Chapter Eight

This has arguably been the best week of my life. Arguably because of one summer I spent with my grandmother. She'd paid the neighborhood girls to be my friends for a week straight. One of them had even held my hand. I snuggled closer into Ryan's bony chest. He was wearing a pair of my jeans and nothing else. So much better than those girls. This was it. The best week of my life. No argument there.

Everyday I'd come home from work, Ryan was cooking. We talked, laughed, watched television together. And then we'd eat and cuddle. In the morning he woke me up with breakfast. I was pretty sure he never slept. Today I'd taken a cab straight home as soon as 5:00 pm hit. Today he'd been making some kind of Asian cuisine. It didn't smell good. It was still stewing on the stove. But I'd convinced him to let it cook and come cuddle with me on the couch.

"I should go check on the food." He said while running his hands through my hair.

"No. Don't move. I'm too comfortable."

"But the food will burn, Bren."

"It smells funny anyway."

"Hey." He stopped playing with my hair long enough to smack me in the back of my head. "I worked hard preparing that today. it takes hours to prepare it before it even cooks."

"When do you sleep?" I joked.

"I don't." He kissed my forehead before moving me off of his lap. He walked over to the kitchen and I watched his ass every step of the way. Oh, I was so so gay. How had I not known this before? Maybe because I'd never met a man as good looking as Ryan.

"Ryan!" I whined. He ignored me. But I could hear his laughter.

I lifted up the remote and began flipping through the channels. Not really paying attention to what I was seeing. I wish Ryan would hurry up with his funky food in the kitchen so that he could come back and cuddle with me on the couch. Now that I wasn't lonely anymore, I realized how much it really sucked to be alone. I stood up about to force him to come back to me, but was interrupted by the door. Ryan rushed from the kitchen with narrowed eyes.

"Who is it? Who did you call?"

"What? I didn't call anybody!" His eyes darkened as he stalked towards me. It took every bit of will power I had not to run. I didn't want to look guilty. He grabbed me by my upper arms. Very tightly, might I add. "Ryan-"

"Who did you tell I was here? I trusted you."

"I-Nobody knows you're here. I swear to God, Ryan. Please."

"Then who the fuck is at the door?" His hands tightened. For such a skinny guy, he was strong.

"I don't know, Ry." I cried out. "P-Please. You're hurting me." His eyes softened. "You're hurting me, Ryan." He let go of my arms and I sighed.

"I'm so sorry." He muttered and I smiled. "I don't want to hurt you." I nodded. Not trusting my voice. "I just- I can't go to prison, Brendon." Again, I just nod. He sighs in frustration. "I trust you, okay? I fucking trust you. That will never happen again." Another nod. "I just don't want to go to prison."

"I-I know." He smiled when I finally spoke. His lips brushed against mine.

"See who it is." He rushed back towards the kitchen. Probably watching from around a corner or something. I slowly opened the door.

"What the hell took you so long to open the door?" The woman came bursting in my house. All red hair and sassy attitude.

"Jenna?"

"Who were you expecting, Brendon? The Easter bunny?" She put her hands on her hips. "We were supposed to see a movie today. And Spencer told me that you didn't get as much work as usaul this weekend. I've been calling you for an hour." She looked around the room. "Where the hell is your phone?" She didn't give me a chance to answer. "Forget it. Just put on your shoes and lets go. We are going to see that damned movie and maybe go to dinner tonight!"

"Sorry." Spencer came walking though the open door. "I tried to stop her."

"It's alright, Spence. I know how she can get."

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean, B?"

"Nothing, Jenna. It's just that you can be a little overwhelming at times-"

"Overwhelming?!"

"Yes!"

"We interrupt this scheduled program to bring you breaking news!" The loud noise from the TV got all of our attention. "Another victim of the infamous social stabber was found murdered today in RedStone park. The body of 20 year old Staci Parkers was discovered at 12:30 pm with her Facebook status updated to 'Totally dead.' Staci is the most recent of a series of victims killed by this Infamous Social Stabber. Who broke free of state's custody earlier this week. The search is still out for him. There is no known pictures or sketches. But if you see any suspicious behavior, the police ask that you report it immediately-"

"Oh, turn that crap off." Jenna walked over to the couch and lifted up the remote. Turning off the TV. "I don't even want to hear more about that case. "It freaks me out."

"What kind of sick bastard can do something like this anyway?" Spencer added. "I'd love to be in a room alone with him. No knives. No weapons. Just two men with four fist. But that pussy only preys on the weak women." I could feel myself starting to sweat. "What I would give to get my hands on him."

Ryan chose then to walk out of the kitchen. His eyes were as narrowed as before. His fist clenched at his sides. I didn't see his knife or any blade in his hands. But Fear still wrapped around my body. He must have heard the TV. And all that stuff Spencer was saying about him. I had to get my best friend and his girlfriend out of here. Now.