Stockholm Syndrome // sm

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"There's someone at the door for you." I heard my mom say happily. "I'm sure you'd love to see him after so long."

"Him?" I asked and then stood up, my eyebrows furrowed together as I pulled my hoodie around me. I walked towards the front door and then stopped as I saw a familiar face standing there with a bundle of roses and a Sephora bag.

"Jenny?" Harry asked as he saw me. He immediately ran up to me and I kept my arms to my sides as he hugged me tightly, planting a million kisses all over my face. "I missed you so much babygirl! I'm so glad you're okay. God, it's been hell without you."

"Yeah?" I asked numbly, anger flaring up in my veins as he nodded. "Missed me enough to start dating another girl huh?" I was quick to cut to the chase.

"What?" He laughed out. "Dating another girl? Jennifer, where's this coming from? I've been here with your family waiting for the police to tell us they've found you, or whoever hurt you."

"You're a liar." I snapped, taking the flowers from him and tossing them on the floor. "I saw you with another girl and the mall a little bit before Christmas! You had your arm around her and everything!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." He dismissed, attempting to reach for my waist. "Babe, you know I'd never do that to you."

"I saw you Harry, don't lie to me. Just tell me the truth." I begged him. "Is she better than me? Funnier? Prettier? Nicer? More understanding? Does she give you all the time that I didn't? It's like as soon as I disappeared, you were ready to date again."

"Jennifer!" My mom snapped and grabbed my arm. I ripped it from her grasp and shook my head. "Don't accuse Harry of such foolishness!"

"Don't tell me what I saw! Don't tell me what to do!" I yelled at her before turning my attention back to Harry. "I saw you with another girl! Who is she?"

"I came by to give you a gift and take you to dinner since things have been rough, but you're here accusing me of cheating on you." He scoffed, setting the bag down. "You're the one who had an affair with the guy who was holding you hostage!"

"He wasn't holding me hostage! He didn't do anything wrong!" I couldn't help but scream. "Do you guys not understand? He didn't do anything! He helped me!"

"Helped you what? Fall into some kind of stockholm syndrome situation?" My mom shouted. "Literally Harry came by to take you out, and that's what you need."

"I don't need you." I spat at the boy. "I sat in a room, alone and miserable, because I wouldn't be able to see you, only to find out you're dating someone else and probably didn't even care about me! Now you want to come to my house and lie to my face about it? Get out!"

"You're crazy! Hanna and I have nothing going on-"

"So she has a name?" I gasped and then ran a hand though my hand. "I hope you're happy with Hanna then! Take your roses and gifts to her because I'm through with you. Get out of my house!"

"You're psycho! You need help!" Harry accused as he picked up the flowers. "At least Hanna will accept these-"

"Just leave Harry! Now!" I bellowed, pointing to the door. "I don't want you in my house!"

He opened the door and then slammed it shut behind him as my mom gasped at me. "You're unbelievable! That's your boyfriend!"

"He's my ex. I want nothing to do with him. He's nothing to me now." I snapped and then ran upstairs.

"Where are you going young lady? I am talking to you!" She yelled at me and I shook my head.

"I'm going to see Shawn." Was all I said since he was finally allowed visitors and sitting inside of a jail cell as he awaited his trial.

-

"Hey Mendes," I smiled softly as I saw him, sitting in a chair and dressed in orange. "I missed you."

He tried to stand up, but he sighed sadly when he realized that his cuffed hands wouldn't allow it. "I missed you too." He murmured and I walked up to him, giving him a tight hug.

"Are you alright? You seem upset..." He noticed and I nodded as a security guard barked at me that our hug had gone on long enough.

I let go of him and then sat on top of the table in front of him. "My mom is giving me a hard time, and Harry stopped by. You can just guess that things went south real quick." I informed him and he nodded.

"I'm sorry to hear." He frowned and I shrugged. "If it helps, as soon as I get out of here, I'm going to take us as far away from here as possible."

"We had that plan, look where we ended up." I reminded and he nodded, his head hung low. "It's a wonderful thought though."

"I just wish this had gone another way. I couldn't think of anything else to do." He stammered, looking up at me with watery eyes.

"It's not fair. This isn't how it was supposed to happen." I whispered and he chuckled humorlessly.

"It is though." He sighed right after and then forced after smile. "At least you're free."

"Am I really?" I asked and he gave me a confused look. "Am I really free when you're locked away and my own house feels more like a jail cell than yours ever was?"

"Maybe you just need to readjust to a life without captivity." He joked and I shrugged. "Can I ask you something?"

"Mhm."

"My... My mom came by the other day... she said you two talked. What was it about?" He asked me and I smiled smally.

"You got to see your mom?" I asked and he nodded. "Did she bring Aaliyah?"

"She's with her? They're both here?" He asked in shock, his eyes watering. "Aaliyah is in town with her? Is she okay? How is she? I bet she's gotten so much bigger than when I last saw her. I bet she probably has a boyfriend now, and is stressing over school."

"She's beautiful." I admitted. "She talked about you a lot. She misses you even more than you miss her."

"Oh god, I doubt that." He chuckled as he tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair. "I really doubt that. I haven't seen her since she was tiny, really tiny."

"Maybe she can stop by soon." I suggested as I held his hand, my thumb running over his knuckles. "Maybe I'll bring her someday."

"Please." He begged and I nodded as the guard told us we only had a few more minutes. We ignored him however.

"Your mom and I just talked about you, what you like to do and all that." I finally answered his question. "She asked about us aswell."

"What did you say?"

"I told her you're a wonderful pianist, and the best person I've ever met." I recalled and his cheeks turned pink. "I also told her we're... complicated."

"We are." He agreed and looked up at me. "We won't be forever though."

"I hope so." I breathed out and I smiled softly.

"I'm gonna get you out of here Shawn. You don't belong in here." I promised as I held his hand. "You should be free."

"Bella it's more complicated than that. A lot of things happened that you don't know about. There's more to the story than you think." He confessed and the guard said it was time for me to leave.

"What do you mean?" I asked as the guard stood by us with his arms crossed over his chest. "What don't I know?"

"More than half of the real story." He told me and I stood up off of the table. "There were things I couldn't tell you, Jenny-"

"Couldn't? Or wouldn't?" I asked, a sense of deja vu hitting me as he stayed silent. "Bye Shawn."

"Jenny, I'm sorry-"

"Save it, Shawn." I snapped, my bad mood coming back in a flash as I left the room.