Chapter 19
As Jo and I left the park, the school compound loomed before us, its buildings casting long shadows in the fading light. "Well, good night," Jo said, his voice low and smooth. "We'll see each other tomorrow."
He gave me a wink, and my heart skipped a beat. I stood there, frozen, as he turned and walked away, his confident stride eating up the distance. I couldn't help but smile, feeling like a fool, as I watched him disappear into the darkness.
But my happiness was short-lived. As I stood there, lost in my thoughts, I sensed a presence behind me. I turned to see three guys surrounding me, their faces unfamiliar and unfriendly. "Who are you?"
Before I could react, one of them grabbed my ankles, while another covered my mouth. I tried to struggle, but they were too strong. I couldn't even call out for help. Everything went black as I lost consciousness.
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I woke up, my head throbbing with pain, like I was having a severe migraine. As I sat up, I looked around, disoriented. Where was I? The room was empty, devoid of any furniture or comfort. Panic began to set in as I realized I was trapped.
I stumbled to my feet and staggered to the door, hoping to find a way out. But when I tried the handle, I found it locked. "Oh my God, oh my God," I muttered, panic rising in my chest. Where was I? What did they want from me?
As fear took hold, I shouted for help, my voice echoing off the bare walls. "Somebody, help me! Somebody, help me!" I kept shouting, hoping someone would hear me.
Suddenly, I heard footsteps outside the door. I fell silent, my heart racing. The door creaked open, and a figure entered. The man was unfamiliar, his face cold and unyielding.
"Who are you?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady. "What do you want from me?"
The man sneered, telling me to shut up. Two more men followed him into the room, their faces just as menacing.
In desperation, I began to babble, saying anything that might save my life. "Please, don't kill me. My parents are rich. They can give you any amount of money you want. Please."
I knew I was saying rubbish, but I had to try anything. I was their only child, and if they killed me, my parents would be left with nothing. I was desperate to stay alive, no matter what it took.
Just as I thought things couldn't get worse, a fourth person entered the room,He dropped a small, square block of ice on the floor. "Stand on it," one who looked like the leader ordered, his voice cold and detached.
I was shocked, my mind racing with fear. "What? How?" I stuttered, my legs trembling beneath me. I was stubborn, refusing to comply, but the two men behind me quickly lost patience. They jacked me up, dropping me onto the block of ice with a thud.
The coldness from the ice seeped into my feet, sending a chill running up my spine. I wanted to step down, to escape the discomfort, but the men gave me a deadly look, their eyes warning me not to move. I froze, standing rigidly on the ice, my heart pounding in my chest.
"At least tell me who sent you." I demanded. "What have I done? What have I done?" I pleaded, trying to reason with them. "If you move an inch from the ice," the leader warned, his tone dripping with malice, "there will be consequences." I stood stock-still, terrified of what might happen if I disobeyed.
As I stood on the ice, my legs trembled beneath me like leaves in a hurricane. The cold seeped into my bones, numbing my feet and ankles. I begged, my voice barely above a whisper. "Please, please." But my pleas fell on deaf ears. The men pulled out weapons, their faces cold and unyielding. I knew I was at their mercy, and my heart sank.
The pain was unbearable, and I began to cry, tears streaming down my face like a relentless river. Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, the door swung open, and a figure strode in. The men immediately gave him a chair, and he sat down, his eyes fixed on me.
"Turn on the bright light," he ordered, his voice low and commanding. As the lights flickered to life,casting away the dim light that had been on, I felt a jolt of recognition. It was the piano guy, the one I'd insulted in the library. My mouth flew open in shock, and I felt a wave of fear wash over me.
He signaled for the boys to leave the room, and they obeyed without question. Then, he walked up to me, his eyes glinting with amusement. "How does it feel?" he asked, his voice dripping with mockery. "It feels good, right?"
I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. "I'm really sorry," I begged. "I swear I wouldn't ever do such a thing again." I remembered what Jo had told me about him being dangerous, and I knew I'd made a terrible mistake. My heart racing with fear, I thought, "Oh my God, what have I gotten myself into?"
"I'm sorry," I begged, my voice shaking with fear. He laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "Well, if anyone had told me that you could apologize like this, I wouldn't have believed it," he said, his eyes glinting with amusement. "You were running your mouth back then in the library."
I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice. "Can I step down?" I asked, my legs trembling on the ice. "How dare you ask me that!" he barked,his voice cold. "Step down, and you will see the other side of me."
I was already uncomfortable, my legs aching from standing on the ice. I was dancing from one foot to the other, trying to alleviate the discomfort. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he went over to his seat and sat down. "Step down," he ordered.
As I stepped off the ice, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. My leg was red and sore, and I rubbed it with my hand, trying to cool off the discomfort. "At least that would teach you a lesson," he said, his voice smug.
I looked at him, anger building up inside me. But there was nothing I could do. I had to swallow my pride and keep my mouth shut. As the stubborn person I was, I never accepted the fact that I was wrong. But deep down, I knew it wasn't entirely my fault. If he hadn't collected the book I wanted, I wouldn't have said all those things against him.
He brought out his phone and dialed a number, his eyes never leaving mine. When the person on the other end picked up, he spoke into the phone, his voice cold and detached"come'nd get this trash out of my sight," he said, his words dripping with disdain. "Take her back to where you brought her from."
I felt a surge of anger and humiliation, and I almost yelled at him. But something about his tone made me pause. I bit back my words, swallowing my pride.
One of the guys came inside the room, his face expressionless. He pulled me out, his grip firm but not cruel. I stumbled along beside him.