Twisted

Panting heavily, I struggled to run. All my life, I never knew the need for moving my legs till now that survival was needed. I hadn't come this far to give up. It was one thing to run a marathon for an exercise and another to run cause your life depends on it and the worst part; not knowing what you're running from.

I stopped abruptly when I got toward the cliff and looked down at the ocean. Turning my neck to see if they were close, I pulled on my hair enough to rip it off. There was no way I was jumping into that and coming out alive.

And what was it all for? To end up dying in water after escaping my kidnappers or to surrender?

Disheartened, my weak knees fell to the hard ground and I winced at the pain. Shutting my eyes, I envisioned somewhere else. Somewhere normal. I never knew they'd come a time all I wished for was feeling the sun on my skin or wishing I was doing so little as going to the supermarket filled with people. And then my life flashed before my eyes— from my thirteenth birthday to seeing my loved ones and registering each one of their scents to the extent my nose couldn't even smell mine.

Obviously, I smelled like dust being locked up for weeks like a cave woman and the only chance I had to escape was hopeless. It was almost as if I was gone. I knew I was gone or had about a few minutes left.

My eyes opened in shock and my body jerked at the sound of the gunshot making me feel anxious. In as much as I felt numb, nobody ever wanted to die or at least knew they were going to die.

______________

Six months earlier

Nicole

It still remained vivid in my head and each time I remembered, it was much faster and I seemed to pick new details every time like what bra size cup she wore for her fake boobs.

No, I breathed out. I wasn’t going to let out my anger on her but instead on Pete.

I couldn’t believe our two years went down the drain just like that. I wanted to spend my life with someone who cheated on me with the same secretary I complained about in his apartment—on his bed. Same one I had been on before. Quite a number of times.

Granted, I was busy with work. Typical me. It was a way to keep independent and happy. Just as I planned to surprise him that Friday night, having a key to his apartment...he turned out to be the one with the most shocking performance. He couldn’t even look me in the eye when I confronted him. It was just like a movie.

I never did any of those shouting and arguing stuff, I only dropped the Chad heidstick brut red wine and pizza that I had brought for us on the bed and left, devastated and with excruciating chest pains.

My heart jumped when the door opened slightly with Ken’s head popping in,

“Hey do you have a minute?” She asked and let herself into my office to take a seat. I plastered on a fake smile, squaring my shoulders on the chair. I couldn’t let my best friend see me in this state, so I had to chin up. Especially when I knew she was going to laugh about it. She was right anyway.

I faltered.“Sure.”

She paused for a second, looking at me. “You do know we have a meeting in like ten minutes and it’s one Mrs. Dakota wants you to bag plus why aren’t you wearing any make up. You look...different.” At least she didn’t call me ugly without it.

“I was rushing and didn’t have time.” She gave an amused look. “You never not have time. What’s with the scarf?”

I gulped. “Thought it’d be great on me.” She ran her hair into her chocolate hair and pointed.

“Well, honey, that doesn’t look great on you, at all.” I didn’t take an offense to that.

“You said something about a meeting?” I asked and arched a brow when she got up to take down the window blinds. Ken was always extra.

“So the funniest thing happened,” she said and turned to me. “I went into the ladies and guess what—who I saw? Will and Judith.” It was so funny how uninterested I was. I usually lived for gossips like this.

“And?” I asked. “They were—“

“Oh my gosh,” I said and opened my mouth. “Unprofessional much?”

She laughed. “They were only making out. So he saw me and ran after to beg not to tell anyone.”

I squinted. “But you just told me.”

“Exactly. You’re not anyone.” I shook my head and laughed.

“I feel it’s actually serious. They aren’t just hooking up. He might be interested in her. He’s turning forty soon and wants to settle down and she seems in love with him.”

“That’s if he doesn’t cheat on her,” I murmured under my breath.

“What?” She asked.

I grinned. “They’re a perfect match.”

“Yeah so back to work, do you have the survey for Lakeside court?”

“You should ask John that. It’s been updated and I don’t have the posters here.” I rubbed my tired eyes. The only reason why I came to work in the first place was to bury my energy into something else. Apparently, I didn’t have any left for that after crying my eyes out all weekend.

I worked at Coleman homes as a realtor. It was one of the biggest real estate company in Florida in which I Initially came in for internship program in my third year as a public relations student of the University of California, went back to get a Real estate license when I knew it was a big deal. I was happy with my job, and the pay made it worth it too.

Mrs Dakota was a pain in the neck. Hell, I didn't even know why I was still there. The first time I ever stepped into her office at Coleman homes, she made me wait thirty freaking minutes in her office with her before she finally spoke to me after waiting hours to see her.

What was she doing? Yeah, she was talking to her puppy while I was in front of her. Like she didn't even care to know who I was.

But like they say, 'let by gones be by gones'. The same girl she treated that way she promoted as MD last week Friday. To think I was actually going to celebrate with Pete and then I found him...

Breathe, Nic.

“Oh I forgot to tell you, I saw Pete last night.”

My eyes widened at the mention of his name before digesting that she just told me saw him.

How could she have if he was in his apartment?

Her brown eyes deepened into mine. “At a bar, with a girl.”