Page 33 of Love Under Siege

Anya

When I wake up, a new sense of confidence washes over me. It could be from my weeks of self-defense classes or maybe it's just a good day, but I feel great. Lana is back at work and I'm ready to tackle some coursework I've been putting off. The doorbell camera beeps, alerting me of movement outside. For a moment, I worry that it could be something or someone dangerous, but then I check the app on my phone and see that it's just the mailman. I rush to the door, eager for any mail from Jacob. It's been days since we last talked and I miss him dearly.

I eagerly open the first letter, it’s from a few weeks ago and it reads...

Dear Anya,

It's our second night of training and it hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely tough moments when we mess up (which is expected since we're training to be soldiers). But overall, it's going okay. The drill sergeants aren't like what you see in movies. I miss you more than ever before and can't wait to hear your voice again. Even though this training is physically demanding, thoughts of you keep me going. You are the most beautiful woman on this planet and don't you forget it. And if I ever stop telling you how beautiful you are, remind me because that's one promise I'll never break.

I miss you so much, baby. When you receive this letter, please tell me everything. How is school going? How are Nana and Pops? How is everything with the stalker situation? I know I'm bombarding you with questions but I want to know everything. I want to listen, sympathize, and reassure you that everything will be okay. My heart aches to wake up next to the most beautiful woman every morning and trust me when I say this, that woman is you. I have to go now, we have an early start tomorrow. But know that you're always on my mind and in my heart. I love you, Anya Parker, and I can't wait to see you again.

With all of my heart,

Jacob

P.S. I love you!

Tucking the letter close to my chest, I imagine it’s him hugging me instead. My heart races with anticipation for his next letter, but my thoughts are interrupted when Lana enters the room. Confused, I greet her and question why she's home from work early.

"It was slow, so I decided to leave and have enough energy for self-defense class tonight," she explains proudly. "Oooh is that a letter from Jacob?!!" Lana exclaims, snatching the letter from my hand before I can react.

"Oh come on Lana, give it back!" I protest half-heartedly.

But as she reads the sweet and corny words written by Jacob, tears start to well up in her eyes. "Anya, he's literally the most perfect man ever!" She gushes dramatically. "I hope Adam is just like him."

I force a smile, not wanting to burst her bubble by telling her about how I’ve noticed him trying to flirt with me and other women in the class, it’s subtle but still there just the same. It's not a deal-breaker or anything, but I can't help but feel wary of someone who seems like a player. Before I can voice my concerns, Lana cuts me off.

"Ugh, don't worry Anya. I know he flirts with other girls, but I'm not looking for anything serious right now," she shrugs off nonchalantly.

"Wait, didn't you just say you hope he's like Jacob?" I raise my eyebrow skeptically.

Lana laughs sheepishly. "Yeah, I mean...I just hope he's sweet like Jacob. But not necessarily ready for a relationship," she clarifies.

I give her a look telling her she’s full of shit, and she sighs in resignation. "I know, I know. Who am I kidding, of course I want a relationship”, she concedes.

“All I’m saying is don’t get your hopes up with Adam” I reply.

"I just want what you and Jacob have. Is that too much to ask?" Lana confesses, looking dejected.

"No, it's not. You deserve to find someone who treats you like a queen," I reassure her, placing a hand on hers.

But before we could continue our conversation, the doorbell camera chimes, indicating movement outside, and I quickly pull up the app on my phone. Lana is about to speak when I shush her and show her the screen. Our faces turn pale as we see multiple people wearing ski masks and carrying unknown objects approaching the house. Suddenly, another group appears from behind the cars on the street, brandishing what looks like rifles.

Panicked, Lana immediately calls 9-1-1 as I watch in horror as they light and throw something at our home. My grandparents rush out of their rooms, Pops armed with a shotgun and Nana grabs the fire extinguisher.

The sound of sirens pierces through the chaotic night as the cops and firefighters arrive within 10 minutes. The group scatters in a frenzy, but the authorities manage to catch two of them. As the firefighters battle the raging flames, I make my way over to the police officers and immediately recognize the two familiar faces being handcuffed. Lana does too, and she unleashes a torrent of anger and curses at Caleb, who is being shoved into the back of a police car. I rush to pull her back before she can do something reckless. "Fuck you, Caleb!" she spits out, her voice trembling with rage. The officer shuts the door and I ask if I can speak to him before he drives away. He nods, telling me to make it quick. "Why, Caleb?" I demand, my blood boiling with fury. But he just scoffs and refuses to look at me, his eyes fixed straight ahead. In a fit of anger, I push him and scream, "I never did anything to you! Why did you terrorize me?!" Another officer pulls me away from the car before slamming the door shut. As Caleb looks out the window with an evil smirk on his face, Lana rushes to hug me and reassure me that it's finally over. But deep down, I know that something doesn't add up. When I see Marcus in another police car, it all clicks into place for me - it had to be Paul behind all this. "It was Paul," I say out loud, and Lana's expression confirms that she's come to the same realization. Just then, Detective Collins appears and promises to keep us updated on their investigation. That's when I mention my suspicions about Paul and he assures me they will look into it. Before leaving us alone again, he asks if we have somewhere else to stay while they continue searching for the other members of the group who managed to escape. I look at Lana, and we both know that it's not safe for me to go to her house. "I'm going to Pennsylvania," I tell her, "I'll stay with Jacob's mom on their farm. They have a state-of-the-art security system in place." Lana nods, tears glistening in her eyes as she pleads with me to be careful. I hug her one last time before rushing off to pack my bags. Thankfully, the only damage done to the house was to the front porch - but I can't shake off the feeling of unease and fear that Paul could still be out there, plotting his next move.

As I pack my luggage in my room, Nana enters with her own suitcase. I look at her in confusion and she explains, "Anya, I called your parents and told them what was going on."

Shock registers on my face as I ask, "What? Why? I don't want to go back there!"

She sits down next to me and says, "I understand that and you don’t have to, but they are still your parents and your father is still my son. I wanted to prepare him just in case."

Her voice is filled with concern, and it dawns on me what she's really saying. I hadn't considered the possibility of my family being retaliated against, and now I feel even more guilty for involving them. Despite my feelings towards my parents, I would never want them to get hurt. But then, why does Nana have a suitcase too? "What about your luggage?" I ask her.

She smiles and replies playfully, "Oh sweetie, did you think I would let you leave all by yourself?"

I protest, "But I can't ask you to leave Pop."

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