Compulsion (loosely based off of TVD series)

III.

The banging on my door wakes me from my comfortable slumber.

"COMING!" I yell, tiredly. I quickly pull on some lounge pants and walk to my door.

The pounding continues, and the longer they knock on my door, the louder the throbbing in my head is.

"Goddamnit, hold on." I reach for the knob, twist the lock, and swing open the door. Nothing. Not a single person, anywhere. My eyes fall in defeat, but not before they catch a glimpse of a single lavender rose, laying under the rose, is a small hand written note. The note is smaller than a business card. "meet me in the alley, eleven pm. -I"

what. the fuck.

Ian? He knows Nina and I are friends, and I thought they were working things out. I don't know if I should even go. I mean, I've always liked Ian as a person, he is a really great guy. And come on, we've all looked at him and just though wow. But Nina is my friend, and I don't want to jeopardize our friendship.

This is going to be on my mind all day.

I quickly grab some clothes for work, walk into my bathroom, and shed my clothes for a shower.

I've almost finished my shower, with everything except the conditioner in my hair when I hear the familiar noise of my ringtone. I let it ring through to voicemail, hoping they may leave one, but that tone doesn't go off. So I finish, and step out to grab my phone. *unknown number* again? Baffled by all of the weird things that keep happening to me, I can't do anything but brush it off and focus my mind on work and this Ian thing.

An hour and a half later, I'm repeating my daily routine at Scoops and then off to open the store. My mother won't be coming in this morning, so it will only be Jess and I. She will walk the tours, and I'll stay to watch the store. We may switch, but either way, I will be by myself with the store. Can't wait.

It's a slow day. Most of filming is on the sound stage, so none of the cast has been around. Nina texted me that her and Kat were coming over to my apartment when they wrap up with filming. Which isn't until around 2 am. Atleast the shop is closed tomorrow and I won't have to worry about my mother calling me at an ungodly hour.

We've had three or four customers come in, but no crazy amount of shopping was done. About 3:30, I see Ian walking near the clock tower, seemingly arguing into his phone. I watch him take sharp breaths and clench his fist. I can see that he's not paying any attention to where he's going. And his body collapses off the curb, face first onto the pavement. I laugh, but then realize he isn't getting up. I round the desk and run out to meet him on the ground. Once I near him, his face turns up to peer at me, and he winks.

"I noticed you starring, had to get you out here somehow." He laughs, but it shortly transforms into a cough. I stick my hand out for him and pull him to his feet. Gently, I lead him into the back of the store.

"Are you okay? You're really scratched up." I brush a stray hair from the cut on his forehead.

"Yeah, will you help me clean this though? I have to go back to set later." He smiles up at me and I only nod in return. Afraid to speak up and say the wrong thing.

I start towards the bathroom to grab the first aid kit and a cold rag. Quickly, I wash any dirt from my hands and head back to where he is.

"Ready?" I ask, holding up the items and my apologetic smile. He nods slowly and closes his eyes. When I press the cold rag to the cut, he winces and reaches forward to grab around the back of my thigh. I twitch in shock but I don't move his hand. The warmth radiates down my entire leg, reaching my toes and making its way back up. He reaches out with his other arm, and snakes his other hand around my opposing thigh. My breath hitches in my throat, my hand freezes on his face. His hands gently squeeze my thighs and I exhale loudly before I continue to disinfect the remaining scrapes.