MIO FIORE

THE ATTACK

KRYSTAL'S POV

“You know you're going to throw up when you get home?"

I looked up to see Daxton giving me a wary look as I sat in the staff room with my laptop and shrugged, "Yeah, I know, but I'm hungry" I said. This was the only thing available in the kitchen.

"And you decided to eat an entire packet of chocolate biscuits?" Daxton asked loosening his tie.

They had caramel in them too, soft, gooey, they tasted amazing and my stomach was already churning from eating too much, I know I have been avoiding my health lately by not eating lunch these past few days and my dinner was taken away by that bastard Aiden last night. I was definitely going to regret this.

"I was hungry," I repeated trying to find an excuse for his demeaning gaze. He lowered himself into a chair next to me, grabbing the last half-eaten biscuit out of my hand and throwing it into the bin.

“Krystal, chocolate makes you sick."

But it also makes you feel so much better, for a bit.

I grabbed the water glass he pushed towards me, draining it, trying to get the sweet flavor out of my mouth, "I think you should go home, it's late.” he said.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair, closing my eyes briefly.

“I have one more room to design," and it was Friday night, which meant either Aiden was home with his friends causing a racket, or out. If he was home it meant I would get no work done with the noise. So I might as well sit here and be safe. I also needed to find a way to talk to my own parents about keeping their nose out of our business, which was easier said than done. They always did support everyone else but me, so everyone else thought they were good and they kept up their stupid reputation.

God this stupid cruise, maybe I should just pay for it and let him go with his stupid mate, and that way he will leave me alone, but it was my money.

Why was he so incapable of earning his own damn money?

"Krystal!"

I looked up as a concerned Daxton hovered a bit too close for my comfort, his hand on mine and I looked at him, "What?"

“You completely spaced out."

I slipped my hand out from under his and ran it over my face before tucking my loose hair that slipped out of my ponytail behind my ear, "Oh yeah, guess I'm just tired," I said as I closed my laptop. I guess I could work on it at home, the past hour I had just been sitting here procrastinating anyway, "Why are you still at work?" I asked.

"Nah I just came back to get something and saw the light on in here, come on, do you need a ride home?"

I shook my head getting up as I slid everything back into my laptop bag, "No, I drove here," like every other day. Yet somehow he always kept offering anyway, well I had the option at least. Why can't Aiden be nice like Daxton?

Actually no, why can't Aiden just not exist?

“Do you need me to walk you down?"

"No, I'm fine," I replied.

"Are you sure it's late, where did you park?"

“I’ll be fine, I'll see you on Monday," I told Daxton as he walked back to his office to get whatever he forgot. He sent me a nod as I waited for the elevator. I checked my phone and to no surprise, there were a few missed calls from mum, and a message asking me to call her early.

After working for another hour I decided it was time to get home before I fell asleep at the office.

I got into the elevator deleting the message, no doubt she was going to try persuading me into this stupid cruise. "You work too much, "I scoffed, waiting for it to go underground. Well, where did he think the money came from? His arse?

I stepped out of the elevator into the isolated car parking looking around till I spotted my familiar car in the corner, I parked in the same spot every day but tonight I was regretting it as it was a fair walk and it was absolutely freezing Not to mention I was so tired and felt ill from all the chocolate I just wanted to go home and sleep.

Or maybe I should just sleep in the car, wake up and go back to the office to do some more work.

I scoffed, that was a stupid idea, it was my house and I shouldn't be so scared to live in it.

I reached into my bag trying to find my keys, why did they always somehow get to the bottom of my bag, trying to dig through everything and find them was such a nightmare. It seemed I had everything I didn't need except my keys.

Tissues. Gross, I hope they were clean. Lens cleaner and my glasses case for when I draw some designs. My glasses were never in the glasses case because I was too lazy or rushed.

A minty? I didn't even like mint. I finally spotted the keys at the very bottom under an unopened pack of chewing gum, and here I thought I ran out.

Grabbing the keys I was about to take a step towards the car when something rammed into me causing me to squeal and before I could regain my balance or even know what was happening my body smacked into the ground and my head pounded as I hit the hard floor. Pain shot up my ankle, no doubt I had twisted my leg when I fell.

I could hear a weird buzzing in my ears as well as a lot of screaming as my eyes focused on the blurry image, "Give me your keys."

I blinked trying to see who it was but in the dark, I barely made out anything but a moving silhouette.

I tried sitting up when something pushed against my shoulder making me hit the ground again, "Stay down, give me your damn keys!"

All I felt was the cold ground against my cheek before I felt the pressure remove off me and

something snatched out of my hand.

My bag!.

"H-hey" I tried yelling out instead and felt my stomach churn as I felt the sugary goodness come all the way back up and the sound of an engine wasn't my worry anymore, as I emptied my stomach's content onto the ground.