𝟐𝟏𝐂 | 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐰.

Chapter Seventeen.

As promised, Ava left New York after 4 days; she had a life to get back to, and she felt a lot better this go round about separating from Jack, only physically of course. Since being back in her apartment, Ava was going through her every day routine. Now, she received so many phone calls and FaceTimes and text messages from Jack that she couldn't keep up; it made her feel amazing that he was putting so much effort into them now. Ava finished her round of clinicals when she got off pretty late. "Alright Ke', I'm heading out now," she told her friend and fellow nursing student Keirra as she grabbed her belongings from the on call room. "Alright, don't forget our quiz on cardiology tomorrow, girl," she said, grabbing her patient charts from the nurses' station.

Ava checked her phone as she left the hospital, texts and missed calls from Jack littered her notifications, and she couldn't help but smile. She clicked on one of the voicemails he sent her, placing her phone to her ear. "Baby, I saw this funny ass mug at the store, and it reminded me of you. I sent you a picture of it, so check it out and reply when you get a chance. Enjoy the rest of your shift, mamas. I miss you already."

She giggled at how excited he sounded, her heart doing flips in her chest. Ava got in her car and drove to the gas station on the way from her apartment complex. As she pumped her gas, she called Jack, but he didn't answer. She did get off really, so she sent an apologetic text message. "Excuse me, ma'am," someone snapped Ava from her thoughts. A man with a scruffy beard and mustache that was also well kept. "I was wondering if you had a few dollars to spare? I just need enough gas to get back to my house," he asked sheepishly, and she smiled. She finished pumping her gas and reached into her middle console for a $10 bill. "Thank you so much," he told her, taking it with a smile. "No problem," she told him as they went their separate ways.

As she entered her apartment complex, she called Jack again and didn't get an answer. She was looking down at her phone for a few seconds, before she heard a voice. "You live here, too?" she looked up to see the man from the gas station. She thought it was odd. "I thought you had a house?" she questioned somewhat jokingly, but also confused. He gave a chuckle answering: "I consider my apartment my home." He reached out his hand for a handshake, and she gave one to be friendly. "Hopefully I see you around," he said, getting off on the same floor as her, but going the opposite direction down the hall.

Ava didn't pay any attention to it, she only continued to her apartment. Once she unlocked her door, her phone rang. Before she could answer it, she felt a force push her to the floor, causing her phone to slide under the bed and her head to hit the polished floor. She gasped, quickly turning to see the same man that had been oddly lingering around all night. He pulled out a knife, saying, "scream and I'll fucking kill you." He closed her door, pulling her roughly by her scrubs so she was sitting on her bed. "You're gonna keep real quiet," he chuckled disgustingly, using the knife to pull at her bra strap, her head feeling funny from hitting the floor so hard. She had double vision, but listened to him.

"P-Please, I won't tell anyone anything. Just please leave," she begged, but he shook his head with a hard laugh. "I saw you at that gas station, and I knew I had to have you all to myself," he reminisced, and she shuttered. "You know, usually the women I take are dead within the first ten minutes, but I'll let you live a little longer," he bragged, smiling. He ran his hand down her face, and pulled her lips towards his. She almost choked into the kiss. He leaned back, satisfaction on his face. "Let me go get you something for that bloody head, then we'll get started," he walked to Ava's bathroom, and when he left, she took this as her queue to grab her phone and run, and she did.

She was banging on her neighbor's door for help, and they answered even though it was nearly two in the morning. "Ava—" "please call the police," she pushed into the woman's apartment, locking the door. She heard heavy foot steps running down the hallway and moved away from the door. Her neighbor, who had worry written on her face, was on the phone with 911. Ava took out her phone, the screen now broken, and clicked on Jack's number.

"My baby, I miss—"
"Jack, I-I, he got in and he-he-"
"Woah, woah, woah. Ava, take a deep breath, okay? What happened?"

She breathed in, so much air in her lungs she thought they would burst. She heard police sirens in the back, her neighbor trying to comfort her but failing. "Ava?" Jack's voice soothed her slightly, but her mind was so scattered, she almost forgot she was on the phone.

"I-I just need you right now."

+ how do we feel about this chapter? definitely a terrifying experience for Ava, but how will Jack react? -k.