The Kidnapper//h.s.✔️

Chapter 8 - The Café

My father opened the front door for me and suddenly, my dog (a Dalmatian) named Augustus jumps on me and winned uncontrollably. I had forgotten how much I had missed him. I pet him and wrapped my arms around him as he licked my face.

2 WEEKS LATER

Graduation was 3 days ago and Rebecca is going to Princeton, while Emma is traveling all the way to Ucla. Maria's putting college on hold, because wants to spend more time with her mother, who has recently been diagnosed with cancer.

And me? I haven't thought about it lately. But I've made a list of colleges that I'm interested in...So far I have one. Maybe Parsons School of Design?

Because when it comes to Math, I'm that student that doesn't understand half the things the teacher says. I'm not as smart as Rebecca and Emma in those categories. But when it comes to fashion and style...I don't know, I just picked up on it quickly and I became the best in the class within a week.

I've been sitting on the couch for about 10 minutes and suddenly my phone goes off in my pocket. I take it out and look at the screen. Maria wants to meet at the Cafe down the street. I reply with a 'be there in 10' and grab my purse.

I'm wearing: 

Instead of taking the keys to my mom's car (Toyota RAV4 [2004]) I close the front door behind me and begin walking towards the Cafe. I walk slowly, looking up at the trees as the leaves fall down around me and I feel like I can say or do anything. It's comforting.

A couple minutes pass and I'm less than a couple blocks away. I can almost see the sign in the distance.

I suddenly hear something crack behind me and when I turn to look back, I see a man walking towards me. He wore a gray hoodie, the hood over his head, covering his eyes and his hands were stashed into his pockets. But something was too familiar about the strange man...I turn back around and continue walking towards the cafe. I pick up the paste a little and he does the same. 

But suddenly, I change my mind and I stop walking completely and turn around to face the stranger.

"What do you want!"

I yell at him and when he gets close enough, I grab the hood away from his face and I take a good look. It wasn't him.

"Don't touch me."

The young man says and I step away from him, to let him pass. But I can't say anything, I'm almost in shock.
He continues to jog and I step back to where I was walking. I think I'm going crazy...

When I reach the cafe, I see Maria sitting at one of the tables outside and she slowly sips her coffee as she reads a book. I walk up to the seat in front of her, but she doesn't look up.

"Just got here and I ordered you a Mocha-Frappe."

"I think I'm going crazy."

I state and she looks up from her book concerned.

"Why, would you say that?"

She asks slowly with each word rolling off her tongue.

"I thought I saw Liam followin-"

I begin to explain, but she interrupts me

"Ohmygosh, really?!"

She says loudly and I quickly shush her.

"His hoodie was covering his face and I screamed at him, but it wasn't him."

I explain a little disappointed and she frowned.

"Well, I don't blame you. If someone kidnapped me and I saw them again, I would've probably punched him."

She said while laughing slightly and then she took another sip of her coffee.

"Come on, you can stay at my house tonight."

She happily says while stashing her bookmark into the book and I nod with a tiny smile.