I excuse myself under the pretence of needing to use the bathroom, leaving the four of them to converse while I slip away. I crave solitude, just want to get away from everyone, but given that the stalker still exists, I'm aware it may not be the safest choice. Still, I decide to walk just outside of the house to get some fresh air. There are a lot of people at the party, so there is no way for the stalker to do anything even if he was here.
Just as I step outside, I spot Daniel. Taller than pretty much everyone else, with broader shoulders and an aura of confidence, he's walking straight towards the entrance. He hasn't seen me yet as I'm standing to the side of the entrance, next to a fountain. He's wearing a simple white crew neck and jeans, but even that's enough to make him stand out. I notice a few girls ogling him as he walks past. That's always the case with him. A presence that can't be ignored. He's about to approach the front door,
"Daniel!" I call his name, I want to ask him whether what George said is true. Did he really go back and punch him afterwards? If he did, why did he lie to me? Daniel turns his head towards me, and there's a subtle shift in his demeanour. His eyes linger on me a fraction longer than usual,
"What are you doing here alone?" he asks, his appraising expression from before turns into a reproachful frown, "didn't I tell you to call-"
"I'm not alone" I say, waving my hand at everyone around us, "Also, Nina's just inside and... well, George"
"You're with George?" he asks, sounding angry,
"I'm safe here with so many people around"
"You think?" he scowls,
"Yes"
"You seriously think a guy couldn't harm you because there's a bunch of drunk barely adults walking around?"
"Yes. If anyone comes at me, I just need to yell for help and everyone will be on alert. Don't be angry for no reason"
"I am angry because I told you to call me! I told you I can take you anywhere, anytime!"
"I knew you had training today! I didn't want to call and... how are you even here? Were you invited to the party as well?" I ask,
"I came to find you. Phil called me and said he saw you and Nina getting into a cab, dressed in heels and dresses. I asked around and was told there's a bunch of youth going to a party. Probably the worst place for someone like you go!"
"What do you mean, worst place?"
"For obvious reasons, Sofia. We're trying to keep you safe from a lunatic, and you purposely make yourself an easy target"
"I'm not an easy target Daniel, when there are so many people here. And I don't drink or take drugs so no one can trick me like that"
"You keep mentioning some people yet you're standing out here alone!" he scolds,
"But there's literally people all around us" I hold, and though I truly appreciate his concern, I am fully in the right on this one. The stalker can't even walk up to me without people noticing,
"You shouldn't have come. I know you're busy. And you know I would have called you if anything happened-"
"You're either incredibly naïve or incredibly stupid to think you'd have the time to call me if anyone attacked you!"
"I'm neither! I wouldn't have come here if I didn't think it was safe!" I quip back, wondering why he's so mad,
"What if the guy followed you? What would you do? Stab him with your manicured nails?" he scolds,
I can't stop myself from automatically glancing down at my perfectly manicured red nails, I frown, looking back up at him. I don't get why he's so angry with me. I literally just walked out because I needed a break from George, only to be met with Daniel and his anger,
"I wouldn't have to stab him because there's a million people all around that would stab him for me" I say, this time my own tone of voice matches Daniel's. Angry and accusing,
"None of these people would lift a finger to help you" he holds,
"They would. Everyone would"
"That's what you think"
"Not what I think. It's what would happen"
"You have no idea how easy of a target you are"
"I'm not an easy target" just as I say the words, Daniel steps towards me, he grabs me around my waist with one arm, before I get a chance to say anything at all, hand clamps hard over my mouth. My eyes widen in shock. He's holding me flattened against his rock-hard chest. He lifts me off the ground and carries me away from the building, towards the empty garden. I scream, but my voice is muffled, unheard. I try to fight, I struggle against him with all my strength, I try moving my head back and forth to at least free my mouth so I can scream for help, but he doesn't let go.
I can't believe this is happening. It's Daniel. He is the one. He is the stalker. How? Hot tears fill my eyes. I try everything to break free, to at least make a sound. But nothing happens at all. He's holding me so that I can't move, I can't speak. I watch helplessly as he takes me a couple of hundred metres away from the house, from people, from safety. He carries me into the darkness, far enough so that I can no longer see the house, the people. No one even noticed that he did this, no one saw! I don't stop struggling, but my strength is quickly leaving me. It's obvious I stand no chance.
Daniel releases me when we're all the way on the other side of the lot, underneath a large oak tree, hidden among shrubs and bushes,
"Help!" I scream as soon as his hand releases my lips, my cry for help is lost with the loud music coming from the house, I start to run but he clasps my wrist, pulling me back,
"Help!" I cry again, my voice raw,
"Thought you said you were safe" he hisses, "what now?"
"How could you?" I cry, fighting against his grip, "I trusted you!" tears roll down my face,
"If you trusted me, you wouldn't be crying right now" he says, "stop trying to fight me and calm down"
His words make me fight harder, with my free hand in a fist, I punch him right into his stomach, as hard as I can. It feels like I hit a brick wall, but I go for a second punch. I don't succeed because Daniel swiftly grabs my wrist, twisting my arms behind me, forcing me to face him, both hands held firmly in his grip,
"I said calm down" he says, outmatched in strength, breathing hard from the struggle, I'm left with no choice but to meet his eyes, ready to hurl the worst insults into his face. Yet, his expression makes me pause; he's looking at me like a predator, hungry and dangerous. Startled and unsure, I don't say a word, we keep our eyes locked on one another,
"Finally calm?" he asks at last, "don't try running off" he says, then to my shock releases my wrists. I don't try to run, I know if I do he'll stop me again. I just stand there, staring up at him, waiting for his next move,
"I'm sorry" he says and I flinch at his apology, sorry for what? For lying to me? For pretending he was on my side? Or is his apology more sinister, is it for something he's about to do to me?
"Please don't hurt me" I whisper, feeling pathetic for begging, but I guess it's easy to be brave when you're tucked away safely in your room. It's easy to imagine how you'd be tall and proud, spitting in your attacker's face and telling them to do their worst. But that's not how it is. At least not with me. I'm just scared for my life, terrified of what he could do.
"I'd never hurt you, Sofia" he says, shaking his head, "I'm sorry, okay? I wouldn't have done this if I knew you'd get that scared" I have no idea what he's talking about, so I remain silent, staring into his predatory eyes, "don't look at me like that, I'm not going to hurt you. You know I wouldn't hurt you, Sofia. I was trying to prove a point"
"A point?" I repeat quietly, still unsure what he's talking about,
"You said you were safe here, at the party. I told you that no one would help you if you got attacked. And what happened? No one helped. If I was the stalker-"
"You- you're not the-"
"No! I was just wanting to prove that you weren't safe-"
"If you're not the stalker, then let me go!" I say,
"I will let you go, but you need to calm down first. You're looking at me like you think I'll hurt you. You're still scared of me"
"You just hurt me" I say, my voice so quiet, almost a whisper,
"I didn't hurt you. I just... I'm sorry. Really. I didn't know you'd think I'm actually attacking you"
I remain silent, watching him wide-eyed. Is he telling the truth? Was all this a game to him?
"Then I can go?" I ask,
"Obviously, I would never-" I don't listen to the rest, I start running towards the house, ready for him to grab me at any moment and pull me back, but he doesn't. He lets me go.
I run past groups of people, some of them turn after me, but no one stops me. I run to the bathroom, luckily it's empty. I sprint inside and lock the door.