Hitting Rock Bottom

Chapter 6 Waterfall

Yvette's POV

I follow this stranger out from the dark alley way as I nervously shove the pills and my money into my pockets. He is leading us over to a parked motorcycle but my car is on the other side of the building so I'm nervous now.

"Um... thank you for helping me.. sir.. but I'm going to go.. and break down elsewhere." I say to him trying to sound nonchalant about this comment but body is trembling at what just happened. I turn to walk away feeling low, with my head hung down as I hear the rumbling of the motorcycle's motor revving behind me. I keep walking until the sound of that motor gets closer. "Come on." He says to me as I shake my head just to slowly look his way. He is trying to hand me his helmet. "I'm not going home with you.. I'm not that kind of girl.. I appriciate your help back there, but I'm not doing that." I try to nervously explain to him but the look that appears on his face looks completely baffled. "I never asked you to come home with me and no offense but you could be a serial killer or something.. I wouldn't bring you back to my place unless I actually know you." He states to me making me scoff at that as I lightly chuckle.

"You think I could be a threat to you?" I ask him in disbelief as he shrugs his shoulders saying, "I don't know you.. you could be.. I'm just trying to do something to help you feel better, that those pills in your pocket won't.. and no it doesn't involve sex." He states to me as I nervously look all around this dark parking lot.

I nod at him, taking the helmet and swinging my leg over the bike. I sit up straight, but I have never been on a motorcycle before and I don't know what to hold onto or anything. So I sit upright, with a straightened back just wondering what I do next. I think he realizes this as he grabs both of my knee caps and pulls them so I'm quickly pressed up against his body. This startles me but before I can even react he takes my hands and wraps them around his torso to hold onto. "Hold on tight.. this is going to be fast." He warns as I nod and squeeze tight, leaning my body against his for support.

He was right about that, because the bike zips off from 0 to 60 in a couple seconds span as we fly across the city to who knows where. I can't see where because it's all a blurr around me. I close my eyes since I can't see much anyways, just trying to enjoy this rumbling of the engine, smells of the fresh air and the sounds of the drive taking me away from this place, even if it's just for a moment.

All I can seem to think about is how good the cool air feels on my face, while his amazing musk fills my nostrils from leaning on him. I actually enjoy this moment of comfort with hugging someone.. I haven't done this with a man in a long time and I never knew how much I would miss something as simple as this. Before I know it the tears as falling down from my eyes but I'm too afraid to let him go to wipe them away.. So I just continue to cry on this strangers back feeling crazier than ever.

Once I feel the momentum we have created over the whole drive starting to slow down. I start to look around not knowing where we are at.. It looks like a forest.. Is he taking me here to murder me? I could honestly care less if that's his intentions right now. I need something to help me forget my shitty life and take me out of this heartbreaking world.. So why not?

He slows down the bike until we come to a complete stop. He sits there I think waiting for me to get off as he shuts off the motor. So I do get off, but slowly once again, because I'm feeling sore now. But once I'm off I slip the helmet off but holding it in my tight grip as I stare out at the full treeline not knowing why we are here.

I stare out into the darkness and sucking in a sharp breath of the cool night air as I hear his foot footsteps approaching from behind me. He takes the helmet from my hand and of course I let him. Almost right after that I feel my heart rate racing as his foot steps get louder with him getting closer. I feel his breath fanning over my ear as he says softly "Check this out." He walks past me, brushing against me lightly as I take in his amazing scent of all man. He walks through the trees, leaving me here in the dark to decide for myself if I will go or not. I'm scared beyond belief honestly. I haven't been with another man, flirted, dated or anything for at least 13 years.. I have no idea what to even do anymore.

I stand still, almost frozen to the ground, not knowing if I should even follow him, let alone stay here. I swallow the lump in my throat as I do another spin, looking at all the details of my surroundings, just to notice that we are the only people here and no places in sight.. just trees.. I never knew this was by the city at all and with how much the trees are muffling the city sounds, it's as if we aren't even there anymore. I can still hear the ambulance in the distance but other than that, not many sounds over here. Like we were transported to a completely new place.. and in a way, I guess we were.

I turn to face the trees he walked through, completely surprised that he hasn't come back through to get mad at me for not joining him yet. But maybe he is not like my ex.. maybe he is right and that's not how men normally act.

I know it sounds obvious with this notion, but maybe I shouldn't put the judgement of all men into the same basket. I haven't been with enough men to know this is correct or not.. So who knows.. This is a Topsy turvy world and anything like a normal, nice man without strings attached to wanting something from me could be possible.

I push some branches out of the way, so I can step through, as I see across the way that the stranger has his hands in his pockets and leaning against a tree. He is looking out as I follow his gaze to see that he is staring out at this river flowing away from this smaller waterfall thats by him. With the cloudless sky above us, the stars sparking not only in the sky but on the water as well. The moon is the brightest of them all with it almost being completely full.

This view is breathtaking in every sense of the word. "Wow.. this is beautiful." I say softly but it's loud enough to get his attention. "There you are.. I thought you might have ran off." He states as I send a small smile his way as I reply. "Not yet. If you were that concerned then why didn't you come get me?" He smiles back at me as he retorts. "Well I didn't want to force you into anything. So I was waiting until you felt comfortable.. But if you want to go back, than we can at any time.. This is just where I like to come when I'm feeling stressed.. and I was hoping it might help you feel better as well. My father always brought me here to make me feel better when I was younger."

I like that explaination, It's understanding and caring.. plus I bet it must be relaxing for him with not just how beautiful it is, but having a sentimental value to it as well. I nod in understanding as he exclaims. "That's not even the best part.. Come over here."

I smile and start walking closer to him because he is now gesturing for me to follow him. I watch him walk to the side of the waterfall that's maybe 10 or so feet high.. nothing huge by any means. He stops at the edge, waiting for me to get besides him. I slowly get to his side as he extends his hand for me to take. So I do as he squeezes my hand only slightly to help navigate myself, by pulling me behind him and under the waterfall.

I squint from getting lightly sprayed by the water over us as we get fully behind this waterfall and into this little cave behind it. He let's go of my hand and walks over to these rocks, taking a seat on one just to pat the other one next to him for me to sit at.

I stop and look around before slowly walking over to him and sitting down on the huge rock. I glance over at him and he is smirking at me. "So is the best part about this that you can sit behind here? Because it is pretty cool." I playfully state as he shakes his head. "That is a pretty cool feature about this but the best part is when you listen... so.. shhhhh.. listen..... what do you hear?" he asks me as my eyebrows scrunched at that question.

I close my eyes and listen to what he is hearing.. but besides the water from the waterfall, I hear absolutely nothing.. no bugs.. no cars.. no talking.. nothing.

"I don't hear anything." I reply sadly not hearing what is the best part, as he smiles and nods at me

"That's exactly it.. the city life as you know can get so stressful with nowhere to go to get away from it.. but here, you're taken completely away.. no sounds besides the water.. and for myself that's a sound that always sooths my mind." I smile and look over at him as we share a comfortable silence that is very comforting in it's own way.

"You guys come here often? You and your father?" I ask just trying to start conversation but this question instantly makes him look sad. "No he died years ago." I swallow the huge lump in my throat, hating myself right now for asking that. I feel bad. "I'm sorry.. it's still cool that you come here even after he passed." I say softly to him causing him to nod at that.

"What about your family.. do you guys have any special spots to hang out at?" He asks me extending that same olive branch of conversation. "I'm an orphan.. I don't have any family.. so no." I softly reply again feeling embarrassed about my answer as his eyes go wide. "Seriously?" He clarifies as I nod at him, he runs his hand through his hair before he responds sweetly. "I'm so sorry." I wave it off but don't say anything else because what is there to say.

"My name is Malachi by the way." He states to me, extending his hand for me to shake. I smile, reaching out to squeeze his hand and shake it as intended. "Yvette.. my name is Yvette." I reply to him.

"Oh yeah I know.. Yvette from the News.. I recognized you instantly in the bar." He says as I roll my eyes.. I bet that's why he is talking to me. When I get people who recognize me outside of work it's to get on the news, or for me to try to help them get their story out, one way or another.

"Oh if that's why you're talking to me.. I have to tell you that I have no control over who gets on the news or what stories are talked about.. if you want any of that done you have to send a message to my directing manager and go from there." I reply pretty quickly looking away as he chuckles at my response.

"That's not why I'm talking to you.. I don't want anything to do with that.. no offense." He replies as my eyebrows furrow. "Then why are you talking with me?" I ask him not being able to resist the curiosity in me. "Well I know how hard life can be and how bad the urges to numb those stresses can be.. and I just wanted to show you that there are better things in life than those pills you have." I look over at him before reaching into my pocket and pulling out the pills looking at the bottle.

"You don't know what I have been through. I need these." I reply pretty quickly, but with no confidence behind it as he swiftly steals the bottle out of my hand and stands up to hold it as far away from me as possible. I jump up instantly reaching, trying to get hold of the bottle. "You don't need them." He tells me as I feel my eyes welling up wirh tears. "I do need them."

"Oh yeah? Why would you possibly need them?" He challenges, not believing me and I don't blame him because I don't believe me either. "I.. um.. need them for my condition." I say to him as he scoffs still holding the bottle away from me as I hop on my toes trying to reach the bottle as I bump into his chest doing so.

"What condition?" He asks me as I squeak out. "Cancer." He huffs out as he spats. "My grandfather has cancer.. That's f*#ked up to make up something like that.. especially for these.. if you need these so bad then tell me what pills they are." Be demands of me as I keep reaching. "I.. I don't know.. sleep aid." I guess not having any idea what's in the bottle.

"You have no idea what's in this bottle and you still bought it and was planning on taking it.. You have no idea how much to take.. what if you over dosed?" He blatantly asks me as I spat right back. "No one would care.. so why do you.. just give them back." I demand as he shakes his head. "I wont."

I grunt hating this as I cross my arms un defeat and turning around so I'm not looking at him. "Take me back please." I demand as he replies. "As you wish.. but just know I wasn't wanting to offend just trying to help." I nod at him, but looking away as I watch him walk past me and back out of the waterfall. I nervously look out as I notice his hand reaching out for me to take again. I grip his hand as he rubs his thumb over it before pulling me through.