Chapter 16

I've always thought that I don't have a good concept of time, but I think that is an understatement. As time goes on I seem to loose grips on it even more so. I've become lost since I've gotten here, I'm not sure who I am anymore or why I'm here.

All I have is myself and a mirror, and the changes that my body seems to be making of my appearance.

Each physical change that happens brings a psychological one as well. Parts of who I was being erased inside and out, makes me wish I had someone to ask. My memories have subtracted to minimal amounts, and I know I won't have them much longer.

"My name is Neah Michaels." I continued to repeat over and over again like a broken record.

Hopefully that being something I won't forget out of all of this. A pain rides through me as the artwork on my body begins to fade all over. A burning sensation is left where they once were. The green color is slowly fading into an ocean of an ash blonde color mixed with red.

If only everything were clear enough to understand.

Chapter 15

Once more the cloth covering my face is yanked off, as for we were changing locations once more. My eyes are faced with a brightness that made my eyes water, as I cover them.

"Stop moving." Ashton demanded as he kicked the truck door closed, before leaning over to let me down from being held. He quickly pulled me behind the truck and turned me to face him.

"If karma ever comes back around to me for all of this, please don't take my actions personal,"
Not really focusing on what he was speaking of, my attention turns to the surroundings. There is a hospital behind him,  there is bound to be some kind of law enforcement there. A smirk washes over my face, as I move to take action.

"Allow me to say the same." I state dryly as I knee his nether regions and flee. The pavement burns the soles of my feet as I run, reaching the door of the building. I quickly enter and run to the receptionist desk.

The woman sitting behind the desk is startled as I start yelling.

"Please help me! I've been kidnapped, Those doors need to be locked!" My eyes rest on Ashton as he pulls the doors open. My heart sinks as I turn to the closest hall and run, before somebody catching me. In my state of panic I scream, as I look up to see its a doctor.

"Ma'm, Are you alright? What's the meaning of this?"

"Please, he's after me!" I scream as I struggle to get him to release me.

Ashton rounds the corner smiling, locking eyes with the doctor. He locks his arms around me and pulls me to Ashton, allowing him to get a hold on me once more.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? He kidnapped me!" I yell trying to break free once more. Studying his face, he smiles. Reaching into his pocket he pulls a syringe out, and bites the cap off.
"Nothing is wrong with me, you just got somebody on the wrong team." He laughed as he stabbed the needle into my neck allowing the contents to travel through me.

Instant numbness washes over me as my vision goes black.

"Karen, you know nothing. This woman is nobody." The last words I heard warped in my head.

Opening my eyes, I'm greeted with what looks like a hospital room at the rehabilitation clinic.

This is all a dream.

Maybe?

Leaning up I'm immediately stopped. My eyes wander to the source. I'm strapped down to the hospital bed, I resume to studying my surroundings. My blurry vision was no help, but I was wrong. This isn't the clinic, it's somewhere else. A figure enters my range of view, I can't exactly make out who it is.

"What's going on?" I whisper.

The man turns and approaches. It's the same doctor from before, he motions his hands up as if he were calling someone into the room. He pulls out another syringe and pumps it into my neck. Another man enters the room and comes and sits on the side of my bed, the scent of cinnamon fills the air, and soon enough my lungs as I inhale. The numb feeling returns as my lids grow heavy, I feel his cold hands caress my cheek.

"I'll give you the life you would dream of, and we can be together." The words echoed as I fall out of consciousness once more.

"My child," The voice rang.

"You must not lose yourself. Keep hold of who you are as a person." My eyes opened to the source, to reveal an unfamiliar face highlighted in white.

"What do you mean?" Questioning the woman.

"Do not forget who you are, and where you came from. How you've grown in your short life, and the people you have met."

"I don't understand,"

"You do not have the time to understand, but you will soon." Her melody of a voice rang through my ears like and alarm, repeating over and over again. Reaching her hand out, she places it on my chest and pushes slightly.

Watching her hand disappear into me, a sudden sharp pain rolls through my body originating from my heart.

"Do not forget. Death has a recurring smell of a spice."

"What the hell d-" She squeezes he hand in my chest and my words are taken from me. The vision disperses as everything goes black, allowing a familiar feeling of numbness wash over me.

Chapter 14

The few hours dragged by as Adrian nearly lulled me to sleep with how much he was speaking of himself. Checking my phone once more, worry sets in as I notice the time. It has been nearly 30 minutes since Neah wrote me. She should have been home by now, I quickly text her asking where she's at and if she's okay.

Within a minute I get a text back.

From: Neah♥

Find some other whore to worry about. ;)

"What the fuck." The words seeped out of my mouth before I realized. Immediately a bad feeling rushed over me as I shot up from the couch. Adrian sighed with disgust before speaking.

"What's your problem? I was talking before I was rudely interrupted!" He yelled. Cutting my eyes to look at him, I shook my head at him.

"Something has come up, and I need to go look for somebody. I'm sure as shit not leaving you here, so you need to go." I insisted as I slid my phone back into my pocket. Turning around I picked my vest up, sliding it back on. Leaning forward quickly, I reach and pick up my keys off the coffee table.

My eyes wondered over the Adrian before I went to leave.

"Why are you still sitting, I need you out NOW!" I shouted at him pointing down the hall as the doorbell rang. My attention shifted from him to who just rang the bell. Hoping it was Neah, and it was just some kind of stupid joke, I'm let down as I look around the corner down the hall.

Rushing down the hall, I fling the door open to see a familiar face. A guy that I've been seeing Neah going to class with a good bit as of recent, Preston.

"Neah isn't here, and I don't know why you are." I quickly snapped as I stood in the doorway. Adrian stepped around me with lightning speed going down the steps to stand near Preston.

"I know she isn't, something bad happened and she needs help." He stated as he watched me, he shows no emotion. Stepping out I slammed her door, and got on ground level with him.

"What do you mean something bad happened?" Saying as I inched closer to him, he abruptly stepped back a few feet away from me.

"So we hung out and I went to help Josh with something, and she said she was going. So she hugged everybody and went back to her car. Only a few moments after she left to go to her car we hear yelling and a car alarm going off. Josh and I start running near it to see her being pulled out of a window, dropped, and then thrown over some blond guy's shoulder. We went running after her but we didn't catch up to him, he threw her in the back of a truck with a sliding door and took off." He quickly explained as he studied me.

Balling my hands into fists, I tried to find words.

"In my entire life, I have never met somebody so stupid. You let her walk to her car alone at this time at night!?" I yelled at him. " Do you not know anything?!" I continued.

"What do you mean?" He asked, remaining emotionless.

"For the past few months somebody has been fucking stalking her, and because you didn't do something anybody with a brain would do, she got taken."

Watching him, he looked really worried now.

"What can we do?" He asked as he look back to Adrian and than me.

There was a long pause, before Adrian spoke.

"I think I can be of service, but it comes at one condition."

______________________________________________________________________________

Neah's P.O.V

"You're kidding me right?" Spitting as I sit face to face with this asshat again.

"You talk too much, just be quiet." he stated before taking another sip of his beer.

In case you aren't following, remember the guy I took the drugs in the comic book store to, who went reaching for my goodies? This is him, Ashton, or should I say Asston? He disappeared from campus along with Alix and his new clown whore of a girlfriend. Though, surprise, surprise, they kidnapped me.

"I should hurt you for cutting me up." He teased taking another sip.

"More than you did trying to kidnap me?"

He laughed before replying, "Trying? Sweetheart, it was successful."

He stood up and stretched before sitting down in the chair behind him. He shifted his attention from me to his phone. Sitting up slowly a bit I tried to think of ways to get escape. My eyes catch sight of the needles on the table, a rush flows through me as I sit on my butt normally. My thoughts race as I come to a conclusion.

Sighing, I speak. " I'm sorry for being rude or annoying. I'm just kinda scared. The last time we met, somewhat left a scar on me."

He shifted in his seat as he sat his phone down.

"Well, I was really in need of what you were bringing me. You know how it goes, didn't intend to get so grabby though." He said blankly as he continued to down his beer. Noticing how he didn't even offer an apology irked me to make a snarky comment. I quickly composed myself before speaking again.

"It's fine I understand, I felt so sad after you disappeared though. I would love to get to know you." I say trying to emit whatever flirtiness I have buried deep inside me. Smirking at him, I move provocatively to reposition the way I was sitting on the floor.  He grins as he sets down his bottle of beer onto the table. He quickly gets up and kneels back down in front of me, shaking his head. He grabs my arm and yanks it up, holding it straight. Pulling out a needle, he jabs it into my arm, flushing it's contents into me.

"I've been watching you for months, you aren't fooling me with shit. Let's see how quickly we can flush away all the progress you've made." He hissed as he pulled the needle back out of my arm. Pleasure washed over me as tears filled my eyes, he dropped me back on my side.

"For somebody who is as hot as you are and seemingly smart, I'd figure you'd be able to present that better than you just did." He remarked as he returned to his seat picking up his bottle again. He leaned forward, placing his elbow on this thigh, and propped himself up. His mind was in other places as he watched me.

This familiar sensation rushed through me, causing euphoria and pain at the same time. His phone began to rang, as he searched through his pocket to find it. He put it on speakerphone and held it up by his face.

"Hey, it's getting hot there. Somebody is out searching kinda close. It's time to move her." The familiar voice registered in my mind. Alix..

"Gotcha boss, leaving in 5." He anwered right before hanging up. Tossing the bottle across the room, he once again got up. At this point I my cheek was laying in a small puddle of tears as he bent down and threw me over his shoulder. As he exited the building, I made my best effort to study my surroundings. All I could see, everything was blurry. Within moments I'm put into the seat of a car, and buckled in abruptly. Shutting the door, he went to walk around the front of the car. Getting in the car, he took off as soon as he could.

Chapter 13

Glaring at myself in the mirror I went over my outfit once again. Moving away from the mirror I locate my flats and slip them on. Tonight I'm going to the Halloween Festival with Preston, Aja, Tamora, and her brother Josh. Going to my shelf I grab my perfume, spritzing myself with it before putting it back. Hearing my front door open in the distance of my home, I exit my room quickly. The sound of two voices halt me as I come around the corner of the entryway of my home. My eyes focus on Lucian and who I can only assume to be his twin brother, considering their faces look the same.

There they both stood bickering back and forward, they didn't seem to notice I came around the corner to observe them. Pressing on, they both stopped and turned to face me. Lucian's seemed less than pleased, while Adrian's read the opposite. Adrian grinned at me as he leaned against my door that had been wide open all this time.

"Well, well, well, I see why you'd want to hide her away Lulu." He said as he approached me. Holding out his hand, he awaited me to place mine in his. Doing so, he planted a peck on my knuckle.

"It is so nice to meet you, Ms.?" 

"Neah Michaels." He quickly caught my last name. 

"Oh! You're Mr. Pierce's eldest daughter?" 

I quickly nodded, shifting my gaze to meet Lucian's. 

"So, tell me. How long has my brother bee-" Adrian started to say before Lucian knocked him in the back of his head. My eyes locked with Adrian as is frowned at him.

Adrian spun back around to face him.

He sighed as he rubbed his head, where hopefully a knot would form. My face grew hot as I shifted uncomfortably in my place.

"Must you always be so violent!" Adrian exclaimed. "So you wish she w-"

I abruptly cut him off, " I'll see you later, I'm going out with friends." 

I quickly squeezed between the two of them bolting out of the house. Cutting around the side of my house I quickly make my way to my car and get in. Reaching under the seat I feel around in a hole to find my spare key. After finding my key I start my car and make my way to the parking lot across the park that the festival is at.

Getting out my car, I lock it and shove my key into my jacket pocket. With my phone in my hand I feel it vibrate. I quickly unlock it and look at the message.

From: Lucian

I'm really sorry, I had no idea he would barge in and be so rude. Please don't take anything he said serious. He only does stuff like that to provoke people. 

Letting out a deep exhale I don't even bother writing back. Sliding my phone into my jacket pocket, I snap the buttons close so it won't fall out. Walking across the parking lot to the park, my hairs stand up on the back of my neck as an uneasy feeling washes over me. Ignoring it I walk faster. Before I know it I'm in the park by the fountain. Searching for my group, my eyes catch them over by a claw machine game.

Running over there, I join them.

"Look who finally showed up!" Tamora sang as she smiled at me. I'm quickly hugged by Josh.

"Hey Ne, how have you been?" He asked with his cheerful deep voice. 

"I've been great, how about you?" I questioned as he released me.

"Been amazing, this visit has gone over very well." He said as he moved over to Aja and squeezed her hand. She smiled at him before kissing him on the cheek. 

This entire time Preston had been focusing on the claw game. 

"So who wants to hear what just happened to me when I left my house?" 

 In sync everybody answered me, and I shortly began to glaze over it. 

"I honestly thought he was just kidding about having a twin brother, because sometimes he gets really sarcastic. I'd just figured somebody from his family would be nicer though."

Preston let out a sigh as the stuffed animal slipped through the claws of the machine.

Preston once again picked up the bear, "Well that's Lucian for you, nicest sardonic bastard I've met."

"You've got that right." Tamora said as she moved over to look closer into the machine.

"But he's never usually like that around me?" Stating as I rubbed the back of my head.

"I think I was in class with his brother when I attended here a few years ago. From what I picked up that guy is nothing but cynical. He even looked exactly like what Lucian does now at one point." Josh said as he rubbed his chin, before looking my way.

"I hope he's gone by the time I go back home. Lucian didn't like him being there any more than I did."

The bear slipped through the claws and fell back down into the piles of toys, resulting in Preston banging on the glass and shouting. 

"Calm down man, it's just a claw game. Those things are practically money stealers." Josh said as he stepped up and pulled him back away from the machine.

Moving into Preston's place, I slid my coins into the machine. In an instant I picked up the bear Preston was fishing for, and carried it over to the hole. Dropping it, everybody began to laugh except him.

Scowling at me he pointed, "I'm still going to beat you at another game!" He shouted, before grabbing my wrist and dragging me over to the skeeball machines.

Time flies as we play, at first he was winning. Then he started running his mouth and he fell behind a couple thousand of points.

As the game was closing to an end he wasted his last balls trying to get the high point holes, only to miss them. The tickets pour out of the machines, only my pile is a little bigger.

Preston pouts as he picks his tickets up. "Another day, I'll win." He says as he scoots off to the ticket counter to cash them in.

"What a sore loser." Aja mocks. I shake my head at her, before loosing myself in thought.

My memories wash back from when I was younger, how I'd go to the festivals at home. The first few years was with Dad, and then after that with Alix.  My eyes water as a shiver passes through me, instantly making me cross my arms.

"Come on Neah, don't fall behind." I'm called by Aja. Realizing my surroundings I run to catch up to them as they headed over to the pumpkin patch to pick out pumpkins. Aja, Josh, and Tamora were going through all of the vines look for the perfect ones. The cool fall breeze sifted it's way through the trees, and all the people attending the festival. 

The crowd wasn't too big tonight, there were at least a small handful of people. Sitting on the hay bale I watched my friends comb through all the pumpkins. I saw the interest in Prestons face drain away as Aja went over to the pumpkin he was going to pick. Sighing he shook his head.

Before long he came over and took a seat by me.

"Well it's good we have mutual friends. Maybe we can hangout in a group again?"

"Yeah, I had no idea you knew Josh and Tamora." I say laughing slightly.

"So let's talk about you."

"Me? Why would you want to talk about me?" Asking curiously I turn to face him more.

"Well tell me about yourself, for all I know you could torture kittens. Thus terminating the possible
friendship." He grins at me.

"Oh, why? You like kittens?" Trying to hold my face still, so I can look as serious as possible.

He begins to laugh making me break the face I was holding.

"Okay, I know you don't torture small helpless animals."

"It's not my preference, usually."

We continued to laugh for a few moments, before I glossed over just basic things about me and a small portion of my college life, not including drugs and Alix.

He paused for a brief moment before speaking.

"Well, that's certainly something." He said as he smiled at me once more.

Waiting, I watched him.

"Hm?"

"It's your turn, tell me about you."

He let out a sharp exhale,"There isn't too much, just some Nerd from Riverview who wants to be a journalist. Graduated at a normal time, started college a year ago. My birthday is in a few months, I'll be 19."

Before I could say anything Josh called him over, he appears to not be able to pick up a rather large pumpkin Aja wants.  

Going over to my group that was gathered around I decided to throw in the towel for tonight. I quickly hugged everybody and started my way back to my car.

I quickly shot Lucian a text telling him I'm on the way home to leave the door unlocked. Reaching my car, I began fishing my key out of my pocket as I moved to the drivers side door. 

Getting my key out I slip it into my car door and unlock it. As I pull on the handle, something is yanked in front of my face down to my neck. I'm abruptly pulled backwards to fall into the hard asphalt. My eyes lock onto the man as I look back. I reach up as fast as I can and proceed to scratch his face with my nails.   

He yells in agony as he lets go of what seemed to be a rope to touch the wounds on his face. Pushing myself off the ground I pull with the force of King Arthur to get my door open, grabbing my key in the process. Slamming the door shut I lock the car. 

My window shatters as the man punches through and grabs me by my hair. The car alarm sounds as he drags me back out of the car through the window. The jagged glass that was once my window cuts me as he lets go of my hair to let me fall on the ground. Trying to regain my strength, I pick up the biggest shard of glass that was left of my window and stab it into his leg. 

"You stupid bitch!" The man yelled as he kicked me. My car alarm was starting the draw attention, I could hear people yelling across the street. The man picked me up and threw me over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes. 

Sprinting away from my car, I look up behind us to see Preston and Josh chasing after us.

The man begin to slow down as I heard a large door sliding open. He threw me with all his strength into the back of the truck. Sliding, my head collides with the wall first. My eyes search to see nothing, as the door is slammed shut. 

I'm washed over with dizziness as I fad out of consciousness. 

Update!

So Hi all! I'm Shea and I'm the writer of this story. I'm making this post to inform that my posting may become a tad bit slower since I just started school, and ontop of that I also work 3 to 5 days a week. I will post when I can, please bear with me. Thank you!

~And also, if you got the chance to read chapter 13 the day before, let me warn it was a rough draft I posted accidentally!

Chapter 12

Sitting there listening to my teacher, I had to keep reminding myself to keep writing. Seriously I feel like I'm about to doze off. I knew keeping my focus would be really difficult, but this is slowly killing me. Jokes aside, I think I'm going to end up having to ask to borrow Aja's notes to keep up.

My teachers were pleasantly surprised to see me make such a drastic change, though the teachers I got my classes changed to weren't too tickled. Though they have grown on me as I have them.

Adjusting the position I was sitting in I laid my head on my arm as I continued to write. Mr. Schmidt looked at me to make sure I was keeping up. Glancing at my watch to check the time it revealed we only had about 10 minutes left.

Time passes by too fast at various points but unfortunately this isn't one of them. As he began to wrap up I hurried to get the last things off the whiteboard that I haven't copied. My wrist and my hand began to grow tired as I finished the last sentence, setting the pen down.

Watching Mr. Schmidt, he began to collect his laptop and notebook. He started on the topics he would be covering for the next lecture in a few days. Sliding my notebook and pen into my backpack gave me the chance to stretch as I twisted back in my chair. This made me grow even more tired.

"Okay, I'm done here. See you guys in a few days!" Schmidt said as they ran out of the door.

All the students began to scatter as the ones for the next class poured in. Scooting my chair back I stood up.

Suddenly I feel something clash into my back as I'm launched forward into the desk. I try and move over before hitting the desk so I wouldn't fall into the guy who was sitting by me. Hearing female laughter follow told me everything I needed to know.

Turning my head I lock eyes with the guy sitting next to me, "I'm so sorry." 

Pushing myself back off the desk I turned around and I'm greeted by the air head wanna-be that has been harassing me since Luci moved in. Squinting at her, I start to speak before being interrupted.

"You know I might just have Lucian about the relations you see to be having with this desk, or your friend your friend you just purposely fell into."

In an instant I roll my eyes, letting out a light laugh. 

"You know Cathleen, even if I was in any type of relationship with him it wouldn't  be your business. There is still no need to harass me, but let me tell you something." Pausing for a brief moment I gave her the best shit eating grin I could.

"If you ever put your hands on me again, I'll snatch your hair out of your scalp so quick it boosts your IQ by chance."

I held onto the the grin as her friends started laughing. She was quickly telling them to shut up, and trash talking to distract from what I just said.

The guy I fell into pushed off the desk and stood up quickly, spinning around to face her.

"Maybe if you weren't such a psychotic bitch who didn't harass his friend, you could stand a chance with him."

Cathleen's face turned red as she scoffed, "For somebody who looks as much as a looser as you do, I'd keep your mouth shut."

He smiled before speaking.

"You know you kinda look like a bull, but I don't specialize in livestock."

Once again her friends roared with laughter, as the guy reached down and handed me my bag.

"This girl hasn't done anything to you, but I'm pretty sure you don't want her to. So leave her alone."
 Smiling at her, I then left the room.

Finding Aja right outside the door, I quickly engage conversation with her. Trying to distract myself from what just happened.

Before getting to speak she held up her hand, "You seriously need to just record it with your phone to back and see what you missed."

Smiling slightly I studied her expression. 

"Then I wouldn't have a reason to bug you though!"

She laughed as she pulled out her phone and started to send pictures to me. Receiving the images I looked at my phone. They are messages of her notes.

"I knew you were slacking so I went ahead and took pictures of them."

Aja is honestly the closest I've come to having a best friend. I have a few more friends along with her, but I feel she is the one that understands me more. Tamora is another one of my girlfriends. The common ground between us is that we all go to the gym together.

It's a neat system we have. Feeling down? You have 2 other people to pump you up. I know what you are thinking, "You can pump somebody up?"

Well not exactly, but I try. It's the thought that counts. I do bring up very good points about it at times though. Along with it all I eat pretty clean, but sometimes I have a cheat meal.

Scanning my eyes over the picture, I realize how my attention is elsewhere and turn it back to her.

"Neah don't sweat this, you are doing great. You don't have to be so uptight about studying and etc."

Exhaling, I slide my phone back into my pocket. Did I mention that I haven't told any of my friends about what I used to do? Nope, Maybe in the future I'll sit them down and tell them. Though I can't find a reason to tell them, It's not relevant to any them as far as I know.

Aja hugged me and turned away suddenly. "I have to go sweet cheeks, See you at the gym in a few hours." She yelled as she ran out the entrance to the hall to go to her next class.

Sighing, I adjust my backpack and proceed to leave. Exiting I'm greeted by the cool fall air, the sun, and the smell of the damp ground and dead leaves.  Going over to a bench near the building, I sit dropping my bag by my feet.

Pulling my phone back out of my pocket, I search for Luci in my phone and call him.

After a few rings I'm greeted by his voicemail.

"Well. Shit." I say to myself as I lean back into the bench. I turn my head as I hear footsteps approaching. It's the guy from class that always sits by me.

"Hi, I'm sorry to bother you, I was just wondering if you are okay? You were shoved pretty hard."
Smiling at him I nod.

"Yes, I'm just tired of her shit." I answer as I rub my face with my hands.

He laughs, " If it makes any difference everybody is, Including Lucian. He even went to the extent of telling her that."

Sitting down on the bench beside me, he sets his bag on the ground and digs around in there. Pulling out a phone he opens up his messaging app and shows me screenshots. It revealed Lucian's texts to Cathleen telling her to piss off.

Reading this made me laugh a little, shaking my head. "So you must be one of his friends?"

He quickly shook his head, "Not really, he just sent a mass text out to a bunch of guys telling us 'Crazy Bitch Beware'"

This brought an even bigger grin to my face, as he put his phone back into the back and zipped it up. Leaning back up we shared a gaze for a brief moment before we continued to speak.

"I don't think I've introduced myself, but I'm Preston."

"I'm Neah, I just want to say thank you for kinda sticking up for me back there."

He laughed slightly, " It's no problem, most of everybody on campus knows how she is. Since she enjoys making herself known."

We continued to chat for 10 more minutes before I got a text from Luci telling me to come to the parking lot closest to the Lecture hall.

"Well there's my ride, It was really nice speaking to you." I say as I get up, picking up my bag as well.

"Wait." He said, making me stop. He rubbed the back of his neck before speaking.

"I was wondering if we could hang out sometime?"

Smiling, I replied. " I can't see a reason not to, just let me know when."
Handing him my phone, he put his number in and saved it before giving it back.

"See you soon." He said as I walked away, waving at me. 

Moving onto a recent topic, I lost my keys, and I'm waiting for another pair to be made for me. Usually it doesn't take this long to get another set of keys. But the guy I'm renting the house from seems to like taking his time. I'm relying on Luci to let me into my house at the end of the day, though I could just take his keys from him.

Hearing the leaves crunch under my boots, I steer for a path littered with not as many.

Going back to another recent subject, The guy that called and threatened me. I've been receiving texts from a blocked number saying the exact same thing that the guy said on the phone. The only think I can really link it back to is Lucian's horde of fan girls using a voice changer from the phone call. As far as I know nobody is out to get me.

Lucian suggested that we report them to the police, but I highly doubt that they can do much. I can't see them going out of their way to track somebody down who hasn't physically harmed me and probably isn't going to.

As I reach the parking lot, I stop and survey for his car. Finding it, I walk briskly towards it. Reaching the car I go to pull on the handle but it's locked. He rolls down the window a little bit. Looking through I squint at him, and he's ear to ear with a silly grin.

"Stop playing, please" I say as I tug on the door. He unlocks the door mid tug, and locks it again before I can pull on the handle again. This continues for a couple more minutes before I manage to get lucky and open the door.

He's now laughing with the grin still glued to his face. After another few moments he calms down and stops.

"You are such a child."

"And what's wrong with that?"

I pause for a brief moment considering the question.

"Nothing, I suppose."

He shakes his head as he backs out to leave.

"You must loosen up a little bit, Nee"

Noticing his different glasses, I opened my mouth to speak.

"Where are your regular glasses?"

He quickly shook his head, " I've been meaning to ask if you've seen them in the laundry, It appears that I have misplaced them."

"No, I always check to make sure nothing is in the pockets or balled up in it since my keys disappeared."

"Weird." He said as he pulled into the road to travel home.

The drive back was a fast one, but gave us time to have a short chat.

He turned the car off in my drive way, and got out. Following him as he went up my steps and unlocked my door.

Setting my bag down by the door, I paused for a moment before speaking.

"Did I mention how one of your fan girls that's in my class shoved me into a desk today?" He stopped in his tracks going down the hall.

"Who was it?" He demanded as he turned around with his happy expression he has no more than a moment ago gone.

"Cathleen." I said as walked past him.

His face read that he was very concerned.

"Please tell me if she does anything else." he said as he walked away.

" I kinda doubt it, a new friend of mine stood up for me."
 

Moving around him I entered my room. Shutting my glass doors I threw my curtains closed as well. My eyes focused on the clothes I left laying out on my bed, my workout clothes. Stripping off my clothes I threw them in the hamper by my wardrobe. I quickly change into my gym clothes, before sitting down on my bed. I glance out my sheer curtains through my doors to see an empty living room.

Chapter 11

With the help of Lucian it didn't take long to get everything unpacked, though the thought still lingers that in a few years I'll have to repack everything once again. At this point I'm very curious where it will all go, I can't really see myself doing much of anything. Settling down? I'm not exactly sure, I know that there are a vast majority of guys who are different than Alix. So I shouldn't compare them, but it's hard not to when you were used to something for so long.

My therapist has been working with me with coping how I was forced before in my relationship with him. Everything still feels numb to me in that subject, I find myself not to be too bothered by it. He says I'm just trying to avoid it because there is a lot of built up emotion that is just a time bomb waiting to release when/if something triggers me.

"Nee, what's for dinner?" Lucian's voice echoed through my living room. Looking up, my eyes caught his gaze as I began to rub my hands together.

"I'm not really sure, Anything you can think of?" I replied, setting my hands back down in my lap.

He shifted before turning to come down stairs.

Some things good and bad have come out of Lucian staying here. He's taught me how to cook, and thankfully I have began to regain some of my weight. I still look disgusting, but not as much as I did.
I've also been considering starting to weight train, and getting a personal trainer. One of the bad things have been that any of the females trying to get themselves involved with Luci see me as a threat. Which has been very annoying, but the irony is he just ignores any girls that try to cross his path in that way.

I'd figure somebody with a face like his would sleep around, but evidently I'm proven wrong. Then again I could also be wrong about that, but I have no business wondering. I just know he's stuck around me a lot since he began staying here.

He sat down on the couch beside me, and began to continue the conversation.

"Would you like me to cook?"

I shook my head slightly, before reaching for my phone. Holding it up, I stared at him. He smiled momentarily.

"Takeout or pizza?"

"I'm honestly feeling some takeout at the moment." I say as I look up the number on my phone and call.

After placing the order I got up and went to my room. Sitting on my bench was my wallet, I unzipped it and got the amount of cash out that the man told me over the phone. Exiting my room I turned and went down the hall, setting my money on the table by the door. Noticing that there is only one set of keys on the table, I return to the living room.

"Uh, you don't happen to have my keys by any chance?"

Lucian looked at me puzzled before replying, "They are on the table by the door. I saw them when I came in earlier."

"They aren't there anymore." I said as I walked back down my hall to check if the door was locked. It was, maybe I just misplaced my keys and forgot? I don't carry a purse, only a wallet.



Going back into the living room I return to my seat and continue to watch tv with him, "Oh well, they'll turn up eventually."

Not much longer after I sat back down the doorbell rang, Luci got up to greet the delivery guy. The smell of takeout quickly filled my home as Luci made his way to my kitchen. Leaning up I reach for the remote and turned off the TV.  Getting off the couch, I walked to my kitchen. Lucian was getting out plates and glasses from my cabinet. Setting them on the counter, he turned to face me.

"What to drink?"

Thinking for a moment, I replied.

"Just water."

He turned back around and went to my fridge and got out a bottle of water. Opening the bottle, he poured it into the glass before handing it to me. Picking the box up with my other hand I took it to the table before going back to get the plates.

Luci seated and began to sort the food out. He his head and looked at me as I sat down.

I smiled slightly as I handed him his plate.

"So, tonight's dinner topic is tattoos."

I shifted in my chair to get comfortable as I took the box of my food and raked it onto my plate.

"Okay. What would you like to know?" I say as I reach back into the box to get my chopsticks, handing him the other pair.

"Is there any story behind them?"

I thought about it as I put the first bite in my mouth. Greasy.

"Not especially. The tattoo on my thigh is to cover up scars, my arms to cover up track marks. The rest I got just because I didn't like looking at myself. At the time the tattoo's were very beautiful to me, and they made me feel that way. I no longer feel the same, but maybe in the future I'll be able to see more beauty in myself than I do currently."

I said as I continued to eat, awaiting a response. After he finished chewing he took a sip of his drink before turning to me.

"You are beautiful regardless with or without the tattoo's, I wish you could see that."

His response took me back a little bit. He continued to eat before speaking once again when his his mouth wasn't full of food.

"I got mine just because I was a rebellious little shit and wanted to piss my parents off. It worked quite well before I left for college. At least now my brother can't try and copy me again, not unless he goes through all the trouble to get it all copied exactly. Then again, he is somewhat nuts. To me anyways." He said laughing slightly before continuing to eat.

Before long we both finished eating. Stretching out in my chair I yawned, Luci got up and collected the dishes and took them to the sink. Soon enough I got up and threw away the empty boxes and moved the box with the remaining food to my island. Hearing my phone ring I made it back to the living room. Studying the screen the number read as unknown, I slid it over to decline the call and laid my phone back down. Immediately my phone began to ring again, It said the same thing. Sliding it the opposite direction I answered it this time. 

Setting the call on speakerphone I sat down and held the phone close to my face.

"Hello?" I said before a male's voice reached through.

"I'm going to get you, you stupid little bitch. You better sleep with one eye open!" He screamed before hanging up. Lucian ran into the room, he could read the slight worried look on my face.

"Who was that?!" He asked firmly, reaching out for my phone. Handing it to him, Luci immediately pulled out his phone and called somebody. Stepping back from me he fiddled with my phone before speaking into his phone.

"Jace, I need you to do me a favor."

"I need you to track a number that just called Neah's phone."

After a moment he began reading off numbers to Jace. I could hear Jace over the phone speaking.

"Well, thank you for trying. Talk to you later." Lucian said as he hung up.

I stared at him waiting for him to speak. His irritation was very evident as he sat on the couch beside me.

"Well?"

"It's a burner phone." He said.

I sighed before getting back up.

"Don't dwell on this, It will be okay." I say as I try to reassure him with a slight smile. He frowned at me before speaking.

"I have a bad feeling about this."

"You are just over thinking it. Probably nothing will happen."

Turning I walked into my bedroom and threw myself onto my bed.

Chapter 10

My eyes open to the light flooding into my room from my curtains being snatched open. Squinting I look for the source who opened them, now sitting on the edge of my desk. Burying my face between the two pillows I fell asleep on, I shout.

 "Please close them."

Hearing Lucian's slight chuckle, I look up and lay my face on my hand. I throw my legs up to get the feeling back in them from being hung over the edge of my bed for so long.

So, Update. When we got back to campus I stayed in a co-ed dorm for a few weeks while I looked for an apartment, and luckily I found a nice one. Currently I'm in the process of unpacking my excess shit, which was going well for today until I began to get dizzy. Thus ending up taking an unintentional nap. Let me also bring you up to speed about the vandalism that happened to Luci's store, somebody spray painted all his windows black, then took a brick and threw it through one of them with an ugly note on it as far as he told me. Unfortunately they didn't see the person's face since he was wearing a mask, and they have no leads on it as of recent.

Adjusting to normal stuff has been fun, I was recommended to a counselor that works on campus with students involved with drug use. I see him about once a week on Wednesdays. The rehabilitation center also keeps up with me through him, my doctor also calls me from time to time as well. It's somewhat nice to have people to keep me in check, but at times I over think it.

It's crazy, I've completely changed my ways in less than a year. It scary to think about the person I used to be..

Laying around, pumping myself full of poison just to have some kind of reason to live. Which now I still don't know my reasoning. I have no goals at the moment, but I have a feeling it will be clear soon. Right now it's time to just pick up the pieces of my once shitty life, and glue it all together.

I'd never think people would want to be my friend or anything, seeing I consider myself very abnormal. At least I have the opportunity to start conversations with "Hi, I'm Neah and I used to be some dope whore."

I've found the best way to face this is with shitty sarcastic humor, which works. Most people don't take me seriously at first, they think I'm just joking. I have made a few new girl friends. On top of that there is Lucian, who's weirdly went with me through this whole thing. It's very strange just thinking about it. Back then he really should of been yelling at me for distributing drugs in his store instead of that guy, but hey, at least I got a really good friend out of it all.

He's probably the most understanding person I've ever met.

"No, You need to get up. It's been about 2 hours, and I can't be here much longer. "

He leans forward a little bit propping his arm on his leg. He studies my face to try and read my emotions.

"You can go now, I'll unpack the rest of this."

He shakes his head, " I know good and well you aren't strong enough, that's why you needed a nap like 30 minutes after we started."

"But" I started before being interrupted by him.

"How about I go through your stuff and you tell me where it goes?" He suggested.

That sounded nice but too much to ask, but he wouldn't have offered unless he wanted to, right?

"On a different topic, Have you eaten today?" Ah, I have been waiting for this question since he got here. He asks me every time we hang out, Reason being since I went through with my detox I haven't stopped loosing weight. I'm assuming it's from my doing since I'm never hungry and when I am I just ignore it, and doing this has caused me to become even bonier than I was before. Yes, I still bitch about it.

A guilty look washed over my face as I grinned at him.

Sighing heavily whilst sliding off my desk he makes his way out of my room, nearly tripping over a box.

"Unpack your stuff while I make you lunch!" He shouts right before he reaches my kitchen.

Stretching as I pushed myself up off my warm nest of sheets, I slide myself off the bed onto my feet. 

I go for the box closest to me which held most of my old clothes. Ratty, disgusting clothes that need to be burned.

"Hey, can you suggest any clothing stores not far from campus?" I shout.

"For girls? No, ask one of your gal pals." Lucian shouted back.

Rolling my eyes I dumped the box out onto my floor and I looked around for a trash bag to stuff its contents into. My eyes catch sight of a rolled up bag under my bed, and I reach for it.

I took the bag , opened it, and began to shovel all my items that were in front of me in there. Before long it had been about 30 minutes, I could still hear Lucian stirring around the kitchen.

Taking in my surroundings including the few boxes I had manage to unpack during this time, before getting up and going to the kitchen. My nostrils are greeted with the delicious smell of his food he was making. Pasta with some kind of sauce? I followed the scent to the pan that contained the food and observed it's appearance.

"Are you ready to eat?" He said as he reached into my cabinet and got me a bowl. I see he unpacked the rest of my stuff in my kitchen seeing that there were now empty boxes sitting in the entrance of my laundry room. Scooping the food into my bowl he went and set it down on my table along with a fork.

"Come on." He said as he motioned me to the table. I followed and came and sat down. I twisted the pasta around my fork and took a bite, and the results were very pleasant. Sweet but tangy pasta? It sounds like it would be horrible but this isn't too bad, I sure wouldn't have thought about something like this.

"How did you come across something like this?" I asked before loading up my fork and stuffing my face.

I could hear him shift ever so slightly from the question, causing me to look back.

"When I was adopted, my mother bonded with me through food. She taught me to cook, and it's a slight hobby of mine. Unfortunately I've slipped out of it for the past year since I have been busy. She makes it even better than this." He said as he stared down at the floor. "Nobody can seem to get over my mother with cooking, not even my twin Adrian. Considering he's better at everything."

I stopped chewing and swallowed before looking back at him.

"You have a twin?" I asked in slight disbelief.

His facial expression revealed annoyance from this question, but he slowly nodded. I continued to
indulge on the food.

"He is some kind of scientist, he used to go here before he graduated."

"That must have been some kind of hell for your mom, having to deal with two of you." I joked as I finished the rest of the food, feeling completely over stuffed but it seemed worth it. I turned to study him as he smiled.

"Yeah, we used to be really close but currently it's somewhat weird. I miss him, but at the same time not really. He had, or should I say has, a very large ego."

He paused and looked up at me as I arose from the table bowl in hand.

"Anytime I'd get a girlfriend he'd sort of go after them, which I still to this day can't comprehend why since we are identical. We had about the same amount of girls come up to us. One time he even changed his hair for a short while to black and he would start shit with people and get me in trouble. 

Nobody ever payed close enough attention to him, the difference is obvious considering I have a beauty mark on my face and he doesn't."

Moving to the sink I still continued to listen carefully, waiting for him to continue.

"Sorry for blabbing so much, I just haven't spoken of him in a good while. I'm usually not asked about my family since people know who we are."

Setting the bowl down in the sink and running some water in it before turning it off, I turn and lean on the counter facing him.

"Please don't apologize, It's nice for me to hear stuff about you. In any case if you are willing to talk about it I'd love to hear more."

He shifted uncomfortably once more.

"I remember I told you I only have 2 siblings, only because at the time Adrian went on a rampage and severed ties from us for a little bit. We weren't sure if he was going to come back around and I didn't want to speak of him then since it had just happened."

As he finished his words I was hit by a wave of dizziness causing me to hold onto the counter for support, closing my eyes to try and soften impact. Hearing his footsteps grow closer I open my eyes back up. He was now standing in front of me, reaching for my arms to hold me up.

"Hey!" He said as I was hit once again by dizziness this time causing my legs to buckle. Lucian caught me as I went down, picking me up he exited the kitchen with me in his arms. Taking me into my bedroom he sat me on my bed, before turning around and pacing. He let out a frustrated sigh before turning back to look at me.

"I don't know how much longer I can watch this, though I know it's not any of my business and I have no right to tell you this but you need to eat. I don't know how much longer I can watch you get even more frail. These dizzy spells are from you not eating, and if it keeps happening you are going to get seriously ill."

"In my defense I can't help it that I'm just not hungry, It was like this before. I could go a very long time without eating, and just be fine."

He looked pained as he looked at me, before his face suddenly softened.

"I'm going to my apartment to pack some stuff and I'm going to stay here to make sure you aren't forgetting to eat." He said before turning and booking it out my room.

In the distance of my home I heard the front door shut. Who'd ever guess he'd be so concerned over me?

Oh wait.

Me.

I suppose some good can come out of this, I'll give it a go.

Moving off my bed onto my feet, I go stand in front of my mirror and begin to strip off my clothes down to my bra and panties. Releasing my hair from my messy ponytail, I fixed it before looking at myself.

 

For the first time I really study my body, My appearance had always kinda sickened me. This though, I couldn't manage to look at myself for more than a few moments. This is something I need to improve surely.