STITCHES; SHAWN MENDES

4. Not alone

Authors note: The picture attached is Khaliya who is played by Olivia O'Brien. She's the girl that sings 'I hate u, I love u' with Gnash.

-----

Athena Coleman

I freeze in my place, my heart racing intensely. I stare into his dark brown eyes, frozen like a deer in the headlights.

I choke on my words. "I, I uh, what do you mean?" I ask him, my voice cracking in fear. He smirks, before picking up one of the pens on the counter and fiddling with it. He knows he has me trapped.

"Athena. It's okay. I'm not here to hurt you." He says, emphasizing on the 'you'. I feel chills race across my body. I can't let him get to Khaliya. I try to secretly sneak my phone out of my purse under the counter where he couldn't see it.

"She's not here." I say, trying to sound confident and intimidating. He just laughs before grabbing a lock of my hair and twirling it around his fingers. I freeze in my place, my phone tightly held in my hands.

"You're risking a lot when you don't tell me where she is, Athena." He says, not making eye contact with me. The waiting room is empty now and no one is around to witness what's going on.

"Like what?" I say, attempting to distract him with questions so he wouldn't see me texting Khaliya.

My fingers shakily drag across the keys, as I began to type out a message to Khaliya.

To Khaliya: he knows I'm lying, I'm scared

I see her type back but I'm unable to read it as Sam continues to interrogate me with questions. I look out the hospital entrance words, noticing it was almost dark outside. The sun was setting, making the sky appear pink and yellow.

"Sam. Please listen to me. I have no idea why you need to see Khaliya but I'm telling you the truth. I asked the others and they said she was fired earlier this month. I haven't talked to her in for--" I start before I'm interrupted.

"Cut the bull shit. Tell me where she is before you and her end up getting hurt." He says, no longer smirking but giving me a death stare.

I trust my instinct that Khaliya would be smart enough to have hidden somewhere in the hospital or even left through the back exit. I push back the fear growing within me and get up my spot. Sam towers over me, as I stare into his eyes.

"Follow me." I say, at a whisper. He regains he smirk, following me into the surgical hallway where Khaliya worked. I push past the thick doors, the smell of rubbing alcohol hitting me. I look back at Sam occasionally who stared at me the whole time we walked.

We finally arrived at Khaliya's room with the golden plague titled 'Assistant K. Kings'. My hand shakily goes to the bronze door knob, prepared to open it.

Please don't be in there.

I place my hand on the door knob, my heart beating out of my chest. Sam watches me in suspicion, the hospital lights flickering above us. Chills go through me as I slam the door open, the brightness of the room making me squint.

My eyes scan the whole room quickly before letting out a breath of relief. She wasn't in here. I turn around to look at Sam, his face in confusion. He steps farther into the room looking around at everything and opening cabinets and boxes. He claws through multiple files, carelessly throwing out important papers onto the tiled floor. He appears frustrated as he turns to look at me, his eyes wild with rage.

"Where does she keep the morphine?" He asks, looking for the small orange bottle of the strong liquified drug. I step onto a chair, opening the highest cabinet revealing all the strong drugs stored in a locked compartment.

I pat my pockets, looking for my key to open the cabinet. I feel tears prickle my eyes as I stick the key into the lock hearing the familiar click signaling that it had opened.

I turn back to look at him. "How much do you need?" I ask him, like an idiot. I didn't want him to scream at me for not giving him enough after he'd seen all the drugs we kept hidden from the patients and the public.

He taps his foot against the ground, thinking. He runs a hand through his faded hair, before shaking his head. "Only one." He says. I pick up the small bottle, my hands shaking as I gently give it to him.

I lock up the container before closing the cabinet and stepping down from the chair. I breath in heavily, the room silent as we stand there. I open up the door, praying that someone was out there that could help me.

There's no one out in the hallway. I close my eyes in silent frustration. All the staff members were probably in the ER, and it was getting late so most of the assistants probably left. I wondered where Khaliya was. She wouldn't have just left me in a dangerous situation like this, I thought to myself.

Sam begins to speak, following behind me. "It's for my sister, she's sick. Khaliya used to help me get the drugs she needed, but some things came up and she stopped giving me them. I don't use them for my benefit." He says, shrugging. I stay silent but nod.

"What's your relationship to her?" I ask whispering. "We used to go out but she knew about my sister and how sick she was. She offered to help out and started giving me morphine, which helped out a lot. But like I said-- things came up, with my friends and family-- and she called things off. But I really needed the morphine this time. My sister is barely on the edge of living and I have to help her in any way I can." He finishes, his voice cracking. I just nod as we finally make it back to the waiting room.

"You can't call the police." He says, back to his intimidating self. I blink back tears as I nod. "I promise I won't." I say, sitting back down in my usual place as he watches me. He silently thanks me before leaving the hospital.

I let all the tears I held back out. I sob into my hands, frightened of everything that just happened. I take out my phone, remembering to read the message from Khaliya that she sent earlier. I realized she had sent more texts that I didn't hear earlier.

To Athena: Athena?? R u okay?? Text me back!! I'm in the back of the medical room next to mine

To Athena: Athena, someone just walked into the room. I'm scared. Idk who it is. Send help if you get this. They're looking for something but I can't see their face because the lights r off

To Athena: call 911

To Athena: Athena help he's called my name

To Athena: Khaliya's not available anymore.

My whole body freezes at the last text that obviously wasn't from Khaliya. Somebody else was here.

Authors note
Next chapter will have some Shawn action so sorry about that but this is important to the plot!! Remember to vote and comment.