Tough Love

Chapter Two

I know it's short and a little slow to get started. I have to try to get into it a bit before it gets more interesting. Please let me know what you think :)

Chapter Two 

I managed to make it through the work day without any great mishaps. I must have given off a ‘don’t come near me vibe’, as most people stayed well away from me. That’s totally fine with me. I’m not a fan of human contact and I don’t need friends. I’m happy to be on my own. Ok, so maybe ‘happy’ is not the correct term, but I get by being on my own. It’s better that way.

I didn’t step in my front door until 7pm. I had stayed to finish going through all the files on my desk. So I quickly had dinner, grabbed a shower and went to bed.

I slept fitfully for an hour or so, before I woke up screaming, covered in sweat. I stifled a sob, as I whispered, “Why can’t it just go away? I can’t keep doing this.” I suffer from nightmares, really bad nightmares. I think the scientific term is actually night terrors, but I suppose the name doesn’t really matter. I have been struggling with these for years now, and you think I would be used to them after all these years. I’m not, and honestly, I don’t know if I ever will be. They’re just.... always there.

I jumped out of bed, knowing that I wouldn’t sleep again, and I jumped into the treadmill. I could at least try to make myself tired, right? After running for a couple hours, I managed to grab another hour sleep before I got up to get ready for work.

When I stepped into the NYPD building, Elijah and Ash were walking in too. I silently groaned and prayed that they wouldn’t notice me. I tried to walk as quickly as my shaking legs would carry me. I cursed myself for being so scared of people. Luck was not on my side, it never is, as Elijah saw me. “Hey Danica. How are you this morning?”

“Fine, thank you, sir.”

Ash nodded at me and shot me a small smile. I whispered, “Morning sir.”

I made my way toward the stairwell, when both guys raised their eyebrows. Ash asked, “You wanna ride the elevator with us?”

I stared at the floor as I whispered, “I can’t, sir.”

“Can’t?”

“No, sir.”

Elijah noticed I was uncomfortable, so he asked, “Claustrophobic?”

I sighed, silently thankful for a get out excuse, and I whispered, “Yes sir, something like that.”

“I’ll take the stairs with you then. Ash, I’ll see you up there.”

I panicked, and the guys saw it in my eyes. Both thought it was strange, but Elijah wasn’t going to change his mind. He found my behavior intriguing, and he wasn’t going to pass up on this chance to hold a conversation with me.

I looked at him, taking in his appearance. He was tall, probably about 6’4” or 6’5”, he was tan and very handsome, with his green eyes and dark brown hair. I mentally slapped myself for thinking about how handsome he is. “Danica, you are here to work only. You don’t need friends, remember? Especially male friends. Stop it.”

Elijah held the stairwell door open for me, and waited for me to go through. I managed to whisper, “Could you go first please, sir?” I expected him to refuse and get annoyed with me, but he just shrugged and walked into the stairwell. I sighed again and walked slowly behind him.

“You sigh a lot.”

I squeaked a little and jumped. I wasn’t expecting conversation.

“Sorry if I scared you. I just noticed that you keep sighing.”

“Sorry, sir. I’ll work on that.”

“It was just an observation; no need to change on my account.”

I nodded absentmindedly, not quite able to figure this guy out. He seemed friendly enough, but I couldn’t trust that.

“So, Danica, have you been in New York long? You don’t have a Russian accent.”

“A while, sir.”

“Not much of a talker, are you?”

“Sorry sir.”

I saw a twinkle in his eyes as he said, “You’re an interesting character, Dani. I think we’re gonna like you.”

I didn’t get a chance to respond, even though I wouldn’t have known what to say, because we were at our floor. I was silently panicking though. I didn’t need him or the other guys trying to get to know me. I just wanted to be left alone.

I quickly got to my desk and started working, all the while I was a bag of nerves wondering if anyone else was going to start injecting themselves into my life.