Just stay a little longer.
“Sure, you tell yourself that, but the coffee stains on my brand-new scrubs on my first day tells me otherwise.” She turns around, making me surrender to her escape.
“Well aren’t you just a ray of sunshine.” I grin, even though she can’t hear me.
As I watch her walk away, I feel something in my chest tugging for me to go after her. Yet, I don’t.
The only thing that remains of her is the coconut and vanilla scent that has managed to linger in the air.
Not much tends to capture my interest. A life of not reacting, not feeling has consumed me, creating a very goal, predatory mentality, allowing nothing in and nothing out. I’m a glorified hitman, my very purpose is to be calloused in order to get the job done as flawlessly as possible.
But she…she has caused something to invade my darkness and penetrate through these thick black walls. Shine light into me, making my humanity want to resurrect from the grave I buried it in years ago. Thawing what has gone so cold inside me with that little fire kindling inside of her.
And all at once, I amobsessed.
Something in me says that her name is the answer to a question I’ve been seeking my whole life.
And I’m determined to get those answers.
CHAPTER FOUR
SUNNY
With a blink,two weeks have come and gone. In a schedule of routine and trying to figure out a new hospital, time escaped faster than I did that night. Since, I haven’t heard anything on Ryan, only feeding into my suspicions on his whereabouts.
The next six months will be with me constantly looking over my shoulder. Maybe even a lifetime. It’s practically second nature now.
I just can’t shake the feeling.
But if these six months go by as quickly as those two weeks did, hopefully I won’t have any problems. It was a risk taking a long contract, but at least it’s far enough away.For now.
My little apartment is coming together nicely. It may have seemed unnecessary, but I got a little couch for a corner space. I don’t know anyone here, so the couch is enough for just me, even as I look at the empty cushions. It’ll probably remain that way.Empty.
It’s slowly becoming a sanctuary for me. Still empty looking, but these touches certainly help make it a home for now. If there's anything I learned about living in a place where I had toconstantly walk on eggshells, it's that it’s important to make a place of peace.
It may all be pointless, buying things for an apartment that will no longer be mine in a few months. But it’s mine for right now, and I’m going to relish that. He never believed I could, and yet here I am.
I can, Ryan.
I smile at the little red brick apartment before me. It’smine.All on my own it’s mine.
My phone buzzes in my lap, signaling a photo andBonnieacross the screen.
“Hi, Sunny girl.” My mother beams.
“Hi, mom.”
“I see a new piece of furniture.” She tries to peer closer as if it’ll change her view.
“Oh yeah…” I toy with a loose curl from my bun.
“Seems homey,” she says with a tone I don’t like. “Big enough for a few extra people.”
I roll my eyes. “Just enough for me.” I stretch along the small couch.
“What about a painting class? Have you found a studio yet?”
Clearly my mother is pushing me to make a life outside of work and this apartment while I’m trying to keep my space small. No point in planting roots, because pulling them will be a bitch.
