by L. P. Dover
“Why would you do that?” Emily asked, lifting her eyebrows at Alec and pursing her lips.
Alec joined me by my side and put his arm around me. Seeing my best friend and knowing I had to leave her hurt my heart, but I also prayed that whoever was after me wouldn’t try to do anything to her to get to me.
My chin trembled and the tears started flowing down my cheeks. When Emily noticed my angst, her expression softened and she swiftly came up to me, taking my shaky hands into hers.
“Marissa, you’re scaring me. What happened?” she asked worriedly.
Alec let me go and I fell into Emily’s arms, clutching her tight. I had the note in my back pocket so I dug it out and handed it to her. She eyed it skeptically, but I nodded for her to open it.
Slowly, she unfolded it and when her eyes met the words on the paper she gasped and put her hand over her mouth. Justin rushed over to her side and read the letter as well; he was appalled.
“Do you think this is the same person that killed the girl?” Justin asked us.
Alec nodded. “It has to be. They left a note with her body as well.”
Justin furrowed his brows. “Wait, I feel like I’m missing something here. What does all of this mean? What did you do that’d make someone this angry that they’d kill just to get to you?”
Justin peered back and forth from Alec to me, searching for answers, but I knew it wasn’t my place to say anything. Hesitantly, I glanced up at Alec and he sighed. “Why don’t you go pack and I’ll fill Justin in on everything. This’ll probably be the last time you’re going to be here with your friends for a while.”
“Okay,” I whispered softly.
Emily had tears in her eyes when she grabbed my hand and dragged me to my room. How long was I going to be gone? I wondered. Surely it wouldn’t be too long; I couldn’t stay away forever.
Emily slammed my bedroom door, leaned against it, and cried, “What am I going to do here without you? What about graduation and moving to Wilmington?”
Frowning, I explained, “I’m going to try and take all my exams tomorrow, or today actually since it’s morning already, except I don’t think I’ll be able to walk at graduation. Alec is taking me somewhere safe until we get a lead on who’s coming after me. This guy killed one girl already and I know he’ll try to kill me if he gets the chance. This is serious, Emily. I need you to make sure you have someone with you at all times, okay?”
Her eyes went wide with alarm. “Do you think I’m in danger, too?”
Grabbing my suitcase and duffle bag from my closet, I began piling the clothes into them, not caring what I packed. “I don’t know, Em. I just want you to stay safe. I’m not sure what this person is capable of.”
Emily went to my closet and started pulling shirts off their hangers. “How did it come to this? Everything was going great until now,” she whispered. “If anything happens to you, tell Alec he’d better watch his back because I’ll be coming for him.”
“Duly noted,” Alec cut in, opening the door.
Emily marched over to him and pointed a finger in his face. “I mean it, surf boy. Marissa is the only family I have and there’s no way in hell I’m gonna put up with anything happening to her. You understand?”
“Completely,” Alec agreed, and turned to me. “Are you ready? I already told Justin everything he needed to know. He knows to make sure Emily has someone with her at all times … just in case.”
Emily folded the last of my clothes—placing them in my suitcase—and slowly zipped it up. Her back was to me, but I could tell from her quivering shoulders that she was trying to hold in her sobs.
“Be safe, Em,” I cried, coming up behind her and wrapping my arms around her. “I’ll have my phone with me, okay? You can always text me or call.”
Sniffling, she nodded and whispered, “Okay.” She patted my arms that were around her waist, and turned to hug me one last time. “Stay safe, Rissa. I love you.”
“I love you, too, Em.”
Alec took my bags and left the room, followed by Emily who let me go and kissed me on the cheek. My throat tightened up when my gaze landed on the picture of my family sitting on my dresser. It was of my parents, my sister, and me when we were vacationing at the beach when I was a little girl. Picking it up, I held it tightly to my chest and cried.
“Mom, I need you so much right now! Daddy, I need your strength and courage to help me through this. I just don’t know how things went so wrong.” I was hoping with all the hope in my body that I’d hear their voices in my head, reassuring me that everything would be all right, but I was met with silence until a voice spoke out behind me.
“Marissa?” Alec whispered.
Wiping the tears away, I clutched the picture to my heart and turned to face him. “Sorry for taking so long. I just needed to breathe,” I told him sadly.
“I know, baby, but we need to go.”
Alec took my hand and guided me into the living room; Emily tackled me in another hug. “Don’t forget to call your sister and Kristian. They’re going to want to know what’s going on.”
I nodded. “I know. I’ll call them after we talk to the detective and figure everything out.”
After she let me go, Justin hugged me as well. “Be safe, wherever you go, Rissa. You do know Kristian’s going to be pissed, right?”
“I know,” I said, voicing my fears and biting my lip. “Please don’t tell him yet. I’d like to be the one that does it.”
“Okay,” Justin agreed. “Just do it soon before he starts going crazy asking where you’re at.”
“I will.”
Alec picked up my bags and smiled at Emily and Justin before walking out the door. Before I strolled out, I turned and looked at them one last time. “I’m going to miss you guys so much. Once this is all over we’re going apartment hunting in Wilmington, okay?”
They both smiled and Emily nodded. “I look forward to it,” she cried, tears running down her cheeks. “Just promise me that you’ll be back.”
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath before opening them. “I promise. I’m a fighter, remember?”
Emily grinned through her tears. “That’s right … you’re the strongest bitch I know.”
With that, I slowly shut the door and leaned against it. There may be a killer coming after me, but I wasn’t going to let him win. I was terrified and unsure, but I did know one thing ... I was a fighter and if that’s what it came down to I wasn’t going to go out without a fight.
The meeting with Detective Michaels was grave indeed. We were going to need new identities when we left so he was going to get that handled immediately. There were no leads on the case because there was no evidence whatsoever other than the letters.
We gave the detective the most recent one and he turned it over to evidence, hoping they’d be able to find some prints on it. We didn’t dare get our hopes up on that one.
Even though it was really early in the morning, Detective Michaels and I contacted all of my professors, stating the situation and asking if there was any way for me to take my exams early. They were very understanding and quick to help me in any way they could.
Mrs. Tatum, my Molecular Biology professor, was the one who compiled all of my exams and had them ready for me in her room. It was seven in the morning and hardly anyone was on campus as I made my way to the Rankin Science Building with Alec by my side, and a police escort on my other.
Sadly, it was going to be my last time walking around on the campus and my heart ached just thinking about it. I didn’t want my last time of being there one of fear.
Mrs. Tatum smiled at me when we entered the classroom and silently handed me the stack of papers that were my exams. Alec sat a couple of seats away from me while a police officer stood guard just outside the door.
My professor eyed me warily the whole time, and I tried not to notice, but I saw her wipe tears away in the process. She was such a sweet woman and I hated having to burden her with what was going on, but I
was glad she helped me get my exams all gathered together. When I finished my tests, I felt confident that I aced them, and with a sigh of relief I turned them in to my professor.
Mrs. Tatum looked the same as she always did with her white hair and beady eyes that reminded me so much of my grandmother back home. Her sad smile was not something I was used to seeing.
“Do you think you did well? Even with all the stress going on?” she asked me.
Confidently, I nodded. “Yes, ma’am, I do. I was ready for them.”
She sniffled and got up from her desk to give me a hug. “I’ll miss you at graduation. You know, I can always email you the final scores if Mr. Mabe will agree to it. I know you two battled it out pretty hard. I’m sure you’d like to know if you won, right?” She was trying to cheer me up, and it worked.
For the first time that morning, I laughed. “Yes, please. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind at all. I’m hoping to get my two hundred dollars.”
Alec furrowed his brows in question, but I waved him off. “I’ll tell you about it on the way to the airport.”
I said my good-byes to my professor, and Alec and I swiftly made it to my Jeep that was being watched over by Detective Michaels. He pulled out a huge yellow envelope and handed it to Alec.
“Here’s everything you’ll need: new identities, passports, money, and plane tickets. Be safe you two and I’ll call you if I find out anything new. Now get going.”
We both nodded, climbed into my vehicle, and left the town of Boone behind. We headed swiftly down the mountain toward Charlotte where we’d be catching our first flight to Atlanta, Georgia. There were a couple of phone calls I had to make on the way, and I dreaded every second that I stalled.
My sister was frantic when I called her, and she was determined to get me to come home and hide out there. Of course, I refused considering that I’d be putting her, her husband, and my nieces all in danger. She wasn’t happy, but I promised her I’d be safe and that nothing was going to happen to me.
The next phone call I had to make was going to be harder.
It was close to the time for our first exam, and Kristian was probably on his way to come pick me up and drive me to campus. Taking a deep breath, I dialed his number and waited while it rang. My heart felt like it was in my throat and I could barely breathe.
“I’m almost there, baby girl,” he answered jubilantly.
I had to swallow a few times to get my voice to work. “I’m not there, Kristian,” I choked out.
“What do you mean you’re not there? Where are you?”
“I’m on my way to the airport right now. I’m sure Justin and Emily will explain more, but I have to leave for a while. Something happened last night and it’s not safe for me to stay there. I have to do this … for me, for everyone.”
“What happened?” he asked frantically.
Pausing, I sighed and took in a ragged breath. “You know about the dead girl already, but it seems like someone from Alec’s past killed her and is now trying to get to him through me.
“Anyway, I was staying over at Alec’s and someone came up to the window. Apparently, they left a note and it wasn’t good, Kristian,” I pointed out.
“What did it say?”
“Well …” I began, “… it outright said they were going to fuck me and kill me. If that isn’t reason to run away then I don’t know what is. He’s already killed one girl and I’m sure he wouldn’t hesitate with another.”
He was silent for so long that I thought he hung up. “Kristian, are you there?”
Tires squealed in the background, and he came back on the line. “I can’t believe this shit,” he growled venomously. “So, what now? You’re going to go into hiding until the person gets caught? What if no one finds him? Are you just going to stay gone forever?”
Alec could hear Kristian through the phone, and when I glanced over at him he nodded somberly. I muttered weakly, “For the time being, yes, but I have to believe that the guy will get caught. I don’t want to stay hidden forever, Kristian. You know that.”
“Let me guess, Alec is going with you?” he asked dryly.
Alec bristled beside me and clenched the steering wheel tightly, clearly frustrated. He decided to drive so I could make my phone calls, but it might’ve been safer for my car if I’d had driven. I touched Alec’s hand to get him to relax.
Sighing, I said to Kristian, “Yes, Alec is going with me. There’s a lot going on that I can’t tell you about, and it kills me not being able to confide in you, but I just can’t. Please don’t be mad at me.”
He huffed into the phone. “What about graduation and your exams? Does this guy not know how royally fucked up he’s made your life? None of the things happening to you would’ve happened if he just stayed away.”
Alec’s shoulders sagged in defeat. What Kristian said was true, but I was the one who allowed Alec into my life knowing that he had a messed up past. Except, you weren’t counting on a psycho coming after you, I scolded myself.
“What’s done is done, Kristian, and it’s not his fault.”
“Like hell it’s not. What time does your flight leave?” he demanded. “I want to see you before you go.”
Alec shook his head, not wanting me to tell him, and it killed me that I stayed silent. My silence was answer enough, and I could hear the hurt in Kristian’s voice when he spoke, “I see … so you don’t trust me, is that it?”
Quickly, I replied, “No, that’s not it. No one knows where we’re going. I’m sorry, Kristian, but I just can’t give you any details.”
“That’s fine, Marissa, but whether you like it or not I am going to see you before you leave. I’ll search through the airport until I find you.” With those last words he hung up and I was left holding my phone, speechless. Was he really going to drive all that way and find me at the airport?
Alec cleared his throat and raised his brows. “So yeah … now do you want to tell me that he doesn’t have feelings for you? A friend doesn’t act like that.”
Blowing out a frustrated breath, I shrugged my shoulders and fell back into the seat. “I just don’t know, Alec. I just don’t know.”
“Depending how long we’re gone, I’m going to have like a three hundred dollar parking bill when we come back,” I stated gloomily, unloading my suitcase.
Even in May, the air in Charlotte was already thick with humidity after the downpour we just drove through. That was one thing I loved about the mountains, less humidity and we had snow in the winter. In Charlotte, you’d be lucky to have any snow.
Alec chuckled and grabbed the rest of our bags. “You have nothing to worry about. I’ll pay for it.”
Glaring at him, I placed my hands on my hips. “Alec Holden, I do not need your money. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself thank you.”
Alec smiled and held his hands up in defeat. “Okay, okay. I just thought I’d offer.”
Taking his money was the last thing I wanted. “I appreciate it …” I began, “… but I really don’t need it. My parents started planning and saving for my future before I was even born. They saved enough that I wouldn’t have to work while I was in school and put it all into an account for my use. They wanted me to be able to spend my time studying instead of working.”
“Wow,” Alec replied, “they must have been amazing.”
After locking up my car, Alec put on a hat and glasses before we started making our way to the departure terminal. Being at an airport there was no telling who we could run into that might recognize the infamous Karey Holden.
We had two hours before our flight was supposed to take off, but I knew we had to go through check-in and TSA. I wondered what my parents would think of me now, having to run away.
“They were amazing, both of them. That’s why I miss them so much. What about your parents? Did they not do the same things for you?” I asked.
A sad look crossed his face, but he dismissed it and shrugged his shoulders. “Not really,” he remarked
honestly. “When I was still in high school I made enough money to support myself. I moved out on my own and paid for college on my own, too.”
We were almost to the departure terminal when he explained some more. “My parents love me, but they’re really self-involved if you know what I mean. The only reason why they’re helping me now with this case is because they don’t want another scandal ruining their name.”
“I’m sorry, Alec. I know that has to hurt. Is that one of the reasons why you got so big into drugs? Were you trying to get their attention?” I asked nervously.
Alec laughed. “To be honest, I don’t know. I got into drugs because I liked the way they made me feel. I could forget the pressure and who I was for a while and just live with no worries … or so I thought.”
We had finally reached the terminal and entered into the cool, air conditioned inside of the airport. Before we reached the ticket counter, I asked, “Do you miss those days at all, when you could live care-free and not have to worry about anything?”
With set and determined eyes, Alec gazed at me and genuinely smiled. His straight white teeth sparkled against his handsome, now rugged face from the stubble that had recently grown. He was attractive, and definitely not the same arrogant guy I saw on the internet.
“No, Marissa, I don’t miss those days at all. Taking drugs made me numb, it made me not want to feel, but with you I want to feel the emotions. It makes me feel alive, and there’s no way I’d want to lose that.”
Smiling, I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my fingers in his hair, pulling him close. I crushed my lips to his and melted into his embrace, not caring who saw or what they thought.
“You make me feel alive, Alec, and it feels amazing. I don’t ever want to lose it either.”
Alec kissed me on the lips again, over to my cheek, and then on my nose. “You don’t have to worry about that. You’re kind of stuck with me for a while. I just wish it was under better circumstances.”