Free Awakened by C. N. Watkins

soon as it clears up I’ll
either come back up here or fly you down there. Is that okay?" He
kissed my forehead, releasing my hand and my chin.
    "It’s okay. You have my number." I
leaned up on my tippy toes and kissed him, passionately.
    "If you need anything, or have any
worries, please call me Jennifer." With that he was out the door.
As I went to close it behind him; he turned on his heels at the
bottom step and looked up at me.
    "Lock your doors. Go through your
house and make sure the back door and windows are all locked and
that your alarm is set. Understood Jennifer?" Part of me enjoyed
his control, but the other part of me feared it.
    "Yes, I understand. Have a safe trip
Stefan." I closed the door, immediately locking it. I quickly set
the alarm and waited. I heard his car purr to life and slip out of
the drive-way. Before too long, I couldn't hear his car anymore and
I knew he was gone. I slid down the door until my body found the
ground. I felt like half of me was gone.
    I walked through the house,
locking every window in the house. Now that Stefan was gone, I felt
scared and unsure. I flipped on every light in the house, not sure
how that would stop a crazy person, but it made me feel better.
After I was done I fixed a glass of white wine and laid on the
couch, flipping on the television. Maybe
this will take my mind off things. I
flipped through the channels, not really paying attention to
anything until Stefan’s name caught my attention. I quickly hit
record on my remote.
    “ Tonight on Hollywood
Express; America’s most eligible bachelor, Stefan Long, owner of
Long Publishing, looks to be off the market. Sources close to Mr.
Long stated he is here in Oklahoma on business and that he is
indeed in a relationship with Jennifer White, a college student at
Oklahoma University. The relationship seems to be hot and steamy.
Sorry ladies, but the pictures don’t lie; looks like Stefan Long
has found his princess.”
    What the hell? In a relationship?
These people have lost it. Note to self: don’t listen to gossip
magazines or channels ever again.
    I clicked off the television right as
I heard the door handle turn. My heart quickened like I just ran a
20 mile run! When I heard the beating of the hands on the opposite
side I got up, wishing I had found that bat, and walked to the
door.
    “ Jennifer, why the fuck is
the door doing locked? Open the door!” Crap, I forgot to text
Kennedy to check if she had her key.
    I punched the numbers into the alarm
and opened the door. Kennedy flew through it and headed straight
for the guest bathroom downstairs. I closed the door and set the
alarm again, going to sit back down on the couch.
    “ Why did you lock the door?
We never lock the door!” Kennedy was hollering from the bathroom.
“I almost didn’t think I was going to make it. Where’s
Stefan?”
    Here we go. I grabbed my quilt that my grandmother had made me
before she passed away and wrapped myself in it. My grandma always
knew how to make me feel better, and sometimes, when I wrapped
myself up in this quilt, I felt it was her, wrapping her arms
around me and telling me everything was going to be
okay.
    “ Stefan left to go back
home to Dallas.”
    “ And…?” Kennedy walked over
to sit down on the couch beside me.
    “ Have you seen a magazine
or watched a gossip show lately?”
    “ No, I haven’t. Why?” I
turned the DVR to the recorded show and pressed play. After it was
over she sat quietly, staring at the TV. Finally she looked over at
me, a huge smile on her face.
    “ Jennifer, that’s fucking
awesome! You’re like a movie star now! Why didn’t you tell me you
two were serious?”
    I put my head in my hands
and groaned. She has got to be kidding
me. “Kennedy, I would’ve told you if it was
true, but it’s not. And it gets worse. My dad has heard this and
text me earlier, so now knows where I am. If he comes here, I’m
leaving. I’ll find some other way to finish my degree, because