“Has Adrian changed you?”
“Yes, and for the better.”
“You really love him, don’t you?” I feel uneasy as I say the next thing to Michael, “Yes I love him, and I have never met anyone like him.”
“Then I am happy for him, he is a lucky bloke to have someone like you.” “Now you better get some sleep,” I look at him thinking that, maybe, he is not so bad after all.
Twenty-two
I wake up to Michael on his phone, no doubt talking to Adrian. I hear his words speak so fast that I cannot keep up. I sit up on the bed, reach into my pocket, and take out my phone. I see that there are several unanswered texts, from Adrian,
Alanna are you okay.
Alanna are you okay.
Alanna, why are you not replying?
Alanna please text me back.
Sorry Adrian I was sleeping I have just woke up, I am fine.
Adrian quickly replies,
Do not do that to me again, I was out my mind with worry.
Okay, were you just on the phone to Michael?
Yes, I was giving him the details of the safe house I have bought for you.
What safe house.
Alanna it is not safe for you to stay in college right now, so I must ask you to take a break from it.
I cannot I have finals coming up I really need to pass them, if I am going to graduate on time.
Alanna this is your life we are talking about, I really cannot have you staying in that college with your life at risk.
Adrian, all my friends are here and I need to graduate this year.
Alanna I will talk to the board and make sure that you still get to graduate on time.
Adrian it is not about that I am sure I could convince them myself, but I want the whole college experience. I want to be here with my friends and I cannot even bear to think of what my family would say.
Yes and I want you to live and have those experiences, but if you stay there then it is not going to happen.
Alanna, I am not asking you!
Therefore, you are telling me.
Yes it is not a case of would you like to, it is that you have to.
Adrian, I do not know what I will tell everyone.
You can tell them whatever you want.
Adrian I hate lying to everyone and I am really beginning to think that Sophie knows something is wrong.
Alanna I know it is hard, but this is for the best, I promise you.
Okay, I will have to pack then.
I really hate to do this to you, but I am just so protective of you, that I cannot think of you being hurt in any way.
Adrian will I be alone?
No Michael will be with you and I have security that will stay with you at all times.
I have to stay with Michael.
Yes is that a problem?
No but it is a little strange, I am surprised that you are okay with this?
I am not okay with it, but it is your safety that I care about most. I know that he will not let anything happen to you. He loves you, so that would be the last thing he would want.
Adrian I need you to know that I love you, and that nothing will ever happen with Michael and me.
I know that.
As long as you do, I do not want anything to go wrong for us.
As long as I can keep you alive, that is all that I want.
I have to be okay with all this; I have to think of what I will say to everyone. I cannot tell them the truth I could not deal with everyone knowing. There is no way my family could process something like this. They would make me go straight to the police and that does not even bear thinking about.
I see that Michael has already started to pack, so I think that maybe I should be doing the same. As I go over to the door, Michael rushes over and grabs me by the arm,
“Where are you going?”
“I am going to pack is that okay?”
“Wait till I am done, I will take you.”
“Michael my room is two doors down, I think I can manage.”
“No Alanna,” “Michael, it’s just there.” “Are you going to make this difficult for me?”
“No, but I also need time to talk to Sophie and I can’t do that with you there,”
“Adrian will go nuts if he finds out that I have left you again.”
“Then he doesn’t have to know, I won’t tell him.” Michael looks frustrated with me but he opens the door and walks me along to my room.
“I will be back in five minutes to check on you.”
“Thanks,” I say giving him a smile.
I open the door and I see Sophie there with her boyfriend Dan, “There is the stop out,” Sophie’s says as she sits on Dan’s lap.
“Sophie I need to talk to you,” Sophie senses the urge in my voice and asks Dan to give us a moment.
“What’s up?”
“I am leaving college for a while.”
“Why?”
“I just need some time to relax, it’s all getting a bit much for me and after the turn I had the other day, I just don’t feel all that into it right now.”