She felt under pressure.

A supreme pressure that was slowing down her breath.

The confinement of the car was enough to put pressure on her already grated nerves.

Little did she know she was in the presence of a supreme being.

The only source of calm for her was the soft breeze coming in the car, his side of window all the way down.

As the car moved smoothly on the dark road like a snake, she tried to take a look at the tall rigid frame .

Tried to peek at him from within the strands of her hair , the cracks allowing her to take a look. .and now that she was slowly but surely gaining back her senses she could see how he looked like.

He seemed to be 25 .

Three years older than her. Spine straight, one large hand on the steering wheel and the other laying on his thigh. She couldn't help but notice the royal blue band on his ring finger that glinted every time it caught light.  The jet black hair pulled back in waves bringing out his sharp jawline , the deep blue eyes  that could cut through skin, aristocratic narrow nose . .sinful lips.

All she could think was . .enchanting. His . .aura was enchanting. Disarming. Making everyone breathless . The kind of beauty that hits in your face . .she couldn't stare at him for too long. She had seen the looks of envy . .of admiration. .even desire that were cast his way at the club . She was scared , afraid she might lose herself right in his features.

All he had on was a black short sleeves and jeans , his jacket on her. Keeping her warm, wrapped in his woodsy scent.

He pushed his hand in his hair, messing it up and then he tucked his elbow on the windshield. .his hand touching his lips as he bit the back of his finger as if in an unseen inner battle .

"Is something wrong?" He asked , not looking at her.

Shocked and definitely embarrassed, she dropped her gaze from his face.

"N-no." She stammered , her heart on fire for being caught red handed.

How the hell did he know she was looking at him? She wasn't even looking. She was peeking!

He let out a deep breath , the soft wind fluttering in the car.

"You sure?"

She nodded. "Positive."

He turned the steering wheel smoothly, turning the car around.

"Right. " And then. ." Back there did something happen?"

And. . .

She knew.

She knew what he was implying at. She knew what he wanted to know.

Whether she got raped or not.

Did he succeed or not?

Her answer was abrupt.

"No. .no nothing happened." She answered , glad her voice was steady.

May be she imagined it, may be she really was out of her head because his grip on the wheel tightened. The veins on the back of his hand making appearance .

She looked out the windshield not wanting him to see how her eyes had sheened all over. . getting flashbacks of what happened. .what nearly happened. .

"I see. How did it happen? " Again his question was invasive and again she found herself answering him.

"It—i. .I was there for my friend's birthday . I-i came only to wish her and then. .," She bit her lower lip hard . .a slight tremor in her voice." I went to the bathroom. I didn't know which way to go . . that's—thats when. ." She trailed off not feeling like she could continue.

The car fell silent.

She grappling with herself, begging herself not to cry out in front of a stranger.

Him staring ahead at the road.

And then he broke the ice.

"It's not your fault. " He said calmly. .that's when she glanced at him , at his side profile . . "It will never be. It happens because of bad luck. Bad timing. Not because you decided to go to the bathroom."

She kept staring at him.

And her mouth moved on its own.

"It isn't right?" Her voice was small. So small he wouldn't have heard it if he wasn't what he was.

Slowly , he turned his neck at her. .deep blue eyes staring right back at her and for a moment she thought they were . . luminous.

"It isn't."

A final cut to his voice. He said it with such belief that she found herself nodding . She found herself believing him and what he said.

As if there was no way but to believe him.

He had a weird way to him.

Whatever he asked,  she answered.

Whatever he said , she believed .

The sane part of her mind reminded her. .he was just a stranger. Sarah didn't even know his last name for God sake.

Quickly,  she looked away from his eyes and he too turned back towards the road.

She wasn't going to deny the fact that a guy like him shouldn't be seen with a girl like her. He was way way out of her league. She was a plain Jane. He was the opposite.

Stark opposite of what she was .

Carrie's birthday had turned into one life lesson. She wanted to celebrate right in the middle of vamps and humans . Wanting to flex her muscles.

All Sarah had to do was wish her and shuttle back to her cozy home.

She couldn't even do that right.

Right there. .right then a heavy realization fell flat on her.

If it wasn't for him. .if he didn't come on the right time—she shuddered to think what would have happen. . if he didn't—

"Calm down. "

His sudden voice disarmed her .

All she could think was. .how  did he know she was about to spiral down into hyperventilation? Think about horrible scenarios that could have would have happened?

How the—

Suddenly the car came to a sudden halt. More like skidded to a halt.

Sarah wasn't ready.

Her delicate frame jerked towards the dashboard but his arm shot out, his fingers grazing her stomach. .

Ice cubes fell in her stomach , the sudden touch setting her face on fire.

"You alright?" He asked slowly. .pulling back his hand. Her cheeks dusting with blush . A nervous tremble in her fingers as she tucked away all the hair back in a bid to hide her embarrassment.

"Yeah. Where are we?" She asked trying to look out of the windshield. It was dark. She couldn't see much except—

"This is your home. Isn't it?" He asked , a light humor burning his voice.

And then she really stared.

Because yes! That was her home!

She did give him the address!

Jumbled up in her nerves, she couldn't even recognize her street.

Her home!

She glanced at him—so not ready for his intense gaze, his alluring features.

"Your jacket. .," She trailed off lamely.

"Keep it."

"I—thankyou so much." She dropped her gaze , not able to handle the intensity.

"For what?"

Confused, she looked up .

The car was dark, she could only make half of his face. Only make one of his eyes while the other bathed in darkness.

"For saving me and—"

He cut her off.

"Don't take it to your heart. " he said so casually , his eyes drifting towards her house. The pale pink door looking hideous as hell in dark. The paint chalked off. Rebellious overgrown shrubs littered the front lawn , only the rickety pavement was visible that led to the door.

Sarah tried not to think too much of what he said. Tried not to take it down to her sensitive heart.

What he said was was simple.

He didn't want her to think too much about what he did or take him for some kind of hero, a knight in shining armor.

She got his point.

"I-i guess i should go now." She said clumsily.

" You should." Was his reply.

Nothing  much.

Sarah nodded to herself and then she turned towards the door, her hand on the handle—

"Don't step out at night. You never know whom you might meet."

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The whole night she stared absently at the TV , a brain dead show pitting women against each other in the name of a beauty contest.

A hot cup of chocolate was on the bedside table, puffs of smoke swirling around spreading it's delicious aroma.

The moment she entered the house, she made a run towards the bathroom . Not even bothering to switch the lights on. She knew her way in the dark.

Stripping down , she turned the knob to boiling untill steam filled up the bathroom , clouding the mirror.

She scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed.

Until her milky skin turned raw with red spots.

It was as if she could see his slime running down the drain, going down to the gutter where it belonged.

Now that she was on her bed, absently twirling a wet strand of her hair around her finger . .she wondered.

Wondered about that beautiful stranger. How he appeared out of nowhere .

What was he doing there? How did he know she was in. . trouble?

Not even her friends bothered looking for her.

Carrie only called her once .

That was it.

No where were you / Did you reach home safely?

Nothing like that. All she talked about was the blast of a birthday she had. All the vamps that watched her with their frozen faces.

Sarah didn't tell her anything. All she said was "I had to leave early." When in reality she remembered telling Carrie she was heading towards the bathroom. A laughing Carrie had nodded , diving right back in conversation with others.

Sarha sighed, reaching out and taking the cup in her hand.

Why was she like this? Why was she so . .meek? So timid? People took it as her weakness and used it against her because they knew she wouldn't protest,  she would just bow her head and walk away. . .but she had been like this since childhood. The slight raise in tone could turn her emotions into scramble. One wrong turn of the car and she would hyperventilate. One glare at her and she would disintegrate.

She took a sip of the hot chocolate , greatful for the warmth it gave to her cold body. .and once again her mind drifted to that man.

Such a peculiar color of eyes. Deep blue. Like the midnight sky. There in the room,  his eyes had turned into two pools of glaciers , freezing her.

May be it was the first and last time she was seeing him because surely a man like him wouldn't want to do anything with a girl like her.

Not that she thought bad about herself. She just knew what she was and what her league was.

She knew her boundaries well.

And people who tried stepping out of their boundries ended up ruining themselves—

Sarah smiled as she caught herself thinking deep . Didn't he say not to take it to her heart?

And she was doing just that.

Her phone vibrated.

Putting the cup back at it's previous place, she took off her phone from charging and stared at the screen that was blinging with Mom calling. She tried to take deep breaths , calm down her heart that was ready to spill everything to her and tell her to come and get her out of this cruel city. And that she was right . Right that her gentle gazelle  wasn't made for the city life . . .it was so hard to keep herself under check as she swiped on the screen. While talking to her , she didn't tell her mother how it took everything in her not to burst into tears  when she said "I'm okay , mom . Everything is going great."

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