COIN

57. dead to me 🌹

DEAD TO ME
-i need to kill you that's the only way to get you out of my head-

I have the patience of a grenade.

I've been sitting in this park alone for three hours and at this point i'm considering just going home.

I know he is here. I can feel eyes on me but where is the question. And if he's actually going to do something about the fact i'm alone.

I put the ring in the hidden compartment of my car so it's safe but also so he notices that it's not on my finger and hopefully he approaches me.

My phone rings and Ciro's name pops up.

"What?" I hold the phone to my ear.

"When will you be home?"

"When i'm done-"

"Which is?"

"I don't know." I get a bad feeling in my gut. "Look mom, i've got to go-"

"Keilani?"

"I'll see you later. Love you momma." I hang up, tilting my phone to the side a little bit so i can see the reflection from behind me.

He's there.

He's standing right there.

I freeze.

I don't know why i froze but i did. I just kept staring at the lake in front of me.

Theres not many people in this park, anything could happen. I know my location is on everything but im freaking out.

I take a deep breath, opening my bag and pretending like i don't know he's behind me.

I take out my book, leaning back on the bench. I open the page i bookmarked last to see Ciro's annotations.

This is his book.

I didn't even read it, every now and then i flip the page so it gives the illusion that im taking everything in.

I could feel him closer, and then a hand grabs my shoulder.

I turn around.

He's wearing a black mask that covered his entire face, it's a mesh one.

I stand up, grabbing his arm but i freeze again like this.

I'm scared.

"Who are you?" I ask quietly, trying to not make my voice sound so shaky.

He trains.

Because he twisted my arm back, grabbing my shirt so i'm close to him.

He smells familiar i just don't know where i smelled it before.

"Hi cupcake." He mutters and my heart starts raising.

"Let me go." I choke on my words. "Let me know who you are."

"What's the fun in that?" He wraps his fingers around my neck.

Ciro chokes me in a way that's pleasurable .

This wasn't.

He was strangling me with one hand, "I missed you in such a scared state."

He's so familair.

I know him but i don't know him.

I use my free hand to upercut his jaw and take a step back, distancing us. "You're a coward. You can't even show your face."

I feel a tear roll down my cheek. I'm the coward. I can't even face my fears.

"What is the fun in that?" He walks around the bench, itake another step back.