The Love of a Stranger

Taken

We sat on the sofa watching some TV. When the adverts came I muted it and turned to face Dan.

"I need to tell you something." I started.

"When I went to see Cathy earlier, she was completely off her nut. She told me the reason. Do you remember Jack telling us what happened to Cathy and her boyfriend? Well apparently he had been treating her really badly but she just couldn't let go of him. He took advantage of her and started using her as a weapon, and the reason she targeted us was because...I spilled coffee over him." Dans eyes widened.

"Him?!"

"Yeah, small world eh?" I tried to make myself smile but on the inside I was crumbling to pieces. I could describe Dan as being a X-Ray, always sees straight through my poker face, or maybe I was just terrible at hiding my emotions.

"Hey, hey, if he ever dares to show his face I'll just say that his shoes don't match and he'll go running." I laughed, I could just imagine him doing that. Dan enveloped me in a hug.

"There's that gorgeous smile." He whispered, God he know how send shivers down my spine and turn my stomach into a professional gymnast.

"Come on, it's getting late, let's get to bed." I released from his hug but he pulled me back.

"Have you ever done an all-nighter?" Dan asked raising his eyebrow.

"I've tried, but I've always failed. Why?" He didn't reply, a smile spread across his face, ear to ear. He ran into the kitchen and grabbed drinks and snacks and jumped over the back of the couch and crossed his legs. He patted the space beside him suggesting that I joined him. I accepted his invitation and jumped onto the couch beside him.

We did our best to stay awake the whole night but it was 5 in the morning when we both eventually fell asleep. I comfortably lay on his chest and listen to his beating heart while I felt his body gently rise and fall repeatedly for the whole night.

"Wakey wakey" I heard someone whisper in my ear. I moaned while I kept my eyes closed.

"Lauraaaaa." Still, I kept my eyes closed.

"I know you're awake."

"I don't care." I mumbled. He slid himself out from underneath me and left me on the couch.

"Aw I was really comfy." I complained.

"Well now you know how I felt when you left me on the couch the other day."

I scoffed. I sat up rubbing my eyes completely unaware of the time.

"What time is it?" I said yawning, stretching my whole entire body.

"It's like half 1 and I have to be down at the studio for 2 so I'm going to go for a quick shower." I nodded my head and off he went. After 10 minutes I had made my tea, had something to eat and got dressed. What was I to do now? I was thinking about getting a job so it would pass my time. Dan came out still with half wet hair that was pointing in every direction possible.

"Dan do you know anyone that's hiring right now? I think it's time I got a job."

"Sorry no but if something pops up I'll let you know, right I need to head to the studio, have a good day beautiful." He kissed my forehead and went out the door. After he left, I smiled to myself like a complete lunatic like the teenage girl inside me was.

I spent hours upon hours searching on the computer for any jobs available in London, I found a couple but the pay was shit or it wouldn't suit my condition. My life was heading into a dead end. Right now I was relying on Dan and if anything were to happen to him, it would be the end of me.

I ran out of milk so I walked down to the corner shop. On my way I walked past what was left of Cathy's Cafe. I sighed remembering the danger me and Dan were put through and it almost brought me to tears but I shrugged them off and kept walking. Having bought the milk I decided to take a different, longer route back. I led myself through the park but I must of took a wrong turn when I headed into the dodgy part of London. Houses had limited space and were either boarded up or had smashed windows, gardens were filled with weeds with barking dogs violently trying to escape the leads they were attached to. I was starting to feel anxious not knowing whether to turn back around or keep going. I decided to turn back.

"Where do you think you're going?" I voice behind me asked. I gulped down and started shaking.

"Home." I whispered.

"But I thought your home burned down..." As soon as he said this I immediately knew who it was, and it made my heart beat rapidly in my chest.

"Scott I presume?" I turned around and I met with that terrifying face again.

"Oh so I'm famous?" He sniggered. I scrounged my face up at him and continued walking back down the street desperately wanting to get away from Scott.

"I wasn't finished talking to you." He shouted behind me, his footsteps following me.

"Well I was." God just go away. He caught up to me violently grabbing my shoulder turning me around to face him. I could smell the alcohol in his breath and the tobacco stench from his clothes.

"Don't get cheeky with me you brat."

"Let go of me!" I said through my teeth desperately trying to escape his grasp. He was too strong for my weak body and he dragged me further down the street, the completely opposite direction I wanted to go. I fought back, kicking and screaming as hard and as loud as I could, nothing worked. I went to the extreme where I even bit him...maybe once or twice. I knew it was disgusting but there was no other option.

"STOP BITING ME YOU SCANK." He slapped me with his heavily tattooed hand. The rings he had on his fingers cut my face...again. He led me to the last house on the dead end street and kicked down the door that was nearly coming off its hinges, this was probably what Cathy went through. He shoved me into the living room and I fell to the dust covered floor. The dust had made it's way into my lungs and made me wheeze and cough. I started to take short, sharp breaths because that's all my lungs could take.

"Don't count on your little boyfriend on coming to rescue you, he probably doesn't care that you're gone. You're just a waste of space." He spat on me and slammed the door, locking it, closing the door on my hopes.

A/n: Hey guys! Thanks so much for the reads! I can't wait for you guys to get onto the next chapter, sorry if this one is really shit and short....