Stockholm Syndrome

6. Caroline and... Friends?

By the time we finished our conversations last night, it was already 7 in the morning, we fell asleep and got a solid 5 hours of sleep, waking up at noon. We stay lying on the couch facing each other, my eyes open and his closed. "I like talking," I smile, making him know that it's okay to talk to me about anything. "Yeah, I noticed," he replies back. "Hey!" I fire back causing his eyes to open, I stick my tongue out at him and laugh. "You talk a lot too," I add. "Yeah, with important things or when you're making me," he digs his face in the pillow while I giggle. "J?" I ask. "Hm?" he muffles. "I've never seen you smile," I say with a cheeky smile across my face. "I don't like smiling," he admits. "Please," I beg of him. "Do you have dimples?" I ask again. "Yes," he adds. "Now you HAVE to let me see," I sit up and my eyes widen. He lifts up his head from the pillow, stares at me for about 5 seconds like I'm crazy, says no, then digs his face back into the pillow. "Are you ticklish?" No. "Do you like jokes?" No. "Do you like anything?" No. I sigh, all answers no. "What can I do to make you smile?" I ask desperately. "Take me back to when I was 5 years old playing with legos and I'll be all set," he tells me. "Legos hurt," I admit letting out a small chuckle. "Yeah, when you step on them." We both shiver at the thought of stepping on legos... barefoot. "So how old are your siblings?" I ask crossing my legs like a child in primary school. "Here come all the questions again," he groans. "Well I don't want it awkward and quiet." He understood and answered my question. "My older brothers are 23 and 25. My younger sister is 20. Do you have any siblings?" He waits for an answer. "No, I'm an only child, the only thing  I had close to siblings were my friends," I shrug. "Oh," is all he says. "Police!" We hear a loud pounding on his front door. Here they come again. Do I hide? "Shit," he curses under his breath, "go upstairs, now," he whispers. I run upstairs and he opens the door when I've made it all the way up. "Sir, have you seen this young lady?" I overhear them talking. "The police have come to my house already to ask about this, no, I have not seen her," he answers annoyed. He shouldn't talk like that to the police, who knows what they could do to him. "Is anyone here at this household with you?" The police man asks J. He says yes... yes!? What the hell J!? The police ask to speak to the mysterious person. "Caroline! Come down here, the police want to speak to you!" J yells, I guess I'M Caroline. I come down the stairs trying to hide how nervous I am because I could get loose right now so easily. The cops have found me and don't even know it's me. I'm a foot away from being free. "Good afternoon Miss, have you seen her?" He shows me the picture. I stare at the picture of myself. "No, sir, I haven't. I'm sorry," I apologize being unable to help them. They nod understandingly and leave the house. I watch as they leave and keep my head down while J closes the door. "From now on, if the cops or anyone come to my house, your name is Caroline," he tells me. I whisper an okay while he walks to the kitchen for food. I follow. "What do you want to eat?" He looks inside the fridge. "Chicken!" I yell a bit to quick. "Chicken?" He assures. I nod my head quickly, I'm always hungry. "Okay," he extends the 'a' in okay.

We sit at the table eating our chicken. I stop eating and watch him for a quick second. "What?" He looks up at me. "I can see your dimple when you chew," I giggle and continue eating. "I don't know what your deal is with dimples," he rolls his eyes and finishes his food. "Dimples are cute," I say quite shy, "I have them too." I smile big and show him. "huh, I guess so," he gets up and cleans our plates. He just admitted MY dimples were cute, or just dimples in general. I don't care, maybe he likes mine. Why am I obsessing over this? I'm weird. "So you like dimples now?" I tease. "You know, you're a lot different than other girls I've took. You're too... calm." He seemed curious about my actions and avoided my question. "I guess I just know how to handle things well... I don't know, I watch movies and see-" I start to explain. "Hold on a second. You're so calm because you think all of this feels like some stupid movie scene?" He came close to my body, with those scary eyes aiming towards me just like the first time we met. He's so bipolar. "No, J, I-I'm always like that," I say quivering, "I've even started to think we might be... y'know, friends?" I question nervously. "What? Friends? We are NOT friends, Emily. I cannot kidnap you and have us become friends. I have no friends for a reason and I'd like to keep it that way!" He snaps at me. "One friend won't hurt," I say sadly. "We're not friends, Emily! Get it? Got it? Good." He turns away to walk to the living room. "Why are you so mean!? I'm trying to be nice to you!" I yell, causing him to turn around and look at me. "Did you just raise your voice with me?" He asks, now inches away from my body. "Yeah, I did. You're being a total dick," I snap again crossing my arms. "Don't do it again," he says sternly, not taking his eyes off mine. "I'll do what I want!" I yell walking away. He grabs my arm tight, pulling me back to where I was standing in the first place. We yell back and forth saying things such as, "Shut up!", "Let me go!",  and "Don't talk to me like that!" Then something happens. "You need to learn to listen to me, Emily!" J slaps me across the face, hard enough to leave just a hint of red that made me look as if I were blushing. "Ow," I whispered grabbing ahold of my cheek, I try to make it look like it didn't hurt. "Shut up," he grabs my face. I only have a couple thoughts running through my head. He's going to hit me. He's going to leave bruises all over me, I messed up and crossed the line, we were no longer going to get along after this. My thoughts end when I realize what he is doing. I try to speak but he crashes his lips into mine. What. The. Hell. What is actually happening right now? his lips are so soft, so full. The taste of him is... delightfull. Holy cow. I find myself crazy when I don't kiss him back. As I am about to kiss back, he pulls away and goes up the stairs without saying a word. Why the hell did I enjoy that? After a minute or 2 I go up the stairs and hear the shower water running. "J?" I ask  from outside the bathroom door. "I'm kind of busy can't you tell? I'm in the shower," he calls back out. "Can I come in?" I make sure he can hear me clearly. "Did you not hear me? I'm taking a shower," he argues. "Don't worry, I'm not going to open the shower curtain and look at you," I reply with attitude. He agrees to let me in, but in an uncomfortable tone. "Why did you kiss me?" I immediately ask. "I didn't kiss you," he says as if nothing happened in the first place. "Yes you did," I roll my eyes but then remember he can't see me. "I simply just shut you up with my lips against yours." Wow, he played that off so well. "Whatever," I announce a bit disappointed. He peeks his head out of the shower curtain, "Emily, it really doesn't even mean anything. Okay? So don't overthink it." I shrug, not caring if he said it didn't mean anything... okay, maybe I care a little. All of a sudden the water stops, I watch his arm come out to grab a towel and then it goes back in. He steps out of the shower with the towel wrapped around his waist. He didn't bother to dry his hair, not even a little bit. I liked his hair when it's wet, it looks black... and the way pieces are slightly over his face makes it ten times hotter. I notice water dripping down his perfect, toned body that is nearly covered in tattoos. "Sorry," I mumble as I noticed myself staring. I rush out of the bathroom and go to the room I've been staying in, I lay on the bed. I notice a window to my left and walk towards it. I stand, staring out of the inescapable window. I start thinking, I think to much but I can't help it, sorry brain. "What are you doing?" J asks in a more polite tone than he's ever spoke. "Thinking," I answer blankly just like he would have. "Why?" he asks again. "Don't you ever think?" He respons shaking his head no. "Do you have a boyfriend or something out there?" This time he's the ones with all the questions. "No," I shake my head. "Have you ever even had a boyfriend?" He crosses his arms. "I'm 18, of course I've had one." I answer unbelievingly that he even asked such a question. "Have you ever lost your virginity?" I turn my head to him quickly. "Uhm... personal don't you think?" I chuckle knowing that he actually wanted to know THAT. "Answer it," he demands. I mumble a small 'no', embarrassed that I haven't yet. "You haven't lost your virginity yet? You're 18! I lost mine when I was 14," he explains, surprised by my answer and making me even more 'insecure' about the things I do. "Just waiting for the right time I guess," I shrug my shoulders looking out the window again. "Sorry," he says feeling guily. I assure him that everything  is fine and to just forget about it.

By the time night comes, I offer to sleep on the couch while I let J sleep in bed. I can't sleep. I see bright headlights shine into the house from outside. Wow, the police again. But why so late? Why show up at midnight?  I stay on the couch so they can knock on the door and wake J from upstairs. There is no knock but I hear the door open quietly. Someone is here, I start to shake. I stay still on the couch, maybe they won't hear me. I hear footsteps behind me, I keep my breathing low. I feel tight hands around my mouth, I try to scream but the mysterious figure pulls me out to quick and somewhat quiet. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME!? I get put into the back of the vehicle while the man ties me. I try screaming out for J but my mouth is taped shut. As the person closes the door to the vehicle, I get a look at his face... Markus. He smirks at me and begins driving. "We're going to have so much fun, princess."