The next two days dragged, and I could feel my anxiety building with each passing second. Ellie knew something was wrong. She has always been able to read me. This was no exception. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that she knew I hadn't told the whole truth the day I came back.

Although I tried my hardest to focus in classes, it was no use. Between my lack of sleep and my dread of seeing Harry again, there was no way I would have been able to do well in any class. I tried to distance myself from my friends, praying with all my heart that no matter what happened to me, they would be okay. Every night, I stared fearfully at the leather jacket draped over my armchair, knowing that I would one day have to return it to the owner face to face.

I refused to wear it. It was a stupid decision, and usually, I liked avoiding conflict more than anything else, but I knew showing Harry weakness would only make me more vulnerable than I already was. In the back of my mind, I never planned to actually go with him, but I also realized that I didn't really have a choice.

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

I formed a plan the day he promised to come for me. It was seven o'clock, and I told Ellie that I had an important physics paper to finish. Since it was a Friday, I knew that she would probably have plans with Justin and Alley to go to the Ministry of Sound for a few hours. Convincing her to let me have a few quiet hours alone in our dorm room was not a problem.

Our room was located on the first floor, and was conveniently only for the twelve kids from our class and one other roommate pair from another school, though they were almost never in. Fridays were typically deserted on our floor, except for Ellie and I, so the chances of anyone getting hurt seemed slim. I breathed a small sigh of relief as a tiny weight was lifted from my shoulders.

I sat on my bed, looking around my room with sadness. Ever since I came back to the dorm two days ago, Ellie has been angry with me. Between my lies regarding the events that lead to my alleged escape and my attempted sacrifice, she practically radiated fumes each time I passed her. My friend tried not to let on. She knew I had always been a sensitive person. I couldn't bear the thought of her hating me for a decision I made in a split second. All I wanted was to protect her.

Her anger was only directed at me because she cared, and I understood that. Still, her anger ate at me, and my self-confidence crumbled a little more with each passing hour. I only wished there was something I could do to calm the tension between us before I was taken.

Kidnapped.

The word rang in my ears like a gunshot. Tightness in my chest restricted my breathing, and I walked robotically to the small kitchen in our room. My arm shook as I slowly opened one of the cabinet drawers to reveal the knife collection Ellie and I purchased specifically for nights when we couldn't make it to the dining hall. I pulled one out, the blade thick enough to slice through steak with a single cut as if it were nothing more than butter.

A small cry escaped me as I held the knife in my hands, my knuckles white from gripping it too hard. Never in my life did I suspect I would be holding a knife to protect myself from another human. The thought of what I might have to do later tonight sickened me to the point of dizziness. Still holding my weapon, I half collapsed onto my bed.

I sat at the edge, knife still in my dainty hands as I stared wide-eyed at the clock above my door. I watched the seconds tick by endlessly as a sense of impending doom made its way into my heart.

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

Harry Styles came for me at eleven o'clock that same day. Five minutes prior, I had locked the door, and then gone back to sitting expectantly on my bed. When the doorknob first started to jiggle, I ran to the windows and drew the blinds shut. I already knew who was behind my door. Ellie wasn't going to be back until at least one. I was alone. I didn't try to stop myself from crying. Knowing that the person I feared the most was only seconds away from taking me was enough to send me over the edge. The only thing I could do was quiet my sobs and hope that he wouldn't know I was in here. Tears trailed silently down my face as I willed myself to stay quiet, barely allowing myself to breathe.

"Annabelle?" a soft voice drifted from behind the door, sickeningly sweet as I covered my mouth with one hand in an effort to make myself quieter than a mouse. He knew my name. Harry had done his research. God only knows what else he knew about me.

"Annabelle, sweetie, open the door." Harry's voice coaxed from the other side, still wiggling the door handle as he tried to get in. "I know you're in there, love."

A sob escaped me, and I slid off the bed and onto the floor, weakness and fear making my legs quake as I sat still facing the entrance of my room.

There was a long pause, and I closed my eyes, praying that he had gone away, but knowing there was no way he would have given up so easily.

"I can hear you crying, kitten." he purred, a deadly edge creeping into his tone. "There's no reason to be afraid…" There was another pause, and I started to feel light-headed, dizziness making the room sway slightly from side to side. "Unless, of course, you don't open this door in five seconds."

My breath caught and time seemed to slow as I heard him count down from the other side of my little fortress.

"Five. Four. Three. Two. One."

A loud bang followed by a snap filled my room as Harry began kicking at the door. One of the hinges broke on the first hit, and I watched in horror as I prepared myself to watch the other two shatter. I screamed, my fear reaching its peak as the door came crashing to the ground.

Harry stood in the entrance, his eyes red with fury as he stormed over to me.

I looked down at the knife in between my fingers, dread filling me as I realized I couldn't do it. I couldn't stab him. I froze for a second too long as Harry smacked it out of my hand and it went hurtling across the room. A thin line of blood bloomed on his palm where his skin made contact with the blade. I winced.

"I gave you your chance," he hissed, grabbing me by the collar of my blue and white polka-dot blouse. I sobbed, pulling back as hard as I could, only to be stopped by my own shirt cutting of the circulation in my neck. I choked.

Ignoring me as I gagged, Harry kept a firm grip on my collar, forcefully pulling me closer to him. "Why didn't you open the fucking door? Why didn't you wear my jacket like it told you to?" Harry spat as my panic continued to increase exponentially. Wailing, I jerked my body every way I could, using every bit of my energy to throw him off. My hands pressed weakly against his chest.

"Why can't you just be a good little kitten?" I looked up, noticing the change in his voice. To my horror, his eyes had glazed over; giving him the same demonic appearance he had in the alley.

I stopped struggling abruptly, fear rendering me immobile as we held eye contact for a few seconds.

Without warning, his lips crashed into mine. I gasped against him, bawling as I hit my arms against his and battered him with as much strength as my tiny fists could muster. I thrashed as I was enveloped by his body and shoved onto the floor. I felt his tongue pressing against my teeth, begging for entrance, but I only cried harder as I tried in vain to ignore what was happening to me.

Harry's hands snaked up the back of my shirt, and I gasped in shock and disgust, giving him enough time to shove his tongue into my mouth. I shuddered as he explored the every inch of me, his hands still resting on my back, forcing my body to remain in place.

Finally, he pulled away, and I gasped for air as more tears cascaded down my cheeks.

He had stolen my first kiss.

Harry looked me in the eyes as his expression softened a bit, playing lightly with my hair. "Don't disobey me again, okay babe?"

I sat in silence until one of his hands lowered to the pocket of his jeans and the other curled further around my back. I squirmed uncomfortably, and Harry pulled something out of his pocket.

A wet rag.

"No." my voice was strangled as I shook my head, slowly at first, then more rapidly as Harry brought the cloth up to my face. I started to turn sideways, only to have one of his enormous hands cup the back of my head, gently but firmly to keep it from moving. "No. No no no no no. No! Please! Please don't do this to me! Please don't-" my pleas were cut off as the white rag covered my mouth and nose. I held my breath, squirming and thrashing as my sobs grew to a crescendo.

"Shh… Belle… You're okay. You're fine. It's alright. Just breathe for me, babe. Breathe for me." Harry cooed softly in my ear as he hugged me to his chest.

My struggle didn't last long as my lungs constricted. They tightened as my need for air grew more desperate and my movements grew weaker. With one last whimper of defeat, I inhaled the foul smelling chemicals into my lungs and watched in despair as my eyelids grew heavy and the world around me started to fade. I felt Harry's arms relax around me as he noticed my strength rapidly disintegrating, and the last thing I heard was his voice whispering and hushing me as he rubbed circles into my back.

"That's a good girl. Easy, kitten. I've got you now. Just relax. Everything is going to be okay."