By Next Thursday

Chapter Twenty-one

I was momentarily blinded by the sudden light when the door burst open, the harsh words from the unwelcome silhouette didn’t register in my mind at first.

It wasn’t until I was briefly suspended in the air and then propped back upright when I realized the man’s words were directed at me.

“So, tell me dollface. Why were you on the ground, huh?” his warm breathe caused me to inwardly gag as it fanned over my face.

“I fell.” I blinked back dumbly.

The man stepped back with a bitter laugh and switched on the single light bulb swaying from the ceiling. The man was bathed in dull, yellow light, revealing to me the man with the dead-looking eyes that lived here. I shivered involuntarily as he smirked at me through greasy strands of straw-colored hair. I instantly recognized him but my sluggish mind wasn’t telling me his name.

“Judgin’ by the lump on ya pretty face, ya bloody didn’t fall. But don’t worry, princess, I won’ be pryin’ today.”

“Lovely,” I muttered dryly. Annoyance started to replace my anger at the man calling me ‘princess’, a nickname I was only used to Jay calling me. Coming from the man’s mouth it just seemed dirty. “Such a gentleman, knowing his boundaries.”

“What?” the man snapped.

I choked on my laugh at his offended expression, him intimidating blank face twisting into childish grimace. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” His acne scarred features relaxed so I added a quiet ‘sir’ that lit the angry fire in his eyes all over again. I didn’t know why I was trying to piss off a man who could easily kill me, but my anger at the whole situation was finally getting the best of me. No longer was a I limited in speaking my mind by being invisible.

“You disrespectful, little bit-“

“Can you be a darling and bring me a glass of water, I’m parched,” I cut off him off, my raspy voice cracking at the end, proving my point. In my peripheral, I saw Meredith’s mouth drop open at my sassy tone. The corner of my mouth twitched up.

The man, although rather wiry built, was clearly stronger than me and on the verge of hitting me if I didn’t stop talking soon.

I wasn’t sure, but I think it was my malnourishment speaking next. “Actually, make that two. My friend here looks thirsty too.”

With a grunt of rage, the man lifted his arm to hit me across the face. I shut my eyes and braced for it but it didn’t come. Instead a voice I knew all too well interrupted him. “Now, now Dana. Don’t hit my girlfriend please.”

My eyes snapped open again to see Rory in the doorway, smiling at me. “Girlfriend, eh?” I raised an eyebrow at him. "Amazing what things can happen when you're unconscious."

“Wouldn’t want to break a promise now would we, Kelly?”

“I never promised to date you, you’re fucking crazy,” I spat at him. “I implied it that one time.”

Rory’s cold smile somehow turned even more sinister. “Oh, well I’m sorry. Should I just let you go then? Maybe you and Meredith here could meet me for coffee sometime and we’ll all be friends?” I just glared back at him. “Didn’t think so.”

I sighed and leaned back into my chair. “So what time is it, anyway?” I asked, my glare focused on the ceiling.

“About eleven-thirty.”

I glanced over at Meredith’s frozen face, slightly worried that her shock still hadn’t wore off. Rory clearly seemed to terrify her more than the other man. “Well, we obviously have a bit of time to kill. Can you please bring me some water, and then we can have a friendly chat?”