A Perfect Distraction

24. Sweet and Bitter

"Attack" "Attack" "Attack"

Five men, two wearing a mask and three holding a bomb in their hand, were chasing behind me chanting the word 'Attack' as I ran through the streets of New York. Hot tears were streaming down from my eyes and the white sundress I wore is soaked in my blood almost making it look like the cloth is dyed red.

I stumbled over a stone and lost my footing, falling to the ground with a loud thud. Unable to get back onto my feet on time, I helplessly looked back to those men who were standing a foot away. I closed my eyes as one of them took their pistol out to shoot me. Even though I heard the sound of a gunshot, I couldn't feel anything. No pain.

My eyes opened to a sight of a lady who lay dead on the ground in front of me, blood trickling down from her chest where the bullet went in. I wailed loudly and held the motionless figure in my trembling hands. It was Grecia and she took the bullet for me.

With a loud scream, I bolted upright in bed panting heavily and cold sweat trickled down my temple. With frightened eyes, I looked around the surroundings and sighed in relief when I realized it was only a nightmare. I have been experiencing this frequently since the incident. I sniffled and wiped my tears with my sleeves. I checked the time on the clock and noticed that it was half-past eleven. A loud knock on the door alerted me, my heart racing. But soon relaxed as I heard his voice.

"Lia?" I kept silent and just stared at the door, hoping he would leave me alone. But he was persistent and kept on knocking.

"Are you alright?" He asked from behind the door. "I heard you screaming and the sound of something breaking," He said and I frowned. Something breaking?

I peeked at the side of my bed and sure enough glass pieces lie scattered on the floor. I usually keep the glass and a bottle of water near my nightstand whenever I take sleeping pills at night. I haven't gotten proper sleep for the last six days and I started taking a pill in order to get at least some amount of sleep so that my body can keep working. It almost became a routine now. I guess I might have pushed it off when I woke up from my dream.

"Open the door" I ignored him and started cleaning away the glass pieces. There was silence from the other side and I almost thought he left me.

"Lia, please" I hear him say and I sighed. I know he is pleading with me to not only open the door but rather to understand him too.

"I'm fine, Logan" I answered his first question.

"Can you open the door?" he asked, twisting the doorknob in the process. I know he can open the door if he wants to as I learned he has the additional keys for the door but I also know he wouldn't dare to try it.

"I'm tired, Logan. Good night" I said softly as I discarded the waste into the dustbin. Then after washing my hand, I went under the covers of the bed. I believe Logan left already as there was silence from the other side of the door.

I stared at the ceiling contemplating everything that happened in the past six days since the day I came home from the hospital. It didn't feel the same anymore. I thought Logan and I were getting better with each other, but now I feel like we are growing apart more. The distance between us increased day by day. We don't talk to each other much or more like I make sure that doesn't happen. If he is not willing to open up to me then I'm not ready to waste my time with him either.

It all started three days back when I asked him why he hasn't reported anything about my kidnapping or the blast to the police yet. It sparked a fight between us.

"I told you I have handled the case, Lia. Why do you want to report it to the police?" Logan yelled at me getting annoyed. He was sitting on the couch while I stood in front of him.