In Real Life Imagines

Learn to Love Again

He's chasing me down a dark, empty street. The midnight sky envelops me like a blanket, nearly suffocating me as I bolt down the street. I can hear his footsteps getting closer and closer with each strong stride. I turn in an effort to escape but come face to face with a wall. I stop in my tracks, looking around frantically for some way to escape him. I hear a wicked laugh from behind me and whip my body around to see his silhouette, outlined by a single flickering light on the brick wall to the left of us, walking towards me slowly, menacingly. My heart seems to leap from my chest. Thump thump. It gets louder and faster with every step he takes.

"Please!" I cry. "Please don't do this! You're drunk! Just go home!"

He just laughs again and grabs my wrists pinning them against the wall.

 "Just be good." He growls in my ear. He unzips my jeans and-

My eyes shoot open and I sit up swiftly, beads of water dotting my forehead and neck, my hands shaking violently. It was all a dream. I take a deep breath realizing my heart is pounding hard against my chest. That nightmare never fails to scare me every night. The sad part is, it really happened.

I glance warily at my clock. '8:30' I throw my blanket to the side and stand up, my feet hitting my hardwood floor with a small thud. I walk downstairs and into my kitchen to make some breakfast. A quick bowl of oatmeal with craisins in it; my daily breakfast. I quietly set it on the table to cool. I open my fridge to grab some coffee, but find that I have none left.

 "Great." I mutter to myself. I sit down and eat silently deciding I will grab Starbucks on my way to another crappy day of work. I work for a hair salon, but all the customers that come in are very rude and cranky all the time so it makes my job a living hell. I finish eating and put my bowl and spoon in the dishwasher. Walking back upstairs, i head for the bathroom to shower. I close my eyes as i step in, letting the hot water wash away all my worries. I get out and wrap a towel around me and walk to my closet. I pick out a denim dress with a brown belt around the waist and a black scarf. Changing quickly, i walk back to the bathroom. I dry my hair and put it in a high pony tail, pinning all my hair back except a few pieces, which I let hang to the side. I brush my teeth then step back, smoothing down my dress. I sigh and walk out to my bedroom to grab a pair of shoes. I pick a pair of brown leather heeled ankle boots.

By now its 9:30 and I have to be at work by 10 so I grab my phone and some sunglasses and head out the door. I have to walk to work because my brother stole my car for his tour in the Midwest two years ago and he never gave back. I live in LA, and it's generally mid 70's  all the time outside so I don't mind the walk.

I begin my walk, throwing on my sunglasses as i do. I walk into the Starbucks five minutes away from my flat and wait in line to order. If the guy in front of me hadn't had a small blue light glowing on his ear, I would have thought he was talking to himself. He has a blue tooth piece in his ear and is talking rather loudly so I hear his whole conversation. 

"Why would he do that? What is wrong with that boy lately? I just don't understand it. He needs to meet a girl so that maybe he will change his attitude. I dont know, someone who is kind and caring and pretty because then maybe he will actually listen to her! Otherwise I have no idea what to do! Alright we will talk more when I get back with the coffee. Bye." The guy hits a button on the blue tooth piece and orders. 

"Five cafe mochas and a latte." He hands the cashier a $20 and then steps to the side to wait for his drinks. I step up to give my order. 

"Hi Raelynn." The cashier says politely. 

"Hi Parker. How are you today?" I reply giving him a warm smile. Parker and I went to school together in junior high but went to different high schools. He started working at Starbucks a year ago and I come at least twice a week so we've become good friends again.