TRAPPED✅

FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Edited

When I get downstairs, my bag slung over my shoulder, ready to leave him for good, I remember he told me he is scared of me leaving him. Somehow, I doubt that. He does everything that makes me want to leave him. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him sit down with his head buried in his palm. As I am about to open the door, he shoots up and runs towards me. He grabs my arm.

"Please don't leave me! I'm so sorry."

"No, Don, you need time alone to think on how to treat me. Well, that's if you get the second chance," I say.

"I've been alone long enough. Please, I need you. I promise to treat you well," he begs. I can find some truth in what he was saying, but I am not ready to be his puppet again.

"No, Don, we need time apart."

"OK, how about you stay here, and I stay in the guest room?"

"That won't work. I mean time apart without seeing each other."

"OK," he states, "I will make sure I do everything ahead of you. That way, we won't see. I just can't live with the thought of you not coming back."

I think about my options for a moment, finally giving in to his wishes.

"Fine, and make sure you keep your promise. I don't want to see you, okay?" I warn, and he nodded, smiling.

"Thank you very much." He carries my box back into the room, taking some of his clothes and toiletries along with him to the guest room. I hope I have not made the wrong decision.

***************************************

I wake up feeling extremely happy. I finally know how to get Don around my fingers. I just want him to tell me what is going on with him. I go about my normal morning routine, heading downstairs afterward. Just like Don promised, he isn't home.

"Where Is Don?" I ask during breakfast.

"He went out quite early. It seemed like he was in a hurry," Betty answers, and I smile. He actually respects my conditions. That's one step.

Ben takes me to school, as usual.

"Are you kidding? He begged you?!" Sheldon exclaims after I tell my friends what happened.

"Yes," I reply.

"Nala, don't let this get in your head, okay? You don't want any more drama," Keiran adds.

"Why can't you just flow with us?" Sheldon teases and he smiles.

"Fine, I'm just saying Nala shouldn't put him under much pressure. I mean, him having to worry about the fact that she is going to leave anytime soon," Keiran explains.

"How is that bad? I think it will just help make him value her worth" Willow speaks up.

"Can't you see what I'm talking about? If he worries too much he won't trust her around guys alone because he will always think she is going to leave him anytime soon," Keiran says, and Dash nods, agreeing with him.

"OK, guys, thank you all for confusing me. See you later," I interrupt, and they all laugh.

"You're welcome, see you later," they say in unison.

After school, my ride comes in quite early. Well, not like I am not happy. Strangely, the driver of the car doesn't get down, but I don't mind. I enter the car, and I turn to see Don.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I ask furiously.

"I know I broke the rules, and I am so sorry," he explains. "It's just that I need...." He suddenly grabs the sides of my head and claims my lips with his own. I react immediately, shoving him off me.

"I'm sorry, I needed to clear my head," he says.

"Really, Don? I am now an object you pick this moment then the next, you discard. You need to respect me if you want this to work." I swing my hands back and forth.

"I'm sorry,"  he says quickly, and he moves to start the car. Suddenly, he stops and turns to face me.

"Who gave that to you?" he asks, pointing at my neck. I am confused for a while, and I decide to touch my neck. I realize I haven't taken the locket Jordan gave me off.

"Jordan," I say.

"That boy again!" he exclaims, starts the engine, and speeds off in a rage.

Immediately we get home, he starts to rant.

"What the fuck am I not doing right, Nala? What makes you pick him over me all the time?" he questions.

"See, Don, it was a gift from a friend that cares about me more than my supposed mate cares about me," I spit out, and he flares up.

"I should have seen this coming. The space you said you needed; it was really only for you to go sleeping around," he says.
That is it.

"What is your problem exactly, Don? I won't tolerate you calling me names or disrespecting me. Jordan is just a friend, and you are scared because you know he treats me better than you do or ever will," I argue.

"Nala, I know you two have a past, and you still love him, don't you?"

"Don, I still have a soft spot for Jordan, but that doesn't mean I can't create a space for you too. But no, you are here being unnecessarily dramatic."

"I know you like him. Now tell me, Nala, did you sleep with him?"

"Are you kidding me? You hover around me all the time; I don't think I've lived freely."

His face softens. "Nala, I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. I overreacted. It's just a gift, and I shouldn't have acted that way," he said.

No, Don, you need to tell me who the fuck this lady is." I show him a picture of the lady that confronted me in school the day before.

"Oh errrrm...Kim.....she is just a friend," he stutters.

"Friend," I repeat, "are you sure?"

"Yeah.....but...we had sex a couple of times, but trust me, it meant nothing."

"Trust you? Are you kidding me, Don?"

"I swear, Nala, it was- it-"

"Then why did she show up at my school telling me about how you were about to mark her before I came into the picture?" I ask him the question that has been bothering me.

"That's true," he confesses, "but I didn't want to. I was forced by my parents. Kim means nothing to me, please believe me." He moves closer to me and  I give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Thanks, Nala, I don't deserve this, but I'm happy you gave me the chance to prove myself to you," he whispers.

"The pleasure is mine," I reply. His lips meet mine in a kiss, but this time, it isn't forced. I can feel the heat; our lips move in sync. We snuggle into each other's arms, falling into a deep sleep together.