The Criminal's Girl

Chapter 10

We approached the cinema, Xavier’s arm wrapped tightly around my waist as we entered through the double doors, bought our tickets from the clerk and fetched ice cream and popcorn. Making good time, we arrived inside the cinema for the ‘Hunger Games’ just as the adverts blurred to life.

“Where do you want to sit?” I whispered conspiratorially at him, leaning my body into his.

Xavier smiled wolfishly at me before entreating quietly, “The back.” He smirked as he led us up the stairs of the huge room and sat down in two seats closest to the wall, out of most people’s line of vision.

We split the food between the two of us, Xavier taking the popcorn as I hated the stuff and I taking the phish food ice-cream into my lap. I’d insisted we purchase a large diet coke with two straws and dared Xavier to say anything. With only a cocky grin etched in his features, I’d leaned into his face and teased: “Pussaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy...” earning a weird look from the cashier at the till.

As we settled into our seats, Xavier grabbed my ankles and lifted my legs so that they were lying across his lap. I leant my head against his chest and his arm encircled me.

About 2 and ½ hours later, we emerged from the darkened room, and I’ve got to admit, I hardly remember a single thing that happened throughout the entire course of that movie. Xavier had kept me distracted from 10 minutes in when he asked if I could share some of the phish food with him.

Smiling, I nodded and dug out a spoonful from the cup and guided it towards his mouth. At his clever smirk, I frowned at him, wondering why he hadn’t opened his mouth for the spoonful.

“Not quite what I meant, Angel,” he grinned and kissed me instead, his tongue sweeping the interior of my mouth, tasting chocolate and marshmallows as I returned his kiss with equal fervour. From that moment on it was literally downhill, the majority of a critically acclaimed film missed for two hours of non-stop tonsil-tennis.

We exited the cinema hand in hand. I was wrapped in his jacket, and he in turn, had his snapback pulled low over his face so that only I could see his eyes. I asked for the reason and he just simply replied, “Better safe than sorry.”

“I’m just going to go grab the bike and bring it round, okay?” Xavier informed me, kissing me on the cheek as I nodded.

“Okay, see you in a few,” I finger waved and walked over to a little off the curb, an alley leading in behind me. I shivered a little in my skirt and wedges, the jacket not really helping my legs stay remotely warm.

I breathed into my hands and rubbed them together, before humming a song to my favourite lullaby I’d learnt when I’d been practising what I was going to sing to my dolly when I was five. “Oooh, time makes you bolder, children get older, and I’m getting older to-oo,” I sang the chorus to ‘Landslide’ and swayed softly, not noticing the dark figure slither out from the shadows of the alley and yank me back against the damp wall.

Shrieking into his palm muted my cries as I struggled against my assailant. His sweaty paws were clumsy and hefty, tugging at my clothing and roughly groping my body as I tried to wriggle free. I could smell alcohol on his breath when he bent his mouth to my neck, “What’s a pretty-Polly like you doing out here all alone, hmm?” and I shot still in terror.

He taunted me, leering at me distastefully as the clarity and serious danger of the situation started to sink in... I’m not getting out of this one, I thought, my mind panicked and desperate, this is how it ends. This is now murderers get rewarded, I’m going to get my karma the same way Clive Jones and Linc Joseph got there’s...

Tears were streaking down my muffled face as I moved, frantic to get away as his sweaty but equally powerful hands grappled and travelled up my thighs and beneath my skirt. I gulped and froze, my body stoic and motionless as I went into a state of shock. My eyes were squeezed shut then suddenly, I felt the weight being lifted clean off.