Hide (Sequel to RUN)

Chapter 15

I sat Indian style, staring down my opponents. My brain caught every single one of their ticks, giving me the answer of either bluff or truth. I glanced down at my cards once more, making sure I had what I did. I'd gotten dealt a crap hand. Not even one pair resided among the cards, but I was still going to take the win.

That mountain of cookies was going to be mine.

"All in," I bluffed, keeping my emotions masked well. My hand slid my already large pile of cookies into the pot.

"Too rich for my blood," Kala sighed, throwing down her hand of cards. An followed suit, tapping her fingers on her knees in frustration. She hadn't won a game yet. What she didn't know was that I was just gonna give out all my cookies evenly afterwards. I was just in it for the fun of the hunt.

The other five girls laid down their hands in defeat one by one.

"All this trouble," I smiled, "for a crap hand of cards." I turned my fan of cards towards them, showing my pathetic excuse for a hand.

"You jerk!" Valda made her I'm-not-really-mad-but-I'm-going-to-pretend-I-am face, and punched me playfully in the bicep. I laughed, reaching out to scoop up my cookies.

The chips chimed as I pulled them closer and began to place them in their appropriate stacks.

I jerked away from the pile of cookies, terrified at the flash.

The girls were still laughing. They hadn't noticed my shock.

"I think I'm going to tap out," I plastered one of those popular fake smiles on my face, reaching back out to grab the cookies quickly. I had to restrain from flinching, afraid of what would come if I reached for them again. Nothing happened.

I quickly divided the cookies into seven even stacks, taking the stray few as my own, as the playful cheers of the girls surrounded me.

"I know you're all very disappointed," I raised my voice over the cheers, still forcing my smile. "Em? Will you give these to everyone?"

"Where're you going?" She asked, reaching out to push the small stacks to each person anyway.

"I just need to grab something from my car," I lied easily. "I'll be back in a second." As soon as I stood and turned my back to them, my face fell. It took a lot of self-control not to run out of the house.

But it was like something was pulling me out of the house. I had to get out. It was suddenly too stuffy and I felt like snakes were wrapping around my lungs.

When the door finally closed behind me, I completely lost it. The terror completely overtook me, and I sunk to the ground trembling.

I didn't recognize that memory. I'd played poker before, but I didn't recognize that room. Slowly, my mind still reeling, I rose to my feet. I walked to the nearest car, placing my palm on the hood to steady myself.

"You're mine tonight," someone whispered. Terror filled me, and I backed up a step. The car behind me blocked my path to freedom. Aaron appeared in front of me, smiling softly.

"Come here," he whispered, as if testing something out. In my mind, I scoffed. As if.

My body had something different in mind.

Of their own accord, my feet retraced their backstep. I was mere inches away from him. His breath made the hairs in front of my face sway.

"Good girl," he breathed, gently cupping my face in his hand and rubbing his thumb across my cheek. It was like I was receding to the back of my mind. I knew exactly what was happening, but I was just a passenger. My body was no longer under my control. Someone else had taken hold of the controls.