Taken // h.s

Kidnapped again?

I curled up on the couch, wrapping my blanket around me. Ava and Laney were on the loveseat beside me. It was a Friday night and we had decided that we needed some girl time. With the TV remote in my hand, I pressed the play button.

The Little Mermaid started to show on the screen and I took a sip from my water. It would be all about princess movies tonight. The microwave beeped, letting me know that the popcorn was finished. My blanket was tossed off of me, rumpling to the side. I hurriedly poured some into three bowls for each of us.

My friends took their snack and turned to me as I sat down. “So,” Ava spoke, talking over the movie. We always ended up doing this. Not even watching the movie, but gossiping instead. “Have you ever dreamed of having a prince charming?”

I watched as Laney’s expression perked up. “Duh. All of the time. But I guess I’ll just have to settle for Ross right now.”

Ross was her boyfriend. They both giggled, then turned to me, waiting for my answer. “What about you Ronnie?”

Of course I had dreamed about having a prince charming, someone who would love me for who I truly was. But I didn’t want to tell them that. They would laugh in my face. After all, I was the friend that nobody cared about.

I nodded slightly. “Sure.”

They both turned back towards the television, entranced in the movie. Ariel was currently singing about all of the items she owned, but she wanted to be human most of all.

I woke with a start. I was leaned back in the front seat of Harry’s car. We were parked at a gas station, but he was nowhere to be seen. He must’ve been in the store and I must’ve fallen asleep on the way back home.

My dream made me think. At that moment in time, I would’ve never remotely considered being kidnapped. Or falling in love with my kidnapper. I guess you could say that Harry was my prince charming. In a way it all sort of fit. He was Prince Eric, trying to find his way into my heart. And I was Ariel, trying to find the voice inside of myself.

A knock on the window startled me. Smiling, I thought of Harry and turned to the window on my side. Who I saw standing there was not who I had hoped from the beginning. In fact, I didn’t even recognize this person at all.

It was a boy. He had chocolate brown hair and light blue eyes that had little flecks of sparkling silver. His expression was neutral, although he did look like he was up to something. Something serious. His lips were stretched into a line and his eyes were narrowed slightly. I noticed another boy standing behind him. He had tousled black hair and deep brown eyes. His face was smooth despite the five o’clock shadow growing on his square jaw.

Before I could say anything, he opened my car door and placed a rag over my mouth. I flinched back, but it was futile. The boy’s eyes grew darker by the second. That’s when I realized I was being kidnapped.

Not again. Not again…

I squirmed in the tight hold he had, but I didn’t even think to scream. I was hoping Harry would come out any second now. But he never did. I took a huge breath and my vision went blurry. Not long after that, I passed out and the darkness consumed me.

Harry’s POV

I stood from a safe distance, watching Veronica talk with her friends. She was seated in a chair in the corner while her friends dirty danced with men they didn’t even know. They went up to her, trying to get Veronica to dance with them. I was glad she had said no. It would’ve made it harder for me to watch. The thought of another man’s hands touching my Veronica was enough to push me off the deep end.

I watched as she adjusted the tight dress she had on. Part of me was glad that she had worn it while the other wasn’t happy at all. I liked the dress on her, which meant other men would too. It hugged her in all the right places. I smirked at the thought.

Then, she spotted me, eyes locking with mine. I didn’t look away. Neither did she. We held the gaze for a good long while, until she finally looked away. My heart thumped in my chest. I couldn’t wait until she would be with me.

She rose from her seat and walked to the snack table, grabbing a bag of Chex Mix and a Dr. Pepper. I huffed a laugh. I followed a good distance behind her as she went down one hallway to find some place she could eat in peace. Her expression cringed as she opened one door. I didn’t bother to look in there.

Finally, she went outside. And I thought, this is my chance. Grabbing the chloroform soaked cloth from my pocket, I went out of the opposite door. I sneaked around the edge of the house until I heard the rustle of the bag of chips opening. I stepped forward so that she was in my sights. She looked startled, so I took that as my chance.

Grabbing her arm, I knocked her to the ground so that she was laying flat. I placed the cloth over her mouth and leaned down to her ear.

“Breath,” I whispered, trying to calm her. But I knew that wasn’t possible.

She squirmed in my hold, but I held tight. She would be mine. I would make sure of it. She inhaled deeply and the fidgeting stopped.

“That’s it,” I spoke and she was gone.

As I browsed the candy aisles, the memory of the night I kidnapped Veronica filled my mind. It was odd since it had been so long ago. My plan had worked perfectly and now she was in love with me. More importantly, we were having a baby. Or should I say twins?

I decided not to buy anything and headed out of the store. I stopped mid step and looked in the passenger seat. Jaw dropping; I realized that my princess wasn’t there.

She was gone.