Under the Spell of the Kidnappers

01

Sam

"Time out!" the umpire yelled, raising his arms high into the air.

I popped up from my crouch and jogged over to the pitcher's mound where my best friend Kyrn stood, hands on her hips, shoulders tense.

"Okay, Kyrn. You got this. The count is three-two. There are two outs and a runner on third base. One more strike, and we win the championships!" I said, doing my best to sound confident even though my heart was pounding just as hard as hers.

She gave me a nervous smile, her eyes darting around the field before landing on mine. "Thanks."

I flashed her a bright, encouraging grin. "Anytime."

After a quick fist bump, I sprinted back behind the plate and dropped into my crouch, settling into position. My glove was ready. I looked toward our coach, who stood just outside the dugout with his arms crossed and his signature focus locked on the field. He gave me the sign - inside ball. I nodded, subtly flashing the same signal to Kyrn.

She gave the faintest nod in return, took a deep breath, and wound up.

The ball soared from her hand like a bullet, perfectly inside. The batter swung and barely tipped it, sending it straight up into the sky. I yanked off my catcher's helmet and sprinted forward, tracking the ball.

"Mine!" Kyrn shouted, moving into position under the pop-up.

The first baseman and I flanked her just in case, ready to react if anything went wrong.

But Kyrn's glove snapped shut around the ball with a satisfying thud.

Cheers erupted instantly from the crowd.

"We won!" I screamed, launching myself at Kyrn. She caught me midair, staggering slightly but laughing with pure joy as she fought to keep us both from tumbling into the dirt.

"Northwestern High wins the championship! Northwestern High Wildcats are your 2013 softball champions!" the announcer boomed over the speakers.

All around us, our teammates rushed in, forming a chaotic circle of celebration in the middle of the diamond. There were hugs, high fives, tears, and laughter. The whole season-all the long practices, the freezing early mornings, the sunburns, and the bruises-had been leading up to this exact moment.

"Captains, would you like to do the honors?" one of our teammates called out, holding the big Gatorade jug with a mischievous smile.

Kyrn and I exchanged a look, grinning.

"Yes please," I said as I took the jug from her hands. It was heavier than it looked.

Together, we marched toward Coach, who saw us coming and immediately threw up his hands in mock horror.

"No-ladies-come on now-let's not do anything we'll regret-"

But it was too late.

In perfect sync, Kyrn and I dumped the entire icy, blue Gatorade all over him. He shouted, hopping away from the splash and shaking his head, soaked from head to toe.

The team burst out laughing. Even Coach couldn't help but laugh as he wiped his face with the bottom of his shirt.

"I'm really going to miss you two girls," he said after a moment, his voice softer.

I stepped forward and gave him a wet hug, despite the sticky Gatorade soaking my jersey. "Don't worry. I'm so coming back next season to help you coach."

"Me too. Duh!" Kyrn added, hugging him from the other side.

"Good," he said, pulling us both in closer despite the mess.

We shrieked as more of the Gatorade on his clothes transferred onto ours. But we didn't care.

That was the thing about moments like this - they didn't come around often, and when they did, you had to soak them in. Literally.

A familiar voice called my name over the chaos. I turned and saw my mom walking toward us with her purse over her shoulder and sunglasses perched on her head.

"Sam, Dad and I are leaving now for Italy, okay?"

"Same here, Kyrn," her mom said, catching up with my mom. "Now remember, we left the debit card at Sam's house along with your clothes. We'll be back in two months. Behave, you two."

"We will, Mother," Kyrn said with a practiced, sweet smile.

Once our moms left, Kyrn and I stood side by side watching the team celebrate, a quiet moment passing between us.

"You realize we have two months to ourselves, right?" I said, turning to her with a grin.

She smirked. "Oh, I realize."

Now, I know what you're thinking. Who in their right mind leaves two eighteen-year-old girls alone in a house for two whole months? Yeah, it sounds crazy-but my parents thought it was a good way to teach us responsibility before college. Like a real-life test drive of adulthood.

To be fair, it wasn't a totally reckless idea. We weren't exactly wild kids. Kyrn and I had always been the responsible ones in our friend group. Straight A's, varsity athletes, active in student council-you name it. If anyone could be trusted, it was us.

Still, the idea of being completely alone for that long was both thrilling and a little scary.

"It's going to be weird without them around," I admitted, walking with her toward the dugout to grab our stuff.

"Yeah, but kind of exciting too, right? Like, no curfews, no random check-ins. Just us," Kyrn said, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"I know. And now we'll get a real feel for what it'll be like next year."

We still hadn't decided if we wanted to move out into an apartment near campus or stay home to save money. But living alone this summer was supposed to help us make that decision.

"Hey, want to stop and get milkshakes before we go home?" Kyrn asked as we stepped into the parking lot.

"Only if you're buying," I teased.

"With your mom's debit card?" she grinned, nudging me with her elbow.

We both laughed, the kind of laugh that made your stomach hurt in a good way.

As we loaded our gear into the back of my car, the sky began to shift into warm orange hues, signaling the start of summer-not just in weather, but in everything. A new chapter, a new adventure.

And it all started with one perfect pitch.

Chapter 02

Kyrn and I giggled like little kids as we mocked our parents' repetitive lectures about being careful, not talking to strangers, and always letting them know where we were going. You know, the stuff they say a million times a day, like a broken record. Or at least ten times before you're even allowed to step out the door with your friends.

"It's like they think we're still ten," Kyrn snickered, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

I rolled my eyes and threw my hands up in the air dramatically. "Apparently being eighteen doesn't matter when you have overprotective parents."

My mom must've sensed I was talking about her because the second we reached the car, she gave me a playful-but firm-smack to the back of my head.

"I saw that," she said with her mom-glare on full display.

"Bye Mom, bye Dad. Love you guys," I said with a sly smile, giving them each a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Remember to call us every day," my mom said sternly, pointing a finger at me like a warning before she slid into the passenger seat.

"I will," I said, nodding to satisfy her. Though let's be honest, if I ever forgot, she'd probably show up out of nowhere and demand a full itinerary of my day.

Don't get me wrong-I love my mom. I really do. But she's the definition of strict. Like the kind of strict that makes you text every hour or risk being grounded at the age of eighteen. Still, I knew it was because she cared, and as annoying as it could be, I wouldn't trade her for the world.

Kyrn and I stood there waving until our parents drove out of sight. As soon as they turned the corner, we both started screaming and jumping like we'd just been freed from prison.

"I think a shopping trip is in order sometime this week," I said, pulling out my new debit card like it was a golden ticket. "I mean, come on! We both have money now. Debit cards. Freedom."

Kyrn raised her hands dramatically. "Finally, no more begging Mom for twenty bucks just to get a smoothie."

I laughed, already imagining us going wild at the mall. "And maybe, just maybe, we can find outfits that don't scream 'my mom picked this out for me.'"

"Oh, absolutely," Kyrn nodded enthusiastically. "But before you start planning your fashion takeover, you better hurry up and shower if you want to surprise Brett for your two-year anniversary."

"Crap!" I gasped, checking my phone. "I'm gonna be late! I had a whole surprise planned and everything!"

"Go, go!" Kyrn laughed as we sprinted toward my car. "What did you get him anyway?"

As she buckled in, I quickly put the car in drive and peeled out of the driveway. "He loves getting his picture taken with me, right? So I got this custom picture frame with his favorite photo of us. And..." I paused dramatically, flashing a grin. "Two tickets to see the Green Bay Packers."

Kyrn gasped. "No way! He's gonna flip. That's actually a really cute gift."

"I know, right? Though I still don't get why he likes the Packers. I'm a Vikings fan. Always have been, always will be."

She gave me a deadpan look. "You and football."

"What?" I shrugged innocently. "You like the Steelers."

"This is true," she said with a laugh, raising her hands in mock surrender.

The car ride home was filled with us trying to one-up each other by naming our teams' best highlights. She threw in the "Immaculate Reception," and I countered with the Vikings' Minneapolis Miracle. It turned into a full-on football debate that neither of us were winning-but that wasn't the point.

Eventually, we pulled up to her house. "Good luck," Kyrn said, gathering her bag. "Text me after and tell me how it goes!"

"I will," I promised, giving her a quick wave before speeding off.

Once I got home, I darted inside and straight up to my room. Getting ready didn't take long-I'd already picked out my outfit days ago. I wanted to look good, but not like I was trying too hard. Casual cute. I curled my hair just slightly and spritzed on some perfume before grabbing the wrapped gift and heading back to the car.

The drive to Brett's house only took about ten minutes, but I was buzzing with nerves the entire time. I double-checked my makeup at every stoplight and smoothed my dress at least a dozen times. I didn't know why I was so jittery-it's not like this was our first anniversary. But something about two years felt... different. More serious.

When I pulled into his driveway, I parked carefully, took a deep breath, and glanced at my reflection one last time before unbuckling and getting out. My hands were practically shaking as I carried the gift to his front porch.

'Is he home?' I wondered as I rang the doorbell.

No answer.

I knocked, just to be sure.

Still nothing.

I frowned and pulled out my phone, checking our messages. No unread texts. No missed calls. I tried calling him, and the phone rang... but no answer.

That was weird. He'd said he'd be home all afternoon. I even reminded him yesterday.

I waited a few minutes, pacing in front of the door, trying not to let my imagination run wild. Maybe he went to grab food. Maybe he was in the shower. Maybe-

I stopped pacing.

His car wasn't in the driveway.

A knot twisted in my stomach.

That didn't necessarily mean anything. He could've gone to get snacks or pick something up. I sat down on the front step and waited for ten minutes, scrolling mindlessly through social media, trying to distract myself.

Nothing.

I tried calling again.

Still no answer.

I sighed and stood up, biting my lip. "Come on, Brett..."

Just then, I heard a car approaching. My heart jumped-until I saw that it wasn't his. Some random sedan just cruising by.

I leaned against the doorframe, thinking back over the past few weeks. Things had felt... off. Not majorly, just little things. Late replies. Cancelling plans. Saying he was tired a lot. I tried to shake it off. This was supposed to be a happy day. Our anniversary. I didn't want to read too much into it.

After another ten minutes of silence, I finally set the gift down on his welcome mat, tucked safely in the corner where it wouldn't be stepped on or rained on.

"I hope you like it," I whispered to no one in particular, then turned and walked back to my car.

I tried not to cry. Not yet.

Maybe there was a good reason. Maybe he'd call back with a perfect excuse.

But that little voice in the back of my mind wouldn't stop whispering.

And it sounded a lot like doubt.

03

« Hmm, » I hummed, closing the front door softly behind me as I walked into Brett's familiar living room. The scent of his cologne still lingered in the air, a mix of cedarwood and something slightly spicy-something that used to make my stomach flutter.

I held the little gift bag close to my chest, my heart racing with excitement. I'd been planning this surprise for weeks. I even called off my shift just to make it perfect. His present-two tickets to the college championship game he'd been dying to attend-was tucked safely inside the bag with a picture of us from our first game day together framed in black and gold. I was so proud of it. So proud of us.

Then I heard it. A sound. Faint at first. A thud. A moan.

I paused on the stairs, frowning. Maybe he was watching one of those stupid action movies again, the ones with all explosions and very little plot. I crept up the stairs, still trying to convince myself nothing was wrong. But deep down, my gut twisted.

I tiptoed over to his door, holding my breath. My fingers gripped the gift tighter. I wanted this to be perfect. I wanted him to light up when he saw me. I wanted him to hold me and say how much he loved me and how this was the best surprise ever.

But instead-

Oh boy. Was I right? A surprise? Yeah. Just not the kind I wanted.

« Hey Brett, I got-oh my gosh, » I said, my voice faltering into a horrified whisper.

Time slowed. My heart stopped. My breath caught in my throat as I stood frozen in the doorway.

There he was. Brett. Naked. Completely and shamelessly naked. And not just alone-he was on top of Tasha. Also naked. And they were tangled together like a pair of snakes in heat.

He kissed her.

He actually kissed her.

« I love you, Tasha, » he said softly, like some kind of romantic movie moment. I could see her smile up at him as if he'd just told her the secrets of the universe. I stood there, trembling, feeling every part of me unravel.

I cleared my throat, loudly.

His eyes shot up.

The color drained from his face the second he saw me. His entire body froze as if someone had poured ice water down his spine. « Oh my gosh. Sam, baby, when did you get here? » he stammered, scrambling off of her like a guilty child caught stealing candy.

Tasha let out a soft squeak and pulled the covers around her chest, but it didn't matter. I'd already seen everything.

« Hey, Sam, I was just, uh- » Tasha began, her voice trembling.

« Shut up, » I snapped. Cold. Sharp. Final. She instantly shut her mouth and looked down, her cheeks burning red as she tightened the sheet around herself like it could erase what I'd seen.

I walked toward the dresser, where my carefully crafted gift now felt like a cruel joke. I snatched the photo of us off the frame. The picture of two smiling idiots who thought they'd beat the odds. I tore the football tickets from the back of the frame, and then-without hesitation-I hurled it to the ground.

The glass shattered into a hundred little glittering shards. Tasha yelped and turned her face away, shielding her eyes.

« Happy two-year-anniversary, boyfriend, » I spat the word like poison. His face twisted with regret, but I didn't care. I held up the football tickets-front row, perfect seats. His dream-and ripped them straight down the middle. Once. Then again. Then again. Tiny pieces fluttered to the floor at his feet.

His eyes widened. « Sam, please, » he said, but I cut him off with a glare so cold it could've frozen fire.

« Go to hell, » I hissed, turning on my heel and storming out.

I took the stairs two at a time, my lungs burning as I tried not to cry, not yet, not in front of him. My fingers fumbled for my keys as I burst through the front door and ran to my car.

« Sam! » he called after me, his voice cracking.

I locked the doors as I jumped in and started the engine. He was already pounding on the driver's side window, a sheet barely clinging to his waist.

« Sam, please! Let me explain! It's not what it looks like! » he begged, panic rising in his voice.

I didn't even look at him. My heart was pounding so loudly in my ears I could barely hear anything else. I slammed the car into reverse and stepped on the gas. He jumped back, the sheet flaring in the breeze as I backed out of the driveway.

I didn't stop driving until I was halfway down the street. My hands were shaking. My vision blurred with tears. I felt sick.

I pulled over for a second, heart racing, hands trembling, and grabbed my phone. I scrolled through my contacts, barely able to see through the flood of tears now streaking down my face. I tapped Kyrn's name and put the phone to my ear.

« Hello? » she answered instantly.

« Kyrn, » I sobbed. The tears came freely now. I didn't care anymore. I felt like my chest had been ripped open.

« Oh sweetie, what happened? » Her voice immediately dropped into comfort mode.

« He's a lying, sex-craved man-whore! » I yelled, voice breaking with every word.

There was a pause, like she was reining in her own anger. « Okay. I'm on my way. Need anything? »

« Movies and ice cream, please, » I cried harder, clutching the steering wheel like it was the only thing keeping me from falling apart.

« Okay, hun. I'll be right over. »

« Okay, thank you. Bye, » I whispered, wiping my cheeks.

« Anytime. Bye, » she said softly before hanging up.

I stared out the windshield, watching the world blur. The day that had started with so much hope had crumbled in a matter of seconds. My fingers traced the outline of where the tickets had been, now just shredded scraps in the passenger seat. Everything I thought we had-everything I thought he was-was a lie.

I took a shaky breath and turned the car back onto the road, heading to Kyrn's. I didn't know what would come next. But I knew one thing for sure.

I was done with Brett.

And this wasn't the end of me. Not even close.