Abduction

Alicia's POV

That was the wrong thing to say, apparently, to my best friend with the nosiest personality in the world.

Daya’s eyes narrowed at me and she looked like she was about to spit venom at me, rearing her head back like a python.

“What?“ she asked in a low tone. “No one? NO ONE, Alicia? Are you sure you wanna play that shit right now?”

I frowned at her; what more was she expecting me to say? HAD I said the wrong thing?

“I know what happened,” she pointed her finger accusingly at me.

“I’m sure that’s what you’ve been hiding from me all this time. You went home with some rich guy didn’t you? And you chose not to tell me?! It's true, isn't it?! You're hiding something so important! How COULD you, Alicia?!"

I was getting more annoyed by her making a huge fuss out of something that wasn’t even her business to begin with. What did this have to do oth her? Nothing.

It wasn't even something that I wanted to be involved  in. Whatever games these two men were playing I didn't understand it. This wasn't my life.

"Come on, that's not true. This REALLY isn't like that. I have no idea why this all is happening!" I protested, but she raised her hand, stopping my in my tracks.

"You. Damn. Liar," she seethed, and I wondered what I could say to make her calm down. This wasn't what I expected to deal with! I'd barely gotten a chance to defend myself!

“Daya-“ I tried to speak but she shook her head and stormed out yelling obscenities at the top of her lungs.

I sighed, feeling weary all of a sudden. Everything - the events of last night (a GUN fight, really?!) and this morning hit me like a wrecking ball destroying a brick wall, crumbling my defenses tk the ground. I looked at the box which was still innocently by my side, at the bouquet I had barely touched, and at the notes in my hands addressed from the two men who I had differently framed encounters with.

Somehow I had entered a nightmare of my own making.

I was being SEEN, and I didn’t like it one bit.

…

What was i going to do?

I pondered that question all day at work, thinking of the watch that Mikael - his name sounded so exotic - had placed around my wrist that laid on the small table by my bed. I really didn’t want to go to the dinner.

But how else could I return the watch, and all these things they gifted me?

I was being forced to take that option whether I liked it or not.

Immediately after closing from work - in which Daya didn’t even speak to me and ignored me when I walked by her desk - I balanced the packages in my hands which caught the eyes of some of my colleagues.

I could hear the whispers behind my back.

‘Who is she? Is she dating someone?’

‘Must be some guy with small bit of cash. Lucky her.’

‘I can’t imagine ever liking someone with such shapeless clothes. She doesn’t even know how to dress herself.’

The last bit hurt, but still served to help me remind myself why I needed to push Acker and Mikael away. Guys like them didn't go for girls like me. 

What was I going to do though?

I let out a short breath of distraction as the bouquet was squeezed in between myself and another, much older and matronly dressed woman who gave me a solid glare as we stood in the elevator.

“Sorry,” I muttered under my breath. If only everyone knew that I didn’t like this type of attention, my life would be made a lot easier.

The entire trip back home, I was beside myself with worry, and I wondered if I was being rational.

They hadn’t done anything to warrant me threatening them to leave me alone.

They were just… a little too much for me.

The scent of the flowers in the bouquet were like heaven to me, and I fought to resist the urge to press my face into it as I walked down the street towards the second bus stop that would take me to my street.

The flowers were beautiful, and from what I saw of the dress, it was wonderful as well.

There was a feeling pooled in my belly but I didn’t want to admit it; something was charming about the two men. Somehow, I didn’t think they were horrible.

But that didn’t mean this sort of attention was what I wanted, I reminded myself.

My conflicted emotions were very much all over the place, however that much was certain.

I didn’t want Acker and Mikael to cause me trouble. Girls who got attention like this never ended up well, I told myself.

When I was younger I saw what would become of those girls - used abs abused by everyone around them, to the point that they became a shell of themselves. Even though I was brought up in abject poverty, and my view of the world was skewed… I didn’t doubt that the same thing applied to women no matter the social class.

I didn’t want to be a target for anyone.

All I wanted was to be invisible.

The bus came ten minutes after waiting and I kept to myself, staring out the window while enduring stares of those in the same bus with me, who looked at the bouquet and box and must be thinking I was some kept woman.

I let my mind wander so that it didn’t bother me so much and by the time I dropped off the bus at my stop, I was becoming immune to looks at my person.

My apartment was a small one, on the other side of the city, and on the outskirts of the city. Those who lived here weren’t of the best income class, just like me.

Sighing, I unlocked the three clasps on my door and went in, locking it from the inside before removing my shoes.

I didn’t notice the shadow in the corner, and that was my mistake.

Suddenly I felt something being jabbed at my neck and I began to scream only for a gloved hand to cover my mouth, leaving only muffled sounds from my lips.

I struggled, kicked out at the unknown assailant, as the lump in my tghost and queasy knots in my gut wound themselves even more into something I couldn’t unknot.

“She’s feisty,” the man behind me grunted and I tried my best to jab my elbow into the man, but it was no use.

Tears filled my eyes as I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me. My vision blurred - whether it was the tears or something else, I didn’t want to know.

“Please,” my whispers were choked. The hand was no longer covering my lips, but it wasn’t needed.

I couldn’t run, and only fell further into the darkness that enveloped me and threatened to swallow me whole.

Voices were heard around me but I didn’t know where they were coming from or what they were saying.

That was all I remembered.

What woke me up was the sound of creaking.

I heard a loud slam and my eyes flew open, only for me to take in the scent of metal and rust all around me, the sight of sun, flickering lighting and a ceiling I didn’t recognize.

My tongue felt heavy and my mouth like cotton had been stuffed inside it. I felt dazed, staring until a sense of reality set in.

The memories of what happened in my apartment were a little hazy at the edges but nevertheless I knew I wasn’t anywhere I was supposed to be.

Rising to my feet, I realized I was in a small room. The bars on the windows cemented my fear.

I was trapped.

Was I being abducted?

Trafficked?

All those news of missing children and girls filled my mind and it made my stomach lurch. I gagged on air, losing all sense of control.

Panicking, I rushed to bang on the door.

“Please let me out!” I cried loudly. “Let me out! I don’t know what’s going on! Please!”

I continued to bang on the door, hoping against all odds that someone would find me and save me.

But as I slowly began to get worn down and became a sobbing mess, the realization that I was alone filled me with dread and pain.

I couldn't understand. I simply couldn't. And that was what hurt the most.

Why was this happening to me? What had I done to deserve all this?

My lips formed soundless words, pleading for help that I knew no one would bother listening to.

…