Page 3 of Impure Love
I huddle deeper into the couch, my voice barely a whisper. "I don't have a choice, Sophia."
She stands in front of me, hands on her hips, frustration etched across her face. "You can't just quit your job and hide here forever. Tell me what happened?"
"I can't," I say, my voice trembling. "I can't tell you."
Her eyes soften, but her tone stays firm. "You know you can trust me, right? Whatever it is, we'll figure it out together."
I shake my head, the memory of the blood and the man's piercing gaze flashing in my mind. But I have to tell hersomething.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. "There was this customer," I begin, remembering the creep with the blue eyes, forcing myself to meet Sophia's eyes. "He was... really creepy. Kept following me around, saying things that made me uncomfortable." My fingers fidget with the edge of the couch cushion.
Her eyebrows knit together in concern. "Why didn't you tell me? I could've done something to help."
I shrug, wrapping my arms around myself for some semblance of comfort. "I didn't want to make a big deal out of it," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. "And honestly, I don't know. The parties, the people... it never felt right. It wasn’t my scene."
Sophia sits down next to me, her expression softening as she reaches for my hand. "You know you can talk to me, right? We've been through worse together, and I've got your back no matter what." Her voice is gentle but firm, a lifeline I desperately need right now.
I nod, feeling a pang of guilt twist in my stomach. She's right. Sophia's been my rock, the one person I can count on. And now I'm lying to her. "I know," I say quietly. "I just... needed some time to figure things out."
She reaches out, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Well, whatever it is, we'll deal with it. Maybe we can even look for a new job for you. Something you'd actually enjoy."
I force a smile, grateful for her support but unable to shake the memory of that night. "Yeah, maybe," I manage to say, my voice barely above a whisper. The image of the lifeless body and those cold eyes haunt me, making it hard to breathe
Sophia's hand is warm on my shoulder, a stark contrast to the icy dread that has settled deep in my bones. I want to tell her everything, to unload the heavy burden I've been carrying, but the words stick in my throat, tangled with fear and shame.
Sophia's eyes narrow slightly, as if she's searching for something in my face. "Are you sure that's all it is? You seemed really shaken up."
I look away, unable to hold her gaze any longer. "It's just... everything's been so overwhelming. Maybe I'm just overreacting." I want to believe that I am, that the man I witnessed has forgotten all about me. But the question still stands. Why did he let me live? Why didn't he chase after me when I ran? He could have killed me at any point, and he didn’t even follow me.
I wish I could let it go, but something about the danger I witnessed leads me to believe that I’m still not safe. Is this what shock feels like?
Sophia sighs, leaning back against the couch, her voice interrupting my thoughts, expression softening. "Alright. But if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here. You know that, right?"
I nod again, my throat tight with unspoken words. The weight of the secrets I'm carrying feels like it's crushing me. "Thanks, Sophia. I appreciate it."
She reaches out and gives my hand a gentle squeeze. "We'll get through this, whatever it is. Together."
We sit in silence for a moment, the tension hanging in the air like a heavy fog. I want to tell her the truth, to share the burden of what I've seen, but the fear of dragging her into this mess keeps my mouth shut.
She finally stands up, stretching her arms above her head as if trying to shake off the tension. "How about we order some takeout? Maybe some Chinese or pizza? We can binge-watch something mindless on Netflix and try to forget about all this, at least for a little while before I go to work." Her suggestion, simple and comforting, is calming in the storm of my thoughts.
I manage a genuine smile this time, grateful for the distraction. "Sounds perfect."
As Sophia heads to the kitchen, I lean back against the couch, my mind racing. I can't hide forever.
My mind is a tangled mess of fear and confusion as the idea of going to the police flits in and out of my thoughts. But, it’s the sheer terror of what that man might do if he found out that is keeping me paralyzed. Danger rolled off him so aggressively that I can still feel the weight of it pressing down on me, wrapping around my chest like a vice.
I’m just being paranoid, I try to reason with myself and not for the first time since that night. The man doesn’t even know who I am, let alone my name. I'm nobody to him. But whatever comfort that last thought might have offered me is shattered when I realize that everyone at the penthouse had money. Money and power go hand in hand when you’re one of the city’s elite. How hard would it be for him to find me on the list of caterers that night? Surely these people keep tabs on everything.
I lean back with a sigh and try to calm down while Sophia rummages through the kitchen drawers, looking for the takeout menus. Her movements are purposeful, but I can tell she's still worried. I whisper a soft, "Fuck," under my breath, the word barely escaping my lips.
Sophia glances over her shoulder. "Did you say something?"
I shake my head quickly. "No, was just... thinking out loud."
She narrows her eyes, then goes back to her search. "Well, think about what you want to eat instead. Chinese, pizza, or that new Thai place."
I force myself to focus. "Chinese, I guess."
