The Flower
I’m emotionally drained. I’m not sure how much more I can take.
No matter where I turn, it’s like the world is against me.
I’ve got a creepy, yet not so creepy stalker.
I have a perverted boss who won’t leave me alone.
I was attacked by someone in a mask in the alley behind the apartment.
I think my client has a crush on me, and I fear I may have one back.
Shit, I really need to think about terminating Axel as a client in general.
This is so, so bad. I cannot have a crush on a client. It goes against everything I stand for.
My life is fucked.
I rub my cheek; the pain lingering. Once the police showed up, I gave my statement, and so did Zoe.
They snapped a picture of my face for evidence and said they would keep an eye out for Parker.
They also asked if I wanted to press charges.
I asked if I had to let them know right then and there, and thankfully they said I had time to think about it.
Speaking to authorities sometimes makes me anxious.
It’s all just so official. I know what Parker did to me was not okay, so why am I hesitating to face him with consequences?
It should be a no-brainer. But it is never a no-brainer, and I am sure he would find a way to make me look bad for going to dinner with him.
Saying I put myself in this situation. I look down at my fingers, watching them shake with fear.
Zoe drove us home and made sure I was okay. She wanted to sit with me, but I needed time to myself. I have this horrible habit of shutting people out. I’m working on it, but bad habits are hard to break. At least for me.
I press my back against the icy wall. I’ve already taken a shower and changed.
Taking a little extra time for self-care, but all I can do is wonder where everything went wrong.
I must have a curse on me. The Parker Raines Therapy curse.
Ever since I started there, it seems to be one thing after another.
My damp hair presses against me as my weight sinks into my bed more.
I cover myself with my blanket, bringing the fluffy comforter up to my chin.
Sandwiching myself, trying to get some sort of comfort.
Lying down completely makes my jaw hurt more.
I think it's the pressure of my bones settling into place. I’m not sure, but sitting or standing seems to hurt less.
I’ve already taken pain relievers, and I’m waiting impatiently for them to kick in.
I tried to preoccupy my mind with other things, but there is one thought in particular that keeps nipping at my heels.
How the hell does Axel know Zane? It seems like Zoe had no idea either.
This is either a coincidence or something fishy is going on.
It’s bothering me that I can’t piece it together.
How funny would that be though? Two best friends dating two best friends. I shake my head. Wait, no. I can’t believe I just thought that. Axel is my client, and it's unethical. I am there to help him, and this won’t do it.
Oh my gosh. I don’t not even have a job anymore.
Yeah, there is absolutely no way I have a job. I mean, did you see the look on his face? Because I sure did. What am I going to do? There’s no way I have the mental capacity to look for another job right now.
What the hell is Zoe going to do? I feel awful dragging her into my mess. She kept reassuring me that it’s not a big deal, but in reality, it is. She's just too nice to admit it. That’s it, we can just move to Sweden or something. Leave all our problems behind and hope they won’t ever find us.
Who am I kidding? We can’t do that. Our families are here. My dad is here. I can’t leave him. I still haven't told him about everything that's been happening because I know he would try to convince me to move back in. And it might break his heart that I didn’t come to him in the first place.
I was honestly hoping this would all sort itself out and be done and over with.
But it seems no matter how hard I try, it only gets worse.
There comes a point where I have to tell him and face my battles straight on.
I mean that doesn’t have to be tonight. Or tomorrow… or even the next day, but soon.
I’ll tell my masked stalker that he can’t do what he does to me and he has to leave me alone.
I’ll press charges against Parker in hopes he gets sent to prison or something for a while, and then I’ll tell Axel that he is my client and that is strictly what our relationship is.
I still don’t have clarity on what he is feeling.
This is just me completely assuming that he agrees that the chemistry is there.
Well, this science project has come to an end. Chemistry is over, and so am I with all my bad luck. No tombstone for Dahlia any time soon. There will be a positive message written on there, not a sad, lonely, pathetic one.
I see my phone screen light up from the corner of my bed.
I tossed it, not wanting to deal with anything, when I decided to curl up into a ball.
The screen light goes out, leaving the room in darkness.
Not a moment later it lights up again. I don’t have the energy to reach over and grab it right now.
Whoever is texting is persistent, though. Message after message appears, leaving the blue glow to illuminate my room. I let out a frustrated sigh. Can’t I just get one moment of peace? Apparently, that's too much to ask for.
I lean over, slipping an arm out from under the warmth of my cocoon, and grab my phone. The bright light blinds my pupils as they struggle to readjust. The messages keep popping up and I click on one.
Unknown
Can you let me in? This is Axel.
Unknown
Hey it’s Axel. I am here. Can we talk?
Unknown
Dahlia, I’m standing at your front door, itn's urgent.
Me
I don’t really feel like talking to anyone right now, sorry.
Unknown
...
unknown
I caught him.
My spine goes straight, feeling my heart skipping a beat. I’m unsure of what to do right now. I’m unsure of why Axel needs me right now.
Me
Can you drop him off at the police station? They are looking for him.
Unknown
That will be hard to do considering he’s in my basement right now.
What? Why would he be— another message from him chimes in.
Unknown
Please. Just at least come out and talk to me.
I sit there for what seems like an eternity before deciding to go to the front door.
I mean he did go out of his way to catch him.
I’m honestly a little terrified of what he needs to talk to me about.
I’m sure it’s about Parker being in his basement but I don’t want to know what he has done to him.
And I don’t know what the hell he wants me to do about it.
The hallway is dark as I creep down it. It seems like Z has already gone to bed. Should I get her? Am I stupid for opening the door alone? I guess we’ll find out. I still have the comforter wrapped around me. Leaving me to feel an ounce of safety, even though it's just a piece of cloth.
The doorknob turns and clicks open. I peek behind me, ensuring the minuscule sound didn’t wake Zoe up.
I carefully open the door until I see Axel standing there.
He gives me a devilish grin, and something inside me stirs.
He has a hand on the frame, which makes him tower over me even more.
I walk out into the hallway and gently shut the door behind me.
“I have a proposal for you,” he says.
“A proposal? For what? And why do you have Parker in your basement?” I whisper insistently. I know Axel has demons he is battling, and perhaps he has some psychopathic tendencies, but never would I have thought he would go as far as having someone in his basement against his will.
“Yes. A proposal. You can come with me back to my place where your perverted boss is tied up and you can take your revenge, or you can stay here and not have any control of what is going to happen next.” The words leave his lips effortlessly.
Like a promise to both propositions that he has no issue following through with. I take a small step backward.
“Neither sound like good ideas,” I object. He steps forward, eliminating the space I just created. I tighten the large blanket around me. He shrugs his shoulders lazily and turns, giving me his back. I cock my head confused. He starts to step away.
“Have fun staying here,” he says. My jaw flies open in astonishment. He can't just—
“Hey! You can't just say that and walk away from me!” I charge toward him. His big strides make me need to take triple the amount. He continues walking, turning and glancing down at me. His award-winning smile hits me in the face, and I cower a little. I’m not sure why, but I keep up pace. We make it to the elevator and I pause.
“I-I can't go. I shouldn’t go. This is wrong,” I express with concern in my tone.
“Yeah, you're right. Wearing a blanket as a fashion statement may not go so well for you,” he jokes. The giggle that leaves my body is raw. I glance down at the oversized comforter that is being half dragged across the dirty hall floor. He is right. What am I doing?
The elevator door dings and opens. He holds out a hand, keeping it from closing. I look at the empty space and then back at him. I don’t know what forces me to move, but I do. I walk in, and he follows behind, sealing my fate.