Arsonist's Lullaby

Chapter 3 - Sam

I woke up with a gasp, covered in sweat.

The nightmare. It felt so real.

I shivered as I remembered the man latching himself onto me and the feeling of dread consume my body after I fell and hit my head.

My head throbbed as I tried to sit up and images flooded my mind in flashes.

I was walking around town - I couldn't remember why - but I remembered a party, throwing up and an angry phone call.

But from who?

I remember feeling angry at someone- I think it was a girl- and wanting to go for a walk to clear my head.

Then the attack and Jesse.

Trying to remember anything before that was like hitting a brick wall. A huge, never ending wall that stopped me from seeing what was on the other side. No matter how hard I tried,  it felt like I was throwing myself into void of darkness but not being able to get untangled from it every time I tried to push through.

I could still smell the alcohol on the man's breath, his scent invading my nostrils and his bulge rubbing against my crotch as he pinched my breasts. I was so scared, I thought I was going to die from the way he was chocking me as he ripped off my dress.

Feeling disgusted, I felt my eyes start to water and stomach churn.

"I'm going to be sick." I groaned and started to dry heave on the rather nice and soft looking carpet.

After five minutes of my throat burning and nothing coming out, I shakily stood up and took a couple of deep breaths.

I had to talk to Jesse. I had to go back home or figure something out.

In the middle of my strategizing, I heard an awful wailing coming from outside my room and jumped in surprise.

I slowly walked out and noticed that the wailing was coming from the bathroom. Taking a step closer, I accidentally stepped on something cold and hard and bent down to find a small red iPod. I couldn't help the curiosity that I felt and pressed buttons, starting to go through his music. I didn't realize I was smiling so hard until I felt my cheeks ache and giggled at the fact that he had every single Taylor Swift album, including the country ones.

"Cause I knew you were trouble when you walked in // so shame on me oh now // Flew me to places i'd never been// Now i'm lying on the cold hard ground // Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble // Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble!"

I couldn't help but giggle at Jesse's horrible singing and every time the chorus would come I laughed even harder at his really bad high pitched voice.

I was too busy laughing that I didn't hear the water stop or notice the door opening until Jesse stood there with a towel wrapped around his waist, one hand leaning on the door, the other holding a toothbrush in his mouth.

"I'm glad you find my singing amusing." He rolled his eyes at me, speaking through the foam of Colgate in his mouth.

Embarrassed, I straightened up and cleared my throat feeling myself slightly start to blush.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to laugh." I smiled apologetically.

"Yes you did." He snorted spitting into the sink.

I laughed again earning me a lopsided smile.

"Why Taylor Swift though?" I asked with a curious frown.

This time it was his turn to blush.

"My sister listens to Taylor Swift and she plays it here sometimes so it sort of, you know just fries itself into your brain." He mumbled with an embarrassed shrug.