Star-crossed - Episode 3

 

Comfort:

"Please tell me I didn't kill you." He starts to rush towards me but I quickly pick myself off the floor from fear of having his hands on me. Embarrassing right? I'm almost twenty three years old and I'm scared of a man's touch. You don't live my life so you won't understand, trust me.
"Comfort right? Are you okay?" My brows snaps up at the thought that he remembers my name but I quickly drop them to feign boredom. That's until I notice the guitar lying on the ground by the side . A involuntary wail leaves my throat at the sight.
"What? What's wrong?" I barely feel his hand on my arm but I brush him off me as I make a dash for the guitar. At least what is left of it. It's broken. I look down at my chest where the guitar  is supposed to be strapped but only find the strap on me. A lone tear slips down my eye at the sight. A few strings are severed and the head is hanging limply from the neck. I gather the pieces into my arms like it's a person and hug it. Well it actually means so much more than a person to me.
"Hey, it's okay. It's just a guitar." Those words have my head snapping up to glare at him. He raises his hands up like in surrender

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/star-crossed

. My lips tremble with the emotions battling inside me. Grief and anger. My chest rise and fall rapidly as anger starts to get the better of me.
"Calm down. It's just a guitar. A very old one for that matter." He says and my eyes start to twitch in anger. I grind my teeth painfully to curtail the urge to yell at him. I can't waste my breath on someone like him. I push myself off the ground and stand upright. His hand comes up towards me and I take a step back while eying his hand.
"You're angry aren't you? Look let's do it this way. Tell me how much for a new one. I'll___"
"F*ck off!" I scream at him, surprising myself. I think he is just as stunned because his lips are clamped shut and his eyes are wide. Did I just swear at someone? Christ, this guy brings out the worse in me! I clench the guitar in my grasp.
"You can speak?" He manages to get out and I nearly say duh but think better of it. I still need to make it to mother's grave early so I can be back before night falls.
 So without sparing him another glance, I make my way to my bicycle which is currently lodged under his stupid car.
I don't want to drop mom's guitar again so it's a complicated task, dragging my bicycle from under the car.
"Here, let me help you." I startle at the proximity of his voice and move to the side quickly when I realize that his face is so close to mine. He doesn't say anything more as his big hands clamp down on my bicycle to pull it out. I can't help but stare at his concentrating look. When the bicycle finally gets pulled out, I look away from his face.
"I don't think you can ride this anymore." He tells me as he settles the wrangled bicycle in front of me.
No no no no no.
 It can't be broken. I need to get to the next town this evening!
 I drop the guitar gently to inspect the bicycle. The chain's pretty much broken and so is the pedal. My heart falls through into my stomach. No. Can this day get any worse?
"I'm so sorry." For once this guy sounds apologetic but I don't need his apology.
"Just. Stay away from me." I tell him.
"But I__"
 I let his words trail off as I roll the bike to the side of the road.
"Let me make this up to you, Comfort." He blocks my path as I start back for my guitar. I just sidestep him and get my guitar.
"Are you listening? Saying something please. I know you can talk. I heard you earlier." He continues to trail after me as I start to walk down the road. I ignore him as I try to think about how I'll make it to the other town. There's hardly any taxi in this part of town.
"I said I'm sorry." I freeze in my step when he grabs my hand from behind. What's with this guy and touching me?
"Look at me at least." He turns me around and I glare at him once we are face to face.
"I'll take you." He points to his chest and my brows wrinkle in confusion. He must notice my confusion because he points to his car and then to me.
"Let me drive you. I can see that you really are in a bind." He can't be serious. I start to step back but his hand which is still clutching mine, pulls me forward.
"I'll just drive you. I promise. It's my fault, you're stuck here and it's getting dark already."
 I don't even think about it. I shake my head and whip my hand off his hold.
"Come on! Let a guy help you, woman!" I start to walk faster to get away from him. For a few seconds I don't hear him and I begin to relax. Just before I feel strong hands pull me off the ground.
"Christ!" I yell as I come face to face with the stubborn mule. He has me in his arms like a newly wed bride. Our faces are so close, I feel my heartbeat accelerate like I'm doing a very extreme sport.
"Put me down." I grind out in fuming anger but he just chuckles.
"I like your voice." What? That's what he has to say while he's carrying me to his car?!
"Let me go!" I start to kick and wriggle but his strong hands has me in place. He doesn't even struggle to get the passenger's seat open with one hand holding me up before he deposits me inside the car and slams the door shut.
"Hey! Get me out! Hey!" I try in vain to open the door as I scream. I hear his deep chuckle just before he starts to go around to his side of the car. He pulls his door open and slides in with such charisma that has my mouth drying. I gape at him for a beat before I realize my situation.
"This is kidnapping! Get me out of the car right now!" I use my most intimidating voice but this man just turns the ignition of his car on.
"Let me out!" I yell at him as I pound my fist on his arm. His extremely hard arm if I must add. It has my fist throbbing with the blows I'm giving him. I doubt if he feels any of my blows so I stop when he keeps driving down the road.
"Are you done?" He asks when I stop hitting me and I swallow my retort. I decide to ignore him and look out of the window.
"Now that you're not freaking out listen to me. You're going to give me directions to where you're headed and I'm going to drive you to wherever you want to go and that's it.

Read " Mirage " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. I won't bother you anymore. What do you say?" He asks. I just pout at the window.
"Or, I can just drive you round town till I get tired of this our little game."
"You wouldn't dare." I mutter and his soft chuckle tells me I'm wrong. I bite down on my tongue for a few seconds before taking in a deep breath and turning to face him.
"Fine. You take me to where I need to go and you leave me alone. You don't bother me ever and you won't tell anyone about today. Especially the fact that I can talk." I say. His head turns to me and his face brightens up with a tummy-twisting smile. I quickly look away from him towards the road.
"Don't worry. I don't bite." His hand pats my shoulder briefly but the shocking sensation it sends to my stomach is nothing but brief. I just clutch mother's guitar to my chest and rest my chin against it.