Kind Kidnapping

It had been a late night, and she'd been working on an essay for her final. She stretched, clawing the air and stood from the wooden chair at her kitchen table. She grabbed her keys, and she exited her apartment into the dark city. She soon became aware that she was being followed. As she made to turn her new shadow she was yanked into an alley by him. Straining to see his face, she saw he was indeed a man. And he was putting a handcuff on one of her wrists. "Hi. How is your evening?" She stood in shock. "What the fuck? Who are you? Let go of me!" He smiled and, in any other situation, it would have seemed polite. "I'm Sinclair. I'm kindly kidnapping you." Her confusion and shock grew. "Kindly kidnapping?" The man wordlessly revealed the other handcuff was on his wrist. "Yeah. I figured it's a better term than 'polite person snatching"' She became aware of her helpless situation all at once. She decided to make the best of it and at least figure out why this was going on, so she asked him. "Why are you doing this?" With his free hand, he adjusted his backpack strap. "I need friends, and no one in my neighborhood is friendly. I was thinking we could get some food. Maybe we could go to the Chinese restaurant nearby." Now she had questions, but first, she wanted to go home. "No. We're going to my house, and-" He interrupted her. "I thought you'd rather go somewhere public, you know, in case you think I'm a creep." She shook her head and began to pull him in the direction of her apartment. "Nope. I'd rather have home field advantage than be publicly attacked in a city where no one would stop you." He thought for a moment, trying to keep up with her as to not hurt his wrist. "I guess that makes sense. Hey, I never asked. What is your name?" She looked back at him as she got her keys out to open her door. "Sarah. It's Sarah." They moved into the living room, and stood for a moment, not knowing what to do. "May we sit? I've been on my feet all day." She looked at his worn tennis shoes. "Yeah. You said you wanted take out? Your buying." He smiled, thinking of her statement as an improvement. She thought of it as making the best out of a very bad situation. "Yes! Sure. Of course. Can I borrow your phone?" She handed her phone to him, and he dialed the number to the restaurant by memory. He placed an order. Quietly, he asked her for her address, a reassuring sign he hadn't been stalking her. When he hung up the phone, he took his laptop from his bag. "Do you like musicals" I have pretty much everything from the last 30 years." She paused. Hesitantly she replied, "Yeah. Do you have Hamilton?" As the doorbell rang, and they stood he replied: "Of course." She hid behind the door as he paid for the food. They sat and began to eat after he put on Hamilton."Do you like what I ordered? I didn't know what you wanted so I figured bourbon chicken and General Tso's chicken would be okay." She nodded, mouth full. When she was through with that bite she began her questions. "Why don't you have friends?" He looked at his food as if embarrassed. "I'm mentally ill. The inner-city hasn't been to nice to me because of it. People don't like my stimming, and lack of social skills, so I don't have friends." She looked at him with more curiosity. "Okay. That makes a little sense. You know what?" He tilted his head at her. "Because of you decent reason, I won't kick you out. You can't stalk me or anything though. That would be too much." He smiled at her widely. "I agree. So, can we be friends?" She appraised him carefully, measuring his intentions. She noted his ragged clothes and his tired eyes. "Yes. but I'm going to bed. I have classes in the morning. You don't have to leave because you don't look like you have a place to go. My room will be locked. I'll give you a blanket." He began to take his shoes off, thanked her, and padded to the kitchen to put up the food. She went to find an extra blanket. By the time she found it and returned he was already asleep on the couch. She laid the blanket on him and quietly wished him a goodnight.