Helpless (Book 1)

Chapter Forty-Two

WE BEGIN TO descend down the pastures behind the Schuyler Mansion towards the sidewalk, arm in arm. I stay rather stiff, suddenly regretting my decision, suddenly being so hard on myself for how easily I had fallen for him, how I was easily swoon by his words. It's going to be like in the movies. Andre is a weird psychopath who's obsessed with me and kidnaps me or something like that and murders me or whatnot. 

I keep my hand clenched around my phone in my pocket in case of emergency. We remain silent as we walk down the small hill behind the mansion and onto the sidewalk. It's still night out, to be more precise it's currently 8:30 P.M. The moon shines brightly above us now, casting a pale glow on the sidewalk as we walk past shopping centers and bookstores and café shops. Stars scatter across the sky, twinkling brightly. It's quiet here. Calming. Peaceful. Therapeutic.

 I sneak a glance at Andre in my peripheral, clenching my hand tighter inside my pocket, letting out slow, steady breaths as I try to remain calm. Andre looks up at the night sky, a small smudge smirk on my face. I swallow, keeping my gaze on him.

 "Beautiful out tonight, isn't it?" Andre says, breaking the silence between us. I press my lips together and swallow thickly, nodding. I turn my attention towards in front of me. 

 "It is," I agree,letting out a shaky breath. 

 "You can relax you know," Andresays, glancing down at me, that smirk still on his face. "I won't bite." 

 "Like I said, Andre," I say flatly, yet calmly. "I don't easily trust people. I'm not stupid." 

 "I know," he says chirpily. "But still. No need to be so tense." 

 "Where are you taking me?" I ask, keeping my head straight, though my eyes flicker towards him in my peripheral. 

 "I'm about to change your life," he says with a wink. 

 He stops at an empty street shop and smirks. I frown, totally oblivious to his scheme that he has in mind, though I try to come up with different scenarios, trying to figure out what to do for an escape if need be. And reopens the door, the bell chiming as he gestures for me to go on in. I frown, hesitant for a moment, but enter nonetheless. I stand in the middle of what seems to bea café shop, though it's hard to tell because it's dark inside. However, I can still see some tables and a counter with cash registers. Other than Andre and I inside, there's no one. It's empty.

 I hear a click behind me and freeze. I stand frozen in the middle of the café, shoulders hunched up to my ears, eyes widen as my back is facing Andre. I swallow, breathing fast yet quiet at the sametime. I hear footsteps behind me, my hand gripping tightly around my phone despite it shaking. I can feel him smirking behind me as he approaches me slowly, gracefully almost like a dancer. I feel a hand on my shoulder and instinctively, I flinch, letting out a gasp.

 He grins wider as he appears next to me. I don't meet his eyes as he reaches for a chain above us and yanks it, flickering on the lights. Sure enough, we're in a café shop. And returns to me. He brushes back a loose, fallen auburn curl behind my ear. I try to remain calm, swallowing. I feel his hand cup my jaw, humming as he tilts his head to examine me up and down. I turn to him reluctantly, his hand still under my jaw. 

 "You're so beautiful, Alexander," Andre comments, his eyes roaming over me with a glazed look, that stupid smirk still on his face. I let out a shuddering breath, still gripping onto my phone in my back pocket, my heart pounding fast against my chest—so loud I can hear it in my ears. I swallow again as I square my shoulders and set my jaw, inclining my head ever so slightly, locking my eyes with his. I force a small smile to appear across my face, to hide the fear I feel inside me.