Chapter Fifteen

I open my eyes and see Jackson across the room fully dressed in a sweater and jeans watching T.V.

I sit up. I try to cover my chest with the blanket. Jackson looks over and puts the remote on the couch next to him. "There's some clothes for you if you want to wear them."

I stare at him.

"What?"

"The clothes are at the end of the bed."

I keep staring. I'm confused.

I crawl across the bed and find a big sweatshirt and some sweats.

"Sorry, they're kinda big," Jackson says, surfing the channels.

I feel nervous. This is weird. "Where are my clothes?"

"Oh, they're at the laundromat."

I roll my eyes. I take the clothes from the bed and go to the bathroom to change. I brush through my hair with my fingers. I take a deep breath and walk out of the bathroom. Jackson looks over. I roll my eyes. I can tell where he's staring. I cover my chest by folding my arms. His eyes dart to mine and he blushes. I get my shoes and ask Jackson where my stuff is.

"What stuff?"

"Um, let's see," I say, raising my eyebrows. "My keys, my car, my freedom?"

Jackson's cheeks flush. "Your keys are right here, your freedom... I don't know."

I freeze. "My car?"

Jackson smiles with embarrassment. "Funny story," he says. "Your car was... Towed away..."

"What?!"

"Don't worry! Don't worry! I'm going to get it when I pick up your laundry!"

I glare at him and sigh. "Well, I don't want to stay here," I say. "I want to go home."

Jackson frowns sadly. "To your... Roommate?"

"Yes!" I say, throwing my hands in the air.

Jackson sighs. "I guess I can take you home."

I fold my arms and raise my eyebrows at him.

He looks down. "I'd love to take you back home where you feel comfortable."

I roll my eyes and get my keys from the coffee table. I swing the lanyard around in my fingers.

He takes me down to the first floor of the apartment building. "I have to get to work, anyway," he says. He gets his keys and presses a button. I hear a sound like chambering the bullet on a gun. He goes up to his car and opens the door. I walk around the car to the backseat door. I slide in and slam the door. Jackson looks back at me. "You can sit in the front."

"I'd prefer to sit here."

Jackson blushes and starts the car.

I realize we're in a completely different city from San Francisco. I get out my phone and get out Google Maps. "Sacramento!" I say. "Why do you live so far away from your work?"

Jackson shrugs. "I grew up here."

I roll my eyes. "There's no way that you care where you grew up," I say.

Jackson stares at the road and drives.

* * *

After an hour and a half of looking at random Instagram posts, Jackson pulls over. I look up and see the apartment. I jump up, even though it hurts my head like hell. I open the door before he even parks and shove my phone down the pocket of Jackson's sweats.

"Wait up!"

I glare back at him. "Hell no."

Jackson squints to the side angrily. He follows me into the building. As he stops in the lobby, I quickly get in the elevator and press the 6 hard. I'm jumping as I slowly move upstairs. Finally, when I reach the sixth floor, I decide to stop jumping. I grasp my hand on my head as I stumble to my apartment.

I'm shaking as I try to fit my keys through the keyhole, still holding on to my head.

I finally get the door to open and I nearly fall in because of the weight I was putting onto the door. I slam the door.

"Amy?" I yell. I wince. My headache is getting worse. "Amy?"

I see a sticky-note on my door. I walk over as quickly as possible and read it.

I quickly get out my phone and call Amy. I collapse onto the couch as I hear the phone ring. "Ah!" I say under my breath as my head pounds. I lay down, the phone still against my ear.

"Hi! This is Amy! I'm busy right now, probably painting. Leave me a message and I'll try my best to get back to you!"

I sigh. Tears fill my eyes. I let them spill down my cheeks and into my ears. I feel like shit...

* * *

I drive around Sacramento, looking for Kim's blue hair. I look around the neighborhood frantically. I park on the side of the road next to an apartment building and check the time.

"8:16..." I say. I pause, then bang my head on the steering wheel. "She was supposed to be home two nights ago!" I start crying at an insane speed.

After a minute, I look up and sniff. I look over and see a guy going into the apartment building... I recognize him... The doorman! I get out of the car and yell.

"Stop!"

He turns around, his hands shoved in his pockets. "What do you want?"

He squints at me and his eyes widen in fear. "Y-You're Kim's roommate."

I raise an eyebrow. "Yeah...?"

He starts backing away to the door and reaching for the handle. I slam my car door and slowly walk towards him. The clockwork is slowly working in my head…

I grab his shirt before he can go inside. Anger is bubbling inside me. "What did you do to her?"