thank you guys for your comments!!
okay, I lied, I'm posting Chapter 13 now, but only because I was on a roll. I'm sorry it's so long, but in the middle it gets pretty intense.
Hope you enjoy! please comment!
<3 Kate
Chapter 13
"This is true love - you think this happens every day?"
-Wesley, The Princess Bride
Slowly I began to walk down the street, willing myself not to panic. The sun was low in the sky, and I guessed it was about six thirty or seven. I silently cursed myself for giving Emily my phone to put in her purse for safe keeping.
Silvery glass buildings towered above me on either side. Ahead of me I noticed a small courtyard surrounded by a collection of shops that I thought remembered stopping at before on an earlier trip with Emily. I walked over and dropped down on a bench, heavy hearted and beginning to loose hope. Running my hands through my tangled mess of hair, I let out a heavy sigh. I decided to wait for the theatre to empty out, then head back and hope that I could get in. However, for now, there was nothing for me to do but wait, so wait was what I did. Sitting there on that bench I watched as the sun dropped lower and lower into the sky. The more it dropped the more my worry grew. The last thing I wanted was to be alone in downtown Chicago at night.
Finally, after what felt like a half an hour, I got up and hurriedly made my way back to the theatre. There was still a slight trickle of people leaving the concert, but it was nothing compared to the river that had washed me outside earlier. I moved around the people, trying to walk back in when a man stepped in front of me.
“Sorry, ma’am.” His gruff voice boomed down at me. “Once you’re out, you can’t go back in.”
Anger welled up inside of me, but I was too tired to fight back. Something inside of me told me that nothing I said would make him change his mind anyways. I turned and walked away. It was then that I noticed an alleyway between the theatre building and the building next to it. It didn’t look blocked off in any way and I figured it was worth a try. Maybe I could get to the back of the building where we came in earlier that day.
Cautiously I crept down the alley. The dirtiness and darkness amplified my fear. With each step I took, I wished with all my heart that I could get out of that alley, but it seemed to be my only hope. Suddenly, something caught my foot and I tumbled into a heap on the muddy ground. I could feel cold wetness from the ground seeping through my clothes. Frustrated, I pulled myself up off the ground and sat down hard on a crate.
As I sat there trying to pull myself together I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to find a grizzly man towering over me. His wiry beard stuck out from around a worn, dirty face. Fear tingled through my body as my heart began to race.
“What a pretty little girl you are.” His coarse voice made me cringe. He began to cackle. When I tried to get up he grabbed my arm and pushed me back down. My muscles tensed. “Where do you think you’re going? It’s not everyday I have such a pretty visitor.”
The tone in his voice frightened me right down the bone. I didn’t know what to do. Once again I tried to get up and run away. Still he held onto me, his grip surprisingly strong. I became paralyzed with fear.
“Calm down, honey, I promise I won’t hurt you.” He took a step closer to me and reached out to touch my hair. I leaned away from him, angering him.
“Don’t touch me.” I glared at the foul man. His grip on me tightened, his eye spat fire.
“I don’t want to hurt you-” He said as if warning me.
Once again he reached out to touch my hair. This time, I didn’t move, anger from submission building up inside of me. As his hand moved from my hair to my face his grip on my arm loosened. Finally when he let go completely and brought both hands to my face I took advantage of the opportunity and punched him in the gut. He staggered backward, then forcefully and fiercely threw me up against the wall.
“You little brat.” He said between clenched teeth.
As he came closer to me, anger coursed through my veins. Refusing to let him get any closer, I kicked him below the belt with all that I had. As he stumbled backwards and began to fall, I ran down the alleyway as fast as I could. I didn’t know whether I was heading toward the front of the building or the back, but I did know that I needed to get out of there. I ran around the corner and found myself at the back of the building. I could see the limo waiting where we had left it earlier that day as I peered through the fence in front of me. Frantically, I called and waved at the driver inside. He looked up, startled at my screeching. I prayed he would recognize me. He had to recognize me.
I watched as he got out of the car and walked over towards the theatre door.
“No, come back!” I wailed at him, reaching through the fence. “Please! It’s me, Natalie, you’ve got to help me.” Tears of panic pricked at my eyes as he disappeared into the building.
Glancing over my shoulder, I checked to make sure that foul man wasn’t following me. My legs were still shaking and my heart was still racing from the fear of it all.
“Miss Springer?” I turned as the low voice called my name. Relief washed through me as I saw one of the boys’ bodyguards walking towards me. “Miss Springer, what happened to you?”
“Oh thank god!” I wailed as he took unlocked the gate, letting me in. I half stumbled, half ran through it. “Thank you so much!” I told the guard as he gently led me inside the building.
When Nick saw me come in, he ran down the hall, with Emily, Kevin, Joe and Sarah not far behind. I pulled away from the bodyguard and rushed into his open arms. He held me tightly, forcefully. I held him back, never wanting to let him go.
In the safety of his arms, the realization of what almost happened hit me. It took hold of me and I began to shake uncontrollably. Sobs racked my body. Fear, terror, horror, panic, mixed with relief, joy and safety bubbled up from inside me as I cried into Nick’s chest.
“Lady kicked me out—alone—that horrible disgusting man—” I blubbered into his shirt. Even though I sobbed he said nothing. He simply held me even tighter.
