Hidden Temptations

Chapter Seven

“Is it Bryan? He said he’s been wanting to ask you out since freshman year. He told me he wanted to get you out of your shell!” I can’t take my eyes off of the notification. “Unknown”. Another text from them. What will it say? Will they mention the note? What about my accident, was it their fault? “Addie. Who is it? You look scared.” Sarah snatches my phone from my cold sweaty hands. “Unknown? Wait. Is this the same Unknown that texted you the same day of your car accident?” She looks up at me, just as scared as I am. Maybe she does care about the note and previous text. She probably was just all caught up into the party planning stress.

“Yeah it is. I think. I haven’t opened it yet.” I take my phone back, and open the text message.

“We need to talk.” I read it out loud so Sarah is in the loop.

“Addie. Don’t. This is really creepy.” She’s right, I shouldn’t, but my gut tells me that I need to. I need all of my questions to be answered.

/Ding/

My phone goes off again. Even more fear sets in. I look at Sarah, then back at my phone.

“It’s Bryan.” Relief fills my body. I show Sarah my screen, I sit up straight as slowly as I can without putting myself in tremendous pain.

“What did he say!?” She gets excited, but maybe so am I. I start to feel my cheeks flush red. I swipe the message open.

“Hey, Addie. Not sure if you opened my gift yet, but I really hope you love it. I also want to know...”

“Know what?” Sarah cuts in before I could finish reading it aloud. I continue to read.

“I just want to know if you want to go on a date with me.” I finished reading the text. I couldn’t get to process the question before Sarah started to squeal.

“Oh. My. God.” Sarah jumps off my bed as if she is the one that just got asked out.

“Sarah, relax. I’m not going. Not like this.” I point at myself, my broken knee, broken wrist and bruises on my body, neck and face.

“Yes. You are. You need to feel like a normal teenage girl again. I will go with you. I’ll be all sneaky and hide. You will never know I’m there.” Once again, she is way too excited for this. “Text him back!”

“Okay, okay.” I rolled my eyes and texted him back.

“Hey Bryan. I did open the gift. I love the earrings, thanks for thinking about me! If you go PRO I will be your number one fan! But, Yeah I’d like to go on a date. When were you thinking?” I show Sarah what I typed out to double check I’m saying everything right.

“Yes. That’s good. Subtle, yet interested.” She puts her fingers to her lips and kisses like the French people do.

“Okay. Sent.” I let out a little screech. Maybe I am interested. He has been my crush for a very long time. Plus he’s finally interested, I just hope this isn’t a pity date.

“Addie, I gotta go. I will be back tomorrow. I promise. Text me and let me know about your date okay?” She kisses me on the cheek and I give her a quick smile then she leaves.

/Ding/

Another text, I swipe it open thinking it’s from Bryan.

“Adeline. I’m serious. This is important.” It wasn’t from Bryan. It is another text from Unknown. Should I answer them? Do they have information about what is going on with all of the weird things happening to me lately?

I decided to text back.

“No. Everything you’re doing is creeping me out. ENOUGH whoever you are.” Sent.

It has been a few hours since I sent the text. My mother had made dinner, helped me take a bath and now I’m back laying in bed with my thoughts. Why me? That’s all I could ask myself. The note, the texts, the suburban, the accident, why me? Why was I so special? Who could it be? So many things run through my mind that I started to drift off to sleep.

All I could feel was how cold it was and how much pain I was in. There are goosebumps on my neck all the way down to my ankles. What happened to me? I think I was in an accident, I can’t remember. I can’t see anything. Did I get kidnapped? Did I do something wrong? What was the purpose of anything anymore? I couldn’t hear much, my ears covered by the blindfold that was put on me. I feel something wet roll down the side of my face. Are my ears bleeding?

/drip, drip, drip/

There was water. Trying to imagine where I had been taken to, I lived in Seattle, there wasn’t a day that had gone by in 3 months that it wasn’t sunny. Which is very odd for Seattle, it always rains here. Did it rain when I was taken? Why is it so cold? It’s the middle of June. It was dark, I couldn't see a thing, not even a peek under the blindfold. I was somewhere cold, dark, wet and I’m in excruciating pain. What is happening?

I blink my eyes open fast, my heart is racing, tears are forming. That was the same dream I had during my accident. The EXACT same dream. Does it mean something? Even more questions.

“Addie, you awake? It’s breakfast.” My mother knocks a few times and lets herself in.

“Breakfast? Wow, I can’t believe I slept that long.” I sit up and rub my eyes a few times trying to focus on where I am at right now.

“You’ve been through a lot the past few days, a good rest is what you needed.” My mom lays a tray of waffles,eggs, bacon and a glass of chocolate milk on my lap.

“This looks delicious mom. Thank you.” She kisses me on the forehead and leaves me to eat. I could only take a few bites before my phone started to go off.

/DING, DING, DING/

“Jesus.” I have texts from Bryan, Sarah, and another one from Unknown. I should just block this mysterious person. It would make my life so much easier, but I couldn’t. I need to know what they want, why they are messing with me. Sarah only wanted me to make sure Bryan didn’t say anything. Well Bryan, he said he wanted a date today.

“Wait, TODAY?!?” I can’t, not like this. Not if I have to roll up into the date in a freaking wheelchair of all things.

I call Sarah up, I need her opinion, she will definitely tell me to go.

“Sarah, he wants to go on a date today!” All I hear are screams, happy screams, I pull my phone away from my ear. She is loud. It gets louder and louder, how? She threw the door of the guest bedroom I am in.

“Today! You got a date today!” She starts to do a little happy dance. I couldn’t help myself, I started to do a little jig with my arms, it wasn’t painful. I’m not sore, I smile and lay back into the bed. Maybe I can do this today. “Text him back! Tell him you’ll go! I’ll help you get dressed and ready!”

“It’s only 8 in the morning, I don’t need to start getting ready yet. I don’t even know when he wants to go.” I look at her, she still is doing a little dance. “Okay I’m going to text him.”

“Hey Bryan. Today sounds good, when did you want to get together, anything planned?” Sent.

/Ding/

“Addie, yeah! I was thinking we could go get some coffee, 11 sound good?”

“Sarah, he wants to go get coffee at 11! That’s only a few hours away, what do I wear, I can't wear jeans with knee brace.” Panic starts to set in. Why would I do this to myself?

“Addie, don’t worry, this isn’t a pity date. You know you show every emotion on your face.” She sits on the bed and lays her head on my shoulder. “I’m here for you, I’ll drive you and be there the whole time.”

/Ding/

“Is 11 okay?” I never texted him back, oops.

“Yes, 11 is okay.” I let out a large sigh

“I will see you at Starbucks on Fremont at 11. ?” I show Sarah the text.

“Sent a winky face, what does that mean!?”

“It means he’s excited to see you.”

“So what am I going to wear?” I look down at Sarah, she’s still resting on my shoulder. Sarah hops up and runs out of the room. She’s gone for a little while but runs back in with a yellow sundress and a denim jacket, and white shoes.

“This. It’s not you I know, but it’s long enough to cover you’re brace and the jacket is for added cuteness.” I don’t want to argue with her because she’s right, it’s my best option.

“It’s perfect.” I smile at her. She helps me get dressed and braided my hair. A few hours passed, we got lost in conversation and laughter, it felt so good to be with my best friend again.

“Oh! Look at the time! We have to get you to your date!” She winks at me, and she starts to wheel me out to the car. We get right outside the front door, I see her car in my driveway, the fear sets back in. I am afraid again, afraid of the suburban that has followed me twice. The fear of laying in the flipped car. Sarah continues on towards her car,

“This is too much, I don’t know if I’m ready.” Sarah stops, walks around to the front of my wheelchair bends down in front of me.

“You can do this. I will drive slowly and safely. I promise.” She hugs me, and all of the fear slowly fades away the longer we hug.

“I can’t do this without you.” I hug her a little tighter.

“You will never have too.”