Perfect (Rewrite)

Chapter Nineteen

"Lunch will probably be soon," Melanie said; then she stood up and approached her bedroom door, wiping tiny dust particles from her dress. "We better join the others now."

"Right," Chloe replied on her way to the door. The two of them walked down the stairs and plopped down on the empty couch in the living room. Melanie was on Chloe's right, and Jacob sat on her left after he entered the room. The three of them stared at the screen without looking away, at times, Chloe wondered if she was even blinking. Every once in a while, Chloe felt someone's eyes on her, so she glanced to Jacob but never caught his eye. It was like he had some sixth sense that told him when she was about to look. Why did he keep looking to her?

Margaret entered the living room, sat on the recliner closest to the door, and said, "David's making sandwiches for everyone." She was pleased with having a break from cooking.

The three of them nodded in response, staring blankly at the screen. Chloe closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on her family, but nothing more came back to her, shoving out the bad dream. After a few minutes, David told them to come eat, so they left their spots to gather around the table and enjoy their lunch, at least, enjoy the food and the company, definitely not he location. It didn't take long for any of them to finish, and then they began discussing normal things like a regular family would. David asked each one of them about school, which seemed like a ridiculous question, considering none of them had been to school since arriving, but they each replied with an honest sounding answer. For a moment, Chloe almost forgot the horrible reality of her life, but the moment everyone stopped talking, the horrifying truth sunk back in.

"Excuse yourself to take a shower," The voice in her ear whispered.

Chloe scooted her chair back, stood up, and said, "I have to take a shower now," Then they waved her goodbye before she climbed up the stairs and walked towards the bathroom, wondering what was up with him wanting her to take showers. Was he really that perverted?

"Stop," He told her as she stood in the doorway, her hand resting on the light switch. "Enter your bedroom." Chloe looked down the hall and then approached her door. After she entered, he said, "Go into the closet." So Chloe slid the closet door open and stood in the doorway. "Pick up the pink shoe box, set it on your bed, and open your surprise."

She stared down at the pink shoe box and then glanced back at the camera in the corner of the room, it was aimed straight at her, watching her ever so curiously from afar. Chloe reached down and picked the box up; then she sat down on the bed and threw the lid of the box on the floor. A pair of silver sparkled high heels were placed neatly inside. Chloe took them out and held them in her hands. She looked up to the camera and shook her head. "You can't buy me." Chloe dropped the shoes back into the box and threw it at the camera, the box missed by a foot and fell to the floor with a thud. She left the room and entered the bathroom, she was going to take a shower whether he wanted her to or not. The water would not only cleanse her body, but it would also refresh her mind, and that is what she needed most.

Chloe draped a towel over the camera, removed her clothes, and washed herself before drying off and sitting on the counter. She looked at herself in the mirror, physically she looked like herself, but inside Chloe knew she was a mess. The rules, the man, the prison, it was all sick and twisted. He was sick and twisted. After she removed the towel covering the camera, she brushed her soaking wet hair and then walked through the hall with a towel around her. Chloe dropped her dirty clothes in the hamper and grabbed a new pair from the closet. This time she wore jeans and a t-shirt, finally she was in her usual attire.

Even though Chloe now had a friend with her, the thought of going downstairs and joining the others sickened her. They all acted as if this was normal, well, they did until nine p.m. Footsteps reached her ears, someone was upstairs, but no one entered her room. Chloe heard a door shut and then she stood up, it was time to regroup. Nine o'clock was just around the corner, even though they had just finished with lunch. Time seemed to move faster now than it ever had before, and more time is exactly what she needed. It's what they all needed.

The steps creaked as she walked down them, Melanie greeted her at the bottom of the staircase with a nod. They passed by each other and Chloe sat down on the middle seat of the couch again, claiming it as her own for a little while at least. She looked over to the kitchen, Margaret and David were sitting at the table speaking quietly with one another. She wondered what their topic of discussion was. Jacob was nowhere to be found; he must've been the one Chloe heard while sitting in her room. Chloe grabbed the remote and clicked the power button, surprisingly the TV came on, but she wished it hadn't.