Deriving Submission

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Dr. Grayson closes the door softly behind him. He goes straight to the sitting area and sits in one of the chairs. I'm left standing, awkwardly, in the middle of the office. 

"Sit, Allegra." he gestures to the couch across from his chair. Well, at least we're not both on the couch, and there is a little table between us too. Space. Space is good. 

I follow his direction and sit on the couch. Why am I obeying him? I should be sprinting out the door. I could definitely have gotten out of here before he could get up from the chair. I could have at least tried. But now he was between me and the door. 

"Let's talk, Allegra." My eyes snap from the door to his face. Does he ever not look intense? 

The warmth is gone from his voice. I can break out of his spell. 

"Let's start from the beginning. You went to a party on Friday night, yes?"

Fuck no am I doing this. I divert my eyes around the office. Careful to avoid looking at the door. I don't want him to realize I'm trying to figure out if I have a shot at getting out of here before he could intercept me. 

"I'm sorry for not having this conversation here to begin with. I meant to bring you here when I pulled you out of class. I lost control and let my emotions get the better of me.  It won't occur again. I'll stay in this chair, and give you the space you need, but I do need you to talk and tell me what happ-."

He doesn't finish his sentence because I'm off the couch like a rocket, practically leaping over the coffee table to get to the door. It was hopeless though, he grabs me before I'm even halfway to the door. The only thing more pathetic than me walking into this room on my own two feet is me thinking  I had a chance of getting out of here with the same free will. The man trapped me in a supply closet for fucks sake, twice. I should have reported him not walked in here like a hypnotized bride of dracula. 

He deposited me into one of the chairs this time instead of the couch. "I'm sorry for this, Allegra. But you're not giving me much of a choice."

At first, I thought he was giving a general apology for this whole clusterfuck of supply closet to now tackling me. But no.  This was an apology for something even worse. I felt cold metal against my wrists and heard a loud click. Was he completely psychotic? 

"Whenever you're ready to begin talking Allegra.  I can wait.  I have a clear schedule until next Tuesday."

It was fucking Thursday.

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It had been twenty minutes.  Twenty minutes exactly.  I was zeroed in on the clock sitting on the wall to my right, above the couch.  I hadn't spoken a word, neither had he.  Some may think me foolish, after all, where the hell was I going handcuffed to a chair that probably couldn't fit through the door if I tried. And this psycho sure as hell wasn't letting me go anytime soon. He was probably fully prepared to last until Tuesday in this office. I bet he even had snacks stashed in his desk. 

Another 15 minutes passed. My butt was already getting sore. The man could have at least invested in more comfortable chairs in here. 

Exactly 133 minutes into my captivity Dr. Grayson got up from his chair and went to his desk.  I knew I hadn't won, not this easily. But a girl could hope. I had now missed both my classes this afternoon and my butt was completely asleep. Not to mention, this chair was not doing wonders for my back.  Dr. Grayson returned back to the desk with a thick manila envelope which he placed on the table, still closed. 

"Do you know what's in here, Allegra?  His voice was so soft, so dangerously soft, but the warmth still wasn't back. 

"No."

"No what?"

"No, I do not know what's in the envelope."   I quipped. 

"Not quite what I meant."  There was a hint of a smile on his lips as he spoke. "Are you going to tell me what happened with that boy, Allegra?" His voice was still so calm, so smooth and gentle.

I didn't respond. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Remember, I can wait this out a long time, Allegra. Don't test me."

I started memorizing the books on his book shelf.

It was now 8:00pm. We would be alone in the building soon, the janitor's typically kicked out straggling students by 8:30 - I knew, I was often one of them. If there was one thing worse than being handcuffed to a chair alone with Dr. Grayson in his office, it was being handcuffed to a chair alone in the entire business school with Dr. Grayson. 

"Fine." Dr. Grayson looked up. He had started grading papers about two hours ago. He put his marker and the current victim's work, whose paper looked like a blood bath of red pen, down on the table. 

"I went to a party with that boy Dylan.  I hardly think it justifies kidnapping me and handcuffing me to a chair for what, like four hours now."

He watched me for a few minutes, then picked up his pen and the paper that looked more red than white, and went back to reading. 

"You asked. I told. This is kidnapping!"

Nothing. No response. I couldn't stay here overnight with this man. 

"I know you said not to see Dylan. I'm sorry. Is that what you want? I'm sorry I saw him. Point made."

"Not that boy.  Not Dylan, Allegra.  I don't give a flying fuck about Dylan right now.  The other boy, Allegra.  I want to know what he did."

He did know. Of course Dylan was right. 

I watched as Dr. Grayson took the manila envelope and revealed the contents.  It was the police report, my police report.  I was staring at Alex's mugshot.