Restrained

Restrained - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Amber's POV

I refuse to allow my sadness to overcome my life. I would love to go crawl under my sheets, listen to music and allow myself to escape the world. I'd really love it. But I won't stay inside, because I know the quiet of the bedroom in the furthest left corner of the house will draw me.

So all day I've been out doing things with Macy and some girl from her college.

"Oh my god this is so cute! Should I try it on?" Amanda, Macy's friend squeals, holding up some pink lace shirt. I try to hide in a sigh, but fail. Sitting in this store, whatever it's called, watching Macy and Amanda shop for clothes is making me regret coming. The girls do some screaming and excessive nodding before prancing off to the dressing room, leaving me searching through the racks in attempt to fit in. I'd never wear any of these things in my life. Almost everything is pink or lace or displays some bubble gum band on the front. I send Macy a quick text, telling her I'm going to check out another store. I decide to try out the store next door, Pacsun. It doesn't seem too prissy.

I'm looking through a rack of clothes when someone not so politely taps on my shoulder.

"Excuse me?" I snap as I turn around to face a tall man I recognize. He smirks at me and crosses his arms around his chest.

"You're that girl Horan brought to the party," He says, and I immediately remember him as Jacob. I grit my teeth at him and walk away as fast as I can to another rack if clothes, hoping he'll get the message. Not that he comes off as a gentlemen. He follows me and steps so close I can hear him breathing.

"Can I help you?" I say through gritted teeth, turning around quickly only to have my nose practically in his shirt. He chuckles and shakes his head, but still doesn't move. I cram my neck around him in attempt to look for an employee, but the only one is practically asleep and looking at their phone.

"Where's Niall now?" Jacob sneers, getting even closer. The clothes rack is digging into my shoulder, and I desperately attempt to push him away, but he doesn't budge. As if god himself is answering my prayers, my phone starts ringing, and I answer it without looking at the caller ID.

"Amber?" Macy calls from the other end. Jacob frowns and backs up slightly.

"I'm in Pacsun," I say quickly and hang up before Jacob attempts anything. The longer I stay here the more freaked I get, and the further the the rack digs into my shoulder.

Macy comes in with a frown on her face, searching for me. Her mouth gapes open when she sees me and she runs over, harshly shoving Jacob off of me.

"What the f-ck?" She practically yells, and Jacob sighs and leaves the store. I shake my head, too flustered and tired to explain.

"He's just some guy from a party," I tell her, not exactly lying. She doesn't ask any other questions, and I don't think I could be more glad. We meet up with Amanda in a store that looks identical to the others we'd just been in, but with what just happened I'm not complaining in the slightest. They convince me into buying a black tank top with some sentence in French I do not know printed on it. Amanda talks non-stop, oblivious to it all. I cannot get Jacob out of my head, and what he said. What does he have against Niall? Or what did Niall do to him? I'm tempted to call Niall right now, but I don't want to have to hear his voice. Niall will also demand to see me, and that would be even worse. So I leave it be, and pretend to laugh at Amanda's jokes the rest of the afternoon. After hours more of shopping, Amanda and Macy finally get tired, and we leave the mall.

"Please tell me she's not coming over," I whine as we begin to drive home. Macy sends me a sharp glare, and whacks my arm from the drivers seat.

"She's my friend. And yes, she is coming over," Macy says, in a tone that means no nonsense. I purse my lips together and stare out the window, trying to ignore her stares.

"What is with this?" I say as a rap song comes through her speakers. I go to turn it off, but Macy slaps my hand.

"I like it," she says sternly, and I begin to think she's purposely annoying me. Four horrible songs later we pull into her driveway. Macy struggles to carry in seven enormous bags, and I'm carrying a small one. I ignore her pleading looks as she struggles to fit the bags on her arms and lock the car, and I march inside the house. I go to my room as quickly as I can and lock the door behind me, not wanting to speak to Macy. I sprawl myself on the bed, and almost fall off when my phone beeps.

Seven missed calls from Niall Horan. What the f-ck? If he's called me so many times it must've been urgent, but I don't want to talk to him. I delete the voicemails, but read his pleading texts asking me to call him. I toss my phone to the side and click on the television, trying to ignore Macy and Niall. Sometimes I wish I was an open person, I really do. I wish I could tell Macy what was on my mind, and I wish I was able to call Niall back. But I can't. After two shows, Niall calls me again for the third time. Annoyed, I answer the call.

"Amber are you okay?" He says frantically into the phone right as I answer the call. I don't know if I should be annoyed or relived at this point.

"Yeah why wouldn't I be," I ask. Why wouldn't I be okay? He hasn't called me in days, and hardly talks to me at work. Now he's asking if I'm okay?

"I just got this call from Mark, I don't know how he got my number. He said he knows where you are and that he's going to come for you," he says, and think I might've heard his voice crack.

My throat begins to burn as well as my eyes, and I fall back into the bed. Could Mark really know where I am, or is he just trying to scare both of us? Either way it's worked. Suddenly there's a banging on the door, loud, hard and consistent. I cover my mouth with my hand to try to hold in my sob.

"Amber?" Niall says frantically. He must've heard it too.

"I'm coming over right now!" He yells into the phone, and the line goes dead. The banging starts again, and I shove my fist into my mouth. This is it, Mark is coming for me.

"What the hell Amber. Open the door," Macy's voice calls from the hall, and I feel relief wash over me. I quickly wipe the tears from my cheeks and open the door for Macy.

"You scared me, dammit," I snap at her, and her face is confused and then angry.

"Who else would be knocking on your door," she says with an annoyed tone, and rests her right hand on her hip.

"Amanda's here and I made you tea, so come down," she says, and leaves before I can answer her. Even though it was only Macy, I can't help but feel alert as I stand in the doorway. Whether Mark knows where I am or not, he will soon.

A/N

Sorry it took so long to update. I had some technical difficulties along with school work

Xx Claire