Familiar Strangers

Chapter 7

The art show had been great. I walk down the street. Light and carefree. Happy. Oh so happy. Here I go, through the gate and into the park. The park…Why do I get the feeling I shouldn’t be…don’t be silly Mel. I laugh at myself. The sound lingers far more than normal. I stop. Something isn’t right. I look around cautiously all my senses alert. My heart is pounding hard inside my chest and I know I can’t prevent it.

He appears out of nowhere. Dirty face, messy hair. But he’s handsome. I can’t deny that. He takes me by surprise. It appears as if he’s tired. I want to get away, I have to. I try to walk past him as fast as I can. But I can’t move further than a few meters. This is not how it happened, a voice whispers viciously in my head. He’s standing in front of me again. Then he falls flat on the ground. I suddenly find myself above him. My hand brushes against his and a bright-lemony yellow light blinds me. Muffled words.

Now he’s on top. Eyes clouded with desire and wonder stare at me. He holds my wrists down on the ground. I can’t move. I can’t…I…

Melissa shot up from the bed that morning screaming. By the time she realized she was safe in Jasmine’s bedroom and not out in the park her throat was sore. She clutched the covers as if her life depended on it, her way of getting hold of reality again.

The door burst open and Beth flew into the room a panicked look on her face.

“Oh my God Jasmine! Are you okay? What’s wrong? Honey?” she threw one question after the other at Melissa while hugging her tight.

Melissa surrendered to her comfort, knowing she would hate herself for that later, only for a moment. Then she pushed her away and with all the iciness she could master under the circumstances she told her off.

“I’m not a child anymore FYI! So back off! I can handle a nightmare on my own!”

Beth closed her eyes as if that would stop her from showing her true emotions but Melissa could see right through her. Her behaviour was getting to her faster than she had expected. How ‘bout that? She chuckled inside her head Of course they had a perfect mother-daughter relationship!

“Well, I know that.” Beth said standing up and straightening her clothes nervously. “Breakfast will be ready in a minute…”

“No need, I’m going to meet Adrian.” She interrupted “Thanks though” she added thinking she should at least try to be civil. She didn’t want her true identity to be revealed anyway.

A faint ‘oh’ was all, the woman managed to say before rushing out the door. In a weird way Melissa felt abandoned all over again. She locked the feeling away and grabbed Jasmine’s cell instead. She had one text message from her own phone.

We’ve got to meet. Today. The café we met last time. See you there in two hours. Say you’re going out to have breakfast with Adrian.

Melissa couldn’t help the smile that formed on her face. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

“Good girl!” she purred at the screen.

Things weren’t half as perfect as Jasmine imagined they would be when she agreed to this.

She had barely slept that night. As soon as she was up she texted Melissa pressing each letter with trembling hands. Someone knew about the switch. They had to act before this thing got even more messed up than it already was. The only thought that reassured her fears was that eventually this would have come out. Maybe she hadn’t gotten answers to all of her questions. More like none! She noted bitterly. But that’s okay.