Was It Just A Dream?

Her eyelashes fluttered like a butterfly wings, her chest heaved and her hands clenched and unclenched. She didn't know why, but she felt as if someone was threatening her dear life that she needed to run away. Fast and don't stop.

"Run! Rose! Run! Turn back in! Call the police!" she frantically reached for her phone and randomly pressed the numbers on the screen while trying to look at the man but it was then her eyes were covered with a dark material that blocked her eyesight. Was it plastic? Black cloth? She didn't know. All that she saw before then was a man in black leather jacket shot another man straight into his head and blood spilled down his head. The next thing she knew was someone brought her to a black van and simply drove off after they killed the man that warned her not to come closer. Who was he?

Rose struggled to free herself from the material that covered her eyes. Her heart beating so fast that she became breathless. Her hands and legs were tied. She could tell that there were three men in the van and the way they spoke, they must be some thugs that were hired by someone. Who on earth wanted to kill her and the man earlier? Why?

"This girl is a knockout. I'm aroused just by looking at the way she gulped down her saliva earlier. Are you nervous darling?" The tattooed man caressed her cheek and licked his lips. Rose instinctively moved away from him.

"What don't we just have her here? There's no one else parked here except for that dead man." One of the thugs suggested. After they came to the agreement, they parked in one of parking space. Two of them got down from the van and began to smoke and chatted.

"Ah… That will do too. It has been a while I haven't taste fresh meat. I say we share her among us. What to rush? Boss told us we can do whatever about the girl, if she appear, and there she is, she appeared." Rose began to feel nervous. She tried to scream but she lost her voice. God! What on earth is happening? What on earth happen to my voice? Tears began rolling down her cheeks.

"Dude, don't be too rough on her. She's still young." The one wearing the leather jacket said while lighted his cigarette. The blondie next to him chimed in, "Bro, I'm next. Look at her skin. It must be soft." He was peeking through the window while watching his friend undressed.

"You'll be mine!" the tattooed man brutally tore off her dress. He caressed her skin with his calloused hands. He was already salivated over the petite young girl who cowered in the corner of the rear seat. He took off the cover from her head and looking at the way her face paled in scared, he felt a sudden rush to his lower region.

He inched closer to her with his lewd expression. Rose kept on pushed him away. She ended bit on his arm and tried to kick him. But she was easily subdued by the man. She was desperate and at that moment,

"Ahhh!!!" One of the thugs wailed that caused the man that almost have his way with her to stop whatever he was about to do. When he got down from the van, he saw both of his friends were lying unconscious on the ground.

"Bastard! I'll kill you!" he charged forward and the man swung a bat to the man's head. The tattooed man instantly plopped down on the ground, unconscious. The man swiftly moved to the van and helped her out. Looking at the way she was, he swiftly took off his trench coat. He put it on her and wrapped her in it. Wait… This scent… This scent was familiar. Where did I smell this familiar scent? Rose frowned. Judging from the scent on the trench coat, she could easily deduced that it was the limited Creed Aventus Eau De Parfum .

The mysterious man brought her to his Maybach. She had just climbed in his car before a deafening gunshot was heard. Then, before her very own eyes, she saw how he fall on his knees and lied in a pool of his own blood. Behind him, a man was seen and in his hand was a gun. Rose quickly made herself invisible by hiding between the gearbox and the passenger's seat and locked the car from inside. It was lucky that the window was tinted in black.

"Did you see her?" It was a woman's voice.

"No. Maybe she was long gone." The man spoke. The way he spoke was familiar to her. But who was he? She didn't want to take a risk and peek to take a look at the two people who had killed her savior right in front of her eyes.

"It's impossible. I saw her came to see her brother." The woman spoke. Who was she?

"Well, for now, at least we had settled Gregory and John at once. Who knew that John would come here as well. I wonder why he came…" Gregory? John? Who are they? Brother? Did they mean George? But… George was dead.

"Ah… Who cares…" That was all she heard before her world blackout…

"Honey… Are you okay?" Jude was too anxious looking at the way she was a moment ago. It was as if she was having spasm. He was jerked awake by her sudden clutch on his arm. He looked at the mark left by her on his arm.

Rose slowly opened her eyes. She could see clearly that Jude was talking to her. But why she didn't hear anything? She blinked her eyes in confusion. Was it because of the hit on her head earlier? Or is it due to lacking of air in the car earlier? She closed her eyes and breathed heavily. She opened them again.

"Jude…" her voice hoarse. Jude helped her up and made her leaned against his firm and muscular chest. Rose took another deep breath. It was then it dawned to her that Jude wore the same Eau de Parfum like the man in her dream.

Thinking about the dream, she tried to remember every parts and bits but it was as if her head was still having the post-traumatic syndrome due to the direct hit on her head earlier on. It was an extreme pain that she furrowed her brows.

"Honey. Where does it hurt? Tell me." Jude quickly checked her bruised body.

"Or, do you need some medications? I'll go and take some for you." Jude asked her anxiously. Rose grabbed hold his hand, vigorously shook her head.

"I'll be okay after a while." Her voice trembled. She leaned against his chest and rest her head comfortably on his shoulder. Jude sighed, relieved hearing her words. He gently brushed her hair with his slender fingers and kissed her crown.

"Have we ever met before, by chance maybe?" she suddenly turned to him and questioned. Jude was momentarily stunned by her sudden question.

"Nope. I doubt that. The first time I met you was on the day I brought you back. Do you still remember?" He answered her truthfully. In response, Rose mouthed 'oh' and she bit her lip afterwards. But the scent he had was very similar to that man.

"I meant maybe years ago?" She reluctantly believed that she never crossed path with him. The scent was the evident.

"Not even years ago. It was practically zero chances dear. I was in the army back then. Why did you ask?" Jude looked at her, curious with the questions asked. Rose shook her head slowly. Part of her believed that it was not a dream. But part of her thought that it might be just a dream.

The question is: was it really just a dream? What was the possibilities to have the same dream twice in a night?

"Oh, you're an army officer?" She asked, surprised. She had thought that he was a CEO by birth. Jude smiled bitterly.

"Was." He corrected her. Rose's eyebrows were arched into a perfect curves upon hearing his answer. The tone sounded melancholic. Why was that? But she knew she had right to ask that, just yet. She then looked at her bluish upper arms and shuddered. Jude knew what was she thinking, gently cupped her face with his slender fingers.

"Hey… Look at me. Forget about what had happened last night. You only need to remember I am here for you." She didn't respond. There was a distant look in her eyes.

"Jude… I need to go home. Now." She hurriedly got off the bed and went straight to the bathroom leaving Jude speechless on the bed. Jude could only sighed.