Our love

I

My legs hurt, my lungs were on fire. I needed to quiet my breathing before he could hear me. How stupid was I to go on a run in Central Park at night? I should have brought my phone. Of course, thinking about what I should've done won't do me any good right now. I found a hiding place under a cold, wet bridge. Maybe he would go over the bridge. Maybe he would forget I even ran past him.

Crack

My heart sank. He followed me. I could smell the heavy putrid cologne and the wet leather of his jacket. He could no doubt smell my mix of sweat and perfume. Hear my breathing. Why can't Noah be here? The one time I need him!

"Come out girl. I won't hurt you. I just want to talk."

Yeah right. I could see the look in his eyes when I ran past him. It was lust. I could hear his footsteps getting closer to my right. My apartment was only two blocks away. I could out run him on any other day except for this one. My ballet coach, Coach Kayla, worked us extra today. My legs were already tired.

I could see his foot and I figured I'd let the adrenaline take over. Noah's apartment room was just right next to mine. I'll crash at his place tonight. I started sprinting. I felt like I couldn't take it anymore but I could hear his footsteps catching up to me. I ran out of the park, across oncoming traffic, and onto the busy sidewalk next to 5th Avenue. I sprinted down to East 63rd street and up to the steps of my apartment building. I threw the door open and ran up the stairs to the third floor. I ran to Noah's room and started pounding on the door. I'm pretty sure I woke up Ms Jackson across the hall. I wouldn't be surprised if I also woke up Mr Tibbits. It's 11:30 pm for crying out loud. Finally Noah opened the door. I threw him aside and locked the door and pushed his sofa up against it and started sobbing. Then he started pounding on the door. Noah looked out and saw the man. He started to push the sofa away but I grabbed his shirt and shook my head.
"Harper. Why won't you let me answer the door? And what happened to you!? You're all scratched up!"
I forgot that I had fallen while running to the bridge.
"N-Noah. I-I was r-running and t-then he s-started to ch-chase me. I f-fell and th-that's why I h-have sc-scratches. He-e was trying to r-rape me!"
I clutched his shirt in my hand and buried my face in his shoulder and cried some more. I could feel him getting tense and hotter than usual from rage. He picked me up and took me to his room and put me on his bed then left the room and shut the door. I could hear the couch scooting across the wood floor and the door unlocking. I could hear shouting and someone getting punched. I opened the door and ran out, hoping it wasn't Noah.

I rounded the corner and saw that Noah had knocked out the guy that tried to rape me and was now on the phone with the police. He turned around and saw me. I noticed he had a black eye and a bloody nose. He ran over to me and hugged me. Ms Jackson came in to see what happened. She saw me and took me from Noah. She just hugged me and stroked my hair while Noah was on the phone. Noah then took her out in the hall and explained everything that happened after he got off the phone.  She helped take the body to the hall after tying his ankles and wrists in duct tape. I felt my eyes start to fall and I soon fell asleep.

•                                      •                                     •

I woke up to the smell of Noah's cologne and eggs. I opened my eyes to find out that I was face down on his bed. The memories of last night came back and I shivered. A shirtless Noah walked in and I couldn't help but stare. He was so freaking sexy.
He looked at me with a concerned face.
"Harper, are you okay? You fell asleep before I could really check on you. You crashed on the couch but I figured you would feel better in a bed. I went to your apartment and got you some clothes for today and soap" he gestured to a pair of jeans, a Led Zeppelin t-shirt, black underwear, black bra, and my Bath and Body Works Forever Red soap. And deodorant.
"Oh my gosh Noah! You're the best!" I threw my arms around his neck. He pulled back and kissed my forehead.
"I made you eggs. Scrambled. Also toast and bacon." He was the most amazing boyfriend ever. I looked over my shoulder to the bed for my phone and I caught a whiff of myself. I really needed to shower.
"I am going to shower first and then eat. I don't want to kill you with my stench."
We both laughed at that.
"Don't take too long. I want to be able to talk to you about last night. In detail." He gave me a solemn look.
I kissed his cheek and took his hands. "Don't worry. I'll be fast."
I grabbed my ripped jeans and Led Zeppelin shirt and went to his bathroom.
I switched on the shower to start warming it up. I took my running pants off and slid off my crop top. I hopped in the shower and felt the hot water run down my face. I hissed when the water hit the infected, gravel filled scrapes on my hands and legs. I washed my body and hair and got out of the shower. I found that he had plugged in my hairdryer and straightening iron. I dried off my body and threw on my clothes. I started combing out my hair and tried drying it. It didn't work out so well, so I just put it in a messy bun.
I walked out of the bathroom and went to the kitchen. I sat at the island and giggled as Noah was dancing and singing to the Jonas Brothers. He turned around and looked at me with a sheepish grin. He handed me my plate and a glass of orange juice and handed me my anxiety medication. I took it and started eating.
"Tell me about last night please Harper. I know you don't want to but I need to know."
I sighed and started from the very beginning.

"I just got done with my ballet conditioning class and I put my duffle in my locker. I decided that instead of taking a taxi, I could just run home because I need to do my running hours for this week so it would help me.
So I ran from Juilliard, across Broadway and then I stopped because I forgot to double knot my shoes. He was right outside of the ESPN Armory Building and he was looking at me creepy. He had a lustful look in his eyes and he started following me. It started raining so I was trying to see where I was going without getting rain in my eyes.

I kept running down West 66th street and into Central Park. I was going to run a lap around the park and then head home but obviously that wasn't going to happen. Around the Carousel, I tripped and he saw me try to get up. He came to me and pushed me back down and got on top of me and tried to take my crop top off. I kneed him in the balls and that got me enough time to get up and start running again. I hid under the bridge by the Zoo and he found me again. I ran until I got to your apartment. You know the rest from there."

I looked up at his sun kissed face with his bright green eyes and noticed he was red with frustration.
"Noah?"
Silence
"NOAH!"
He looked into my eyes and his softened. Then they got hungrier. He put his hands on either side of my face and kissed me. Passionately. I gave in and jumped up. He grabbed my thighs and took me over to the couch and got on top of me. No matter how much I loved this, I remembered one thing. My parents. I needed to tell my parents about last night, so I pushed Noah off of me and ran to his bedroom.
"Harper? What's going on?"
"I forgot that I have to call my parents and tell them what happened last night. Can I use your phone?"
"Yeah. I have Bree's number but not Spencer's."
"That's okay. I know my dads number."
I dialed my dads number and after the third ring, he answered.