Chapter one

I stared at the glass window, the weather felt chilly and warm at the same time, my breath caught between my throat as I stared more, it felt like someone was watching me when I choked back on my saliva.

“What is wrong with you?.” I heard someone yell and I snapped out of my thoughts.

“Shit.” I breathed out, staring r the mess I made on the table, the coffee was all over the place and the customer didn’t look any happy. “I am sorry.” I whispered.

“You should pay more attention to what you are doing, you are certainly not getting any tips and your manager would hear about it tomorrow.” She gritted through her teeth and I stared at her apologetically.

I took an extra shift to make more money and it doesn’t seem like it’s working.

“It won’t happen again.” I whispered as I cleaned it, the moment I was done, I served her fresh cup of coffee. “This is on the house both the coffee and the cookies.”

“I don’t need your pity cookies.” She looked away and my eyes filled with remorse, I can’t let my boss find out about this.

This job is the only thing I have, and I need it for Ethan.

I watched as she took the coffee slowly, I should not have stared out of the glass, I kept staring at the ceiling, the fear in my heart slowly subsiding when she paid and she walked away angrily.

—-

Being here all alone didn’t do any good to me, my heart sank each time I would hear the bell, my eyes filled with fear each time I was left alone in the room with a customer, I am scared they will hurt me, or come close to me, I am hurt they would even try and make me pay for what I have done.

My heart skipped into a dark place when my eyes peered up and I saw someone walking into the bakery.

“Anne’s bakery, how can I help you?.” I whispered.

“I would have coffee and he will have a glass of chocolate milk.” Rose smiled. “You don’t look good Bella.”

“I am fine, just tired, it’s being a long time.” I whispered with a fake smile on my face, she glanced at me for a moment before she settled down with her ten year old.

Rose comes here ever single day and sometimes twice a day, we got to know each other, she feels like a mother to me, warm and nice and her little boy Jude, he is mute.

“Are you sure you are fine Bella?.” She asked again, as I settled the things. “You need to close up if you are not fine, I will speak to Mathew to give you a break, you need it.”

“Thank you.” I whispered when I heard a noise coming from outside, I glanced at the window again, my eyes filled with tears as I looked away.

I muttered a few words to myself when I served her and I walked away, I am starting to look like a crazy person. I need to calm down.

They are never going to find me.

—-

Closing up has always been the best time of the day. I called by at around two in the morning, Rose took a while there and another customer came in after her, causing me to stay longer.

I didn’t need a cab to head home, it was just around the corner. My feet felt heavy against the floor as I headed further, the soft wind whistling through my hair and the darkness in my heart, causing a wave of heat to flow through my body.

My mind scared and tired as I walked when I stopped in my tracks.

I am being watched, I could feel it through my veins, I could feel the eyes of the person over me.

“Just a few more blocks Bella.” I murmured against my breath

Ever step I took, I was certain someone else took two more, I glanced further ahead, the lights are out, I have complained for weeks now and no one seemed to care about fixing it.

I clenched on to my bag when I felt a presence behind me and I stopped in my tracks.

He is not here, he can’t be here.

When my eyes peered up, a gasp falls out of my lips as I stared at a man standing in front of me, the reek of alcohol filled my nose as I looked away.

“What is a beautiful little thing like you doing alone? Don’t you have any idea that it’s not safe.” He smiled as he reached toward me and I pull away.

“Just let me go, my uncle is waiting for me at home, he will call the cops if I am not home.” I lied.

“He would just have to wait.” The man smiled, I could not run, there was no where for me to go to and I didn’t think it was a good idea of continue ahead, the darkness would just give him an advantage over me.

He took me aback when he grabs my hand and he pulled me toward him, my eyes filled with tears.

“Let go of me.”

“When I am done, you can go back home to that imaginary uncle of yours.” He smiled, he placed his hand against my back and my breath hitches.

Mustering every strength I had, I pushed him away from me and the fact that he is drunk gave me an advantage, I instantly reached for the broken bottle on the floor and I held it up against.

“Don’t come any close.” I yelled.

“Oh I am so scared you are going to hurt me.” He laughed as he inched close.

“I am serious.” I yelled. “Please.” I whispered in fear and yet he didn’t stop.

The moment I felt he was close enough, the world around me seemed to vanish, the streetlights, the wind, the sound of distant cars.

His fingers brushed my wrist.

I swung.

The jagged glass cut through the air and found him before I even realized what I had done. There was a sickening sound like tearing cloth, and then a warm rush spilled over my hand.

He stumbled back, his eyes wide with disbelief, hands pressed to his chest where crimson bloomed.

“Oh God.” I gasped, dropping the glass. My knees buckled but I didn’t fall. My hands trembled as I reached for him, but stopped halfway.

He tried to say something, his lips moving, but then his body collapsed onto the pavement with a dull thud, his face still twisted in drunken shock.

I stared down at the blood seeping between the cracks in the concrete. My breath came in shallow gasps. My fingers felt frozen.

“I didn’t mean.” My voice cracked. “I didn’t.”

A sound echoed from down the street, Panic shot through me. My eyes darted around the dark alley and, the body at my feet.

He shouldn’t have touched me.

I didn’t mean to kill him.

But now he was dead.