Falling Stars (Shooting Stars 5)

The door opened and I stepped in, only he did, too.

"Leave me alone. Tony, or I'll go to the police," I threatened.

"And tell them what? You came up to my apartment to listen to music?" He laughed and moved toward me. "If you just relax, you'll see you can have some fun. Come on," he urged. "I'll forgive you if you'll forgive me."

He put his hands on my shoulders and squeezed his fingers like pincers as he brought his lips toward mine again. Instinctively. I brought my right knee up into his groin sharply, getting him where I knew it would hurt him the most. He cried out and crumpled to his knees just as the elevator door opened.

An elderly lady stood there with a bag of groceries in her hand. Gazing in at us with a look of such shock on her face. I thought she might faint or have a heart attack. I stepped past him quickly as he rose by grabbing the railing and pulling himself up the side wall of the elevator.

"What's going on here?" the elderly lady asked me.

"Ask him," I said and hurried out of the lobby. I rushed down the sidewalk, walking as quickly as I could. I looked back once when I crossed a street. Thankfully, he wasn't coming after me. I walked faster, nevertheless, choking back the tears that rushed to my eyes.

People seemed to be looking at me everywhere. I guess because I was practically running and I did still have a frantic expression on my face. They must think I'm out of my mind, I thought. I was searching for someone I could ask for directions, but every time I turned toward someone, he or she looked absolutely terrified of me. One woman I called to actually broke into a fast walk to get away, and all I had done was pause to get her to help me.

Finally. I saw a police car and hurried to it. I knocked on the side window and the patrolman rolled it down.

"Yes?"

"I'm lost," I said, and told them where I was trying to go.

"You're not very lost." he said with a soft smile. "Take it easy. All you have to do is go over one block west and then go two more south, okay? Your street will be on the right. You're fine. Miss."

"Thank you." I said and followed his directions. When the Senetsky School came into view. I felt all the tension and panic leave my body. I never thought I would look upon it with such relief. We had all been given keys to the pedestrian gate. I hurried through and up the walkway to the front entrance, not stopping for a breath until I was practically at the door itself. Then I paused, looked back once, and entered.

Fortunately, no one was there to see how I looked. I would hate to have to explain it. My hair looked like a pack of field mice had been chasing each other in it for hours. My lipstick was smeared over my cheek. My blouse was out of my jeans and my face was so flushed, someone would think I had gotten a terrible sunburn. The first thing I did was strip and take a hot shower to calm myself.

When I stepped out and wrapped the towel around myself. I felt a great deal better. I only hope

Cinnamon and Ice don't have similar experiences , I thought. Rose was going to be so surprised to hear about this. and I hoped her boyfriend Barry would be angry. I was still quite infuriated.

Wiping my hair with another towel. I stepped out of the bathroom. My heart dropped and came up like a yowl in my chest. There was no doubt in my mind. Someone had just been in my room. The window was still slightly open and all the clothes I had just worn-- my jeans, my blouse, even my panties and bra-- were gone.

They were gone!

Pounding like the fist of someone locked in a room, my heart thumped under my breast and took my breath away. Slowly, with my legs almost numb. I went to the window, opened it farther, and leaned out. I looked up, but there was no sign of anyone: neither was there when I looked down. I was about to close the window and retreat when something caught my eye on one of the rungs of the ladder that led upward. I don't know where I found the courage. but I stepped through the window. barefoot and all, the towel still wrapped tightly around my body, and walked up the ladder.

It was my panties.

Whoever it was had dropped them and continued his flight.

I grasped them and lowered myself to my fire escape landing.

Fearful I would be seen out here and look quite foolish. I hurried back into my room. where I sat and waited for my heart to calm down and the others to return.

Cinnamon and Ice were back first. Rose about twenty minutes after them. By the time she came up the stairs. I had told Cinnamon and Ice everything. They consoled me, but they were both full of rage and pounced on Rose the moment she stuck her face in the door to see what was happening. It nearly brought her to tears, and she got right on the phone and called Barrv. After she described my horrible time with Tony, he asked to speak with me.

"I'm sorry that happened to you. Honey," he said. "I haven't known Tony very long, of course. but I'm surprised he behaved so badly. I'll speak to hi

m."

"I don't want you to have any trouble. Barry. Just forget it," I said.

"I won't have any trouble. The other guys will be just as upset about it. From the little I know about Tony. I see he's quite spoiled. His parents just give him money, let him have whatever he wants. Look how they set him up in that apartment they sublet from a client of his father's," he added.

"A client. I thought it was his uncle's

apartment."