Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Death Wish

ELSA

I took in a deep breath and smoothed my palm on my red round-neck top and a jean skirt that stopped at the middle of my thighs before my knuckles came in contact with the door in a subtle knock.

I was outside the front porch; it was Nathan’s house. It’s been one week since what happened to Nathan, and I didn’t know how to show up at his doorstep.

These past few days made me realize one thing: I liked Nathan more than a friend. The stalker had also been off my neck; he stopped texting, and I didn’t have that fear of being followed anymore. Me withdrawing that amount of money put him and his business on the edge… I hope.

“Hello…” An old woman who seemed like she was in her early eighties said, opening the door with a wide smile, her dimples visible, probably where Nate got him from.

“Hi, ma’am, I’m Elsa.” I looked around; just standing here made my heart ache at the realization that I caused this to him. “Nathan’s friend.”

“Oh, come on in, dear.” She held the door wide for me to enter. “My Naty boy has said a lot about you.”

“Grandma!” Nathan’s voice vibrated from inside the room, and we both laughed before she left.

Nathan was sitting on a three-seater chair in the living room, with a white bandage on his right hand.

Tears filled my eyes; this was done to him because of me. “I’m sorry, Nathan.” I looked at him, he was in pain, it was obvious.

“It’s not your fault, Elsa. Don’t worry about it. Grandma hired a private bodyguard for me, so I’m safe… I guess.”

“Will you be coming back any time soon? The school feels so boring without you.” I sighed; after the hacking with Rose, she had been MIA. Not like I expect us to be friends instantly or anything.

Besides, we know nothing about each other.

“Elsa… before all these happened, I wanted to ask you out, with a nice dinner, a table filled up with your favorite foods.” I stared at him, my entire face was red now, and I was blushing, hard.

“Wanted?” This was a dangerous game I was playing, and Nathan’s life was the one in danger, not mine. But the stalker hasn’t contacted me since then; it’s possible he gave up. Why can’t I be happy because of a stalker?

𝒂 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆, 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒎 𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕.𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒐.𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒊𝒎.

“I just don’t know if you’d say… yes … you know..” he brought his bandaged hand up, and I laughed.

“Because of a missing finger?” I held his other hand in two of mine. “I don’t see you as Nathan less than the Nathan I know.”

“Would you go out with me then?” He looked like he was begging not to be turned down. I took in a deep breath; the stalker wasn’t here, he hadn’t been here for over a week, and we’d be extra careful too.

Maybe it’s time I fully move on from my ex; Nathan’s a nice guy.

“Yes, I would.” That answer sealed it; I owed him that at least. I mean, every bad thing that happened to him happened because of me; I owed him that much.

***

More weeks passed; Nathan was back at school, and although there was no way he’d grow extra fingers, everyone stayed respectful about his state. I strengthened the bed again for the tenth time; everything needed to be perfect for tonight. Nathan and I agreed to meet up in my room tonight, and although he didn’t say, I knew what exactly followed. I spoke to Rose, and she agreed to stay in her bestie's room tonight. Rose and I were not close, but we were supportive. I still heard nothing from Mr. Stalker, and that was a good thing. I hope he died wherever he disappeared.

“Come on Elsa, calm, down… this isn’t your first time.” I paced around the room nervously. I wore a crop top that showed my upper breast and a skirt that barely covered my thigh. I wanted to do it with him; I was prepared. The last time I had sex was six months ago; how would it feel to have it again?

A knock on the door made me almost jump out of my skin.

“Coming…” I screamed before rushing back to my vanity mirror. I reapplied my red lip gloss, and my brows, perfected my light make-up, and put up my perfume again.

“Everything is in place.” I took in a deep breath before rushing to open the door. Nathan was outside; he was dressed in a white polo with blue jeans.

“You look…” his eyes scanned me, desire evident in them.

“Beautiful?” I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear slowly.

He smiled before coming in. He placed his hand on my waist and dragged me closer to him so my hands were on his chest. “Like a dinner, I want to devour.”

His lips grabbed mine in a hot kiss. I tried, I tried, but I wasn’t feeling it; his hand groped my ass, and I gasped in his mouth. He continued to kiss me.

Nathan was such a good boyfriend, but he didn’t have that spark I needed. I felt happy on the day we started dating, but after that day, it felt like I only liked him as a friend and accepted him because I felt responsible for what happened to him. I thought if we had sex, then I’d start feeling something real with him, but we were about to, and it still didn’t feel that way.

“Nate…” I broke the kiss and stared into his eyes. He still had a hand behind my back.

“Mhh” he mumbled, his eyes staring into mine. “What’s wrong El, you know it’s fine if you’re not ready to do this.”

“I wanted to ask if you brought a condom.” I laughed, and he smiled, exhaling a breath he probably didn’t know he was holding. I wasn’t going to destroy this night for him; I wasn’t going to do that.

“Of course.” He reached for a pocket behind him as he struggled to grab something from it.

Immediately, the door handle rattled. Nate and I paused and stared at it. Rose agreed not to be here till tomorrow. Did she forget anything?

“I’d check it out,” Nathan said before removing his hand from his back pocket and walking towards the door. Before he could open it, it opened, and his entire body stiffened. He started walking backward, and when the other man’s leg became visible, I sank into the wall, my heart hammering in my chest.

The door was closed, and three men came in…

“If anyone looks at Elsa, they’d die too,” the first one stated, and the other two turned backward immediately. I covered my chest which was barely hiding my breasts. The first one looked like—

“Hello, Kitten.” He gave me a fake smile, his face looked angry. Nathan was shivering; the stalker had a gun to his head.