52 - SURPRISE ATTACK

“I’m not doing this with you right now Shawn” I looked at him, suddenly feeling exhausted.

“Yes you are” he stood up and grabbed my arm the same way Kyle did except there were no butteflies just a slight annoyance that was raking up my body as Shawn pondered me about my job. I knew he was insecure about Kyle and in all honesty, he had every right to be

“What the hell am I supposed to do after I quit my job, stay at home and cook dinner for you everyday?”

“You could get another job” he said it so easily like he had everything planned out to the T, and he was just letting me know out of due formality and I was in fact supposed to listen to him “There’s an opening at a consulting company I know – ”

“No stop” I stopped him before he went any further and he seemed genuinely confused why I wasn’t keen on his idea, well for starters it was ridiculuous

“Or a fresh start, what do you think of moving again? Europe? It’ll be good for us after the wedding and we could get a house with a backyard and a swing set– what do you think babe?” he sounded erratic

“I think you’re crazy” I offered, pushing away from him to get myself a drink because all his talk was getting me dizzy.

“I’m serious Aria – why don’t you take me fucking serious?” he said loudly and catching me unawares with the harshness of his voice and when I looked at him, his eyes were angry and bloodshot that I had to back up a bit.

“I’m not moving to Europe okay, I don’t know anybody there”

“You didn’t know anybody when you moved to California”

“I knew Sam” I countered and the anger in his eyes only seemed to intensify. “Look Shawn, I’m not moving, neither am I quitting my job and that’s just something you have to deal with or find a way to understand”

“Fuck!” he yelled loudly, punching his fist into the wall and creating a dent that I flinched. I looked at him, then at the wall he had just punched then his knuckles which were now bruised and bleeding.

“What the hell Shawn!” I screamed and only then did he realize what he had done and he had remorse drawn across his face but it wouldn’t wipe off the surprise and disappointment on my face. Shawn had never acted out before, he always had his wits about him but there was something in his eyes when he punchd the walls, something I couldn’t describe, something else the surpassed surface anger – it felt like a deep seated rage and it terrified me.

“I – I’m sorry – I – I wasn’t thinking” he pleaded moving towards me even though I stepped back with distrust on my face.

“Do you ever think that maybe – we’re not right for each other” the words fell out of my mouth and I could see the look of shock on Shawn’s face, the pain that stuck across and I wish I could retract my statement but

it was already out in the open and laid bare before us to feed on. The silence stretched between us as we stared at each other, neither of us wanting to break it first until Shawn opened his mouth to speak but no words fell out except for a sound I could interpret as a whimper.

“No – ”

“You don’t trust me Shawn – maybe, just maybe we need to have a rethink if we really want to be together” I said to him and picking my bag back of the counter.

“Where are you going?” his eyes intercepted me and my eyes flew to our now dented wall before fixing my gaze back at him with disappointment still clouding my eyes

“I need to think” I said.

“But – ”

“I’ll see you when I’m back and we can talk properly, I’m giving you an opportunity to reflect on everything while I do the same”

“Are you going to meet him?” his question stopped me as I was already halfway through the door but I stopped in my track without looking back as Shawn stood breathing behind me waiting for a response. But I had no response to give, I didn’t have the response he wanted to hear so I walked out of the house without saying a word.

I went to a nearby café to get some food into my rumbling stomach that had only filled with one cup of coffee and a mixture of nerves and butterflies. I was supposed to meet Kyle back at the company in a few hours so I had a little more time to stall. Instead, I whipped out my phone and I decided to look throught the fanciest buildings and halls for the event. First on my list was the Lexington building Kyle craved about. I zoomed in the pictures I could find on the internet and truly it was a towering monument of elegance and sophistication. This was the kind of building I had never dreamed of entering my whole life. I was still admiring the ornate double doors that were adorned with gilded mirrors that reflected the soft glow of crystal chandeliers when my phone blinked with an incoming text from a strange number. Instantly, I tapped on it and an image appeared – it was me. It was a picture of that exact moment that I was sitting in this flowery café with pink walls and led lights for decoration and I froze suddenly looking around me and the direction in which the picture was taken but there was no one, nothing suspicious and nothing out of line.

My fingers trembled as I held my phone in my hands staring at the weird photo of me with my eyes fixed on my phone “Who’s this?” I sent back and held my heart in my hands while I waited for a response and even after five minutes none came. Probably someone playing a sick prank on me for social media content, I definitely wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case so I decided it to shove it to the back of my head and carry on with my food.

A few hours passed by and it was time to head back to the company to start planning out the banquet dinner and I sent a quick text to Kyle.

“On my way” I said and he instantly responded with a sticker which caused me to chuckle. That was funny, Kyle was the last person I ever expected to use a sticker, he didn’t possess that kind of humor.
I stepped out of the café and took a cab to the company. The air was cold and when I stepped into the company, the quietness hit save for the echo of my shoes on the marble floor. Suddenly I heard some footsteps behind and I turned around immediately, still apprehensive from the mystery photo that was sent to me.

“Who’s there?” I called out when I saw no trace behind me. The corridor was dark and I’ll have to walk a few paces to reach the light switch and I fastened my pace.

I was almost there, my hands barely touching the switch before I felt someone grab me from behind and placing something over my face – I struggled. I couldn’t breathe or think, the attack caught me unawares
Suddenly, everything went black.