Ch.13"Encounter with him"

Gracie P.O.V.

 

"Amy! Franklin!" I heard his voice behind me. I gasped and didn't want to move because he would see me if I did.

Of course, he can see you, my inner voice says, rolling her eyes.

I was talking to myself when I didn't feel him right behind me. Instead, I felt his hands on my shoulders, and I felt him rubbing them.

I didn't know what to do, but I sat still and let him touch me. I was afraid that he had seen my reaction.

I heard him again.

 

"Give me your best hot roast beef sandwich and hot cup of coffee," Hayes said.

Coming right up," Amy said with a smile.

"Thanks," I heard him say behind me, and he still had his hands rubbing my shoulders.

I could feel my body heating up whenever he was around me. I can't help thinking about him with desire even though he treats me like crap.

I know I must be stupid for having feelings for a man who loves to hurt me.

Breathe, Gracie, and he can't hurt you here. Just relax, and maybe he would step back and leave me alone. I thought to myself.

I didn't mean to chuckle, but he heard me.

Oh, crap. I started getting nervous because I felt his fingers digging into my skin. Ouch! He was hurting me. I should tell him to let me go. But I am a chicken, and I never stand up for myself when someone is rude and mean to me.

 

"You think it was funny to leave disrespecting me and not listening when I told you to stay."

"Well, I tell you, what's so funny, pest," I heard him say because he bent over my ear and spoke in it.

He didn't sound happy, but a little annoyed from earlier. So I took off when he had me cornered in the dark hallway at the school.

He was upset with me because I didn't obey him and stayed put when he was alone.

 

"Hmm, nothing to say now, huh, pest." He was teasing me with his smart-ass mouth and smug attitude.

Oh, God, I hate him, but I still like him. I don't know why. There is something inside me telling me I should.

 

"Oh, what's wrong, Gracie? Cat got your tongue because earlier you were talking up a storm and acting all tough, and now, you're so quiet like a little mouse," he said with a smug smile. I know he is being a cocky asshole.

 

But that's Hayes Ford, the famous hot jock, who gets whatever he wants, and if you get in his way, let's say, he will make your life a living hell. I should know. It's been happening to me since I was in middle school.

 

I still don't know why he treated me like I was a disgusting animal that needed to be put down. But then again, he goes out of his way to find and talk to me. He told me not to come near him, and here he was again, touching me and talking in my ear.

 

"No! I said, turning my ear away from him. But I did know I needed to leave when I was getting up off my seat, but I felt his fingers shove me back down.

 

"Oh, no, sweetheart, you're going to sit here, and we will talk about your little stunt back there."

Also, talk about what punishment I should give you." He said with an order, beside me now. Because now he is sitting right beside me. I felt his hand on my knee under the table.

 

I tried to move his hand off my knee under the table, but he had a rough, rugged grip.

 

"Please, Hayes," I begged him to let me go because he was hurting me.

"You're hurting me," I spoke.

 

"Shh, do you want me to punish you here because I will, Gracie? You don't know how much I am holding myself back from not doing something," he didn't finish because Amy came over and asked him and me if there was anything we needed. I could tell she was trying to distract him from his anger toward me. So, I gave her a small smile and thanked her with my eyes. It was like she could hear me.

 

"No, Amy, we don't need anything; we are all good. So, we thank you for the food, and it was delicious, and we're just leaving, aren't we, Gracie?" So, Hayes told her, but I knew he was ordering me and not disobeying him.

But I don't want to leave him. I want to run and run before he attacks me as he did earlier. I'm not sure whether I could stop him or, if I tried, finish what I was going to do.

 

If I didn't, I would be in a lot of trouble. I don't want him mad at me. I want him to smile and treat me nicely.

 

I wish I were beautiful enough for him to like me, too. Maybe if I were stunning, I would have friends, and everyone would not make fun of me and give me hateful stares that made me wish I would drop dead.

Why do they hate me? I looked around me. I could hear Hayes speaking to Amy in a friendly voice.

I sighed.

"Well, okay. You guys have a wonderful afternoon, and please come back again, you guys," I heard Amy say, and I looked up, and I saw her sweet and worried smile on her beautiful face. I gave her a look.

I was okay when I saw the worry fall from her face. But she was still a little bit nervous and concerned about me. But she didn't show it because she didn't want him to get angry at me and take it out on me. I nodded and gave her a reassuring smile, so I didn't worry about her. Even though we just met, I felt a friendly vibe coming off her. She is not much older than me. But she has a daughter who could be in the same grade as I am. But I could be wrong. We had communicated that he could not read.

Yeah, we could be friends. I will be back here again. I like it here.

I wasn't paying attention when I felt his hand grab me.

 

So, that's when I felt him lift my arm and make me stand on my feet. He pulled my seat under the bar I was sitting at in the front of the diner.

Oh, no, I need to stop him before he takes me outside away from people, and he would- I don't want to think about what he would do to me. I shiver thinking about whether he would hurt me. So, I need to hurry up and think quickly. That is when it comes to me.

 

"Umm, where is your bathroom, Amy?" I asked her. But if you could hear me, I was begging her for a way out. So, I need to take my shot and get away. I don't like it when he likes this. I stay away when his temper explodes, and I am the person he takes it out on.

 

"Oh, it's in the back room on your right." She spoke. She knew I was lying.

He didn't stop me when I got up and walked away. But I walked in the back looking for a way out.

When I walked past the bathroom, I saw the exit sign.

I looked behind me to see if he was following me. But when I looked back, I saw he wasn't behind me.

I walked to the door, opened it, and started running, and I didn't look back.