It was soft but I felt it. Someone was caressing my hair.

I could hear his deep breaths and I didn't dare opening my eyes. I was scared stiff. He gently pulled the covers down, making me shiver. I was only wearing a big T-shirt with no shorts and my heart almost jumped out of my rib cage when I felt something sharp touching my naked skin. It was getting closer and closer of my panties so I freezed.

" Please don't hurt me." I muttered as tears pooled down my face.

" Look at me!" He bellowed and I didn't recognize his voice. After a few attempts I finally found the strength to open my eyes and turned my head toward him. He was wearing a mask again and my eyes zoomed on his hand who was holding a blade.

" No! No! No! Please don't hurt me!" I begged for mercy and tried to bypass him but he caught me before straddling me.

"I'm finally meeting you in flesh... my sweet and innocent, Elle. Did you behave ? Or should I punish you?" The masked man added and wiped my tears away. I tried to bite his finger but one of his hands squeezed my throat without warning.

"I don't want to hurt you but I won't hesitate if you continue behaving like that." He explained and added more pressure to his hold in my throat, making my eyes roll back. He finally released me and questioned :

"Did you fuck him? After the fun fair ?"

How did he know I was with Carter at the fun fair? Was he following me everywhere ? I shocked my head quickly and stared at his awful mask.

"Did you love my present? Why aren't you wearing it?" He commented as one of his gloved hands touched my breast, making me whimper.

"Yes..." I voiced. I really loved it because it was cute but hated it at the same time so the trash bin was its place. I wasn't planning to tell him the truth though.

" You should have worn it... you're so hot Elle. I could eat you right now. I want to fuck you so hard Elle but not today." He promised as his hand explored my stomach and met the hem of my panties.

" Please don't!! No. No. No!!!" I pleaded and tried to fight.

" Don't worry I'm not gonna fuck you now... I want to take my time with you."He said and took his vicious hand off before smiling and getting up.

"I'll be back soon... don't try anything. Don't call the police and don't you dare approaching another guy or I will kill him. If you tell anyone about this I will know too so don't even waste your energy."

"Why did you kill my parents? They were innocent!" I shouted as tears pooled down my face. He turned his gaze to me and answered:

"I'm not the one who killed them."

___

I'm not the one who killed them.

Was he telling the truth? I didn't understand... Who was he if he wasn't the killer? What did he want?

I stared at my blank reflection in the mirror. I didn't sleep at all. My eyes were red from all the crying and my cheeks were paler and thinner than months ago. I didn't want to go to school today. All I wanted was to take a duffel bag and head to the airport and go to a place where no one knew me.

I really wanted to disappear. I felt like I was completely lost in a dark ocean and I wasn't able to swim even if I tried.

I exhaled and clenched my teeth together. I had to fight. I took my phone and noticed a few notifications. All of them were from Madden asking me if I was feeling better. Something clenched my heart at the sight of his texts, he really cared about me so why hadn't I fall in love with him?

___

" All men are trash." Lila explained me as she talked about her cousin's ex boyfriend who got caught cheating on her with another girl. Her cousin, - Jennifer or Jenna - was devastated.

I nodded completely lost in my thoughts as I stared at my food in front of me while chewing. We were sitting at our usual table in the cafeteria and I didn't even glance at Carter. He didn't try to contact me and it made my heart beat slower and slower. My innocence really made me want to throw up.

" Oh my god... they are looking at us." I didn't need to turn my head to know who she was talking about. I didn't blink, I didn't care. My entire life was a battlefield and my last preoccupation was Carter and his friends.

I continued chewing my meatball as she erupted:

" Such a bitch... Billie is sitting on his lap..."

I finally turned my gaze and they fell on Billie and Carter. She was touching his cheek with her lips as he stared deeply at me. Suddenly I brought my middle finger up and the gesture itself made him laugh before he ordered Billie to get out of his lap.

" Elle damn! What are you doing?!" A shocked and amused Lila questioned and I stood up, grabbing my leftovers.

" I have to go... see you later." I said and kissed her forehead, leaving her before she could protest.

I was walking toward the W.C. when someone took me by the waist and pinned me into the lockers.

"We need to talk." An angry Carter mutter-yelled with clenched teeth. I tried to get away from his hold but he has stronger.

" We have nothing to talk about... you almost killed this guy. I begged you to stop and if you really cared about me you would have stopped." I replied with new tears shining in my eyes.

" What? He was going to rape you if I wasn't there and you're mad because I protected you? You can't be serious..." He laughed before touching his hair.

All of sudden Madden's words came up. I could not trust him. He was probably the one trying to scare me.

" Carter let's be honest. You don't give a fuck about me! You're a monster and I won't be your plaything! Now do me favor and never touch me again! I don't want to see you anymore. And stop trying to scare me." I shouted, dropping my backpack. He sounded caught off guard because he took a few steps backs after gulping a few times in a row.

" You know what? You are right. I don't give a shit about you. I hate seeing your face everyday. I hate you. I can't stand you! I just wanted to fuck you, nothing more and nothing less, if you thought you were more than a fuck to me... well you are more stupid than I thought. My friends said you would reject me but turns out you didn't, I bet you would have fucked me. By the way if you die Elle I wouldn't give a fuck, you're already dead to me. You're lucky I still tolerate your whore ass in my school. My property. My fucking rules. Don't call me when you feel alone and unsafe..."

I couldn't stop sobbing... how could he be so cruel? He was a monster. I was disgusted!! I fell on the floor, holding my head.

" Leave me alone." I tried to whisper and after a few seconds I heard his footsteps.

It was over.