Hidden Temptations

Chapter 3

It has been three days since I last saw Sarah. It feels like an eternity when I’ve seen her every day of my life. I have to get used to it, since we both go to separate colleges at the end of the summer. Sarah goes to the Ivy League college Princeton University in New Jersey on a full ride scholarship. As for me I’m going to Seattle University, only because my mom is making me go to college. I have decided to study biology only because of my teacher Mr. Matthews. It’s the only subject I had gained interest in because he was the only teacher to help me find a passion. The only teacher to take an interest in me. It’s really going to be a rough summer knowing I’m not going to college with Sarah. We have never been separated for more than, well now, three days.

“Do you want me to take you to get your dress?” My mother said while sitting at the table going over a case she is working on. My mother is a lawyer for the City of Seattle. “Sarah, texted me earlier, telling me to remind you to go get it.”

“No, I can drive myself.” Walking out the door with the keys to her White 2019 Toyota Corolla.

“Wait!” I stop opening the door and turn around to look at her.

“Yes mom?” I clutch the door handle

“Pick up some milk on the way home. Drive safe. I love you.” My mother never lets me drive away without saying those three words. Ever since my father died in a car accident seven years ago, she never goes without saying it.

“Okay, I love you too. I’ll be back within an hour or so.” I wave bye to her and finish leaving the house.

I am halfway to the dress shop and I notice a truck has been following me for six blocks. For what I can see it’s a dark large suburban. I can’t see who is inside. All of the windows are tinted.

“Hmm, they are probably going the same direction as me.” I ignore it and turn the radio up. The song “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo is playing.

“Yesss, she is amazing.” I start to sing along.

? You could’ve had a bad b***h. ?

I pulled up in front of the dress shop all out of breath from singing along to the radio. I look in my rearview mirror again and that same truck parks a few spots behind me on the road. I grip the steering wheel, my knuckles go white. My gut is telling me to leave and go home, but then they will know where I live if they continue to follow me. Do they already know? My head is saying continue as I am and act like I haven’t seen them.

I decided to get out of the car. I shut the car door and lock it. I walk at a faster rate of speed than normal to get into the dress shop before anything could happen. I can’t help it, I have to look. I look up at the truck that was following me and as soon as I do they speed off. I watch as they drive away trying to see if I can see someone in there, but nothing. The windows are too dark. I don’t see much of the license plate either, they look covered up. I open the door for the dress shop and take a deep breath.

“Hello, my name is Hannah. How can I help you?” I am greeted by this little petite young girl maybe 12 or 13 years old.

“Um, yeah I’m here to pick up a dress for Addie Marten.” I say as I keep looking over my shoulder.

“Okay give me one minute. I will be right back with your dress.” She walked behind a door and disappeared from sight. I keep looking over my shoulder, hoping that the suburban doesn’t come back.

“Here you go Miss. Would you like to try it on?” I jump. She comes back out of nowhere. I hope I’m not like this now, terrified of everything.

“Sure.” I took the dress from her arms.

“Right this way.” She walked me to a large white room with a circle stage in front of mirrors and four separate dressing rooms.

“Here you are. Let me know if anything needs to be altered.” She smiles and unlocks a dressing room for me.

I slip into the dress and I can’t believe I would even think about wearing this at all. There is so much going on. I step out of the dressing room and onto the circle stage that is surrounded by mirrors. I look at myself in this dress. It is a stunning dress. A light blue dress with lace over layer on the top corset. It was a strapless dress and showed off some of my cleavage. It looks like the dress Cinderella wears.

“Of course she picked out this dress.” I rolled my eyes and kind of smirked to myself. Sarah wants me to find a boyfriend, or someone to at least take my virginity. I take one last look in the mirror at myself, I feel different, I feel pretty.

“What is that?” I see something behind me in the mirror. It looks like a man standing outside of the window. I turned around and the figure was gone.

“Ugh, now I’m seeing things.” I go back into the dressing room and I take the dress off and get dressed back into my blue jeans and my black t-shirt. Walking back to the front of the store I get an awful feeling in my gut. Painful feeling.

“Thank you, Hannah. It fits great.” I smile hastily.

“Perfect. Have a great day!” I leave the store and put the dress in the back seat of my car, laid across the entire back seat so I don’t ruin it. I sit in the driver's seat and the feeling in my gut is still there. Do I drive home? Do I stay?

“Oh! Have to go get milk.” I turn the car on and turn the radio off. I don’t want to listen to music right now, I need this feeling to disappear. I pull out of my parking spot and head to the grocery store to get the milk my mother asked for. I look in my rearview mirror. No black suburban.

I take a breath, “Okay, I’m not being followed.” I keep on driving checking my mirror about 100 times every minute. I pull up to a red light two blocks before the store. A little old man is crossing the street in front of me. He smiles and waves at me and I do the same back. As the old man gets across the street and the light turns green. I accelerate, I get to the middle of the intersection and....