-"Help me!"- Jazmyn screamed in pure desolation.

-"It's all your fucking fault!"- Jason barked as his eyes full of wrath shoot down my body.

I tried to run but it was pointless. Jason's strong hands already gripped around my shoulder and applied force to block my breathing pathway. I was yelping and patting my arms in the air for fresh oxygen but it was impossible, Jason's hands never released my neck.

I woke up this time screaming. It became a habit, the horrific nightmares involving Jason and me. Sometimes Jazmyn, my parents, Emily or my grandmother would also take part in the horrible play inside my head but the main act was Jason and me. The thoughts were torturing me mentally, even though I managed to gain some weight in the last week.

I was seriously considering of seeking medical help, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist. The black man of the apartment came into my mind but I brushed off the thought as he lived where Jason left me and I had no intention of going back.

I was in a city I hardly knew, surrounded by strangers, far away from any person I knew and with a potential psychotic guy chasing me. Life couldn't go better, note the sarcasm.

-"At least you are not encaged"- I mumbled to myself as I finished the breakfast I requested to the receptionist.

I texted my grandmother telling her I loved her. It became a constant habit to remind her my love for her during the past days, anything was more than enough to keep me distracted from my dark thoughts.
Going out for a walk wasn't helpful either. Everytime I was out I would imagine seeing Jason watching me or running after me when in reality it was just my brain playing games. Every little task felt intimidating and I was mentally tired of being scared and hoping the worsts.

I decided to search up my symptoms in order to find a suitable cure of whatever was happening to me. All I read leaded to the realisation I had PTSD [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder]. However I was not a doctor so hopefully it wasn't that serious as I read on the internet.

The symptoms included;
•Reliving the event; Which explained the constant nightmares and flashbacks.
•Avoiding situations that reminded me of the event; Which explained why I was scared of going out or locked, hence my new fear of elevators.
•Having more negative beliefs and feelings; Which explained why I was constantly feeling guilty about Emily's death and Jason's abnormal behaviour and also why I was constantly in fear.
•Hyperarousal; Which explained why I constantly felt in danger, why I could barely sleep, my sudden lack of concentration and the nightmares.

I decided to take matters into my own hands and breakthrough the cage my trauma built around me, I picked up my phone and searched my contacts, I only had two; My grandmother and Shawn Mendes. I called Shawn and placed the phone close to my ear.

I heard the beeps showing it was calling him until finally he picked it up. -"Hello? Gabriella?"- He spoke.

-"Yeah, It is me. I needed to talk to you about something but its pretty serious and it might sound shocking.

-"I told you there is nothing you can say that will make me hate you, you can trust me"- He softly spoke, his voice comforting me.

I felt like it could help me relief some of the tension and stress I was under so I started telling him everything since the very beginning,  starting from that horrible day of the car crash until he found me running around the city, also including the nightmares and anxiety I was currently feeling.l and going through.

-"Gabriella, that's very powerful, look I'll go and pick you up in a couple of hours I have something very important to do"- I could tell by his tone that the thing he had to do was pretty serious so I answered affirmatively and hung up afterwards.

Sighing as if I just released an armour that weighed a thousand pounds I laid in bed. Opening up was an acting which seemed quite helpful, it felt like sharing the pain with someone so I wouldn't have to carry with the penitence alone.

I was exhausted and panicking so I decided to stay in the hotel room until Shawn arrived. My mind was exhaustively focused on everything regarding Jason. Millions of questions kept surfing my brain about where he could be and what he could be doing. I feared he would still insistently look for me like a predator.

I reminded myself Shawn was there to help me. He was my only friend which wasn't either miles away from me or kidnapped, Jazmyn please be ok...

The sound of a text message coming from my phone almost provoked me a heart attack. I checked the ID and it was Shawn asking me to go down and meet him by the entrance again but this time he said to pack everything I had.
After a couple of minutes collecting the little make-up I bought last week and the clothes Shawn bought me I made my way to the lobby.

I encountered Shawn resting his back by the door and I cleared my throat so he could notice me. He turned his neck to meet my position.

-"Hey Gabriella, It's been over one week!"- He cheerful stated to which I nodded and gently smiled.

He indicated me to get inside his car as he helped me with my belongings and soon after we were driving through the city out to a suburb area. Shawn kept supporting me making nice comments about how strong I was after suffering all that Jason put me through. I thanked him for his words but I sincerely wished I didn't had to have gone through all the torture.

The driving lasted for a good solid ten more minutes before a huge impressive house stood proudly in front of my eyes. Tall metallic gates protected the area isolating it from the surroundings. The name 'Mendes' could be read on a big plate by the main gate opening. We passed by a security guy who politely and respectfully welcomed Shawn and opened the electronic gate for us.

Shawn parked just in front of the main door and got out of the car rapidly. I waited for him to get to my side before I followed his actions. A couple of bodyguards protected the entrance but they moved and opened the door as Shawn and I approached it. Did all of this belonged to Shawn?

Shawn walked me through a long hall until he stopped me by a big wooden door. He asked me to wait for a second and I affirmatively nodded as he knocked and entered the room.
I looked around and I felt uncomfortably watched by dozens of roman statues and large paintings hanging from the walls of the corridor.

I felt genuinely curious so I placed my ear over the wooden door in order to hear what was going on inside.

-"Dad, I got the girl"- Shawn's voice said.

-"Shawn what did I tell you?!"- A deep voice spoke clearly not happy about Shawn's information.

-"Dad we also got him!"- Shawn proudly said trying to impress whoever he was talking to.

There was a short silence afterwards. I regained my normal position so I wouldn't look too suspicious and waited quietly. The door opened and Shawn's figure followed by another man came out from the room.

-"You must be Gabriella"- The man said as he gently grabbed my hand and kisses the back of it. I smiled awkwardly as I had no idea who he was. -"I have heard a lot about you, let me just say you look more gorgeous in person"- He added with a soft smirk playing on his lips.

I thanked him slowly. Was he Shawn's dad as he previously referred to him by that name? They did have a slight resemblance and both were wearing suits and expensive looking clothes. How did he even know about me, did Shawn talked about me to this man?

-"Dad can I show her?"- Shawn excitedly asked his so called father.

His dad switched gazes between me and Shawn before opening his mouth. -"I'll leave that up to you, but you know the responsibilities and consequences"- His father said sternly before entering back into the room.

-"Come Gabriella I'd like to show you something"- Shawn said as he extended his hand gesticulating me to interlock my fingers with his, and so I did.

We walked until another door stopped us by the end of the corridor. Shawn opened it and leaders going down brighten by several light bulbs came into view. I generally didn't have good memories with dark places below the ground floor but Shawn kept insisting it was something important.

I tightened my grip around his arm as we reached the end of the stairs. Another corridor appeared, we kept walking until he suddenly stopped making me stop too. We were by a place with bars that looked like a jail. There were four men guarding the place to assure everything was fine.

-"Aren't you going to show yourself?"- Shawn spoke lowly as his eyes nailed on the darkness of the cell.

I followed his eyes keeping my stare by the jail until Shawn pressed a remote and the lights of the cell switched on. My eyes widened in shock and surprise as I spotted a bruised Jason tied to a chair in the middle of the cell.

He slowly moved his face until our eyes collided into a strong stare. His eyes reflected hate and disgust towards me. I broke the stare looking somewhere else and gulping in the act. If stares could kill I'd be annihilated by him.

-"How?..."- I asked avoiding his eyes even though I could tell they were nailed on me.

-"Gabriella, I think it's time to make him pay, all the horrible things he has done to you deserve no mercy, it's all yours"- Shawn spoke as he lifted the side of his jacket revealing a silver revolver shining with the lights of the basement.

He unlocked it from his cage and placed the gun slowly on my hands. I stared at it as my hands started to shake in fear. I hated guns. I lifted my gaze to meet Jason's position again, he was facing away from me as his teeth clenched roughly in impotence.

-"I have a better idea..."- I spoke obtaining Shawn's full attention. -"Why don't we humiliate him, killing him directly wouldn't be as enjoyable as watching him get humiliated"- I spoke with no emotions.

Shawn widened his eyes and the ends of his mouth curved into an evil smirk. -"That's actually a pretty good idea"- He spoke as he took back the gun off my hands.

I gave one last look over Jason. He avoided my eyes this time. I knew he hated me with a passion but I couldn't just kill him, the mere thought of doing so made my stomach ache in pure pain. I needed time to think so humiliation was the first believable idea that appeared in my mind.

Shawn took me to a room on the second floor where he indicated me to settle myself. He insisted for me to stay and I had no other place to go, besides Jason was here there was not much I could do.

A text message woke me up from my daze. I checked the contact and Shawn's name shone brightly on the locked screen.

"Come down there will be a guy directing you for dinner"

I decided not to make him wait and left the room closing the door afterwards. The place was massive and elegant but it wasn't such a labyrinth. I finally reached the stairs and walked down until the figure of a big man came into view. He waved at me keeping his poker face indicating me to follow him.

He finally stopped at a double door and gently opened it to let me pass inside. I did so and a huge event's room appeared over my sight. It was incredibly beautiful. A long table covered by a white mantle and several plates filled with a variety of food were located in the middle of the room.

-"Take a sit"- Shawn waved.

I nodded and followed his instructions sitting on the opposite chair. Several utensils rested by each side of the table.

-"How can you even afford all of this?"- I spoke out from my amusement. Shawn laughed gently at my comment.

-"As I said my Dad is the CEO of a corporation that manufactures drugs like aspirin and other painkillers, it's well recognised"- Shawn explained as his gaze comforted on my face.

I nodded. So I was in front of the son of a famous and wealthy man that owned a pills company. It was amazing yet unbelievable.

-"Here is the act of the night"- Shawn said as he clapped firmly. The doors opened afterwards and two bodyguards entered the room holding a metallic chain. The pulled it provoking a groan. I frowned as I saw the end of the chain consisted of a dog collar which embraced Jason's neck tightly.

I covered my mouth preventing a gasp from exiting my lips. The guys pulled carelessly of it making Jason fall down to the floor unable to protect his face from each pull as his hands were tightly handcuffed behind his back.

-"He will be the little dog, he will clean all the food that falls to the floor or that we don't want"- Shawn explained as he grabbed a piece of meat from the chicken in front of him, licked it and then threw it towards Jason. -"Go eat it dog"- Shawn bitterly said.

Jason stared at Shawn with complete hatred. Suddenly one of the bodyguards pressed his foot against Jason's head and pushed his head down to the floor. I watched horrified as Jason ate what Shawn previously threw to the floor.

-"Good boy, now lets eat Gabriella"- He mocked Jason before speaking sweetly to me.

I tried to evade my confused yet bad thoughts off my head by eating whatever I could grab. The situation was tense and uncomfortable. I didn't like been so close to Jason yet I hated the way Shawn was treating him, it wasn't easing my pain at all but increasing it.

I decided to give my food to Jason as I guessed he was hungry and my stomach had a tight knot. I placed my untouched dish on the floor and slid it gently closer to him. He stared at the plate then back at me. His expression reflected confusion yet disgust, I knew his manly proudness wasn't going to let him accept food from me.

The bodyguard attacked Jason again pushing his head against the plate just making his face get dirty with the food. I flinched in the act. -"The lady told you to eat it, now don't be disrespectful and eat it"- The man spoke.

I couldn't bare with the situation anymore. The pain they were causing to Jason felt just as if they were doing it to me. I wanted to end with the root of my pain but watching him suffer was not my antidote.

I excused myself and left the room. I jogged my way back to my assigned room and closed the door afterwards. I needed to see Jason, as scary as it could sound and probably ridiculous, I needed to talk to him.