Chapter 3: I'm a bloody coward

ADRIANA

~~~

"Ryan!" I scream, startling everyone in the lecture hall.

Ryan's head whips around. The moment he sees me, he moves away from the girl.

"Adri." He says, blushing beet red from embarrassment. The blonde girl throws me a dirty look as she arranges her skirt. She doesn't even look remorseful.

"Ryan, how could you?" I whisper, hating myself for not walking away, hating myself for being weak. Tears spill from my eyes, burning a path down my cheeks.

The few students in the hall are whispering amongst themselves now, probably enjoying the show.

"How could you!" I scream, louder this time. "You promised me. You said you'd never cheat."

"Adri, it was just a kiss." Ryan says in his defense. "I don't even like her. You're overreacting."

I can't believe him. I'm overreacting? Didn't my feelings matter?

"Look," He continues, coming closer to me. "Let's just forget about this. I got carried away and I lost control. You're the one I love. Don't let one kiss ruin things between us."

I have never been this furious at him. When he takes my hand in his, I wrench it off.

"Don't fucking touch me." I snarl. "You're never going to change. This is who you are. A lying, cheating son of a bitch!"

"Watch your mouth, Adri." His voice turns low, and his ocean eyes darken with anger. "You're being unreasonable. It's not like you saw me having sex with her. It was just a kiss."

"Just a kiss?" I repeat.

"You're acting like a bloody wife, Adri. For fuck's sake, I am a man. Girls are my weakness. It doesn't mean I think of you any less. Get used to it, okay babe?"

I feel a rush of anger flood through me. My hands curl into fists as I glare at him. This has gone too far. I won't take it anymore.

I slap him, hard and harsh, my palm connecting solidly with his face. The force of the slap jerks his face to the side. The other students gasps in surprise at my audacity.

But I don't care. I'm through.

"It's over." I mutter and storm out of the hall.

I don't even watch where I'm going. Tears blind my eyes as I race towards the parking lot.

I hear Rissa and Abby call out to me, but I ignore them. I want to be alone. I need to let out this rising anger in me.

I get into my car and speed off, the tires screeching loudly on the asphalt.

I cry bitterly as I drive, wiping my eyes once in a while so I can see the highway properly. It hurts so much, too much, and I feel like my heart would collapse.

This isn't the first time he's doing this, and I'm furious at myself for allowing him string me along.

Ryan doesn't love me. If he did, he wouldn't continuously hurt me this way.

My phone vibrates with an incoming call. I glance at it on the passenger's seat, seeing his name across the screen.

The bastard!

I ignore the call and press down on the gas pedal. I don't know where I'm driving to. I just need to get away, to a place where I can think straight.

I pull up finally at an abandoned Park at the outskirts of Queensland. I slow the car to a stop and exhale softly.

This Park has been abandoned for years, after the staffs went bankrupt. No one comes here, except crazy hobos.

Like me.

I get down and walk into the Park. The air feels cold from the storm of the previous night.

Rubbing both my arms to keep the cold out, I walk down the dusty path overgrown with weeds. Unseen creatures scurry away as I approach.

As I walk deeper into the deserted place, I feel myself relaxing. It is absolutely crazy that a place as creepy as this is the only place I can be calm.

Most of the rides are broken, covered with rust and grime. The chairs are overgrown with weed, but I manage to find a place to sit.

Ryan keeps calling, but I ignore him. He's the last person I want to talk to right now.

I must have dozed off because when I open my eyes, it's almost dark.

I spring to my feet, whipping my phone out to check the time.

06:10PM.

I have eight missed calls from mom, and twelve more from dad along with twenty from Ryan, Rissa and Abby.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" I curse. Mom and dad will be worried.

I turn to hurry back to my car when a sharp sound stops me.

I freeze, my eyes darting around. It could have been a squirrel, or some other animal living amongst the weeds.

But I know immediately that it isn't. I know I'm not alone. Someone else is here. I can feel it. I'm being watched.

I carefully retrace my steps, making sure to keep my eyes and ears alert. The sound comes again, followed by a loud rustle.

I jerk around, but I don't see anyone. My heart is pounding hard now.

"Who's there?" I yell. "Stop being a dick and show yourself!"

Yelling out and giving myself away should be the most stupid thing to do. But alas, I've always been stupid.

I hear a sound behind me and whirl around. I'm getting really spooked now. I know I love all things horror, but experiencing it now proves I'm a bloody coward.

Footsteps echo and I jerk around. I spot something immediately, hidden behind the broken rides.

Not something. Someone!

A dark figure steps out. Tall, muscular, dressed in a dark hoodie and jeans. I can't see his face, but there's something strangely familiar about him.

I realize it immediately. My stalker.

Before I can process this thought, he starts walking towards me. Slowly at first.

I start to retreat. I know I enjoy his constant visits outside my window almost every night, but faced with him now, he looks dangerous. And I am terrified.

His pace quickens, and so does mine. It remains that way for a few seconds, him advancing, me retreating.

Suddenly I spot something in his hand. A knife. The blade glints in the dying light.

The moment I spot the weapon, he breaks into a run.

I scream as loud as I can, turn around, and race back to my car.

"HELP!" My voice echoes shrilly through the abandoned Park. I can hear his footsteps behind me, gaining on me. If he catches up to me, I'm done for.

I kick my legs harder and pump my arms, running with everything in me.

My Bentley gleams from the distance. I'm just a few meters away.

Suddenly I feel his grip on my hair. Not tight, not painful. Just a slight touch, like he's feeling the texture.

I snatch my hair away and push myself on. Finally getting to my car, I yank the door open, fly in and slam it shut, locking all the doors immediately.

My heart threatens to explode from my chest as I turn and stare at him. He's still holding the knife, walking slowly towards my car.

I watch him silently as he comes close and flatten his gloved hand on the window. His face is hidden, but I can clearly see his eyes. Those dark, soulless eyes. They look terrifying.

He stares at me silently, his gaze making me immobile. It's like I'm in a trance.

When I finally summon the strength to break out of that trance, I slam my finger into the start button and the Bentley purrs to life.

I grip the wheel and speed away, blowing dust and smoke behind me.

The last thing I see from the rear view mirror is my stalker.

He's standing in the middle of the road, watching me drive away.