A thousand years

Left alone

                                                                                         Emily

I was just about to order my usual when I felt a warm hand slide up my lower back. "Hey there, gorgeous," a familiar voice purred in my ear. My heart skipped a beat as I turned around to see Jake. He was dressed impeccably as always, his green eyes sparkling with mischief. "What are you doing here?" I managed to squeak out.

"Just thought I'd see what you're up to," he replied with a smirk, leaning in closer. "And it looks like you could use a drink." He gestured towards the bartender, who was already setting down a fresh glass of my favorite wine. "My treat," he added with a wink.

I couldn't help but feel a blush creep up my cheeks. "Thanks," I murmured, taking the drink from him and taking a small sip. "I was actually just about to order this." Jake chuckled, his breath tickling my ear. "You know I'd never let you spend your hard-earned money on me," he teased, wrapping his arm around my waist. "Why don't you stick around for a bit? We could catch up, reminisce about old times..." His words trailed off suggestively, and I could feel myself growing more and more uncomfortable.

But before I could tell him I should probably get going, Jake leaned in even closer, his lips brushing against my earlobe. "Or... we could find a more private spot and see where the night takes us." The heat of his breath sent shivers down my spine. I knew I shouldn't, but... there was something about Jake that still made me weak in the knees. "What do you say, Em?" he whispered, his hand slowly moving up my thigh. "Do you want to see where this leads?"

I didn't even realize we were there. One moment I was laughing at Jake's stupid joke, the next we were in his car, and the next I felt the cold steel of his gun against my temple. My heart raced as fear gripped me, squeezing the air from my lungs. I didn't know what to say, what to do. I could see the madness in his eyes, the desperation that consumed him, and I knew there was no talking my way out of this.

But then, just as I began to resign myself to whatever twisted fate he had planned for me, I felt a surge of anger and determination wash over me. I wasn't going to let him do this. I wasn't going to be another statistic. I was going to fight back.

"Jake, stop," I managed to choke out, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart. "You don't want to do this. Think about what you're doing."

His grip tightened on the gun, and his face contorted with rage. "Shut up, Emily!" he snarled. "You don't know what I've been through. You don't know what I need."

I swallowed hard, my heart racing. I couldn't let him talk me into this. "Jake, please," I begged, tears welling up in my eyes. "There has to be another way. We can figure something out together."

He hesitated for a moment, and I felt a flicker of hope. But then his expression hardened, and he pressed the gun harder against my temple. "No," he growled. "There's only one way out of this."

My breath came in ragged gasps as he moved the gun away from my head and pressed it against my chest. I could feel the cold metal digging into my flesh, sending a shiver of fear through me. "Now," he said, his voice trembling with anger and desperation, "you're going to do exactly what I tell you."

I forced myself to take a deep breath, to steady my racing heart. I couldn't let him push me around anymore. "Jake," I said, my voice steady despite the terror inside me. "I love you. But you can't do this. You can't kill me."

His eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, I thought maybe my words had gotten through to him. But then he laughed, a harsh and bitter sound. "You don't know what love is," he snarled. "This isn't love. This is self-preservation."