Harlow.

I laid on back and listened to the loud music from above me. Harlow was having a party. He had a lot of parties. I always wondered who he was partying with since he never seemed to talk to anyone when we were in school. It sure sounded like there was quite a crowd upstairs.

Eruptions of laughter sounded from above and echoed through the basement. Harlow’s iPod had played all of the songs. There was nothing for me to listen other than the party. Footsteps, laughter, things hitting the floor, music, yelling, and sound of pool balls being hit.

Everyone upstairs was lucky. They were free and happy. I was captive and miserable. I was dirty, I was hungry, I was tired, and I was letting myself die. I was never going to be found, I was never going home, and Harlow was never going to be punished for what he did.

“Yeah! I’ll be right back!” Harlow yelled with a laugh. The click of the locks signaled he was coming downstairs. Another click signaled he had locked the door behind him. I didn’t even close my eyes when he walked down the noisy stairs. I didn’t care. I wasn’t even living anymore, I was simply existing.

Harlow dropped himself onto the mattress and with him came the strong smell of alcohol. He hovered above me with hazy eyes and just stared, I stared back. He smiled slightly and ran his fingers across my jaw like he always did. I closed my eyes when I saw his face coming closer to mine, Harlow got violent if he knows my eyes are open while he kissed me.

Harlow’s lips pressed lightly against mine. His lips tasted like alcohol. His kiss was different when he’s drunk. It was softer, sweeter, almost loving. I knew he wasn’t loving though. As much as Harlow told me loved me it was obvious he didn’t. Holding someone captive is not how to express love.

A knock on the basement door made Harlow groan in annoyance against lips. “What are you doing down there?” a guy yelled down.

“I’ll be back later, baby.” Harlow whispered into my ear and place one last small, sweet kiss on my lips before grabbing a bottle of alcohol out of a refrigerator that I didn’t know was even down there. “Love you.” Harlow mumbled before running back upstairs.

It was hours before I heard the clicks again and Harlow returned as he promised. “I missed you.” Harlow said quietly running his hands up and down my bare sides. He said it like he meant it, and he looked like he meant it. The only way he missed me was physically.

“I missed you too.” I replied quietly not wanting to add another wound to my body. Harlow smiled at me and kissed me romantically. He pulled his lips away from mine only enough to be able to speak.

“I love you, Sunny.” his lips brushed against mine with every word. “I love you so much.” he whispered against my lips. He pushed his bare hips into mine and repeated his “love” for me through the whole dance of hips against hips. Harlow’s eyes stayed locked to mine and I had no choice to put lock my own eyes with his. I was grateful that he was being gentle with me, and my body involuntarily reacted to his. I felt disgusting upon feeling pleasure from Harlow and listening to the pleasure my body gave him.

Exhaustion overtook me, and I think it was the alcohol that caused Harlow to pass out his arm slung over my body. He never slept on the mattress after taking advantage of me.

Harlow was by my side when I woke up. He looked angry. His green eyes looked clouded with anger. “Eat.” Harlow shoved a plate of pancakes at me. I shook my head no. “Eat.” he growled. I couldn’t eat. Eating would fuel my body to fight, I didn’t want to fight. I wanted to die and just have this whole thing end. I shook my head no and pushed the plate away. “I swear to God, Sunny.” Harlow hissed through his eat. “if you don’t eat on your own, I’ll force you these pancakes down your fucking throat.”

I started to pull on my disgusting clothes to give myself some warmth. “Stop.” Harlow instructed me. I stopped and started at him curiously. “Put this on.” he handed me a navy blue t-shirt that he pulled off himself. I pulled it on, my body rejoiced due to the lingering body heat. I ate the pancakes. It hurt my stomach to eat after going so long without food.

“Come on, love.” Harlow said extending his hand out to me. I looked at it in confusion. I didn’t understand why he wanted me to take his hand until I felt the cuff around my wrist drop. Harlow held my hand tightly and pulled me up from the mattress. My legs were wobbly and sore from not walking in such a long time. Harlow caught me every time my body threatened to fall to the floor.

Upstairs, was nice. It was mess though. It was clear a party had taken place the night before and no one cared to clean up their messes before they left. We passed though what I assumed to be foyer type area, and then I was forced up another flight of stairs. Harlow led me through the hallway of his second floor until he reached on of the many doors he was looking for. I didn’t understand why he lived in such a large house by himself.

Through the door I assumed the earthy green bedroom to belong to Harlow. It was enormous for one person to live in. Brown silhouettes of bare trees were placed at random on the walls. Two closets, one on each side of the room. Harlow had taken use of the master suite all for himself.

“Sit.” Harlow said, so I sat on the edge of his monstrous bed that was covered with a tan colored comforter. I watched as Harlow went to the side of the room that looked less lived in. Into the closet Harlow disappeared and returned with two blue plastic bags in one hand and held his free hand out for me to take.

I moved my hand slowly toward his, I didn’t understand what he was planning to do. Harlow gripped my hand firmly and walked me through another door. In the bathroom Harlow sat me on the counter top. I looked around the large room trying to ignore Harlow standing against my knees without a shirt on.

“Just gonna take a shower.” Harlow told me moving some of my filthy hair off my shoulders that were still covered in his blue shirt. I was somewhat happy, but I didn’t trust Harlow. I had no reason to trust him. I watched as he spilled the contents of both blue bags onto the bathroom floor.

“Um, I don’t really know what you use in the shower...so I got a bunch of different things.” Harlow said looking down at all the stuff he spilled on the floor and scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. “Yeah, um. Towels are right in here.” Harlow explained hitting his hand against a cabinet lightly. “I’m going to go find you something to wear...so. Yeah.” and with that Harlow left the bathroom.

I was stunned. I thought Harlow was going stay in the bathroom or get in the shower with me to make sure I didn’t go anywhere. I picked through everything he had spilled on the floor. I picked out body wash, shampoo, conditioner, face wash, shaving cream, a razor, a toothbrush, tooth paste, and a little shower puffball to but my body wash on.

I set the toothbrush and the toothpaste near the sink. I put everything I planned on using in the shower on selves located in the shower. I adjusted the water to the right temperature and peeled Harlow’s shirt off my body. I stepped under the hot water and started to scrub my hair clean, I must have washed it twenty times. I washed my face numerous times until it felt clean, I did the same with my body. I shaved and then stood under the hot water for maybe a half hour.

I stepped out of the bathroom and wrapped a big brown towel around my body. I brushed my teeth until I had the horrible taste of bad breath out of my mouth finally. I walked out of the bathroom timidly, I wasn’t sure if Harlow was in his room. He wasn’t. I pulled at his door, this could have been my escape. It was locked from the outside. I hit my hand against it in annoyance and anger. I wanted to go home and see my family. I walked to the window, it’s wouldn’t budge. None of the windows would budge.

Giving up, I sat on the edge of Harlow’s bed. Feeling tired I laid down. A loud ring echoed through the room and the hallways outside the room. I jumped at the sound and listened as the answering machine on a table next to the bed began to speak.

“It’s your father. Aunt Lucille passed away. I expect you to be at the viewing and the funeral. Goodbye.” the stony voice spoke and then hung up. Mr. Burton had always scared me, always. He looked like he wanted to kill the world every time I saw him at a mandatory school event.

I laid back down and rested my head on the pillow. He smelled like Harlow, I was used to his scent though. He smelled like sort of spicy, with a sweet smell mixed with it. It was different. It was familiar, it was oddly comforting. I was out like a light due to the comfortable bed, the familiar scent, and warmth of his blankets.