a place we know| ✓

twenty four

"And find a place where every single thing you see tells you to stay."
S E E K E R
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January 2nd
7:32 AM
New York
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Audrey opened her eyes when she felt a light shine across her face. Her hazel hues took in the winter sun and its rays streaming through the window, flickering as they adjusted to the calm intensity.

It did little to rouse her from her slumber, and she soon felt sleep invite her with its gentle caress. Shifting on her side to avoid the sunlight, she fluttered her eyes closed, only to discover that hidden under the covers was the body of another, and his blonde hair was sprawled out as if it were a crown around his  head.

Gunner's soft snores reverberated and filled the room with its rhythmic beat, like tides, his chest rising and falling. The sheets hung at his waist and his grey t-shirt had hiked up on his abdomen, displaying the smooth, milky skin underneath and his variety of tattoos.

But Audrey caught sight of a small inscription of Leah's name on his inner-forearm as he draped an arm over his eyes–it must have been a recent addition, a beautiful one from what she observed.

Audrey watched how he slept, admiring him in his most vulnerable but refined moment. He stirred, as if a sixth sense told him exactly what she were doing, and rolled closer.

She smiled, remembering their encounter hours before, and cupped the sides of his face as her thumbs caressed his cheek. He breathed out a gentle sigh, his nose grazing the arch of her neck and arms circling her waist, her name sweetly rolling off his tongue.

"Go back to sleep, baby," his whisper was a groggy tune, his voice deep; rasping.

Audrey screwed her eyes shut and started lulling herself to sleep with the pattern of his breathing, but her body refused; she was well awake now.

Today felt like it would be different. Good or bad, she didn't know yet. Though something certainly was changing the atmosphere around them, those dim thoughts continued to lurk inside of her.

She wanted to rest, and there Michael's face was again. She hated how much power he had over her, how he could take this hour of peace from her, how he could warp the feelings she harboured as if he were entitled to every inch of her. Twice, it had been. Twice, he tainted her. And he wouldn't ever let her forget it. Even while she was with her boyfriend, the memory of his laughter and his maleficent grin was suffocating.

Audrey shuddered and distanced herself from Gunner's body. She was ruined, he didn't deserve to love an old relic such as her–he deserved so much more, so much more faith and trust, a girl who wasn't claimed by torment.

"Audrey, baby, what's wrong?" Gunner gazed at her and there hung a solemn quality, shadow-like, over his face. His fingers nestled themselves in her hair; she had to fight the urge to recoil.

The smell of the alley wafted into their bedroom and she paled, flinching back when his hand stroked her cold cheek. Stop, this is Gunner. He won't hurt you. He's not Michael.

Yet all she could see was him. No matter how hard she convinced herself that it was Gunner sleeping next to her, caressing and touching her, her eyes betrayed her with an image of Michael.

"Look at me," his tone was sharp, cutting through her defences, demanding the things she didn't have. "Look at me, Audrey."

I can't.

"Audrey, I'm right here. You can't hide from me forever, doll-face. I'm everywhere."

Audrey squeezed her eyes closed and counted backwards from one hundred. Ninety-nine, ninety-eight...he'd disappear soon. He wasn't real. None of it was.