The Original Sin Ch. 01

One afternoon I had come home from a run around the park and outside my apartment was a glass vase filled with two dozen beautiful red roses. Confused I thought it might have been a mix up between me and my neighbors but as a bent over to pick it up a tag attached to the vase caught my eye. On the crisp white card in elegant black cursive was my name. Evangeline. I had blushed, of course, I was very flustered entering my home that day. Never in my life had I received flowers, from anyone, ever. I had just turned twenty two and moved into my first apartment by myself in a town I didn't really know. And despite the protest from my very overprotective sister and mother I was determined to make the most of it.

To be honest as flattered as I was I just wanted to find the person who had sent them and tell them that, while I was gracious that they had thought to send me such a beautiful gift, I didn't want whatever expectations came with it. I had placed the flowers on my kitchen table and picked up the card attached to the vase. On the inside were the words "Your smile is as beautiful as your soul". I won't lie. It warmed my heart that anyone would have noticed my smile none the less my soul. I didn't talk much at work and I didn't really have any close friends in college or high school that I still talked to.

Which, meant that it must have been a joke, a prank maybe.

But by who?

Just like I didn't have friends I didn't have enemies either. I was alone except for my family and even they were two states away. I ended up ignoring the flowers and leaving them to wilt on my kitchen table. And a week later when I received another vase this time the note saying "seeing you makes me feel alive again" I ignored them too.

As the months past it became a sort of routine. I would bring the flowers into my apartment from outside my door. Replace the dying ones from last week with ones I had brought in. I had even begun to fantasize about what my mysterious admirer looked like. Maybe I did have the time for a few dates after all. Especially with someone who could feel about me the way their notes expressed. The same notes that I kept in the drawer next to my bed. Some nights I'd take them out and read them over to myself.

Just to make sure they were real.

That someone could notice me.

That someone did notice me.

Running around the part always gave me a sense of release. It's not that a ran particularly fast, but I was in my own world. A world where I was untouchable. A world where it was better to be alone then to have to deal with someone next to you trying to talk your ear off.

Slowing down to a light jog I wiped the sweat from my brow and approached one of the parks drinking fountains. Gulping down the cool liquid I almost didn't hear someone calling my name. I looked up noticing someone jogging over to me. I stood up and eyed the man approaching my warily.

"You're the librarian at the library on Jackson street right?" he asked, his breath labored from the short jog over to me.

"I'm one of them yes." I crossed my arms in from of me. Looking around the park quickly. There were people around close enough to see if something happened.

"Right my daughter told me that you came to her school to talk to her class about getting a library card and now she won't stop talking about it." He gave me a wiry smile that reeked of exasperation. "But I guess there are worst things that she could be caught up on right."

"Ha-ha yeah that is true." I gave him a small smile. "Is she here with you?" because if she wasn't I had no idea how he would have known who I was.

"Yeah she's over there with her mother and she pointed you out to me." He pointed behind him to the right and I spotted to figures sitting on a bench. The shorter one, obviously the daughter could been seen throwing bread crumbs at a gaggle of ducks in front of her.

"I was just wondering about the card. Is it true that It's free or do you also have to pay a membership fee?" The man was looking at me intently as my attention was snapped back to him.

"Well sir as a way to get younger kids in the middle and elementary schools reading more we offer free memberships as long as you bring in a proof of enrollment from the surrounding schools. Such as a class schedule or school id."

The man looked troubled and he stayed quite for a few. "Will a report card work? Her school doesn't give out schedules or ID's."

"Yes that should be fine." I had forgotten that most elementary schools on this area didn't give out ID's.

"Ok. Sounds good, thanks for the information and enjoy your run."

I watched as he ran back over to his family, picking up his daughter from behind the bench and spin her around. I smiled at the sight before continuing my run in the same direction at before.

When I had come home from the library later that afternoon just like the first day it started a vase of two dozen pristine red roses stood in front of my door. Bringing them in I placed them on the counter. With a rush of giddiness that I hadn't felt in god knows now long I snatched the little white card from the vase.

"Don't talk to other men."

The words were slanted, rushed it seemed like.

And angry.

The word 'don't' gone over so many times I was surprised that they didn't make a hole in the note. I was even more surprised by the hurt that clenched my gut. The number of excuses that crossed my brain. It wasn't even like that. I didn't approach him he came to me. I was uncomfortable with the situation. I-

Wait.

What the fuck was I doing?

Trying to explain myself to... what a fucking piece of paper?

Gone was the hurt. Replaced now by blazing anger. Standing up I haphazardly grabbed the vase in my arms spilling water all over my legs. Ripping open my door with a strength I didn't know I had my bare feet slapped against the metal stair case as all but ran down towards the communal garbage dump. I ignored the chilled wind brushing against my bare shoulders and when I was a few feet away I chucked the vase flowers and all into the open lid of the dumpster.

I listened for the satisfying sound of glass breaking before marching back into my apartment feeling overly content with my actions.

But the flowers kept coming and every time I left for work there was a new vase waiting outside my door. Every note worst the one before it.

"I'm watching you."

"STOP throwing out my roses!"

"Don't cry my love, I hate seeing you cry."

"I will make you feel better."

"I'm coming to get you!"

It had gotten so bad that I didn't want to leave my apartment at all. I called in sick and stayed at home wrapped up in my comforter with my curtains drawn.

Then as I was in my kitchen I heard a shuffling outside my door. I listened to see if they would move past my door maybe on their way to a neighbors or something but the steps paused. And I heard the clink of glass on cement.

He was there.

Outside my door. Leaving those damn flowers that bad me afraid to leave my room. I didn't even give a second to think when I walked to the door. I didn't falter in my movement as my hand twisted the doorknob. And didn't halt the anger I wasn't aware had been seeping under my skin like lava until my eyes met the piercing greens of the man knelt down at my feet.

He stood up, towering over my five foot two inches by at least another foot. His blonde mane was pulled into a low pony behind his back underneath a khaki colored cap. He smiled at me, the vase still wrapped around one arm. Apparently he had picked it back up after resting it in front of my door.

"Nice to finally meet you Evangeline." His voice was smoother than silk as he extended his hand to me.

I stared at it as if it was covered in maggots.

"And you must be my stalker." I spat out. The smile fell from his face and he lowered his arm slowly. I saw something, maybe annoyance, flash in his eyes before he let out a small chuckle.

"Well I've been called a few things but uh that's a first." He adjusted his cap with his free hand. "Actually my name is Adam. And I deliver flowers." He said while tapping the right side of his chest where a logo that stated Ciderman Flowers had been printed. I narrowed my eyes at the logo and then at his face.

"Then how do you know my name?"

He held up familiar white card and pointed to the black ink. "I mean I don't read inside the card but it's kinda hard to miss that."

Oh.

"Right." I flushed embarrassed at my actions. I opened my mouth to apologize but was cut off before I could make a sound.

"Oh and before you ask I only know where you live because it's my job to know. As in my job as a delivery man, not a stalker"

I could literally feel my face burning.

"Right...I'll just uh take those now." He raised an eyebrow at me before handing the flowers over. "Sorry for the...um ...mix up."

He looked like he was about to say something else but I closed the door and let my forehead lean against it. There was a pause and then a shuffling outside the door that I assumed was him leaving.

Turning around and sliding my back against the door until I was sitting in an L position I let out a groan while placing the flowers next to me. Way to make a fool of yourself Evangeline.

I brought my knees to my chest and banged my head against them lightly. Looking over towards the vase my eyes zeroed in on the note card.

Strangely over the next few months I would see Adam almost daily around my apartment complex. I found out, after getting over the embarrassment of our first meeting enough to talk to him, that the company that be worked for was in charge of the renovations in the landscape of my complex. So to earn a little extra money he was helping out when deliveries were slow.

It was almost as if things had gone back to normal. The flowers still came of course but to my relief the notes were blank every time. Actually it was almost as if Adam were giving me the flowers himself. A prospect that I didn't mind at all. The times when he'd deliver the flowers and I'd be home I'd invite him in and we would sit and talk about anything and everything until the sun set through my kitchen window.

It was a Tuesday. Three days before I had final worked up the courage to ask Adam over for dinner which had been set for tonight. I was at a local farmers market just blocks away from my building, picking out some fresh meat and vegetables. Luckily for me my neighbor had offered up her sixteen year old son to help me take the bags back to my apartment. Jimmie didn't seem to be too happy to be pulled away from his video games, so for his sake I didn't take too long.

Jimmie and I walked up to my apartment building. Outside I saw Adam pulling weeds from the flowerbed on the side of the building. I called his name and waved watching as his head snapped up and turned towards me.

I saw a smile tug at his lips before his eyes shifted towards Jimmie. His face view stony and I looked back at Jimmie to see if the boy had done something to make him upset. Jimmie wasn't even looking in Adams direction and when I looked back Adam had already resumed his task. Though with more severity than before.

Jimmie shifted the bags in his hands and cleared his throat. Sending one last glance towards Adam I opened my building doors for Jimmie and followed him in. I thanked him as he put the paper bags on to the kitchen table and left.

I glanced at the roses on my table as I took the carton of milk from one of the plastic bags. This one had arrived just three days ago the note again blank as if my stalker had run out of things to say. My phone rang and I glanced at the caller ID. It was my sister. I let out a sigh and picked up.

"No Emily, its nothing for you to worry about." I said as I leaned against my kitchen counter top, already guessing what she was going to say before she said it. The phone was held in between my shoulder and ear as I washed my plate and cup in the sink.

"Could you just tell me what going on? I mean really texting me in the middle of the day asking me if I've been sending you flowers for the past half a year. That weird. What wrong with the flowers and how do you know they are even for you? Maybe they are just a mistake. They're probably for your neighbors, you know."

"They have my name on it em. I just thought it might have been you and John playing a stupid joke. Honestly it's not that bad. Besides I sent you that text weeks ago."

"John and I have better things to do then send you flowers for six straight months little sis, like planning a wedding, which by the way is the reason it took me so long to respond to you. Ugh I can't take this stress. Maybe mom was right you might be a little too young to live on your own. Listen pack some stuff up and I'll have John take the trip down to get you this weekend."

" Emily, I'm nineteen I can take care of myself, it's just a couple of flowers that's all. I'm not leaving my apartment." I contemplated taking the phone away from my ear as her voice raised in volume.

"If it were just a couple of flowers then you wouldn't have texted. I know you better than that Evie. You make it sound like you're being stalked. Is that what it is cause now I'm definitely gunna tell John to come get you. And you need to call the police pronto. " I let out a sigh. Now I have her started.

"I really shouldn't have called you Em. Sorry to worry you." I hung up the phone and rinsed the soap off of my dishes. With my luck she'd speed dial mom and then I'd have to deal with her going off in my ear.

A few hours later and thankfully no call from mom, I heard the doorbell ring and tuned off the oven. Just in time. I opened the door tentatively I peeked through the crack. It was Adam of course holding a bouquet of roses in his hands a charming smile on his face. He must have gotten over whatever had upset him earlier. I opened the door wider to let him in. He walked in and presented the flowers to me.

"Flowers, from your impatient lover" he said with a wink.

"I wouldn't call him that." I muttered shoving the disappointment to the back of my mind.

"Impatient?"

"My lover." I said dryly turning away from him. "Let me go put these somewhere special."

Like the garbage can.

"You should smell them first. The scent has been genetically modified." He shot me an encouraging grin. I raised an eyebrow." I guess some people don't think that roses actually smell good naturally." I laughed and shook my head. Leaning closer I inhaled the sweet aroma of the altered roses. My mouth watered at the honeyed fragrance and I inhaled again practically shoving the roses in my face. "Good right, I even brought plant feed along so they would last longer" he patted his pockets and frowned. "Crap I must of left in the car. I be right back."

He held out his hand in a 'don't move' motion and walked out the door. I walked into the kitchen with a dreamy smile on my face. Unwrapping the plastic surrounding the flowers I almost slipped on the note that had fallen to the ground. I bent over and picked it up. Noticing a little dirt on the inside I opened it it wipe it off.

The flowers feel from my hand as I stared at the note in horror.

"You Are Mine."

Dropping the note I turned around and rushed out the door. I had to find Adam. That was a threat. I wasn't stupid. It was a threat against me and Adam and oh god why. Why couldn't they leave me alone? My eyes burned as tears gathered in my eyes. I brought my arm up to clear my blurry vision. And screamed when someone grabbed hold of my shoulders.

"Hey hey hey, calm down eve it's me." I stopped struggling when I made out Adams voice which was full of worry. "Eve what's the matter with you?"

"Adam the note. I was so worried about you...I can't do this anymore my sister was right I have to get to the police." I looked into his calm eyes and frowned. Did he not get it? My heart was pounding against my chest and I could hear it loudly in my ears.

"Shhhhh" he rubbed up and down my arms and pulled me towards him. "Calm down it will be ok nobody is going to the police."

I tried to pull away from him "no you don't understand." He kept me to him.

"Shhhh just take few seconds to slow down ok" he rubbed my back in a comforting manner. As annoyed as I was getting from him shushing me my body listened to him. My heart slowed down and my breathing evened out. "That's good. Do you feel better?" I nodded into his chest. "Good," he pulled away from me and looked into my tear stained eyes. He was so calm and even though I was grateful for it. I didn't understand it. My head felt foggy. I looked away from his eyes a shook my head to try to clear it. It didn't work.

"Adam we need-"

He placed his thumb on my bottom lip and I stopped talking to look back at his face. His eyes were smoldering. Burning with a hunger I hadn't seen in him before.

Or maybe I wasn't looking.

In seconds Adam's hand wrapped around my hair and he crushed his lips to mine. He let out a low groan as he backed me into the brick wall of my building. My mind was running sluggishly slow as I tried to comprehend what was going on. My body felt like my nerves we pulsing sending tiny electric shocks down in between my legs. His other hand found its way underneath my shirt rubbing a nipple through the thin fabric of my bra.

"Adam?" It had meant to pose a question but it came out like a breathy moan instead. He parted my lips with vigor twisting his tongue into my mouth. The feel of velvet twisting and massaging my own tongue caused me to moan out for real this time. Chuckling he stepped back from me. I slid down the wall, my legs to unsteady to hold myself up. My body now felt like it was weighed down by sand bags. Adam squatted in front of me. Pathetically I tried to move towards him only for me to fall forward almost hitting my face if he hadn't caught me by my shoulders.

He brought one hand up to caress my face as I tried to focus my eyes on his. I couldn't my vision was too blurry and I found that each time I blinked to clear it, the harder it was to open my eyes again.

"Oh Evangeline." I closed my eyes as his hand traveled to my hair petting it softly before taking the hair closest to my skull in a savage grip. He yanked my head towards him and I felt his breath against my ear. "I thought I told you not to talk to other men." He let me go and I passed out before my head hit the floor.