Michelle

Chapter Eight: The Warning

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(REVISED VERSION)

MICHELLE had recently completed an interview for a position that Nathan had suggested she pursue despite being jobless for a few months. She was thrilled since she knew this was the ideal chance for her to start her career.

As they left the office building, snow began to fall softly from the sky. Nathan grinned as he looked at Michelle, noticing how the snowflakes rested delicately on her hair. He took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, causing her to look at him with a grateful smile.

"Thank you," she said, snuggling into his coat. "I can't wait to hear back from them."

Nathan put his arm around her, and they walked together in the snow. After a few minutes, they saw a vending machine and a bench. Nathan suggested they stop for a drink, and they both ordered a root beer.

As they sat on the bench, they sipped their drinks and enjoyed the peaceful snowfall. Nathan turned to Michelle and took her hand, his eyes soft and romantic.

"You know, I've been wanting to do this for a while," he said. "But I never had the courage to."

Michelle's heart fluttered as she looked into his eyes. "What is it?"

Nathan leaned in closer, his lips almost touching hers. "This," he said, and pressed his lips against hers in a gentle, yet passionate kiss.

For a few moments, they lost themselves in the moment, enjoying the sweetness of each other's lips. When they finally pulled away, they were both breathless.

However, their romantic moment was interrupted when Michelle's phone rang. It was her brother, Kevin, and he was asking about her job interview.

"Did you get it?" he asked eagerly.

"Not yet," she replied, still breathless from the kiss.

Kevin's tone changed, becoming more serious. "Michelle, I have to tell you something. I saw a guy outside your window. He's been there every night for the past week."

She could feel her face drain of color as she realized the gravity of the situation. "No, I haven't seen anyone," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

Nathan noticed the change in her demeanor and put his arm around her. "Is everything okay?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

She turned to him, wanting to tell him everything but held back, not wanting to burden him. "It's just my brother worrying too much. He thinks someone's been watching our house," she said, trying to brush it off.

Nathan's eyes narrowed, and he put his hand on her cheek, gently turning her head to face him. "Michelle, you don't have to keep everything to yourself. We're in this together. Let me help you," he said, sincerity in his voice.

Michelle felt a wave of emotion wash over her, and she leaned into his touch. "Thank you, Nathan. I just don't want to ruin this moment," she said, a small smile playing on her lips.

Nathan helped her up, and they headed back to the car, hand in hand.

As they drove back to Michelle's place, Nathan made her laugh, and they talked about their plans for the future. Michelle felt a sense of comfort and belonging with him, and she knew that she could trust him with anything.

As soon as she entered the house, Michelle hurried to her room, heading straight to the window. She glanced at the quiet street, illuminated only by a solitary lamppost in the dark.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she turned away from the window and removed her coat before tossing it onto the bed. She then began unbuttoning her shirt while walking towards the bathroom. Upon entering, she tested the water temperature of the shower.

As she was about to unzip her pants, she heard the shower curtain move. Startled, she turned around to find Zach standing there, someone she had never expected to see.

"Zach?" she gasped.

He was staring at her intently, his gaze lingering on her almost exposed body. She lowered her brows and squinted her eyes as she sensed that he was fantasizing about every inch of her.

Before she could say anything, he reached out to touch her shoulder, but she flinched away. "Help—"

Her words were cut off by his hand over her mouth. She struggled to break free from him, but he shifted his gaze to her exposed breasts, his thoughts becoming increasingly perverted.

Tears welled up in Michelle's eyes as she tried to cover her body, but Zach leaned in and kissed her neck. "You were with him again a while ago, am I right?" he whispered in her ear.

She tried to muffle her response, hoping her brother could hear her cries for help. Zach's hand roamed down her arm, and she sobbed as he cupped her breast and squeezed it roughly.

He licked his lips as he gazed into her eyes. "I never thought I'd be in this wonderful situation, honey."

As he gave her breast another squeeze, he ran his knuckles along her cheek. "I know you're wondering how I got in, but I'm not going to tell you. I'm just here to warn you once again, sweetness."

Michelle placed her hands on his hand covering her mouth, struggling to break free from him. Zach laughed and warned her to stay away from the person she was with earlier, threatening to make things much worse if she disobeyed him.

Tears streamed down Michelle's face as she nodded in agreement. Zach smirked and told her to be a good girl before kissing her forcefully, leaving her stiff and frozen.

Once he was done, he gave her cheek a peck and smiled. "See you soon, honey. I love you so much."

As soon as he left, Michelle slumped down on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. She knew that Zach was not right in the head and was a truly dangerous person. Exhausted and unable to face her bed, she fell asleep in the shower that night.

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