Stockholm Syndrome

Chapter Twelve

My head was f*****g pounding. I lifted my head off the pillow and looked around, confused. I had no idea where I was. I squinted at the light shining through the thin red drapes over the small window surrounded by a wall painted black. All of the walls in this room were black. I knew I'd never been in this room before. I turned around in the bed to look around more, trying to make sense of what was going on. My eyes widened when I saw a passed out Hal next to me.

So this must be Hal's room. I looked around again, wondering why the hell I was even in here. I remembered drinking with Hal in the living room last night, and then- oh. Oh. Oh my god.

Right.

I froze when I felt Hal stir beside me, not knowing what I'd even say to him. I didn't even know if I could look at him. The stirring turned into stretching and then, he opened his eyes. He looked at me confused.

"Frankie?" He brought a hand up to his head, massaging his temple indicating that he too had a headache. "Why are you in my room?"

I just stared back at him, not knowing if I should bring it up or just let him figure it out on his own. It seemed like he already did because his confused expression turned into one of realization.

"Oh, fuck... did we- did we, uh...?" I nodded slowly, probably looking just as shocked as he did. Images of last night began flashing in my mind. His pale skin against mine, my hands yanking his hair so hard that a few strands came out... All of those things were something I probably should've never experienced with a man like Hal but f**k, it was hot.

Hal was silent, probably running over the events of last night just like I was.

"I uh..." I began, not exactly sure what I was planning on saying, but talking anyway. "I had a good time last night..."

"f**k," was all he said, poking his tongue against the inside of his bottom lip, still in thought. "Fuck." He repeated.

"Was that... A bad thing? I'm sorry... It doesn't have to happen again, I-"

"No, fuck..." He cut me off, which was probably a good thing because knowing me, I would've kept rambling for hours. "My body hurts."

"Sorry-"

"No, it's, it's a good kind of pain, I guess. Means last night must've been hot as shit."

"You don't remember?"

"Vaguely. I remember it happening I just don't remember anything about it..." He explained. There was something about that that disappointed me. I wanted him to remember. I wanted him to remember every single detail and know he was right that it was definitely f*****g hot. I wanted him to want to do it again, sober. Oh god, I was so into him... What happened last night was probably what made it click in my head that I had grown more than fond of him. I was shaken from my thoughts when there was a loud bang on the door.

"Belleville PD" a strong voice came from outside the front door, and I looked at Hal with wide eyes.

"Get under the bed, quick" He ordered, getting out of the bed, only in his boxers, and I couldn't help but stare for a few seconds before snapping out of it and doing what he said. He pulled on jeans and a t-shirt, then combed his hair and walked to the bedroom door.

"Belleville PD, open up!" The voice repeated.

"Wait," he walked over to where I was, sitting on the edge of the bed ready to get under it. He grabbed the hair on the back of my head and kissed me hard. "Just in case I don't come back." He said with a cheeky smile before exiting the room and closing the door. I sat there dumbfounded for a moment before slinking down and sliding under his bed. My heart was pounding, what he said resonating in my mind. 'Just in case I don't come back' Why would he say that if he didn't think it was true?

The day I figure out I like him and the day after I f*****g sleep with the guy, he gets taken away from me. He better not f*****g leave me here.

"Hi, what-"

"Funny how you had 'nothing to do' with the disappearance of Faith McGregor but once again, we're lead back to your house for the same reason." I could tell it was the same officer that was here a few days ago.

"Sir, I told you everything I know. I'm worried about her too."

"Alright, but we're not here for Ms McGregor. We traced a few phone calls from a murdered victim's phone and they all lead to you. What do you know about Robert McCracken?" The officer said, and I winced slightly.

"I don't even know who that is." There was silence and an annoyed sigh coming from the officer.

"Ah. And if you don't know who he is and had nothing to do with Faith's disappearance then you surely have no connections to Francesca Bosco either, do you?"

"No, sir."

"You're coming with us." I could almost feel my heart break as the words came out of the officer's mouth. "You have the right to remain silent, and anything you say can and will be held against you."

"Alright, but you're not gonna get any closer to solving these cases while wasting your time with me." And then the front door closed. It was just silence in the house then, nothing but empty halls and lonely rooms in the house to make a sound. I heard a car door slam outside, followed by two more softer ones, and then the car took off. It took off with Hal inside it. He was gone.

I slowly slid out of my spot from under the bed and stood, staring blankly at the dark wood of the closed bedroom door. I looked behind me and down at the bed, ruffled sheets and indented pillows holding memories of last night. Why did he have to be taken away the morning after? That's when you're supposed to talk about it. What happened, why it happened, what's happening next... It almost feels like it was pointless. Like an accidental one-night stand. We hang out for a bit, get drunk, f**k, and then he's gone the next day and I'm left here wondering if he's ever coming back.

He's gotta come back. I didn't waste all this time with him and develop shitty fuckin' feelings for him for nothing. There were so many chances that I could've taken to get out but no, I stayed and he charmed me with his stupid voice and his stupid hair and f**k, even this fuckin door I'm staring at that I wanted to get behind since the day I got here. f**k him for being interesting.

I sighed and lifted my hand to the rounded gold doorknob, feeling the flecks of chipped off paint stick to my hand as I turned it and pulled the door open. The house was too quiet. I walked out into the hallway, the doorway to the kitchen directly across from where I stood. I turned and walked out into the living room, and slunk down sulkily into the worn leather couch. He had to come back.

But what if he didn't? What would I do then? Stay here? Surely if he was proven guilty for two missing people and murder he'd get a life sentence, or at least a long one. They'd probably seize his house and his car and all of his stuff. And if he admits to kidnapping me they're gonna wanna look for me. They'll look for Faith too, but chances are they're not gonna find her unless it's 5 feet underground by a highway off Monroeville. I mean- Bert was dead. He wasn't out there plotting my death anymore. And if Hal's not coming back they're gonna find me eventually anyway. The only place I had left to go was to my dad again. The emptiness of the house kind of reminded me of when I lived with my dad, except that even with my dad there was always the annoying rattle of the heater if and when it was even working. Everything's just quiet here.

I missed him already. After all these years I finally found someone to talk to and to laugh with and to hold... And he was just taken away from me. And I don't know what to do now.

I decided I'd wait five days. If he wasn't back in five days than he's surely caught and if he isn't, he'll come to find me again. I'll turn myself into the police. I'll tell them I ran away and then they'll take me back to my dad and everything will be boring again. Who knows, maybe my dad will f**k up another drug deal and I'll get a hit hired on me and I'll just go with them and start again. There's no doubt in my mind that they'd get caught too, though. And then there was the fact that they wouldn't be Hal. They'd probably actually have something wrong with them and then they'd actually kill me. And what are the chances that they're gonna be as interesting as Hal?

I was hopeless. He had to come back.