just to annoy him, then I don't really admit it to myself.

"We are here and now you can ask them." He gestures outside the window and he's right. We've arrived.

"Well, thanks a lot for the ride. I can take it from here." I say and move to open my door when he wraps his hand around my wrist, stopping me. It takes me a moment to turn back towards him because his sudden act sends electricity sparking up my body.

As I raise a brow at him, I watch him struggle for words for a moment. It's kind of funny to witness it. He's given off controlling vibes in all the minutes I've known him and now for once, he doesn't seem to be in control of the situation.

"I'll go in with you," he says and gets out of the car. Before I can make sense of what's going on, he is outside my door, opening and holding it for me.

A gentleman. Marvelous!

Instead of arguing, I decide to stay silent. We go inside the building together. As much as I don't want to talk about my past, especially about my father, I realize there is no getting a hold of the house keys without mentioning my beloved dad.

We step inside the small reception space and I make my way to the front desk behind which I can see a middle aged woman with a friendly face sitting.

"Hey, I'm Zoey... Kirby," I mutter, instantly aware of the woman's wide eyed stare at me. "I was told to come here for my house keys."

"Ah, yes. We've been expecting you," the woman, Martha, as her name tag suggests, plasters a smile on her face and quickly recovers from the shock the utterance of my last name caused. "Please come this way." She gets up from her chair and moves around the desk to lead me further inside the building.

I expect my stranger to wait in the reception but don't get surprised when he accompanies us. He clearly isn't going to leave me alone. And for some reason, probably the exhaustion from my day, I can't seem to care.