All around me, the theatre takes on thunderous applause from the people who are standing, clapping, and cheering. Within me, there's a different type of thunder, and even though the applause is enough to drown out the roar of a lion, I can still hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears.
Dan is oblivious to the turmoil I'm going through as he's also a part of the crowd clapping and standing. The strobe lights are no longer bouncing all around as their focus is now solely on the stage and the men smiling and bowing.
Yes, they did a great job, but my attention is now focused on the seat where the couple is, where I know Ash Thunder is. I fiddle with my bag to bring out my phone but my hands are shaking so badly it's difficult to get it out. On the third try, I succeed as I drag my phone out and manage to put the torchlight on as well.
I flash it on the seat directly in front of me but it's empty. There's no one there. I don't know if I should be happy or not but the latter is obviously not the case as I flash the torch light all around, creating a zig-zag motion and annoying a few people in the process.
"Are you alright?" Dan tugs on my hand but that doesn't deter me. If anything, it spurs me on as I turn three hundred and sixty degrees around with my phone, flashing it here and there.
I'm gonna catch that fucker if it's the last thing I do today. The applause dies down but that's the least of my problems right now. I don't know I'm moving until I bump into a few people who have begun to head for the exit. I turn all around and continue bumping into people. I don't realize I'm shouting until someone screams at me to keep it down. A hand clamps on my shoulder and before I can say Jack Robinson, I'm turned around and come face to face with Dan.
"Alicia! Are you okay? What's wrong? What's the problem?"
I put a hand on my chest and take deep breaths because, at this point, I'm not able to breathe well. "Please. . . take me home."
He gives a jerky nod and takes my hand in his as he leads me through the theater and to the exit. Just like before, it's like a tug of war getting out, but Dan does something that I don't expect. He turns to me and stares at me with wide apologetic eyes before whispering in my ear. "I'm sorry for what I'm about to do."
Before I know it, I'm swept off my feet and against his chest and I'm breathing in his cologne. I feel him fighting his way through the throng as he shouts for people to move aside. When I feel the cool air on my body, I know we're outside. I expect him to place me on the ground while he opens the car door, but that's not the case.
He wedges me against the door and holds me close to his chest while he fiddles with his pocket. I hear the jingle of the keys before he moves back and opens the door. Only then does he gently place me onto the seat and moves back? I keep my eyes shut because I'm so embarrassed at my behavior, I don't want to see the accusing look in his eyes.
I feel his fingers skim my cheeks and I turn my head away from him.
"Alicia, look at me." His voice is so close, I almost flinch but stop myself. I do as he says as I open my eyes and look straight into his eyes. "Please don't cry, whatever it is that triggered your anxiety, I'm here to help you through it."
I don't even know I've been crying. I lift a hand to touch my face but he captures it and places a kiss on my knuckles. This outward show of affection is too much for me to handle. I squirm awkwardly expecting him to take a cue and step back but it does the opposite.
He bends close to me, so close, I'm breathing in the same air as him. "I'm not going anywhere, Ali, no matter how much you try to push me away."
Ali?
His lips curl in a lop-sided smile and then he straightens. All his words do is make my heart pound faster, but not in a good way. Other girls would probably feel flattered but definitely not me. I'm freaking out. I'm not ready to let anyone back into my life. I just can't. Ash has made sure of that.
Like I said before - I'm damaged goods.
The ride is slow. Dan drives slowly and I think he's doing it deliberately but I must say it's helping. Actually, the cool air from the wound-down window is. I take large gulps of air and it helps to ground me. I don't know how long it takes, but he finally pulls up in front of Clarissa's parents' home and I scramble out before he stops the engine. I mutter a quick thanks and run inside the house like my life depends on it.
Once inside the house, I slowly make my to the guest room which is now my room, and slump onto the bed. Thankfully, Lily is with Clarissa's parents in their bedroom as her mum said she would help look after her for the night. She'd even urged me to go on this date with Dan.
I snuggle onto the bed but when I feel myself drifting off, I stand up and remove my clothes and take a quick shower. Since I washed my hair earlier on before going on the date, all I do now is pack it up in a ponytail and put on my pajama shorts and a tee.
I'm out like a light as soon as my head hits the pillow.
I wake up with a jolt as the grandfather clock in the hall chimes out, playing out in synch with a
Bobby Caldwell's song - What I wouldn't do for love.
I don't remember putting on any music before going to bed, so why is that song playing in my room?
I sit up immediately and look around. As my eyes adjust to the dimness of the room, the hair on my neck prickles, and I instinctively know I'm not alone. Fear slams into me when I see a man sitting on the chair in front of my bed staring at me from under heavy-lidded eyes. I wet my lips with my tongue not understanding if I'm in a sordid dream or if I should begin panicking.
He continues staring at me without saying a word, so I pinch myself because there's no chance in hell that this is real. I need to make sure, so I reach out with shaky hands to the bedside lamp and switch it on. Immediately it casts away some of the shadows shrouding the man's face, my mouth hangs open.
You've got to be fucking kidding me.