C H A P T E R F I V E - D A N I E L

Michael. Alicia has been working at the diner for five hours straight and all she could think about was Michael. She thinks of him so much so that she  began to give the customers the wrong orders.

Complaints have been sent Richard's way left and right. Richard worried for his daughter. He had never seen her this distracted. He felt as though all the incidents that had taken place these past few had began to take a toll on her mental health.

He hadn't slept at all the previous night. Alicia's cries had kept him up. He had asked her about it, but she refused to speak to him about what had happened. He so desperately wanted know what had upset her last night and what caused her to have those bruises on her neck and wrists and a bandage wrapped around her head.

The next morning when Alicia awoke, Richard confronted her. He demanded to know what had happened. They had their first fight in years. Alicia had snapped at her father and hadn't spoken to him since then. That was another reason as to why most of the orders within the tiny diner had been wrong.

Alicia felt conflicted. She had promised herself that she'd go out and confront Michael. She'd find out where he lived, march into his place of residence and demand answers. She knew that something had happened to her that night. The hand print was proof of that and the bruise that she had seen from the previous day.

Yet there was a tiny voice in her head that spoke of the possibility of her being wrong. She had shown no one else the handprint. It could just as well have been a figment of her imagination. She could have her mother's illness and could have had an episode.

She feared that if she went to Michael, confronted him about the handprint, he'd laugh and tell her that she was completely insane. She so desperately wanted answers but wasn't ready to find out if she had more things in common with her late mother than just her looks.

The fear that consumed her still wasn't enough to let her many questions go unanswered. She was determined to find out the truth. Quick.

Alicia walks back into the kitchen and unties her apron. She tosses the apron on the counter and grabs her coat. She was in no mood to change her clothes and wore the brown coat over her work dress.

"You're leaving?" Richard asks as he enters the kitchen.

Alicia sighs. She had been ignoring her father for most of the day and was beginning to feel guilty. Yes, their argument was a bit intense, but it was only caused by her father's worries. She knew this. He cared about her dearly and she couldn't imagine the pain and confusion she was putting him through.

"I just need a quick break."

She bypasses her father and heads for the exit of the restaurant. She wants to clear the air but how can she? She knows nothing of what was going on in her life. She herself was extremely confused.

Her mind drifts to Abel as she gets into her car. She could have told her father about his attack, but she was still conflicted. She didn't want her father knowing that she had ran into Abel, let alone that he had nearly killed her. The history between Abel and herself plus the incident would've been the cherry on top for Richard. She knew that if he had found out, Abel would be as good as dead.

As she drives down the road, she found herself making a stop at Chelsea's bar. She has no idea where Michael lives. She has been so set on confronting him that she forgot to find out the most important information that would make it possible. Michaels address.

Alicia hesitantly enters the bar, the memories of the previous nights incidents flooding in all at once. She feels relieve overcome her as she makes her way over to the bar counter. There doesn't seem to be many people, aside from the older drunk men who sits slouched over at the counter. She spots Chelsea drying a few glasses and smiles.

"Hey Chel." She greets as she sits down on the stool.

Chelsea looks up from her cleaning and smiles. As soon as she spots the slight bruising on her neck, her smile disappears and a frown replaces it.

"What happened to your neck?" She places the cloth and glass down on the counter, leans over and moves Alicia's coat jacket collar to the side.

"It was nothing really." Alicia shakes her head as she sighs.

Chelsea eyes her angrily. "Don't you dare lie to me girl. Where'd you get it?"

"I r-ran into Abel, okay."

Chelsea's eyes widen. Worry and guilt fills her eyes and Alicia's chest moves rapidly as she tries to control her breathing. She shakes her head tiredly.

"I don't want to talk about it okay. That's not why I'm here." She breathes. "I wanted to know if you knew where a guy named Michael lives? I know that's not really much info on him, but I really don't know much about him. His got blue eyes, blonde hai-"

"Michael Evans." Chelsea says as she begins to smirk. "What you got going on with shy guy?"

Alicia chuckles at her friend and shakes her head. "You've got it completely wrong. I just want to talk."

"Sure." Chelsea mumbles as she turns to search around the shelves. She turns around frustratedly and exhales. "Give me your phone."

Alicia frowns in confusion but retrieves her phone from her bag. She enters the password and hands her phone over to Chelsea. Chelsea takes the phone, goes into the notes app, quickly types in Michael's address and hands the phone back to Alicia.

As Alicia eyes the address, she places the phone back into her bag and chuckles.

"Why do you actually know where he lives? Like I expected you to just pin point me into the direction but you literally just typed out his full on address."

"Girl, mind your business and go find your man."

"He's not my man." She groans as she gets up from the stool.

"Whatever. Don't forget to come visit again. We need to catch up. I'm not over this. Im serious Licia."

"I know." Alicia teases.

Alicia and Chelsea hug over the counter and bid one another goodbye. Alicia gets into her vehicle and takes out her phone. She  types the address into google maps and when the directions pop up, she begins her journey.

Michael's residence isn't that far from the bar, just a little ways further out of town. Not completely though, it's still in Roslyn, but he seems to live on the edge. Before Alicia knows it, she's parked in front of a singular home. A large wooden oak home that seems miles away from any other homes. Although so close to the hot spot in town, Michael's home seemed to be the only property out here. It's secluded.

After giving herself a quick pep talk, Alicia climbs out of her vehicle and makes her way to the large home. She climbs the four steps to the porch and takes small steps to the front door. She feels her heart begin to beat erratically in her chest. Her fingers begin to shake and her knees begin slightly to buckle. She's nervous. Very nervous.

Breathing in and out deeply, Alicia knocks on the door and waits. Feeling as though her knocks had been too soft to hear, since no one had came to answer the door, she knocks again. This time a bit harder.

She places hands above her eyes as she peeks through the blinds and looks around. She sighs out in defeat. Great. No ones home. She thinks. As she turns to leave, the door swings open.

She gasps and spins around expecting to see Michael. She's surprised to see that it in fact isn't Michael. Instead, an unfamiliar blonde and blue eyed man. She notices that he resembles Michael slightly. His stare is intense and Alicia is immediately intimidated.

"S-sorry to bother." She clears her throat as she steps toward.

"I'm looking for Michael. Um- Michael Evans." She stammers.

"That's my brother." The large stranger says.

His voice is deep and authoritative. Her eyes Alicia from head to toe and smirks slightly. This goes unnoticed by the nervous young woman.

"I'm Daniel, Michael's brother. He'll be back soon. Why don't you come in and wait for him."

Daniel steps aside. He gives the dark haired girl a reassuring smile which eases her anxiety. Alicia smiles at his gesture and walks into the home. Daniel shuts the door and guides Alicia to the large dining room.

"Take a seat." He gestures to the large couch. "Would you like anything to drink?"

Alicia sits and smiles at Daniel's offer. In the few minutes that she's spent with Michael's brother, she's come to the conclusion that he is a bit more polite than Michael. She had expected him to be just as crude as his brother.

"A waters fine. Thank you."

Daniel disappears to the kitchen and Alicia's eyes curiously hover over the decor of the home. A picture of a young woman with bright blue eyes and blonde hair catches her eye.

She stands to her feet and walks across the room to retrieve the picture. She picks it up and traces her fingertips over the glass covered frame. That's strange. She thinks to herself. That face. Those eyes. Has she seen this person before? She must have.

"Everything okay?"

Alicia jumps and spins around. As she does so. She drops the picture and it falls to the ground, shattering at her feet.

"Oh my God." She gasps, absolutely petrified.

She hurries to her knees and begins to pick up the frame but winces when a glass cuts her palm.

"Shit." Daniel curses as he tosses the water bottle on the couch and hurriedly kneels down in front of Alicia.

He takes her injured hand into his and sighs. He tries to control himself but he is unable to. He chuckles lightly and Alicia frowns. She peers at him through her watery eyelashes.

"You think this is funny?" She whimpers out as the cut begins to sting.

Daniel quickly shakes his head as he bites his lips to stop himself from laughing once more.

"You've always been clumsy."

Alicia's eyes widen. Daniel doesn't look at her face, he peers down at her palm and shakes his head.

"Just sit on the couch. I'll get the first aid kit."

As Daniel leaves, Alicia sits on the couch and thinks about what Daniel had just said. Was she reading to much into it? How would he know that I've always been clumsy?

Alicia is so deep in thought that she doesn't realise that Daniel has returned. He sits next to her, takes her hand info his and she jumps. She sits in a daze as he cleans up her cut. Wincing every now and then.

"What did you mean when you said that I've always been clumsy?"

Daniel froze for a moment. His eyes glued onto her palm. As he finishes up wrapping her hand with the gauze, he looks Alicia into her eyes and smiles.

"You seem like the clumsy type."

He packs the supplies back into the first aid kit and Alicia shakes her head slowly.

"No. It's the way you said it. Like you know me."

Daniel's facial features harden and he clenches his jaw. He has stalled enough, he has to do what he had planned on doing when she showed up at his doorstep. He slams the first aid kit shut and Alicia jumps.

"Look into my eyes Alicia." Daniel commands as he grabs ahold of her face.

"W-what?" Alicia's eyes widen.

"Look into my eyes."

Daniel's hold on Alicia's face increases in pressure and Alicia winces. Harshly pulling herself out of his tight grip, she leaps off of the couch and stumbles back. Rubbing her uninjured hand over her face to soothe it.

"What are you doing?" She yells.

Daniel, without speaking a word stands and marches up to Alicia and grips onto her shoulders. He shoves her into the wall and pins her down. Alicia screams out at the force and Daniel sighs out in frustration.

"I don't want to hurt you Alicia. This'll be over soon."

Daniel grips onto Alicia's face, brings her closer to him and stares into her hazel eyes. Daniel's icy blue eyes begin to burn a bright red and Alicia screams bloody murder. She's absolutely terrified. She begins to shake her head and quickly closes her eyes.

"Open your eye-"

A hand grips onto Daniel's shoulder and he goes flying into the opposite wall. Alicia quickly runs to stand behind Michael. She clings to him as her body shakes.

"What the hell is going on?" She screams.

Standing to his feet, Daniel limps slightly as he nears them. Michael holds a protective hand over Alicia and moves them back slightly.

"Daniel, are you insane?" Michael shouts.

"This has to be done Michael." Daniel speaks. He breaths in and out heavily as he holds onto his injured shoulder. "You know it."

Michael shakes his head. "I can't do this again."

"You fucking coward." Daniel screams. "I'll kill her before I let u screw over Jasmine."

Daniel leaps for Alicia and she instantly runs for the door. Michael tackles Daniel to the floor as Alicia runs down the porch. She hears the rumbling that takes place in the home but refuses to turn back.

She gets into her vehicle, turns on the engine and speeds down the road. Tears cloud her vision as she frantically looks back and forth between the road and her rear view mirror. She glances back at the road and gasps when she sees a woman standing in the middle of the road. She stomps down on the breaks, but it's too late. Her car swirls out of the road and she goes crashing into a large oak tree.

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Thoughts?

Thank you so much for the votes and comments. It's only so much more love and support than I'd ever expected.

Alicia?

Daniel?

Michael?

Jasmine?