Checkmate (Sequel to Game On)

Chapter 5: Teaser

Nick's words keep haunting me, days in and out.

A big mistake was made and now a serious lesson will be received.

I haven't had a good sleep ever since, and now it has been almost a week and not a single word has been heard from Nick. I don't know if I should take it as a good or bad sign, but the anxiety is gnawing in my stomach and for every day that pass, it gets even worse.

Nick hasn't called or texted me since the threatening phone call, it's like he came back for a second only to disappear again. What I do now is that it isn't the case. Leaving me with empty threats like that doesn't seem like something he would do. No, he would follow the threat through only to show me exactly how much damage he can cause in my life. Like if he hasn't caused enough yet.

I groan and put my head in my hands. It's all too much, I just want it all to disappear like I wanted Nick to stay away. I was fine without knowing if he was alive or not, even though I still had suspected that he made it.

It's a sunny Sunday morning, I've made plans with Sabrina, but I don't look forward to it as much as I usually would.

She told me she would come over after her run and I decide that I better get up to get ready. I thought about coming with her, I've actually been training a lot since the kidnapping, but I decided not to. I worked out hard yesterday and my muscles still feel sore.

I guess you can say that being in disadvantage, being weak compared to all the guys involved in my kidnapping, triggered something.

I don't want to be weak, helpless, and therefore I have started taking self-defending classes and joining Sabrina on her runs is usually a great way for me to get myself busy and still feel like I'm doing something good.

It's not like I've been addicted to exercising but I just don't want to feel weak anymore, even though I know that I'll never be as strong as Nick or any other of the guys for that matter.

I've realized that working out is a perfect way for me to get my mind off of things, how crazy it may or may not sound. The only problem is that I'm not the most energetic person in the world at all times and sometimes, like today, my laziness takes over and I decide to stay home.

If someone would ask me what I would prefer if I could choose between a hamburger and working out though, I don't know what the answer would be.

I slowly make my way to my dresser and stop in front of my mirror, looking at the tangling mess on my head and sighing before picking up my hairbrush and fighting against my bird nest as hair. I quickly get dressed in a baggy shirt and denim washed jeans and head down to eat breakfast.

The house is empty as most of the times, I think Martha and Roland went to some friends. I still can't refer to them as mom and dad, I guess things like that takes time.

I'm not very hungry and just grab an apple and pour myself a glass of orange juice. If I know Sabrina right, which I think I do, we'll probably be stuffing ourselves tonight with chips and soda while watching some movie.

I play around on my phone while I'm eating and bobbing my head to the sound of the music I put on the stereo and by the time I'm done, I realize that Sabrina will come any minute.

Leaving the stereo on, I walk upstairs and pass a small mirror on the way. My face is all natural today, no makeup at all, and I examine the girl that is looking back at me.

Without all the heavy black makeup, I look like a completely different person. You can see all my facial expressions so much clearer, my smile somehow seems to be brighter, my eyes less stern without the black lining around them.