The Girl In The 21st Floor (Lauren/You)

Chapter Twelve

When I woke up it was the middle of the night, and the world around me was spinning. I sat up abruptly and looked around me to find myself back in that dark street in SoHo. My body was covered in bruises, my legs were bloody. My hands dirty and my hair a mess. I looked to the side to try and find Lauren, but she wasn't there. But I wasn't out here alone.
He was here too. Hovering above me. A devious grin gracing his lips as he inched closer to me. Each step he took, was a piece of clothing he took off of his body. First his shirt, then he unbottoned his pants and pulled them down. And as he did so, I inched closer and closer to the wall, trying my best to stay as far away from him as I could.

“Please, don't do this.” I begged. “Please don't hurt me again.” I cried. But he kept getting closer.

It didn't matter what I did, he wouldn't stop. And then he was right above me, he kneeled down in front of me and touched my face. His greasy hand sliding up and down my cheek slowly, and I could only whimper.

“Please. Don't.” His hand then slid down my throat and pressed hard against it and suddenly all air stopped going into my lungs and I started chocking. I tried taking his hands away from me but he was too strong and I was running out of air.
But then, all pain was gone, I didn't feel  anything anymore. He was still holding me but I couldn't feel it. I didn't feel his hands on my throat, or the weighht of his body pressing against mine.
I looked up at him, my eyes lazy, and I could make out the shape of his face. I had stopped struggling and it felt good to let go.
My body fell limp and my eyes closed, as if I was going to sleep. Forever.

I sat up in bed abruptly and looked around me. Lauren was laying beside me in bed, her hand resting on my hip. And I sighed.

“Baby, it's okay.” She said groggily. She sat up on the bed and rested her hand on my back as to try and soothe me. “I'm right here.” She said and I nodded eagerly.
“I'm okay. I'm fine.” I told myself.
“Yes, you are. Everything is okay.” I nodded.
I laid back down on the bed and held her hand.
“Lo?” I called. She hummed in response. “Will you hold me?” I asked lowly.
“Always.” She embraced me from the waist and kissed my shoulder blade. Her hand holding mine firmly, in a conforting manner.
I looked down at our joined hands and smiled.
“Lauren?” But she didn't answer. She must have fallen asleep. “I think I love you.” I whispered.

The next morning...

I woke up wrapped in Lauren's arms, from where I never wanted to leave. I felt eyes on me and looked up to see Lauren smiling down at me.

“Have you been staring at me this whole time?” I asked.
“I might have.” She shrugged and I rolled my eyes, laying my head on her chest. “How are you feeling?”
“Drained.”
“You held onto it the entire night.” She said, holding my fist in her hand, where I squeezed tight to the piece of paper. She carefully opened my hand and took the card from it. She looked at it, then back to me. “Michael Cavanaugh.” She said out loud.
“And he's Irish. Great.” I mumbled.
“So?”
“My family is Irish too, kinda hard to hate him like that.” I grumbled.
“Oh.” I sighed.
“We need to get up. I gotta get the girls from my parents' place.” I said sitting up on the bed.

I got up from the bed and walked to my closet, putting on my dad's old college sweater. It went past my knees, so it served me like a dress. I tied my hair up in a bun and walked to the bathroom, when I came back to the bedroom, Lauren was sitting up in bed just looking at me.

“What? You're going to stay in your underwear all day?” I quirked an eyebrow. “Not that mind it so much.” I shrugged.
“Why are you acting like nothing happened? This is important.”
I sighed.
“Yes, it is. And it's also useless.” I said and started walking to the kitchen. “We tried this before and no one found him, why would they find him now?” I hung my head low, but picked it back up. “Like I said, useless.”
“But the police didn't know what to be looking for exactly. They thought they should be looking for an specific type of person, when they should be looking for someone totally different.”
“So?”
“He has to pay for what he did.” She exasperated.
“I know. But is his words against mine. He's a doctor. He has a freaking Phd. I'm no one. My dad could hire the most incredible laywers in the world and I would still lose against him in court, because he has made a name for himself and who would ever doubt him?” I sobbed lowly. “I mean, look at him.” I pointed back at the bedroom where we had left the visit card. “If the only thing you knew about him, was that he's a well known physician, would you ever think he would be capable of something like that?” I asked and saw her hang her head down and shake it slowly.
“No.”
“I wouldn't either.” I sat on a stool in the kitchen. “And no one saw it. It was just me and him. How am I supposed to prove anything without any eye witnesses? Just leave it, Lauren.” I opened the fridge and started taking the ingredients out so I could make us breakfast. I heard Lauren's loud sigh behind me, but decided to ignore it.

I started walking back and forth on the kitchen, preparing our food. I looked behind me to see Lauren already dressed and putting on her shoes.

“Where are you going?” I asked.
“To go get the girls from your parents' place.” I smiled and nodded.
“Don't be long. Breakfast will be ready soon.” She nodded and walked up to me kissing my lips quickly before leaving.

Lauren's POV

I walked to the elevator instead of walking down the hall to Mr and Mrs Y/L/N's loft. I rode the elevator to the floor Dinah and I's rooms were at and walked straight to her door. I knocked three times. But when no one answered, I knocked three more times.
When the door finally flew open I walked right in, not giving Dinah any time to say anything. I looked around searching for the one person I knew would be here. And soon she came out of the bedroom, Dinah's sweatshirt covering her body until mid tigh. Her hair was messy and she was rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
I forgot how early it was. But oh well, since I'm already here.

“I know who he is. And I need your help proving what he did.” I said looking straight into her sleepy eyes, that flew open wide at hearing what I had just said.

Hey guys
I know it's been a while. And honestly I've had this chapter ready for a long time, but I was just trying to get the next one ready so I didn't have to worry. But it's been harder than I thought.
And I've been working like a dog every day. But I was able to get some other short stories done over the weeks and I'm so proud of them.

Again I'm sorry for not posting and leaving you all waiting.
But again I ask for help because this shit is hard and I haven't had the time to think about a way to move this story along.

I luv u
See ya later (whenever that is)
-B