LILY
I felt the heat inside the trunk. I was struggling to breathe and had no idea where I was. My whole body was cramped. I reached for my phone in the pocket of my backpack.
“What?” I gasped as I saw the time—it was already 10:00 PM.
This meant I had been asleep for hours without realizing it. The plastic bags of bread were still here, untouched. The car’s owner hadn’t opened the trunk yet.
“Atchoo!” I sneezed, my nose itching.
I tried to open the trunk, but it wouldn’t budge. Frustrated, I started banging on it and shouting.
“Help! Help!” I yelled as loudly as I could, even though it was hard to breathe. I screamed louder, hoping someone would hear me inside the trunk.
After a moment, I finally felt relief as the trunk slightly opened. My eyes widened when I saw him. He was staring at me, shocked and confused, his eyes silently asking questions.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, surprised, before quickly slamming the trunk shut again.
I screamed again, begging him to open it, as I was running out of oxygen. After a few moments, he reopened it.
“Lady, what are you doing here?” he asked again.
“Help—I can’t breathe,” I said weakly before passing out.
The next thing I knew, I felt his strong arms lifting me. I had no idea where he was taking me. Even though I was barely conscious, I felt as if I were floating, cradled by his strong arms. It felt so light and comforting that I didn’t want to wake up.
It was as if I were lying on clouds. I hadn’t felt this relaxed in such a long time. I felt something cold on my skin. Was I dreaming?
I thought I saw his face—the man who had been stuck in my mind. He smiled at me, gently caressing my face. He leaned down and kissed me on the lips.
His lips were soft as they touched mine. I didn’t know how to respond to his passionate kiss. But then, it ended abruptly. He disappeared from my side.
I tried to call his name, but he didn’t answer. I kept searching for him, but he was nowhere to be found.
When I woke up, I was startled. I was lying in a large room, resting on a waterbed. It had been almost a year since I had slept on such a soft bed.
I stretched both my arms upward. As I did, I felt like I didn’t want to leave this waterbed. It reminded me of the comfort of my bed at home.
Then, I heard someone clearing their throat, and I quickly sat up in shock.
“It’s you? What am I doing here?” I asked.
“I should be the one asking you—what were you doing in the trunk of my car?” he asked coldly, his voice sharp.
I covered my mouth, as everything that had happened to me suddenly came rushing back.
