The Puppet Master

Chapter 3~ Boy at the Window-

"Well, I don't know what you expect me to do Lizzie." I sighed, twirling a piece of hair around my finger, rolling my eyes. 

"Stay away from him!" She chided over the receiver.

"Obviously!" I exclaimed, "I'm not going to go running into his arms." I sighed, "I don't want him around me and I'm going to avoid him at all costs. I don't know what you don't understand about that." 

"I'm just worried Grace." She explained, "I just want you to stay away from him." 

"I know." I told her, much more softly, "But I will. Just trust me on that. I want nothing to do with him. He's trouble. Everyone knows that. I promise, I'll stay away from him." I assured her, and I meant every word I said. 

"Alright..." Lizzie agreed hesitantly, "I have to go, but I'll talk to you later okay?" 

"Okay," I nodded, "See you later." 

Sighing, I hung up the phone, laying down on my bed, a dizzy feeling in my head just at the thought of the curly haired boy. He had a reputation, one that sent chills down your spine, shivers along your arms, he was bad. He was the person you would hide your wife and daughter from, someone who sent people into tears with a simple look, the person people cowered away from, a presence that screamed 'danger'. 

Groaning, I rubbed my temples, squeezing my eyes shut in aggravation. Why couldn't he leave me alone? Why me? Surely he could find someone more willing. But no, he chose to terrorize me. That night at the bar, he made it crystal clear he wasn't done with me. 

It had only been two days since that night and since then he had left me dozens of messages, all of which I ignored and refused to respond to. I had a feeling he wouldn't tolerate that for very long.

His messages scared me, to put it simply. Some of them were seductive and suggestive while others were sweet and kind, on another page there were some that were threatening and terrifying. Hints of bipolarism lurking in the irregular patterns. 

Thump, thump, thump. I jumped and whirled towards the sound coming from the window. Hesitantly, I edged forward, nerves spinning in my stomach, my heart nearly pounding out of my chest. 

Slowly, I drew back the blinds, flinching when I saw who was outside the glass. With a smirk on his face, Harry pulled the window up himself, seeing my horrified expression and frozen state, he took advantage of it and barged right in.

With wide eyes, I stumbled back, desperate to put distance between us. He chuckled, the smirk on his plump lips widening. "What's the matter angel?" He stepped closer, "Surprised to see me?" 

In my haste to move away from him, I had mistakenly pushed myself right into a wall, and he wasted no time in pushing his body right against mine, effectively keeping me right where he wanted. 

I whimpered and shoved at his chest, trying to keep him off of me. With a small chuckle, he grabbed my wrists in his long fingers, easily pinning my hands to my side. "None of that now Grace." He smirked. 

Glaring into his glinting eyes, I  desperately tried to pull away from him, but he easily kept me in place, not straining in any way.

Turning my attention away from struggling, he shoved me against the wall harshly. Whimpering, I looked back up at him with wide eyes. "Stop doing that." He growled. 

"I-I'm sorry.." I whispered, shrinking away from him quickly. He hadn't hurt me much, but it stung a bit, and he showed just how easily he could injure me if he wished to.

With the fight now gone from me, he let go of my wrists, knowing that I wouldn't fight against him anymore. "You've been avoiding me." He whispered, brushing his finger tips along my jaw, causing chills to rise on my skin. 

Avoiding his eyes, I looked away, not sure how to respond, it was obviously true, and I couldn't deny it, not that I would lie anyways. He grasped my chin in his hands, forcing me to look up at him. "I want to take you somewhere." 

I frowned, "It's a school night." I told him, shaking my head, "I can't." 

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Haven't you ever let go, even once Grace?" 

"I can't!" I objected, I have to have good grades so that I can get some kind of scholarship. Otherwise I won't be able to afford to get into college, money was always an issue, hence my two jobs, the one's my parents should have, but don't. I wasn't going to tell him that though, it was personal, it was my life, and I didn't want him involved in it. 

"Why not?" He asked, a smirk playing on his lips, knowing that he was headed into personal territory. 

"That is none of your business." I told him firmly. 

His smirk was gone in an instant, his eyes darkening and narrowing quickly, "Everything that has to do with you is my business." He growled possessively.

My confident facade wavered, and I shrunk back once again, "W-what?" 

He chuckled, "Don't you get it Grace?" He asked, his long fingers curling around my upper arms, "You're mine." 

His face was suddenly too close to mine, his emerald eyes watching me carefully, full pink lips twisted into a smirk, his nose skimming against my own, his curls nearly brushing my skin. I couldn't move back and he only continued to move forwards.

With wide eyes, I shook my head, "I-I don't belong t-to you." I countered weakly. 

Chucking, he pulled back slightly, "So naive." He smirked, his thumb and pointer finger coming up to lightly caress my cheek. 

"I'm not naive." I objected quietly, flinching back from his touch, to which he ignored. 

He chuckled, "You should just learn to accept it Grace. It'll be better that way. Think of everything I could do for you. You could quit both of your jobs, escape your parents, come with me, and I could care for you, provide for you, pay for anything you'd ever need."

His offer was tempting, handing someone a plentiful future on a silver platter, but I didn't like him and I couldn't be around him for a moment let alone a lifetime, and I couldn't be bought, I was my own person, and I couldn't and wouldn't belong to him. 

"Go to hell." I snarled, pushing him off of myself, making his smirk disappear quickly. 

I expected him to yell and scream at me, hit me and shove me, but he didn't. In fact, anger flitted across his face quickly, and was gone in an instant, his evil grin reappearing as if it were never gone. 

"Disobeying me, ignoring me, swearing." Harry listed off, placing a hand on my hip, "You've been a very naughty girl Grace." 

I looked up at him with wide eyes, all of my fear rushing right back to the surface as he spoke with condescending confidence. 

"And naughty girls get punished." He continued, leaning in closer to me, pressing his body back up against mine, growling huskily he whispered, "And I know just the punishment for this little girl.