Fear

Chapter 6

Memories flashed into my head, about what I had been experiencing after Rebecca had told me about Justin's background. I remember shaking so badly, the headaches, the fevers, even vomiting once or twice. He could kill me. He could come to my house any time or the day and just..kill me. Like that. The thought made my breathing faster so I tried to focus on shoving the CDs into alphabetical order. My condition was much, much better now, compared to the scarred little freak locked in my room I was 5 weeks ago. In that condition I hadn't even gone to work or anything, and Phil had been close to firing me if I hadn't literally gotten down onto my knees.

My mind wandered to that night, all the little details still fresh in my mind, how his soft lips had felt on my tingling skin, the dangerous glint in his dark eyes. I flinched, remembering how he shoved my roughly into the wall. I was so deep in thought that when I felt a hand on my shoulder I jumped and let out a small yelp. Turning around, hands prepared to punch or defend myself in anyway (which I was so not capable of doing), I saw it was only a bewildered Jake. I sighed.

Jake had been new to this job, not nervous at all on the first day and seeming to know exactly what to do. Of course, what was there not to know? Just arrange the CDs, help the costumers find what they needed which was easy enough and other small things. But no, even if it was obvious Jake could do all these things perfectly on his own, he kept on coming to me for help. I wasn't saying that he wasn't good looking, just that it got a bit uncomfortable when he purposely got close to me. His chocolate brown hair were put up in small spikes, eyes surprisingly a baby blue, set in his perfect tan complexion. All the teen girls who came to this shop ignored me and asked him for help, even if he was busy with another costumer. I had a feeling he enjoyed the attention, but always came back to flirt with me the moment he was free.

Anyways, Jake saw my terrified expression and his perfect features immediately became worried. I did like him as a friend. I felt like he wasn't similar to all the normal teenage boys in the world. He was caring, nice, funny.. everything. Yet I had no special feelings for him.

"Ari? Is everything alright?" He spoke concerned.

"Yeah, yeah it's fine. I just thought.. I thought you were someone else." I finished quickly, smiling up at him. He wasn't convinced. Just as he opened his lips again, my phone started ringing loudly. I wasn't explaining any of this to Jake and mentally thanked whoever was calling me. Immediately pulling my iPhone out of the back of my denim shorts, my thumb turned it on from the home screen and swiped across it without looking at who was calling.

"Hello?"

"Hey there babe." Said a deep, raspy voice. My features froze, body tensed. My hands automatically started trembling. This reaction didn't go unnoticed by a nosy Jake. "Have you been missing me?" I could almost hear the smirk in his voice.

"I.." My bottom lip trembled as I searched for the right words to use in this situation. But I'd never experienced a situation like this before. So what was I supposed to say?

"I'll be picking you up tonight at 8. Wear something sexy." He chuckled and hung up. My hands started trembling so violently, beads of sweats forming on my forehead as tears swam in my eyes, making everything blurry.

"Who was that Ari?" Jake asked quietly. "Ari?" He held my chin up with his forefinger and thumb, reading my expression. I hastily turned it away. "Ariana who was that?" He asked, now sharply.

"I-I can't tell you that." I stammered and unexpectedly fell into his arms, sobbing quietly. He wrapped his arms around me, shocked, stroking my hair. "It'll be okay Ari.." I knew he was speechless. He usually babbled on under any condition.

"No, no it won't."