Attraction

27.

The air returns to my lungs and I stand up from the table with shaking hands. Regina looks confused and worried, I don't know what to say- I don't know how to speak anymore. All I can do is gasp for air and silently pray I find my voice.
  "Willow? What's wrong?" Regina sounds urgent. She takes my hand and gently squeezes it as if trying to bring me back to reality. I shake my head from side to side.

                "It's him. It's Dylan, there never was a Liam. He never existed." I breathe. I'm too stunned for words.

This means that Dylan flew to Forks, and somehow got my number, he knows where I am. So somehow he managed to find me even after all of this time.  
I knew those phone calls were terrifying, and I considered them to be someone doing sick pranks, or maybe even a freakish coincidence in some way; when it first started I had my suspicions though I never actually thought it could be Dylan.
Maybe a part of me wondered it in the back of my mind, but I choked it up to just being paranoid and never having dealt with the trauma he caused me over the years. I never thought this would actually happen again, and I never even imagined Jessie was dating him.

"Who? Who is Dylan?" Her urgent voice plays through my ears while my eyes scan the table in front of me.

"I'm so sorry. I need to get home, I need to leave." I abruptly apologize shaking my head. As I go to exit the coffee shop, my hands begin to tremble from the anxiety that starts to flood through me. When shaking hands I grab my keys and head for my car, at a quick pace with heavy breathing I quickly unlock my car and sit inside as I turn it on.

My breathing isn't calming and it's uneven, I feel as if all the blood as left my face. I'm terrified.
For the last month ALL of this has been Dylan, he started dating Jessie pretending to have a different name and somehow managed to get my number— Right? I'm not just losing my mind from the trauma of this, this is what happened.

I pull out of the parking lot and begin driving, but I don't know where to go after I get to my apartment- could I really even guarantee my safety? What about Paul? What about his safety? If Dylan even knew I was in a relationship with anyone other than him—I don't even want to imagine what he might do.
How can I protect Paul? What can I do? The police aren't going to do anything. Dylan was always so careful, he never broke any laws and he always made sure to cover his steps. Part of me feels like pulling over and throwing up but I keep driving until I reach my apartment. I get out of my car as the fresh rain begins to pour down on me. I quickly run to the steps up but not because of the rain, I'm just utterly frightened over what I've discovered tonight. I quickly unlock my front door and shut it as I lock it behind me.

The soft scent of roses fill the air and the soft sound of jazz music surrounds me in the apartment, the place is only lit from a nice glow of the lighting of the candles, rose petals are sprinkled out around me.
Paul always knows what to do even without knowing I'm having a bad day. I just want to fall into his arms and cry, I want to be held and told everything is going to be okay.
I want to go to La Push and feel his warmth again- I just want him. A small smile plays on my lips—everything is going to be okay. I'll tell Paul that we have to get away for a few days until I can figure something out about Dylan. Maybe I'll move apartments. But I'm not leaving Forks, I'm not leaving Paul. I slowly make my way down the candle lit hallway of rose petals.

       "You have no idea the night I've been having. You're so sweet to do all of this, I really appreciate you." I call out as walk into the candle lit bathroom.

The bathtub is filled with rose petals, water, and bubbles. There's a glass of champagne and a plate of chocolate covered strawberries. I smile to myself and I remove my clothes and sit in the steamy warm bath, I take a sip of the champagne and eat one of the chocolate covered strawberries. How did I get so lucky?