6 Chapter 6 - Runaway

Her mind was swimming as she went to her next class. She barely paid it any attention as she sat there staring at her notebook. Thankfully it was Literature so she knew anything she missed she'd pick up quickly. However it was a small mercy compared to the looming reality that lurked down the hall from her.

Everything felt surreal and as though it couldn't possibly be true. Yet one by one the bricks had been laid down and the foundation of this new truth seemed to have become set. He was slowly invading her life and she didn't know a damn thing she could do in order to stop it. Helpless was how she felt against whatever he was.

If she had just an inkling, maybe he wouldn't appear so frightening or imposing. Just a slight idea of what he could be, then she could at least know his limitations maybe. However she was in the dark and he wouldn't tell her. After a few moments thought she realized perhaps that was exactly why he wouldn't tell her, just so that she would be in this state of lost panic.

She couldn't help the frown that crossed her features as she looked at the blank page. Never in her life had someone managed to affect her like this. Of course she had to admit never in her life had she witnessed someone murdering someone else or the inhuman strength and speed that he possessed.

Suddenly though her eyes caught sight of a hand and note being slowly pushed into her view. She blinked as she was pulled from her thoughts and glanced over to see her friend Justin giving her an expected look then he looked at the note with a nod. Her eyes looked at him as she frowned, now puzzled, her eyes glanced at the teacher who was busy in front of the class. She reached out and took the note. Reading it quickly.

-Are we still on for today?- Her eyes went over it and she blinked. What was he talking about? She looked over at him confused for a moment. He seemed to realize she didn't know what he was talking about, with a glance to the teacher to make sure she was busy, he looked back at her.

"Leaving your Dads." He whispered ever lightly to her to avoid anyone else hearing. Realization dawned on her and she looked at him in surprise. Then a look of hesitation crossed her features, she remembered now but she wasn't entirely sure, circumstances had changed after all.

Her mind went back to the moment months prior, the moment she had decided she couldn't stay in that house any longer. It had been her birthday, her father of course couldn't be bothered to remember it at all. But her mother had found the time to call her after school and wish her a happy birthday.

Ashley had given up on her birthdays, she no longer ever tried to celebrate because they never were about her, they were always about everyone else. She hadn't even told anyone at school when it was, and she wasn't surprised that both her brother and father didn't say anything to her about it. Even if she didn't bother with it, it didn't change her desire to feel special at least on the one day she was supposed to be able to.

So when her mother had called her to wish her happy birthday she had talked to her over the phone. Visited with her for more time then she usually spent on the phone. Normally she hated talking on the phone because she couldn't see the other person and it made her feel awkward. But that moment she hadn't cared, and she had made the mistake of still being on the phone with her mother when her father came home from work.

When he had found out he started to yell at her. Told her that her mother had no business calling the house when she had left. He started to insult and put down all women. When she had managed to speak up and tell him it was because it was her birthday it only seemed to add fuel to his fire.

She had ended up grounded for two weeks, that had been her birthday gift from her father. Even with reminding him it was her birthday he still didn't bother to wish her happy birthday. She had grown up yearning and wishing dearly to meet the man and have a relationship. Each day he crushed her heart a little more with his words. But that moment had been too much for her.

At that moment she knew she was going to leave. Of course it was January in the midwest, snow lay everywhere and she didn't know where she would go. So she instead devised a plan. After having met Justin and finding out he lived literally two houses from her, her plan became more feasible.

Her goal had been to skip the last part of the school day, and leave during lunch. Gather what little she felt she could really call her own and leave that house for good. She would stay with Justin's girlfriend for a few days and then see if she could move in with her mother, or if not figure out something else.

She had completely forgotten about her plans for that day because of everything else that had transpired. She rubbed her eyes and face some as she tried to think. That moment reminded her that not all monsters were inhuman as she sat there silently for a few moments. Could she really go through with it, when Nathanial had claimed he owned her?

Her eyes went to Justin who was still waiting for an answer. Several moments had passed as she had been consumed in her thoughts before she hesitated then she gave a nod. He nodded back and gave her a thumbs up to show he was still good to go.

Yet she sat there silently, was this really the right decision? Yet the moment had reminded her that she wasn't entirely helpless. Her father had made her feel this way before and then she had thought up a way to get out of it. Even if it was running away, it was keeping him from hurting her anymore and taking away any level of control for her life.

Of course Nathanial was different but she had a new found determination. She just had to bid her time and wait, just like she had with her father. It had taken until April before she got her plan set up and now it was going to be in motion. If she could manage three months of waiting until the right moment with the pain of rejection from her own father. She felt she could manage with what felt like a complete stranger.

Finally the bell rang and she looked over at Justin as everyone was getting up and putting their books away. "I'll meet you by your car." she said as she looked at him. Justin was a rather tall fellow, he stood near six feet in height, lanky and thin his skin was even pasty white. Sandy brown hair buzzed down to a buzz cut. She always felt he looked a little ridiculous no matter what he was wearing, but when he was in his wrestling uniform for the school team, that was when he looked the most ridiculous.

However he was actually a nice guy, she didn't think he was the smartest tool in the shed but he had heart and that was what she liked about him. It's what had made it easy for her to actually call him a friend and feel comfortable with asking him to help her with this, he had been more than willing to help her out.

"Sure. Michelle wants to come with and help." He said and Ashley paused for a moment. "Really?" she asked, a little surprised. She had met Michelle, she was in the same grade as theirs and his girlfriend. "I thought she didn't like me." Ashley said honestly as they left the room.

"Na, at first she thought you were gonna try and steal me away, but after I explained you weren't like that and she met you she realized how dumb she was being." He said with a smile. "She thinks your pretty cool to have the guts to leave."

Ashley looked at him a bit surprised. "Oh." she said though she didn't feel very brave or gutsy for what she was doing. She almost felt like a coward for running away from the issues at home. Of course what else could she do really? "Well I gotta put a few things away in my locker, I'll meet up with you guys in a few."

Justin nodded and walked off as she made her way over to her locker. Glancing around in the hallway unable to help a sense of nervous panic start to fill her. Was she seriously going to go through with this? She knew her nerves were going to be bad enough when it came time, but now she had Nathanial to contest with, what was she really thinking here?

Emptying out her backpack into her locker so she would have it to put things into later she stood there looking at her locker. She felt her own heart pounding in her chest as her anxiety grew, then she clenched her fist a bit as she closed her eyes. She silently told herself to stop being a baby about it and grow a pair.

Closing her locker she turned and then jumped seeing Nathanial was right there behind her. "You seem flustered and nervous." He said as he looked down at her. She stared up at him frozen for the moment as if caught doing a bad thing already. Of course she knew what she was planning on doing was against the rules and law even, but she hadn't exactly expected to get called out on it before she even managed it.

"Yeah well, you would be too if you had someone like you hovering over your shoulder." She said as she leaned back against the lockers to get as much space between them as she could. She glanced around to see no one was giving them a second look, just a teacher talking to a student, nothing abnormal to see there.

"Something tells me that your quickened pulse has little to do with me." he said as he studied her. She stared at him and how he seemed to read her so quickly before she frowned. "Yeah well, just because you think my life revolves around you now doesn't mean the rest of the world does." She said finally.

His eyes narrowed a bit as he looked at her. "Careful with your words, I might decide to rectify that statement of yours." he said calmly though there was a coldness in his tone that caused her to go still as she looked up at him. Suddenly she felt a bit more afraid of what he may decide to do.

"Sorry." She said suddenly, her nervous panic growing worse. The bell rang again and she saw the halls were starting to clear before she looked at him. "I have to go to lunch…." she said slowly, trying to utilize the excuse to get away. Yet she made sure to sound as though she was asking for his permission.

It seemed to work as he stepped out of her way. "Eat healthy." he said as he studied her. She felt like she was under the microscope for how he was watching her. Looking at him uneasily as she quickly fled in the direction of the cafeteria. Afraid he was going to follow her, yet he had his class to teach, she looked back in time to see him disappear back into the science room and she felt relief fall over her.

Leaving the grounds was easy, Juniors and Seniors were allowed to leave campus to go out to eat if they had the means. So when she left with both Justin and Michelle in his old Honda nothing appeared out of the ordinary. However instead of getting food they went to her house instead.

She didn't have too many things that she felt she could call her own. The computer and all of the furniture in her room she had no intention of taking. Anything her father had given her she didn't take because she knew if she did he would most likely accuse her of stealing. So mostly it was a few changes of clothing and her books that she packed away in her backpack and a couple of small boxes.

Passing her brother's room she felt a twinge of guilt for leaving him behind. However her father liked him, it was as if her brother could do nothing wrong. She knew it wasn't her brother's fault her father was like that but she still wished she didn't feel like the scum of the earth because of her father.

"You sure you don't want to take the computer? Didn't you say he gave you that?" Michelle asked as they stood in her room while she did her own second look over to make sure she had everything.

Ashley looked over at her and then shook her head. "Anything my Dad gives me or my brother is more like…..he allows us to use it. He says it's ours but…." she shook her head. "Trust me, if I took it, then he'd call the police. As it is I doubt he's going to even care other than no one is here to cook or clean." she said softly.

"Your dad sounds like a dick." Justin said with a frown. Ashley looked over at him then shrugged. "It's whatever." she said acting as though it didn't bother her. Keeping her emotions and hurt in check as she decided she had taken what she needed. "Just let me write a note real quick and then we can go. I'll meet you out there." she said looking at them.

The two nodded and headed out as she picked up a pen and paper from the desk and started to write her farewell to her father. She didn't bother with insults or her anger. She simply pointed out that she couldn't take living there anymore with the way he said things and the way he treated her. That she was leaving before her love for him finally turned to hate, which was true. She still loved him because he was her father but she could feel the first stirrings of resentment and bitterness that had been growing and she didn't care to feel that way.

After writing the note she found some tape and taped it to her door before she closed it so it was easy to see. She had even written an apology to her brother for leaving on it. Taking a breath she looked around the hallway slowly. This was it. She knew this was her last chance to back out and change her mind.

Instead she left, leaving her key to the house taped on the note, she locked the door as she left and then shut the door. There was no going back now. She headed to the car and climbed in, squeezing in next to the boxes of her stuff next to her. "Alright." She said before they were off again.

Michelle actually lived closer to the school then she and Justin did. Though it was still a little bit of a walk. Ashley felt she had enough time though as she helped with her stuff. They put her boxes in a corner of Michelle's room. Michelle's Dad had been home and was a little surprised, he didn't quite know what they were up to. Michelle had asked him though if Ashley could spend the night for a couple of nights and he had been nice enough to say 'Sure'.

Ashley had found she liked Michelle's father. He was an older man and almost seemed frail but he was also a kind hard working man. He worked as a custodian she knew, but didn't know where, just knew he worked nights. Ashley couldn't help but think maybe he liked the idea of someone else there with his daughter to look out for her.

Even though Michelle and Ashley were of the same age, Michelle did come off as a lot more fragile then Ashley herself. The massive scar on the girls chest showing she had already had multiple heart surgeries was evidence of that. She also had a bit of a hyperactive nervousness about her when it came to various things in life.

That day her and Ashley had actually gotten to know each other more and the more Ashley learned about the girl the more she realized she was going to have to find an alternative place to stay as soon as possible. She was afraid of what nightmares might have happened around her because of Nathanial, and she doubted the girl's heart would be able to take it.

"I need to get back to the school." Ashley said once she saw the time was closing in, school was over and she doubted the memorial would go for more then half an hour. "I have to get my bike and stuff…" She added as an excuse.

Justin was chilling on the bed with Michelle next to them, now that things had settled the two had gotten caught up in eachother. Justin pulled away from Michelle for just a moment. "I can give you a ride in the morning." He offered. "I usually do it for Michelle anyways."

Ashley stood up and looked at them shaking her head. "I have homework. Don't worry I can walk, it's not long. You guys can keep….doing what you're doing." she said as she looked at them a little amused. She saw Michelle blush a bit but give a nod. Justin just gave a shrug before he was turning his attention back to the girl sitting next to him giving her another kiss.

Shaking her head Ashley had emptied her backpack of the clothing she had put in it, neatly stacked on one of the boxes before she headed out and started walking towards the school again.

It took her a good twenty minutes to make it back to the school and it was clear it had already cleared out. She couldn't help a rise in worry fill her as she tried the doors to go into the building only to find they were locked. "Shit." she said as she stood there and looked at the doors. He had told her to meet him after the memorial and she hadn't made it back in time.

Standing there she stared at the door then looked around before she started to walk around and towards the parking lot to see if there was at least a car parked out there. Maybe he was still there. However as she rounded the building towards the staff and student parking lot she didn't see a single car out there.

A part of her was happy she wouldn't see him, but the other part was completely terrified as she thought about it and what it might mean. He had said if she didn't do as he said she would be punished, she had no idea what that would even mean. But considering he wasn't beyond murder, breaking bones, or hurting her she didn't really want to find out.

She stood there not sure what she was going to do before she finally started around to the back of the school where the bike racks were. Slowly she headed over towards them to pause as she saw her bike simply wasn't where it was supposed to be. Only this time she knew for a fact it should have been there.

"Come on!" She yelled finally out into the world at no one. She was reaching an emotional limit to the chaos that was her life. "This isn't fair!" she yelled as if to the universe itself. She didn't know if there was a higher power but if there was she wanted it to know she was pissed at it now. She had too many issues on her plate already and now her only method of transportation was gone.

"I think you will find much about life isn't fair little Pet." Came a rather calm yet cold voice behind her. She froze for a moment startled as she heard the familiar voice. She turned and looked at him surprised but then with a moment of relief that she hadn't completely missed him. Yet it was then squished by fear as she hadn't quite met him on the terms he had told her.

"You didn't meet me like I told you." He said as he stood there, his hands slowly crossing over his chest as he looked at her. She looked up at him where she stood and suddenly felt a bit smaller then she already was as she stared at him. "I told you I would punish you." he said simply.

Frowning she looked at him confused before she paused looking at the empty bike rack. "You took my bike?" She asked and looked at him with a whole new bit of surprise. She had thought he would beat her, kill someone, or do something terrifying. Instead he took her bike? She looked at him a little dumbfounded.

He watched her carefully for a moment. "Not only have you lost your bike, but now I require you to ride with me to and from school. You have lost that freedom." he said simply as he stood there. "I see you expected something else from the expression you have." He gave a small smirk this time. "You will find with time that I can be quite creative with my punishments." he said as he moved closer to her.

"I am still deciding on your other punishments." He added as he looked down at her. Reaching out he adjusted her hair so it fell behind her shoulder, exposing her throat a bit more as he looked down to her then met her eyes with his own.

She looked up at him, the tension rising through her as she felt him move her hair. She met his gaze almost afraid to ask before she noticed that his eyes weren't black like they had been last time. Instead they were several shades of brown, almost like swirls of different types of chocolates. She blinked a bit to avoid growing lost in them before she looked away uncomfortably.

"What other punishments? I didn't meet you and you already took my bike. I didn't do anything else." she said with a frown now a little bit miffed. He looked down at her for a moment before shaking his head in disagreement to her words.

"You have skipped classes. That is not acceptable, I told you I expect you to work hard in your school work and you did the exact opposite. I told you to eat healthy, you have not eaten at all. Did you think I wasn't serious with my expectations or orders?" he asked as he looked at her.

She blinked as she stood there then looked at him a bit surprised. She could give him the skipping classes bit but him bitching about the fact she hadn't eaten yet. Was he seriously going to get on her case for that? What would he care, she was just something to own to him wasn't she?

"I had something I had to do. I'm doing fine in the classes I missed so it's not going to affect my grade." she said slowly and uneasily as she looked at him. "And I didn't have time to eat, besides the cafeteria doesn't offer anything healthy anyways, and otherwise it would've been fast food which isn't healthy either so eating nothing was the healthiest option." she said finally as a defense and with the hope it would get her out of whatever else he was planning to punish her with.

He looked down to her unimpressed. "Well you are not wrong about the cafeteria food." He said finally before he pulled a phone from his pocket. He looked down at it and pressed a few buttons on the screen before he slid it back in his pocket. "What was so pressing for you to do it while school was in session that you couldn't do it afterwards." He asked finally and looked at her clearly expecting an answer.

She looked at him and went still. She didn't know what to tell him. Not wanting to tell him the truth, but also not sure what lie she could give him instead. She wasn't good with lying either and had a feeling he would see right through it, then she'd be in real trouble. "It's personal…" She said finally and uncomfortably as she looked at him.

Nathanial frowned at her. "You are trying my patience. There is nothing in your life that is too personal for me. You are mine and I expect you to tell me. Or should I find ways to persuade you?" he asked, reaching a hand out and lightly touching along her arm from her shoulder to her elbow.

It hadn't been a threatening touch, yet it held a level of intimacy for how light his fingers danced across her skin. That slight tickle that came from it and she looked at him with a whole new level of panic. "If what you think is too personal, perhaps I should get to really know all parts of you." he said, his voice lower, softer, and suggestive as he closed the distance between them.

Her pulse jumped quickly in panic. "N-no." she said as she stared up at him. She felt a slight stirring inside simply from the touch, a twinge of arousal and attraction but it was smothered by her sudden fear that he would force himself on her. "I ran away from home." she said rather quickly. She moved to back away from him, to put distance between them but he gripped both of her arms with his hands when she tried.

Now he looked down at her with a frown, his suggestive nature gone now that he had the answer he sought but he was studying her like he didn't quite know what to think of her. "You….ran away." He said slowly as he held her in place. "Yet you came here to meet me…. Realized your mistake?"

She looked at him for a moment, she didn't try and fight his grip on her, she knew that was useless. "I didn't run away to get away from you." she said slowly and looked at him with a small frown. He really did seem to think her world revolved around him, she couldn't help but find the fact he seemed so self absorbed to be a really unattractive aspect of him. "Not everything revolves around you." she muttered quietly and uncomfortably.

He looked down at her then away as he let her go. The frown still upon his features as he seemed to be thinking over something. "I see." he said as he stood there. "What is it that you fear more than me I wonder." he said before looking back at her with a raised eyebrow. "Has someone been physically abusing you? Touching you?" he asked and his expression had grown icy cold as he said the words causing her fear to rise.

"No." She said as she stared at him wondering why he was suddenly looking as though he may decide to murder someone. Her pulse raced as she watched him. "No one has touched me, I just…..I left so that I wouldn't start hating my dad." she said finally. "He doesn't want me anyways and I can't take all of the insults and hurt. So I left." She stood there uncomfortable. "I don't think I could manage to run away from you." she added as she eyed him.

He looked at her for a few long moments as he listened. Studied her carefully before he looked away as a black sedan drove into the parking lot and up to them. "And where is it you are staying now?" He asked as he opened the back door then looked at her before motioning that she get inside.

Ashley watched him and then looked at the car afraid to get in. Where the hell were they even going to go? She was afraid he would take her back to his estate, afraid of what might happen there. She looked at him and saw that he seemed to be losing patience with her. She climbed into the back seat, looking up towards the front to see a man was sitting there in uniform waiting for them.

Nathanial got inside the car and closed the door. Yet the car didn't move as he looked over to her expectantly. Ashley looked at him and then started to panic. "With a friend…" she said and hesitated. "Please, she has a heart condition, I don't want her to get hurt." she said not sure what he would do but afraid it would result in her friend getting hurt or worse.

He looked at her for a moment before looking at the driver. "Take us somewhere she can find a healthy meal." he said and the driver gave a nod. "Yes Lord Brixton, right away." He said his voice low and gravelly but somewhat pleasant, he also didn't seem to hold any fear in him. He was calm and reserved as he put the vehicle in drive and the car was set into motion.

Ashley hesitated before she quickly put on her seatbelt, unable to help the habit even while Nathanial sat there calmly and held no intention of putting his own on. He watched her for a few moments. "I do not hold any intentions to hurt your friend at this moment." he said as he sat there calmly. "Though I find you staying with them unacceptable." he added as he looked out the window.

She looked at him hesitant, relieved that he wasn't going to try and hurt Michelle but at the same time afraid he was going to tell her she had to go back to her father. "I had planned to see if I could live with my mom after a few days.�� she offered lightly. "She's just out of town with uh. My old step-dad."

He paused and looked over to her. "Old Step-Dad?" he asked, seeming a bit perplexed by the label she gave the man and she looked at him, going a shade of red embarrassed. "Well they were together when I was younger, then they divorced….and just recently they are back together again." she said lightly to explain.

"I see." he said as he sat there then shook his head. "I do not have much confidence in your parents if your life is already as dysfunctional as it sounds." he said finally. "It's not fitting or suitable for my needs."

She looked at him and then hesitated before growing worried. "Are you going to make me stay with you….?" she asked slowly and looked at him afraid that was where he was going with it now. He looked from the window over to her for a moment, looking her over it seemed which caused her to squirm as he did so.

"No. You have yet to prove yourself to be fit for my home." he said and looked out the window again. "I will make arrangements however, you will not be staying at a friend's residence, but instead a place of my choosing." he said finally. Pulling out his phone he started to type a few more things. She couldn't see what he was typing with the way he held it but it was clear he was sending texts somewhere.

Her eyes looked at him with a bit of unease. She was half afraid to argue with him about it. At least he wasn't saying she had to go back to her father. But she wasn't entirely comfortable with him taking over either. Her eyes stared at the man as she tried to figure him out. If she hadn't been convinced he was a monster for what she had seen him do, she might have seen him as a knight in shining armor trying to take care of her. Instead though she knew what he was capable of and instead she felt like the jaws of a monster was just closing in even more around her throat.