Hush

4

I've been in here for at least five days without anything. No contact, no showers, no food, no bathroom. But I've done good at holding it and I no longer have too much hunger pangs or any urges to go to the bathroom.

I was becoming delirious now, and I didn't care for moving. I'd laid in the same position for at least two days now. I was sure he was just going to leave me to rot here.

After about five more minutes I hear the door open and peek my eyes open to look at Braden as he walked in. He walked over with a frown and squared down in front of me with a frown.

"Valen, you okay? Im sorry I left you for so long but I had to teach you a lesson. You cannot disrespect me in my home, especially after all I've done for you. Have you learned your lesson?" He asks me, caressing my cheek. I only look at him and whimper. He sighs and unchains me, picking me up and holding me against his body. I let him, not having the energy to protest.

He takes me up to the bathroom, a sad look in his eyes, almost regretful, as he sat me down and turned on the water. He was going to wash me? No! I didn't want him touching me like that or seeing me naked! I turn to crawl away and get just outside the bathroom door before he grabs me by my waist and pulls me back. I try to fight him off, even though I'm weak still.

"Valentine, stop it. Do you want another week of being in that room?" He threatens and I whimper, letting him pull off my shirt then my pants and boxers. He lifts me up and places me in the tub carefully. The warm water felt foreign against my skin and I just look down, avoiding looking at him as he scrubbed me down. He washed my hair and sat back with a sigh as he looked at me.

"Val, I'm sorry. I had to. I couldnt stand to see you in all the pain they were causing." He tells me, caressing my cheek and smiling some. The look on his face made my heart throb in a weird way, in a way I'd not felt before. For some reason I felt like he was telling the truth. "I first saw you three years ago, Valen, at a club with your whore girlfriend. She went off with someone else and came back to you. I knew you were uncomfortable there and then I followed you home. I saw her leave with someone else. I saw your parents yelling at you, I saw what you do to yourself. I couldn't...you are too precious for that. I broke into your room one night and laid behind you while you slept and had to run when you mother came down and started yelling at you. I felt so angry at her. I followed you for three years until I had the chance to finally take you away from all of that. I know I did it in a weird way and I know you never actually met me but... I love you, and I can't let you waste your life like that." He says with a frown.

He loves me?

He stalked me for three years and snuck into my room at night?

What else did he do?

Did he really care that much?

He couldn't be that bad could he..? I mean...if he saw all of that and decided kidnapping was the best idea he wasn't well but he still cared right?

I felt tears prick in my eyes and I started crying again. He frowns and starts fumbling around for something to say. I pull him into a hug and he seems shocked but happily hugs me back with a happy sigh. I felt wanted for once, by someone that wasn't my sister. I know it's strange, but, I was sort of happy he kidnapped me for the moment. I felt wanted. He didn't want me to get money or anything. He wanted me because he cared.

After I finally calmed down he took me to his room and helped me get dressed, leaving to make me some food. I looked around his room from the bed and smile at how different it was from the rest of the house..so much more colorful. The pale blue curtains with the same black embroidery as the royal blue sheets. The lavender walls were so beautiful. The different furniture all matched the rest of the rooms color perfectly. I was amazed at how pretty it was.

He came back in with a bowl of soup and a glass of milk and sat down in front if me with the bowl in his hands, setting the cup on the nearby bedside table. I got to reach for the bowl from him but he shakes his head.

"Here, I'll do it, okay? You're still weak from going a week without and I want to make it up to you." He says soothingly. I nod, not willing to argue and let him feed me.

"Why do you care so much?" I ask him once done with the soup. He puts it on the table and hands me the milk and I take a sip, watching him and waiting for an answer.

"I don't know. I just...saw your face and...fell." he says, a blush creeping to his cheeks.

I nod then remember something. "You stalked me for three years...how old are you?" He looks down and twiddles his thumbs with a guilty look on his face. Oh God, was he, like, thirty?

"I'm 24..." he says sheepishly, not looking up at me. Oh my...he's six years older than me. That means he was twenty one when he saw me.

"Six years..? Isn't that... weird? shouldn't you be going after other people that are more around your age?" I ask, setting the cup down and leaning my head against the headboard with my eyes closed. He heard him sigh and he came closer, leaning against the headboard beside me. I peeked an eye open and looked over at him.

"I just...fell in love with you. I had no choice, it just happened." He says and smiles over at me. His smile slowly fades and he leans closer, his eyes slowly shutting.

He was going to kiss me.

And I was going to let him.

His lips lightly brushed over mine and I feel something burst inside me. His lips press harder against mine and he moves closer to me, his hand snaking up to my cheek to hold it.

My senses come to me and I jump up from the bed, face the color of a tomato as I shook my head and crossed my arms.

"Valen I'm sorry." He says quickly, standing up to come over to me. I shake my head frantically and run from the room, slamming the door behind me to slow him down as I run to the front door and open it. I run out as fast as I could, looking around for anything but seeing nothing, no one. I kept running though.

"Valen come back!" I hear Braden yell from behind me. I shake my head and pump my legs faster. Tears were streaming down my face as he chased after me. He was fast, easily catching up on me in my frail and weak state, and tackling me to the ground. I kick and scream and writhe, trying to get out of his grasp to no avail.

"Valen stop!" He yells and I do. I give up, whimpering as I cried. I felt like a baby crying like this but I couldn't help it, I felt so lost. How could I just let him do something like that? And like it?

No, I didn't like it. I could never like it and I won't ever like it. He can't just do stuff like that and I will never feel like he feels for me. I don't want to be his friend, boyfriend, husband, lover, nothing! I want to go home!

But I don't...

I don't want to to go home.

When he's nice he isn't that bad, he's sweet...and he's kind of cute.

No!

What am I thinking? I have to get out of here!

I will get out of here.