piano
1263 Words
Chapter 8
This was not how I pictured my death.
I always imagined I would be 93, lying in a pink casket with a yellow-themed burial ceremony. I never thought I would die at 20 with an axe in my chest, while my deranged stalker stood over me, laughing in my face.
Okay, fine. The axe wasn’t in my chest yet. But the way he stood there, made it feel inevitable.
While I ran.
He walked.
Like a predator who was sure of catching his prey, I felt like he was playing games with me, like he was punishing me.
And this wasn’t the "If I catch you, I’ll f**k you" kind of chase. This was the "If I catch you, you’ll never breathe again" kind.
My heels were gone, abandoned with Blondie somewhere behind, I had ditched both of them. My bare feet smacked against concrete, each step a reminder that I was not built for running in a leather dress this tight.
I was out of breath, and my heart was beating so hard it hurt.
He didn’t need to chase me. He only needed to follow.
I risked a glance back, and he was still there, following me. Tears blurred my vision, but I kept running. My legs burned, yet stopping wasn't even an option.
And then he stopped. Not moving. Just standing, the axe loose in his hand, watching me.
I stumbled, nearly falling, and I yelled in pain. I finally let the tears roll down my cheek.
Why wasn’t he coming closer?
Why did it feel like he was waiting for me to break first?
I turned again, darting down a side street. My bruised foot gave out for half a second, sending a sharp pain up my leg. I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop.
And then I hit something, someone.
My scream tore out before I could hold it back, but strong arms caught me, held me upright. I blinked through tears, trying to see his face, trying to understand if I’d just been saved or if I’d run straight into the trap.
I didn’t get the chance. Darkness rushed in, swallowing everything.
**
It's a surprise I'm not in hell, I guess this is the paradise I've always heard of.
I shifted on the soft sheets for the last time before snapping my eyes open.
Wait, Sheets? I sprang up immediately, ignoring the dull pain in my shoulder, and looked around in panic. I relaxed as soon as I recognised where I was.
For a moment, I thought the night was just a dream. The chase. The axe. But then I moved, and the ache in my legs reminded me it was all real.
I slid off the bed, realising I was wearing nothing but a shirt far too big to be mine. His. My stomach twisted, he had undressed me.
The sound of movement pulled me from my thoughts. I slipped into the fluffy white bunny slippers he prepared for me. Following the scent of pancakes and coffee, I made my way out.
Zorin stood in the kitchen, in a tight white tee and black joggers, his dark hair messy like he wrestled in his sleep. I yawned loudly plopping on a chair close to the counter.
"Morning" he placed a cup of coffee in front of me, and then unsurprisingly ran his eyes over my body, shameless.
"Stop staring", I snapped at him, bringing the cup to my lips and taking a long sip. He scoffed, but looked away anyway. After taking a few bites, I remembered something crucial.
"How… how did I get here?"
"You ran into me remember? You passed out immediately after" His eyes flicked up to mine. "Were you being chased, Lumi?"
I swallowed. The word stalker burned the back of my tongue, I wanted to say it out, to cry to him, but I shook my head. "No. Saw some really scary dogs in the alley."
"You are lying" he comes up in front of me, leaning down a bit. He lifted my chin a bit lightly caressing my cheek. I snapped my eyes shut, remembering that the last time this happened I was caught m**********g.
"You bite your lips when you lie." He brushed his thumb on my lips. My heart skipped a beat. I knew I could never lie to Zorin. I don't know why I still try. For some reason ever since our childhood, he had always studied me and could read me like a book.
His hand slid down, his thumb gently pressing against the soft skin near my collarbone, right on my neck. Regrettably, I was enjoying this. His little touches, knowing fully well that River would kill both of us if he came to know of this.
Not that this was anything.
He suddenly paused his movement.
"What is this?" he murmured, his voice suddenly hard and harsh.
I flinched. "What?"
His grip tightened, pulling my gaze back to his. "It looks like a hickey, Lumi." He pulled away from me, his expression had changed.
Both his jaw and fist were clenched, he seemed angry. "Who touched you!"
"Learn to mind your business, Zorin."
"Tell me his name, now!"
"Zorin! Drop it!"
I wasn't going to take anymore of it, I didn't want to remember anything from last night. I pulled away from him and sat on the dining waiting for him to serve me.
When I’d eaten enough to keep his questions at bay, I excused myself, wandering down the hall. That’s when I saw it, a piano.
The glossy black surface gleamed in the light, its presence completely out of place in his sleek, dangerous apartment.
I trailed my fingers over the keys. Cold. Silent. Untouched.
“Didn’t know you played,” I said softly.
His voice came from the doorway. “I don’t. Not well.”
I turned, caught off guard by how close he’d come.
“Then why the piano?”
His mouth curved, not quite a smile. “River mentioned you loved it. I thought I’d learn.”
Something inside me tightened. He wasn’t supposed to say things like that. He wasn’t supposed to look at me like that.
“You’re crazy” I whispered.
He stepped closer, crowding my space, his voice dropping lower. “Allow me to misbehave, then.”
My breath caught in my throat
The shirt I wore barely skimmed my thighs. His gaze lingered, unapologetic, and then I was lifted effortlessly, perched on the edge of the piano. My legs parted instinctively as he slid between them.
His hands grazed up my thighs, slow, deliberate, as his other hand pressed down on a key. A soft note filled the air, haunting, like the soundtrack to my own undoing.
“You shouldn’t” I whispered, though I didn’t stop him.
“shhh” he murmured, eyes locked on mine. His fingers brushed higher, his lips hovering over mine. His hand travelled to my neck, he grazed it at first, then held onto it a bit tight.
I was ready to break.
And then
My phone rang.
The shrill sound cut through the room, jolting me back to myself. My hands shot out, pushing against his chest just enough to put space between us. My voice shook as I answered.
“Lumi,” Jade’s voice rushed through, panicked, breathless. “The top racer, he’s dead.”
My phone dropped from my hand with a light thud.
Zorin’s hand lingered on my thigh, and when I looked up, his smile was gone.
- Writer
