Caged Birds Don't Like to Sing

I silently sipped on my juice as I watched Jackson pace around the kitchen. I kept turning on the spinning seat of the stool. My foot tapped at the bar that kept the stool’s legs together. Jackson was trying to explain why he was leaving tonight. It was almost around two p.m. now. He wasn’t paying much attention to the stir fry he was making for dinner as he fumbled over words in attempt to explain himself. I guess he thought I couldn’t cook on my own. It started to steam over more.

“Jackson!” I interrupted, pointing to to stove top. He turned around to see the smoke rising up.

“God damn it,” he scowled, turning the heat on ‘low’ and mixed the food around. He moved the pan over to the side.

The smoke started to spread out. I set down my cup and frantically shook my hand around to thin it out. That barely helped. I got up and opened the back door. A cool breeze blew in and whipped back my hair. I shivered and stood my the door for a moment, letting out the smoke before the fire alarm could go off. I closed it once it seemed to be dispersed. The area around the room was cold now and I had goosebumps as I walked back to Jackson.

I sat back in my chair and picked up my cup. I pressed the edge to my lips. “Continue.”

He turned around from the stove. Then leaned against the counter that was beside it. His arms were crossed and he took a deep sigh. “It’s only going to be for a day. If that.”

I knew he wasn’t going to be gone forever. It was just over night and into tomorrow. He’d be back home tomorrow around this time, maybe later. I just didn’t want him to leave. Not now at least. Everything seemed so immaculate. He told me he loved me last night, now he was leaving.

I annoyingly exhaled. “Where did you say were going again?”

“Promotional stuff,” he started to explain. “For Breaking Dawn, it’s coming out soon.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Look, I know this is, like, the worst possible time, but it’s only a couple hours away. And it’s mandatory. I’ve already skipped three.”

“You skipped three?” I repeated back. He never told me he was missing out on important job-related events.

“Yeah.” His voice was incredibly blasé considering he was missing out on his job. A job he loved so dearly. “One for when you were moving in. Another the day after you took my car and you were at that motel.” He stopped after he said that and shot me a glare. I looked away and sipped on my juice, pretending to be oblivious to it.

“And the last when you left and I called the police.” He seemed saddened about that. I must have broken his heart.

I looked down and placed the cup back on the counter. “I’m sorry,” I said sympathetically. I guess I have always picked the worst possible times.

He shrugged one shoulder. “It’s over now. I just can’t miss this one.”

I nodded. Then lamented, “Don’t do anything stupid there.” I couldn’t pinpoint what I was exactly alluding to. Whether it was about drinking too much or ending up spilling too much about our relationship. Or even cheating on me.

Shaking his head, he said, “I won’t.”

I watched him as he started to pour the stir fry into a Tupperware box. He sealed the lid on and walked over to the fridge to put it in. “Most of my evening and night is going to be spent at the comic-con anyway. Question sessions, signing stuff, the usual.”

After having the horrible realization of him possibly cheating on me, I began to get antsy. Even though I felt like it was such a slim possibility. “Who are you spending the night with? In the hotel room, I mean.”

The cast involved so many beautiful girls. Ones that he has known longer than he’s known me. Like Nikki Reed and Ashley Greene. I’m pretty sure Jackson and Ashley had a ‘thing’ for awhile. I didn’t trust her being around him, even though I’ve never met her before. I didn’t trust him all too much either. Especially when I found out the money thing. It just made me lose the little trust I had in him. Except this was an entirely different situation. This involved another girl. I wouldn’t want him to get tempted.

“Probably just Rob, Kellan, or Taylor. One of them, I assume,” he said casually. “Or even by myself. It’s not like I have to pay for it.”

“You assume?” My tone of voice hardened a bit. I think he could sense my distress. He walked over to my side and sat in the stool next to me. He swiveled it around so he faced me.

“Listen, I’m not going to be spending the night with a girl. If that’s what you were getting at. I wouldn’t do that.” He cocked his head innocently. The corners of his mouth turned up into a grin. “I have you.”

I smiled briefly, still perplexed. “Yeah. You remember that when you’re alone and walking into that hotel room tonight.” I stood up and held up my index finger like a teacher. Except more in a threatening way, but still playful about it. “And in that room should be a male waiting for you.”

He smiled and chuckled. “Don’t worry.” He wrapped his arms around me. His head was on my shoulder as he said, “I won’t turn gay.”

I slapped his back and pulled away. His smile just made me giggle and I hugged him again.

“I have to get going,” he admitted, pulling away.

“Already?”

“Yeah.” He got up and went upstairs. Within a couple of minutes he was back down with a bag. I presumed he had already packed without telling me.

He came closer and pecked my lips. “Bye.”

“Bye,” I repeated solemnly back.

I followed him to the door. He kissed me one last time and then left. I closed the door behind him and sighed, leaning against the wall.

Everything seemed so great last night. Now he has to leave. Again. I don’t know how much more I can take of his constantly busy schedule. If there wasn’t a concert, it was stuff with the movie. If it was neither of those, he was ‘out.’ If it wasn’t that, Rob was here. And if it was none of those, we were bickering. This is some kind of relationship. A messed up one.

I spent most of the night on the couch, eyes fastened to the television screen. I popped in movie after movie. Mostly just scary ones. I loved scary movies, even though they didn’t scare me very much. I can just sit and watch one by myself in the dark. They seemed more like mysteries to me. But I bet if I was in a situation where someone was holding a weapon up to me, I’d be freaking out. Who wouldn’t though?

Eventually, the night passed and it was late. I could feel my eyelids growing heavier until I fell asleep for a few minutes before catching myself and waking up. I walked up the dark steps and slid into my room. I changed into some pajamas and left, closing the door behind me. I decided to go into Jackson’s room. I missed him already. Weeks ago, I didn’t think I’d ever say I remotely missed him. Then again, weeks ago I didn’t think I would even utter the words ‘I love you’ in even the most sarcastic tone.

Burrowing down into the sheets, my head sunk into the pillows. I took a deep breath in through my nose. It smelled like Jackson. The combined scents of his cologne, whiskey and cigarettes, and just his natural smell. The scent just made it worse. It was weird to know that he was not around for once. Even weirder that I wanted him to be around. Even his scent made me feel content. Like everything was okay, for once.

Clang.

Boom.

Bang.

Those were the noises that startled me away in the middle of the night. I knew it must have been Dean. He usually hops around on the counter, swatting his tail around and pushing things off with his extremely strong paws. But maybe it was the movies that shoved all the horrid alternatives into my mind. The ideas that made me paranoid that someone was breaking in. Facing my fear, I decided to go check on what was going on downstairs.

Some part of me hoped that it was Jackson. Coming home early, really early, to surprise me. And while trying to sneak in, he knocked over something. But I knew that wasn’t the case.

An eerie coldness surrounded me once I was downstairs. I cautiously moved around, stealthily taking every step. When I felt gust of wind, I turned around. The back door was wide open. Looking around in all directions, I ran and closed it. Locking it quickly.

When I turned around again, another sound startled me. I looked around frantically. I felt something soft and furry around my legs. I looked down to see Dean. He looked back up and me and mewed. I smiled, relieved, and crouched down to stroke the top of his head. He purred wildly. I picked him up and planned on taking him up with me for the night.

I stood back up, eyes still on Dean. He looked in the other direction. I followed his glance and looked up. Blonde hair shimmered in the moonlight that shone through the opened window in the family room. The unfamiliar shadow with blond hair moved closer. I recognized the face.

“Chase?” I stammered out, now engulfed in complete fear. He took another graceful step closer. His white smile seemed corrupt in this situation.

“The one and only.” His brown eyes appeared black in the darkness. He started to get too close for comfort. I took a small step back once his height towered over me.

“You know,” I said dauntingly. I tried to avoid the inevitable. As in that he wasn’t here for cup off coffee and a ‘hello, how are you doing?’ “You could have called. It’s sort of late.”

“Well, Riley told me where you lived so I thought I’d stop by. I wasn’t invited to the housewarming party.” he purred. We were only a few inched away now. I felt my breath begin to stutter as I tried to catch it.

Damn it, Riley.

“You do know we are seeing each other again. She is quite the catch,” he said casually.

“That’s not what she told me,” I said bitterly. I was dreadfully annoyed by this time. Except I knew I should be on high alert. I knew he could snap at any moment. He wasn’t here to make up with me. Not at this hour

He seemed concern with what I had said. His whole expression changed. “W-Why? What did she tell you?”

“Uh, nothing,” I covered up. “I guess she just said she was getting a lot of male attention at her new job.”

“Oh,” he said, calming down. He chuckled grimly. “Yeah. I don’t think I have much competition. It’s a pretty sleazy bar for disgusting men.”

“For once I agree with you,” I mumbled out hesitantly. I could feel my grip tightening on Dean.

He flashed another malevolent, toothy grin. “You know,” he crooned in an ornery way. “You do look the same.” His eyes looked me up and down like a lion eyeing a piece of meat.

“Yeah....” I said, uninterested. What did interest me was a sharp, slicing noise. One that you hear when metal rubs against another piece of metal. Like sharpening a knife on another. It gave me a cold shudder. Paranoid, I tried to crouch down to set down Dean.

Chase cupped my chin and made it impossible for me to move. Once I stopped my movement, he released my chin. I let go of Dean gently. He dropped, but landed on all fours like most cats. My eyes met a vengeful stare looking back at me.

A razor-sharp edge ran from my ears to the tip of my chin. I didn’t dare move. Thankfully, it didn’t puncture the skin. He smiled sadistically.

“You know I don’t want to hurt you,” he murmured carefully. The blade ran down my throat. It made me tense up knowing my jugular was right under the flesh.

I raised a suspicious eyebrow to that comment. When hasn’t he wanted to hurt me?

“You seem to be home alone,” he said, swiftly moving the knife from me and walking in the opposite direction. He dragged the knife across the counter tops in the kitchen. It made a weird noise that made me cringe. Jackson was going to be pissed about that and I would have to take the blame. That was the least of my worries, though.

I quivered as I thought about what to say. I even thought about grabbing the phone and calling 9-1-1. But I knew that would just end my life immediately. “Um....” I faltered.

He moved his head around, looking over his shoulder. His body spun around in a creepy mechanical way. “You are home alone, right?” His voice was airily. He had no heart to be able to do this in such carefree manor.

“Yes,” I finally admitted. He would have realized that sooner or later. Why lie?

He pouted out his lip as he stalked nearer. “Jackie left you all alone, eh? That’s not a very nice hubby, is it?”

“How’d you know his name?” I hissed.

The knife was placed against my throat again in almost an instant. The cold, thin blade edged across my skin ever so lightly, not leaving a single mark. “Ah, ah, ah,” he threatening in a soft voice. “Inside voices, please.”

I glared at him bitterly, but frightened at the same time. I wanted to plead for my life, but I knew one quick movement could end it right then and there.

“Riley told me. Like I said before, we are involved again.”

God damn it, Riley. Hopefully she wasn’t in on this as well. I don’t think she knew he was so sadistic.

“What else did she say?” I asked, semi curious.

He made a dark ‘ha’ noise and moved the knife down my neck. He dug it in at the tip at my collarbone. I winced and yelped. “I don’t think I need to tell you anything,” he whispered.

“Why are you doing this?” I whimpered. I wanted to wail and beg on my knees for him not to kill me. I began to feel a warm liquid bubble on the surface of my collarbone before dripping.

He leaned into my face. His lips were by my ear and I couldn’t fight it. “I never did finish you off. You’re a tough little cookie,” he whispered with a laugh. His breath was as icy as his heart.

Trying to seem a little bit stronger, I warned, “Jackson’s going to kill you if you hurt me anymore!”

He scoffed. “He’s not even here. Does that little prick know I exist?”

Jackson did know Chase existed. He just didn’t know what pain he caused me growing up. I seethed, “The only prick here is you.”

The knife, as I was predicting, was at my throat. Would he go through with this?

“What did I say about harsh voices and mean words?” he growled under his breath. I sneered and looked away.

“You won’t get away with his if you do hurt me. You know that, right?” I threatened.

“I think I can find my way out of this...” He placed his finger to my cut on my collarbone. He squished the red liquid between his thumb and index finger and stared at it, smiling evilly. “Sticky situation.”

“You won’t!” I screamed, darting away. I ran and pounced over the couch. He looked in my direction and came after me. I scurried away faster and tried to head for the front door. He caught up to me and pinned me against the wall.

“Now why,” he stopped for a second and slammed my head against the wall in rage. “on earth,” he slammed it even harder. The room seemed darker and I fluttered my eyelids, “would you do that?”

“I-I,” I couldn’t manage a word. My head throbbed. I blinked, stunned, but tried to regain myself. “You meant nothing to me,” I lied through my jaw that I could barely control anymore. Everything began to slow down like molasse. “You were my first everything that meant nothing.”

He looked at me with confusion. Then he looked in the other direction while he thought and then turned back to me with another smirk on his face. That time he had a small laughing noise coming from his throat. It was haughty and began to turn into a more bellowing laugh. “Your first? Like as in I fucked you?”

I didn’t know what he meant or why he was reacting this way, as if it was some sort of news to him. I couldn’t even think of a reply. I furrowed my brows and looked at him, still feeling completely sick in the head as the world began to fuzz out.

“Where would you get such a delusional idea that I would sleep with you?” he ridiculed, once again, throwing my head into the wall.

I could only breath out, “Riley.”

He completely lost it at this point. He laughed like a complete lunatic. Once he turned back to me, staring me deep in the eyes, he stated, “I would never sleep with you. That was a joke. You’re a completely joke. Sure, you’re a nice piece of ass, but I could walk over you like a doormat. And I did.”

I was falling in and out of consciousness and I didn’t realize his small movement. He drew out the knife. This time it wasn’t at my neck. The blade tauntingly slid down my side. He giggled crudely and dipped the blade in farther. It was dragged across my stomach. Enough to puncture a good amount, but not dicing up any organs. I screamed, but my mouth was covered by his hand. I bit his hand and he tore it away bitterly. Fuming at me with eyes ablaze he wound up and slapped me across the face. Harder than he had ever hit me before. I fell to the ground and crouched up. I held my shirt against the cut to clot the blood. My breathing more uneven than ever before.

“Well it seems as if my work here is done,” he said in an upbeat voice. He ran out of the house through the back door and left it wide open.

I laid there in agony for a few more minutes as my whole life and everything I thought slipped away from me. I realized that waiting here would get me nowhere but a bloody death. I pushed myself up with one hand. The other hand was placed against the cut. I limped across the room as fast as I could and slammed the door shut, locking it once more. Then I headed into the kitchen.

I knew I should have went to the hospital, but there was no time. I was blacking out from blood loss. The front of my blue shirt was red and it was soaking down into the front of my pants. I ran a towel under warm water and lifted up my shirt and tucked it into my bra. I pressed the towel against my stomach, some of it went inside the cut and it burned. “Ow,” I moaned.

I lifelessly fell to the floor and leaned against the wooden cupboards. I kept holding onto the towel in attempt to stop the bleeding. I prayed for it to work. Jackson would be gone on this night. Foul play and adultery were the last things on my mind now. I just wanted to see him come through the door.