It Was Easier Not Loving You

Niki sat in her office chair at her desk with her hands linked together behind her head as she laid back in her chair and closed her eyes. Moments later the door opened and she turned around and saw Mike.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing, really, just thought I'd drop in for a while. Jennifer has really been freaking us out ever since we got that restraining order against her. She'll drive by the house every day, two or three times."

"Really? Wow."

"Yeah."

"And you haven't called the cops yet?"

"No, but I probably will soon if she keeps it up."

"I would, but that's me. She seemed like a real clingy girlfriend when she came in that day with the way she wouldn't let go of your arm until I set up the first photo."

"Yeah, she's crazy. But enough about her. The more I think about her the more she drives me insane."

"No joke."

"So, are you coming to the concert Thursday?" he asked leaning his elbows on the counter next to the catalog.

"What time is it and how much are tickets?"

"It's at 7:30 and I can work something out to get you a ticket unless you want to go with us as V.I.P."

She chuckled. "Well, I don't know. I don't want anyone thinking anything is going on between us. You never know, Psycho might show up and fly off the hinge."

He looked down and pursed his lips. "You're right. Well, I'll get you a ticket if you can make it."

"I'll pay you back for it."

"No, no, that's alright. Think of it as a thank you gift for helping us out."

"But I only suggested a restraining order and Tre said he had suggested it once but it wasn't bad enough then to get one."

"You're being difficult." He chuckled.

"Okay, I'll go, but as a normal concert-goer."

"Okay. Well, I have to go before she finds me. See you Thursday." He waved as he went out the door.

"Okay, bye."

Niki had gotten used to seeing them one at a time now that they have stopped in every once and a while the past couple weeks. She thought about how Jennifer was acting and how he got stuck with a psycho like her.

She leaned back in her chair, hands behind her head, and lost herself in thought until the door opened again. She turned and saw her.

She raised her left eyebrow, "Uh, can I help you?"

"Yeah, don't move."

Niki scrunched here eyebrows together in confusion and watched as Jennifer pulled a hand gun out of her purse. Here eyes widened and she dove behind the counter, pressing the panic button. She heard a gun shot and one of the glass counters shattered. She ducked down, putting her hands behind her head, and looked at the glass scattered at her feet, then at the counter just left of her. Another gun shot that put a hole in the wall next to her desk, then another that shattered the counter to the right of her.

She laid down flat on the floor and covered her head and put three catalogs between her chest and head and the counter in case her aim got better.

She shot and hit her leg about 5 inches below her knee cap. She screamed and started to curl up. She finally heard sirens off in the distance and another gun shot. She was in so much pain she couldn't tell if she hit or missed, but she didn't care because she knew that if she had a small pistol it would only hold between 6 and 9 bullets, plus officials were finally there to rescue her.

Suddenly the door burst open and Niki closed her eyes. She heard talking and screaming in the distance. She tried staying conscious but the pain got to her. Everything went black.