Try Me (18+)

Thirty Seven

A/N: Guess who's back, back again! Gonna try and update more to finish this book. I've been getting more and more comments which gives me motivation. I don't do this for the votes but to see the engagement, the theories you guys make and predictions, the reactions and jokes all of it. I'd love to giggle, scroll and cry with you guys. Anyway enjoy and tell me what you all think! :)

Rebound

Ezra stepped onto campus, hesitating for a moment as she clutched the strap of her large shoulder bag tightly. It had been months since she last walked through these halls, and yet it felt like a lifetime had passed. It was crazy to think that nobody, not a single soul who passed by her, knew of her situation and what she had been through. She was being sent smiles as if she had simply been sick for the last few weeks, they probably could not even fathom the possibility that she had been kidnapped and kept captive all this time. The normalcy of it all, the casual conversations, the scattered groups of students rushing to class, the hum of everyday life, it all felt almost foreign to her.

A shadow nearby, one only she could see, a silent reminder that she wasn't truly free. Hendrix, wad her designated body guard of the day. His presence a quiet but firm boundary. She had been surprised to see it had been him, she expected Jian, Jude or even Yong himself. She had even secretly hoped it would be Yong but she would never admit that out loud. Hendrix had been a surprisingly pleasant person to be around, considering their circumstances, and although she knew she was essentially on his leash, she was just happy to be back here.

"Ezra?"

The familiar voice made her tense. She turned to see Ava, Ian's girlfriend, staring at her with wide eyes. "You're back?"

Ezra forced a smile, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder. "Yeah. Just... taking things one step at a time."

Ava's eyes scanned the length of her body before resting on her face with a soft smile. "Ian told me a bit. He's been worried, have you told him you're back? People have been wondering about you. You just... disappeared."

Ezra felt her throat tighten. How was she supposed to explain any of it? She had also completely forgotten that she would run into Ian here. God how many more lies was she going to have to commit to. "Yeah, well I'm back now." she said softly, "Where's Ian? I'd love to see him."Her voice cracked, she missed him, she missed all of them.

Ava studied her for a moment before nodding. "He's been having a hard time since you left. Blaming himself and whatnot so he took some time off. He should be back sometime this week." Her eyes lit up as if just remembering "I'm seeing him tonight, you should come!"

The words hit harder than Ezra expected. She had been so consumed by her own captivity, she hadn't stopped to think how this was affecting her loved ones. She looked around nervously, trying to spot where Hendrix might be hiding. She turned back to Ava and shook her head slightly. "I have a curfew sadly."

The day dragged on, every moment a delicate balancing act between pretending everything was fine and resisting the constant awareness of her circumstances. She had to ignore the whispers, people pointing out that she was the girl who had relapsed and was in rehab. Of everything Yong had done to her, this was the thing she could never forgive him for. He used something so personal to her and forced her to lie for his convenience. It was cruel and heartless. She could feel Hendrix watching, always lingering just close enough to remind her she wasn't alone, but also that she wasn't free.

By the time her last class ended, she felt drained. It had been nice being on campus and practicing her medical skills on someone other than Noah, but without Ian here she realised how pointless it all suddenly felt. The moment she stepped outside, she spotted him.