Controlled

Chapter 5: Ricky

I slowly walked up the sidewalk towards the door. The box I was carrying felt heavy in my hands. I was nervous. What if she didn't like it? What if she didn't want it? Did she even like roses?

Questions raced through my mind at a thousand miles per minute. I set the box down on the welcome mat in front of her door. Should I knock? Or ring the doorbell? Was she asleep? Would she even answer?

I decided to ring the doorbell. I moved to the side of the door so she wouldn't be able to see me. I held my breath as I pressed the cold, metal button. I heard the bell and listened for movement. Silence. I waited a minute, then reached across to ring the doorbell again. I heard movement behind the door and quickly moved into the bushes dividing her house and a neighbor's house.

Seconds later, the door opened. She stepped out and I was stunned. She was so beautiful. The way her chocolate brown hair fell over her shoulders, the way she moved, her flawless skin... She was perfect. And she was mine.

"Huh?" I heard her say. Her voice was angelic. She seemed confused as she looked around. I really hoped she loved her gift.

I watched as she picked up the box and stepped back inside the house. Joy filled me. I had to see her open it, so I moved from out of the bushes and around the house until I found her through a window. She stood inside her kitchen with the box on the counter. I watched as she opened it and pulled out the rose and black box. Her face seemed confused, yet curious at the same time. She opened the black box to look at the necklace. She whispered something, then set the box down. She disappeared, ducking down to grab something. Seconds later, she reappeared with a small, glass vase. She filled it with water and set the rose in the vase gently.

I smiled. She loved it! Relief washed over me. Why was I worried she wouldn't like it? She was perfect, of course, she would love it. Happiness filled me. She was mine.

I watched as she picked up the vase and the black box and disappear down the hallway. I moved around the house again quickly until I found her in what seemed like her bedroom. She set the vase and black box on her bedside table, then left the room again. I heard a car in the driveway, so I snuck around to see who it was.

A boy got out of a red car that was parked next to hers. He walked up to the front door and knocked.

"Who do you think it is?" I heard him say. A few moments later the door opened, then closed. I found a window that showed the living room. I watched as she and the strange boy walked in and sat on the couch, a dog following behind them. Frustration hit me. The dog would prove to be a problem. I'd dealt with dogs before. They were a nuisance.

The boy sat close to her, which sparked anger inside me. Was he her boyfriend? I didn't see her kiss him, which was a good sign I guess. She picked up the remote and turned the TV on. The news was on, and I noticed the house on the TV looked familiar. The woman reporter was talking and motioning to the house. It was Kimberly's.

My anger turned to fear. What would she think if she knew about Kimberly? Would she hate me, knowing I ended her life? Or would she feel safer knowing I chose her? Kimberly didn't love me. She faked everything. She had to die.

I moved away from the window and went back to her bedroom. The screen was easy to pry off, but the window itself was locked. I took out my knife and slid it between the wooden panes. The lock clicked and I slid the window up. Her room smelled of sandalwood and citrus. It smelled amazing. I slowly stepped into her room and lowered the window behind me.

I could hear the TV coming from the living room. I cracked her door and looked around. Her walls were purple, with pictures of her friends and family hanging in frames on each wall. I walked over to her closet and opened it. Everything was so neat. One of her jackets was hanging on the closet door. I picked it up and inhaled deeply. Her scent was incredible. I instantly became obsessed. I hung the jacket back on the closet door and moved over to her bed. I picked up her pillow and inhaled her scent again. It had a hint of coconut. Was that what her hair smelled like?

She was perfect. In every way. I had to force myself from going out to the living room and taking her away from that boy.

"Patience," I told myself, calming down. She will be mine. Not his.

I continued looking around her room, studying her, and searching for any useful information. But I was mainly looking for her name. I moved slowly, trying not to get frustrated. There was no hint of her name anywhere in her room. How was that possible?

I heard the doorbell and froze. Another person? I heard footsteps on the hardwood floor and moved to the window quickly. The front door opened as I stepped outside of her room. I could hear words being exchanged, but I couldn't make anything out. I shut the window quietly and moved from behind the bushes, peering out into the street. There was a car parked in front of her driveway with a pizza logo on the side of it. Anxiety left my body.

"I wonder what kind of pizza she likes," I whispered to myself. Water began to hit my cheek. I looked up and noticed it was starting to rain. I walked over to my car that was parked a few houses down and sat in the car. The rain was getting harder and the sky was getting darker.

It was at that moment I wanted to know everything about her. What her hobbies are, her favorite movie, what she wanted to be when she grew up, and even what kind of body wash she used. I needed to know. And I would find out.

Right after I found out her name.