Nineteen

Chapter Twenty-Eight

I'm screaming before I even know what I'm doing. One week into my college career and I'm led down an alley by a stranger in a new place.

"Stop screaming!" He still has my mouth covered.

We're barely around the corner and yet nobody notices what is going on.

I grip my eyes together as hard as I can, I can feel tears begin to form in the corners.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he says.

Why me? Out of all people?

"I'm going to uncover your mouth now, but do not scream."

He's using one arm around my body to hold me when he lets go of my mouth.

"Please," I whimper. I'm crying now.

"I just want to take you home," He says, like I'm suppose to believe him.

"No."

He uses he now free hand to grip my face, "Yes." His eyes are hazed over and I can tell he isn't going to take no without hurting me.

"Okay," I agree.

"I'm going to let you go, we are going to walk in the street to my car, if you scream, I will hurt you." 

"Okay," I say again.

He lets me go and I use my hands to wipe tears from my face. 

He grabs my shaking hand and we begin to walk.

I can't feel my feet as we walk down the street. I'm scared for my life and I can't even begin to think of what I will do next. There are so many people around, I could scream for help, but would they help me?

As we get through a small crowd, I see Collin looking around and checking his phone.

He is here to pick me up.

He's about 30 yards in front of us, he doesn't see us yet, and I'm afraid he wont.

So I do it.

"Collin!" I scream and try to break free. He looks up at me right as the stranger takes my arm and pulls me into another alley.

"What did I tell you!" He shoves me to the ground and I don't even try to muffle my cries.

"Collin! Collin!" I scream and cry, all at the same time.

My arm is on fire and I'm afraid he's hurt it, but I'm too scared to check it. He kicks me in the back. I scream again.

He steps on my arm after I let out the last scream.

The pain is horrid now, and I whimper as I screw my eyes shut.

Right as I begin to scream again, the stranger is tackled to the ground.

I open my eyes to see Collin on the man, punching over and over again.

The man happens to connect with his jaw, only slowing him down slightly.

Collin is hitting him and the stranger doesn't try anymore.

"Collin, you're going to kill him," I whisper.

He stops right as someone pulls him off. "What the hell is going on?" The bystander asks.

"Piece of shit," Collin says as he kicks the man on the ground one last time

Collin slides his arm under me and lifts me from the ground.

He doesn't say a word as he carries me to his truck across the road. Everyone is looking and asking what happened, but he doesn't flinch at them.

He puts me in the seat and I manage to sit up. My back is hurt, but nothing like my arm.

He gets in the drivers seat and looks at me. His eyes are black.

"What they hell are you doing here alone?" He snaps.

I widen my eyes, "who are you to tell me?" 

"He was going to take you! Do you not realize how bad that could have been!" He slams his hands on the steering wheel.

"I think my arm is broken," is all I can find to say.

He doesn't say anything as he pulls out and starts to drive down the road.