Page 35 of Obsession

A familiar energy coursed through my veins. I was locked in my body and could not open my eyes, although it felt like I was being reborn.

It was as if my soul was hovering somewhere above its vessel, struggling to return.

Suddenly, I tore my eyes open, gasped for air and broke through the wall that had kept me unconscious. My blood boiled and flashed through my veins like mercury. I felt the strange euphoria that I had missed so much come over me, and it felt so good, but… why?

I had been close to death; my body seemed to be dismembering itself and my mind had lost its sanity. How was it possible to feel so good after all that? There was only one correct answer to this question: I was high again.

I seemed to have woken up in a bedroom, even if it didn’t look like one.

I looked around wide-eyed, remembering how I had kept thinking about how I wanted to paint my room black… and now I was in the right place.

The bed was a large mattress covered with black sheets that smelled of tobacco. In front of me was a huge desk with three monitors – two normal ones on the sides and a big curved one in the middle, with a neon green light shining behind them. I didn’t know much about technology, but I knew enough to recognize that I was staring at next-generation technology. The audio system was reminiscent of an alien ship and there were stereos dotted around the space. Hanging from the ceiling on three thick chains was an abused punching bag. On the left side of the room was a glass display case with motorcycle helmets, strange silver gas tanks and many other items I didn’t recognize. The ceiling was also black, with LED lights stuck everywhere, and I could only imagine what this dark place looked like when it was lit up.

Next to the window was a medium-sized black dresser.

His scent lingered around, mixed with tobacco. By the mattress was an ashtray, a Monster can, and various weights on the floor.

The whole room screamed man, and not a happy one at that.

I stood up and felt the energy flow through me after moving. I was still dressed in my cheerleading gear and walked to the window, pushing the curtain aside and quickly covering my eyes as the bright sun came in.

I couldn’t figure out where I was. The view outside was unfamiliar: an unkempt neighborhood, unlike anything I’d seen in Seattle. Each house had its own structure, either old or nearly crumbling. It was either a not very inhibited area or the outskirts of the city. I didn’t like any of those options because these were the neighborhoods where people shoot you in the head and then ask questions.

I rubbed my temples, trying to remember what had happened and figure out where I was. I noticed a small red dot on the inside of my elbow that looked like an insect bite.

I gritted my teeth.

I had fought so hard to quit drugs and it had all gone down the drain. I saw the demonic car parked a few feet from the house, and it brought back my memories like a slap in the face.

Harris.

He had brought me here; he had caught me when I fell. His warm arms and his strong breath, his anger, and those eyes… all these things made my head spin while I couldn’t believe he’d drugged me.

Oh, dear God, was I in his house? Were his parents here? How would I get out without being noticed?

Anger overcame me as the door opened behind me. I turned around and saw him leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed and a poker face.

“Feeling better?” he asked, far too relaxed.

“You drugged me?” I barked through my teeth, clenching my fists as I took a few steps towards him.

“Isn’t that what you wanted?” he spoke rather disinterestedly, turning around and walking out into the hallway.

I huffed as adrenaline built up in my veins and followed him out of the room.

“Do you have any idea how hard I fought to quit?” I shouted after him. I had too much energy for his own good.

“How’s that going for you?” He repeated the words he’d said in the car, and I was ready to hit him.

I caught up to him and grabbed him by his shoulder, forcing him to turn around and face me, just like Zac had done. It was the second time that exact thing had happened today, and I don’t think he liked it much.

“What did you give me?”

“You should thank me; you’d be in a hospital right now if I hadn’t given you that shot.”

He lowered his eyes to me, their color truly black in the darkness of the hallway. Not a spark of light in them, just a deep abyss, and I remembered how much I loved the darkness, how much I longed to be surrounded by it, but I didn’t expect it to come from the eyes of an arrogant asshole.

His hair was wet, and he was wearing different clothes, even if they looked the same. He smelled… fuck me, he smelled too good for how angry I felt. He looked too good for how much I was starting to hate him.

---