Chapter 77

Bella-Rose POV

My self-preservation left my mind as I lay in that fetal position on the road with rain pouring over me. I was soaked wet. Yet I don't care. I curled there, my sobs subdued, feeling detached about the weather, the cold, the danger I put myself in. An occasional hiccup went past me as I tried to control the storm inside me.

I was alone on a barren road. The dark is absolute, making the night sounds ten times louder. If my family knows about this, they would probably have a panic attack. I don't want to think about what this will do to Nana. I should seek shelter...return to my home.

But my body is not ready to listen to my brain's commands. I don't think I can drive even if I push myself to stand somehow. My strength has left me. I'm just a pile of flesh lying there.
My eyes closed, my hands hugging myself, my mind started playing the scene where Jacqueline hugs James McKenzie on a loop. He never pushed her away...not while I was there.

A sudden horn note on the side of the road woke me from my reverie. I blinked to clear my vision. It's still dark but the rain has stopped. When did it happen? I lost track of time.

"Are you ok?", came a voice from above me. I don't have the strength to see who it was.
I buried my face into my shoulder and mumbled, "go... away" slowly, my teeth chattering with each syllable as I said them.

"Hey, I would. If you want me to. But this is not a safe place, lady. You want me to drop you somewhere? Are you waiting for someone? Maybe I can stay with you until they reach here?", a masculine voice questioned me.

I should answer him. I should tell him to mind his own business and send him on his way. Yet, I don't have the energy to do any of those things. My body started to tremble as I felt the cold seeping into my body.

"Are you lost?", the voice asked, this time laced with sympathy.

"N...no", I stammered.

"You can hit me later when you gain some strength, but I don't think it's safe for you to stay here. Let me take you home or wherever you want to go", the voice cajoled.

"I...", I wanted to say, 'I don't want to', but the uncontrollable tremble took hold of my body making my chattering of teeth unbearably louder.

"That's it! I'm taking you from here, woman. Rest assured, I just want to drop you somewhere safe", the voice...the man said as he effortlessly picked me up and carried me in bridal style towards his car.

I should protest... Should ask him to put me down as he is also a stranger. He may be helping me or taking me for his own nefarious purposes. I should doubt his motives. Yet not a single word came out of my mouth.

I clasped my hands in front of me as I gazed at the guy who lifted me without breaking a sweat. I couldn't see his face clearly due to the lack of light, except that he is tall and muscular.

Once he carefully put me down on the front seat of his car, he shut the door and joined me from the other side.

The car's light illuminated, giving enough light to see his features. I get the feeling as if I have seen him somewhere, but my pain-induced mind is not set for the task of guesswork.

However, the guy has no problem with his brain cells as he turned to me and said in a surprising tone, "Hey! Aren't you the condom girl?"

If I heard it on any other day, I would have died then and there with mortification. Alas, my body didn't do anything except stare through the glass window beside me into the dark abyss that was the street. His declaration bounced over me like rainwater over hard rock.

"Okay then. Where to miss?", the guy asked, facing me.

Anywhere. Nowhere. Nevertheless, I didn't voice out my thoughts. After a while of staring at me, the guy said in a soft voice, "I don't know what you have gone through. I won't bother you with my questions. But whatever the pain you are feeling, it will go away one day. Everything is going to be fine. Tomorrow will be a better day. Never lose hope"

I must look really bad if a total stranger is giving me advice and showing sympathy. Though he coerced me into speaking I kept my mouth tightly shut, not meeting his eyes.

He sighed at my stubbornness and said, "as you wish. But could you please tell me where I can drop you?"

Home...but where is it? If I go to my place, I'm sure James will find me. He might try to explain it away. And I would believe him. No... I cannot. I can't face him with my pain still raw. If I meet him now, I don't think I can handle myself.

But if not home, then where? For a guy like him, it is as easy as snapping his fingers to find my parents' home or any of my friends' or relatives' home. I'm not safe from him anywhere. What a joke! That guy has promised me that he will keep me safe from the world. And here I'm having to run from him for my safety. Life sure has a way of teaching lessons.

Though I couldn't go to anyone's home, I must say something. I opened my mouth and amidst my shivering I stuttered, "some... place... sa... safe".

I can see the guy's hands clenching the steering wheel harder from my peripheral vision.
He clenched his jaw and said through his teeth, "are you in trouble? Is someone behind you? Want me to take you to the police?"

Police? If dad finds out about this, he will be on my tail before I can sneeze. And I'm not ready to face him...or anyone else.

On the second note, what can the police do to James McKenzie? And even if there is a chance, am I ready to complain against him? What will I tell them? That he chatted with me? Did he lie to me? No... he never lied. But hide the truth. A very important detail is that he is married. A gasp escaped past me at the pain in my chest thinking about that information again.

"No... no. Just... take me to some... some hotel", I said, my shivering lessening a little as the heat from the car warmed me up.

"Are you sure?", the guy queried his eyes, squinting to take a better look at me.

I turned my body towards the car door completely, my hair covering my face, the seat belt cutting into me, as I huddled into a corner and gave a slow nod to him.

"Alright then", he started the engine and took me to God knows where. I closed my eyes and laid my head against the car window. I should be more cautious; he could be anyone. But my tired brain took a hiatus of my senses.

The sudden stop in-car motion made me open my eyes groggily. The man walked around the car and, careful of my leaning, slowly opened the door.

"I'm sorry but this is the only nearest hotel I can find. If this is not to your liking, I can take you to some other one. If that's ok with you", he said, rubbing the nape of his neck.

I scanned the premises of the hotel. A miasma of stale alcohol hung around the lobby area so much that I couldn't help but wrinkle my nose.

I should go back. Looking at the dingy hotel, my mind finally took notice and alerted me to danger! Danger' to me.

Before I could open my mouth, the guy closed the door and stepped back into his seat and said, "forget about it. We will look some more. The night is still young", he gave a small smile which didn't reach his eyes as he looked at my troubled face.

"Hey! You don't have to be scared. If you want you can message my details to your family. Girls generally throw themselves at me so this reaction is kind of different for me. I'm", he faded away at my serious face.

"Sorry. I won't speak again. Now, let's check another zombie warehouse, shall we?", he gave a smirk as he said that

At my deadpan expression, he mumbled with, "just kidding"

We were finally able to find a decent type of hotel. However, the problem came when the receptionist asked for the payment. In my pain, I forgot about my wallet that was in my car.

I looked at the guy like a lost puppy looking at his mama. He quickly covered the expenses waving my nervous blabbering, "I will pay you later, I promise".

Once the room key was given to me, I turned to the guy and said, "thank you".

"No need. It's my pleasure to meet you again. Not under these circumstances but you know what I mean. I will just go find a river to throw myself now", the guy stumbled in his speech and turned to leave.

I never thought I could make a guy nervous. Just as he was about to leave, the guy came back and said, "I will drop your car keys at the front desk once I brought your car"

"Thanks", I said with my dry eyes.

I don't know how I was able to sleep or at what time my staring match with the ceiling of the room ended.

When my eyes opened, the next thing I saw was sun flooding in through the still-open drapes, announcing that the violent storm of the night before had fled out.

I walked to the bathroom as if I had aged 50 years overnight. As I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror, I realized that James's coat is still around me.

With misty eyes and shaky hands, I slowly traced the coat sleeves. Just as I was about to start another sobbing session, mom called on my phone.

"Bella! Bella! Where are you?" Mom's worried voice came through the phone.