Falling For My Captor

Chapter Thirteen

-Alice-

The envelope spun between her fingers while Alice sat on the front porch, waiting for the rental car to show up. She'd found this envelope on her dresser this morning. The moment she'd seen the envelope, she'd wanted to explode. Kyle had invaded her privacy yet again. Somehow, he'd gotten into her bedroom and left the intolerable gift. What made him think that was acceptable? She probably would've been more uncomfortable and creeped out if it weren't for her boiling rage. She'd never been so angry in her life. No one had ever gotten to her like this.

Although she was dying to open the stupid envelope, Alice refused. She believed that opening it would give Kyle what he wanted. And she was tired of playing by his rules. It was time for him to step onto her playing field. So the envelope remained sealed.

A spunky red Ford sedan whipped into her driveway, followed by an Enterprise van. Alice stepped off the porch to meet the rental car employee halfway between the driveway and the house.

"Hello," the older man greeted with a clipboard in hand. "Your mother already filled out the paperwork. You just need to sign the dotted line so we have evidence you are the once receiving the vehicle."

"No problem." Alice signed where needed.

"Perfect." He took the clipboard back. "Turn the vehicle into any Enterprise when you're finished and you should be good to go."

Forcing a smile onto her lips, she nodded. "Thank you."

"Have a good day!" The man handed the keys over to her before heading back to the company van that waited for him.

"You, too," she replied.

After the van had zipped off, Alice walked up to the rental. It looked new and nice. She hoped it had a nice stereo system for the drive, because it would take a few hours. Another sigh left her body as she eased behind the wheel. The sedan hummed to life. Her eyes stared out of the windshield a for a moment.

Bye, Kyle. Wherever you are. Please, leave me alone.

She wondered if that was really what she wanted. Would she be better off if Kyle never spoke to her again? Never left another envelope? Frankly, she probably would be better off that way. Life would be simpler that way. Yet the gaping void in her chest refused to go away, and she couldn't help but feel it was connected with Kyle.

So would her life be better without Kyle?

Probably.

But did she want a life without Kyle?

No. Not really.

-Kyle-

She was leaving. The thought didn't come as a surprise to Kyle. He knew she'd have to return to college soon anyway. The only reason he'd driven the extra hour to take her to her parents' house rather than her dorm was because he knew how worried her parents probably were. Even if part of him was still glad he'd taken her, he didn't like the look on parents' faces when he lied to them. He wanted to impress them. That was a new and annoying sensation.

Kyle trailed behind Alice's rental, making sure he was always too far behind for her to notice. With each passing mile, the nagging guilt swelled ever higher. He should leave her alone for a few days. She must've been pretty mad since she'd refused to open his card. A shame, too, because he thought this card was quite touching.

Nonetheless, he had work to return to. Alice wasn't the only one with a life here. While the farm hand could take care of his farm in his absence, the boy certainly could not teach his classes.

Kyle's heart beat restlessly in his chest. He didn't want to leave her. No, he never wanted to be separated from her again. But ethics suggested he should let her go. At least for a little while. Besides, he could still send her letters. He knew her student post office box and he knew she checked it daily, always hopeful someone had taken the time to mail her something.