Metamorphosis

Chapter 5: Peek-a-boo, can you see me?

I felt like my mind was playing tricks on me. This man had been at the bus station, and now he was here? What the hell is going on?! Normal people don't appear and reappear out of nowhere.

 I quickly tried to get up and go for the door for help.

A sharp pain shot through my leg, I fell to the ground. I opened my mouth to scream.

"I wouldn't do that love, whom would believe you when I suddenly disappear?" The man said with a cheeky smile.

I leered at him, "What do you want? Who the hell are you?" I asked, but he just c****d his head.

"We can exchange pleasantries later-" he started to say but I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt

"No, you stalked me, you creep! What's your end game here, huh? And how exactly did you appear in front of me-" then I stopped and remembered the glimmering pink lights I had seen earlier when I was with Brad.

"W-Was that you?"

"Hm?" the man said, his head tilted with a sly smile.

"I'll ask once more, what do you want?" I said through my teeth; this guy was insane; he didn't even know me.

 Now I felt like I was on one of those ID shows, one where they described how the victim got into this sticky situation.

"You intrigue me," he said as he stood up; I noticed his black sued shoes that shined. A woman with kinky, dark, brown coils and soft brown eyes appeared in the reflection. Her skin was the color of a walnut shell; the man crouched down, staring at me with his mesmerizing eyes. His skin looked flawless, like the sun's rays had never damaged it.

"You have all the hallmarks of a creep; you know that?"

The man smiled, then chuckled; the way he laughed was soft and musical. For a moment, it made me forget that he was a stranger.

"I wanted to see if you were alright," he said nonchalantly.

I looked him up and down like he was crazy, "Don't act like you give a s**t; you don't even know me. I don't even know your name."

"So defensive," he replies with a smile.

Footsteps outside the door grab my attention; I looked back to the man but saw only an empty chair. A nurse comes into the room.

"Miss Heartlock?! What are you doing!?" The nurse shouts as she rushes to my aid. "We could have helped you if you wanted to get up. Are you alright?" She asks, helping me to the bed again.

"Yes, I'm fine; I just thought I could do it by myself," I said as I looked around for signs of the man.

"If you want to get up again, call for us, okay?"

I nodded; my stomach starts to growl. My cheeks heat up as I looked at the nurse.

She gently smiles, "Hungry? I'll go get you something to eat; how does some hot soup sound?"

"Thank you," I replied as she walks out the door. After she leaves, I looked towards the chair. Now I wondered if I saw a ghost, it would explain how the man could vanish and reappear quickly. 'Was I being haunted?' I thought to myself.

As I was thinking, I noticed a small mirror by the door. It fogged up, and writing started to appear on it. I squinted, and only one word appeared.

EROS

My eyes widened; I double blinked, not sure I had read that right. The door opened as the nurse came in with a tray of food.

"Alright, we have chicken noodle soup, a pudding cup, and apple juice. Eat up." She says as she lays the tray in front of me. As she walks out, the mirror catches her attention. "Oh? Did you do this?" She asks.

"Uh, yeah," I lied.

"I'm a fan of Greek mythology as well. It's interesting, isn't it?" The nurse says; I smiled, not knowing what to say. I had never read about Greek mythology, so I had no clue. 

The nurse began to leave, "Wait! Uh, I actually don't know who Eros is...I mean, I saw his name in a book, but I didn't read any further." I fibbed again.

The lady's eyes lit up as she spoke, "Eros is the God of Love along with his mother, Aphrodite the Goddess of Love, beauty, pleasure, passion, and procreation."

I was stumped. Had I just really met a real-life God? No way. I thought stuff like that was only made up...

As the nurse left, I looked to the chair where Eros had been. My head ached; I had so many questions.

My phone buzzed on the table next to me; my heart spiked when I saw Brad's name. I quickly answered.

"Brad?"

"Dove, what's going on? Your mom just called me talking crazy. Are you alright?"

His voice made me feel so relieved because after the day I was having, it felt like no one gave a s**t about me, my body ached, and everything I thought was right about my life had been flipped upside down in one day.

"Dove?"

I sniffled, feeling the burning sensation behind my eyes, "Can you come to get me, please. I want to go home."

"I'll be right there," he said before hanging up. I tried to eat but being upset put a dent in my appetite. I sighed trying to get my emotions under control. 

When Brad came to get me I felt relieved, my leg still hurt but not too bad. 

"Your mom sounded pissed by the way, what happened?" he asked, I bite the inside of my cheek. What kind of mother slaps her own daughter? I still couldn't believe it, and I had the phantom sting on my cheek.

"She got mad at me and slapped me."

Brad glanced at me, "What did you say to her to her?"

I raised a brow to Brad, "Does it matter? Who the hell hits their "so-called" child?"

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

I turned to look out the window; Brad would never understand what it was like living with the parents I had. He barely saw his parents, but they made sure his bank account was never in the negatives, and whatever trouble he got into, they brought him out of, at least they protected him; mine didn't care at all.

"I don't want to talk about it," I said, hoping he wouldn't poke at me with questions, and he didn't. As I looked out the window, I couldn't stop thinking of that man or God, I should say, Eros. I took out my phone and started to text Annie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

ME

Hey, are you doing anything?

...

ANNIE

Nope, What's up! Wanna hangout?

ME

Got a wheelchair? lol

...

ANNIE

WHAT?!

ME

I'll explain when I get there. I'll have Brad drop me off at your house; I love ya.

ANNIE

Love ya!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey, can you drop me off at Annie's? I'll catch a bus home." I said as I placed my phone in my pocket.

"Annies? Right now? What about your leg?"

I shrugged, "I'm fine; I just want to see Annie."

Brad went silent; I could see the wheels turning in his head, a hot feeling settle in my chest. I studied Brad; his jaw tensed for a second, he let out a little sigh, "Fine, but don't complain to me when your leg is hurting."

I furrowed my brows at him. The feeling in my chest got hotter, which was weird because I was not feeling like this a second ago...

As we drove to Annies, Brad gave me the silent treatment. We pulled up at her little Yellow two-story house. Brad still said nothing.

"Okay, what's wrong? You've been quiet the whole ride here," I finally said, feeling the heat in my chest sieging my skin.

"Nothing, would you just go already?" Brad said as he reached for my door and opened it for me. Part of me felt like I should stay with him, but I remembered this feeling from the last time we were together; now I wondered if this feeling was him or me?

I decided to let him be for a little while; maybe he would just settle down. I grabbed my purse and hopped out of the car; as I turned, I saw a petite redhead run out of the house to greet me—my heartfelt lighter and free.

"AH! My little Dovey!" Annie shouts, pulling me in a tight hug.

"Watch the leg, please!" I said as I almost fall forward.

"Oh my bad, what happened to your leg?" Annie says, but I can't help but notice her eye-catching clothing. Fishnets and booty shorts with a yellow tube top.

I look her up and down, "Well damn, what's the occasion? Did I miss the memo?"

Annie winks playfully at me, "You like it? I have some people over for a little party."

I looked down at my clothes; I was not dressed for a party, "Dovey, I got you, girl. We'll go through the back, and you can borrow an outfit. 

I sighed, "I just love how you throw me into social situations," I said sarcastically. Annie smiled as she grabbed my hand and lead me into the house through the back. As soon as we got in the house I was met with bass pumping music and the sound of laughter.

"Jesus, how many people do you have here?" I asked, not looking forward to meeting strangers especially in this kind of setting. It was always overwhelming and sometimes it even drained me.

"Not that many, just six people. Don't worry some of them you know already."

We snuck up to Annie's room which I could describe as a throw up of pink everywhere. I could smell her favorite champagne toast candle from bath and body. Which I also loved, the smell made me feel happy and bubbly.

Annie went into her walk-in closet, "Okay so I have some fishnets and a black skirt and a pretty blue halter top-"

Annie began to say as I picked up her candle and took a deep inhale as I turned around to look at her and my heart stopped as I stared at the golden arrow that pierced her heart through and through. She was still standing there, smiling and talking to me like she felt nothing.

The candle slipped from my hands and shattered as I let out a piercing scream...