11th too late ✔

viii/ Ball of emotions

Sometimes I wonder what I must have done in my past life for life to treat me this way.

I swear, now I'm feeling sorry for all the food I stole from mom's kitchen past midnight. Or the time I sneaked James into my room so we could make out and he would dip his hands inside my panty.

Okay, I'm only sorry for that one because he was a terrible kisser and he sucked at tickling the skittle.

But I'm sorry anyway!

I quickly disrupt the call with a hand on my chest while it heaves in pure frustration and fright.

Okay, so Harry's a hacker, who's also a stalker and that always end up in him being a serial killer. According to the movies.

Paris had noticed my demeanor and she quickly leans forward after her call ends, her eyebrows knitting together, "what's wrong b? Is it the fifteen year old kid again?"

I look her in her brown eyes, my grey ones growing wide. I'm fidgeting in my seat right now and I am lost for words.

My lips quiver as I am about to answer when a call comes in again, I shake my head and stand up from my seat, taking off the earpiece and running to the bathroom.

Where in the World could Paris have found such a person?

I look at my reflection in horror, again, being hit with a sudden sense of déjà vu and clutching my hands to my heavily beating chest.

Paris joins me, placing a delicate hand of comfort on my shoulder as her face reveals her immense worry for me, "Champagne, what's wrong? Talk to me." she breathes, her usual flair for being loud gone.

I release my hands from my heaving chest and they shook incessantly, out of control. This is one of the reasons I hate horror movies, because I can't control my body's unpleasant reaction (sometimes I even pee my pants.).

Paris gasps a little and turns me slowly around to look at her, then she covers my hands in hers, holding them in place, "Breathe," she instructs, "inhale through the nose and exhale through your mouth, slowly, very slowly."

I do as she says, breathing in slowly through my nose and exhaling through my mouth. I try it a couple more times and find myself a little bit relaxed, then I nod my head in approval that I'm slightly calm now.

"Tell me." she pleads with her eyes, which have gotten a little moist.

Paris might be a loud mouth sometimes, okay most times. But she cares immensely for the ones she loves, right now I'm in that position.

I open my mouth to talk but tears start their parade down my cheeks. Shaking my head and sniffing, I try breathing in through my nose and exhaling through my mouth again with difficulty.

"I-it's Ha-rry," my voice breaks from holding in my cry, making my chest go up and down like I'm chest break dancing, "he....he c-called and he said he fin-finally f-found me."

She furrows her brows and wrinkles her nose, "who's Harry? The guy who proposed?"

I nod my head like a little child and sniff, "he...he said he's a hacker, now he...he's stalking me!"

Paris gasps, her eyes widens and she pulls me in for a hug, running her hand up and down my back for comfort.

"It's okay, it's okay." she soothes, "What else did he say?"

I sniff again, "nothing, I ended the call."

"Alright, we'll have to inform the police about it." she sighs, "this could be dangerous."

"Meanwhile," she continues, "why don't you take the day off? I'd just fill in for you the best I can hmm?"

One more reason why Paris is the best friend ever.

"But," I sniff again, "I can't just leave, what if he's lurking around somewhere, waiting to kidnap me or something?"

Paris heaves a deep sigh, "okay, that's a valid point. Just don't receive any more calls for the rest of the shift alright?"

I nod against her shoulder, feeling a little better from the comforting embrace.

After work, we went over to the police station to file a complaint against Harry and not much to our surprise, he is already a wanted criminal.

He had once been part of a heist, two years ago, robbing a jewelry store and carted away jewelry worth an estimated amount of a hundred million dollars. They already caught his accomplices, but he was a tough nut.

I was warned to avoid being alone and they were going to find a way to get him. I hoped so, because my insides are freaking out like crazy.

Paris took me to a coffee shop, and ordered iced teas for the both of us, saying it would help ease the tension. She also assured me that the police would catch him for sure and it'll be all just another nightmare.

"I'll step outside a little, need to take a breather." I inform her, she nods with a smile while waiting for our orders.

"Be careful okay?"

"Thanks."

I go outside and take in a deep breath. I bite my lip and shake my head, I need to take a walk and think everything through because it's all so overwhelming.

While taking a walk, I feel an odd presence behind me and look back, but who am I kidding? There are people on the street, it's just my paranoia doing it's work.

So I ignore the hunch and keep walking, facing downwards and losing my concentration of staying alert. When suddenly, someone's calloused palm plasters over my mouth, while an arm presses against my stomach, pulling me closer to whoever it is forcefully.

Dragging me into an alley, where my fate now lies.

•••

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.

A not so loud Paris is a different side of her that I'm sure you all love now. And a scared shitless Champagne is a different side that I'm sure you all pity and care about.

This is to show the other sides of our lovely characters, and I hope you loved it.

What are your predictions for the next chapter?