If there was something in Caroline’s life that never seemed to get old, it’d probably be watching her husband perform. It was him in his element, it was watching all his hard work, creativity and pure raw (if she believed in a god) god given talent shine so perfectly. It was perhaps the way all of these people sang the lyrics to songs that he wrote, his words impacting so many lives. Aside from the obvious fact that the whole performance felt like teasing, some intense and public version of edging that could do nothing but turn her into what she’d been so lovingly nicknamed “Feral Carol.” There wasn’t anything sexier in the entire world, that was something she’d bet her entire bank account on.
This performance was no different, she was never tired of being his biggest fan and the amount of coffee mixed with tequila shots and passed blunts always gave her enough energy, enough confidence to forget that there were probably eyes on her at all times and her entire body seemed to feel the music. It was an addictive high, and the come down? Could knock her on her knees.
That’s what she’d been doing, scream singing lyrics back to him from her “Caroline safety spot” which is what she’d called the gated area that she was always placed in with mountains of security and anyone else who the fans deemed as “XO royalty.” It’s like she’d almost forgotten all the fear that she’d had, at least for these two hours, she could just be Mrs. The Weeknd instead of Caroline Tesfaye: stalking victim. Though, like every moment of feeling safe, it was fleeting and it was false; Caroline would never be safe unless this man was dead. It was her life or his, and she didn’t know which one of them would end up six feet in the ground.
“I have to go check on something, someone’s trying to get in and they’re worried. Stay here, Caroline. Do not move.” Jordan, the most trusted member of the security team, and Caroline’s favorite spoke, he pointed directly at another member of the team, “Do not let her out of your f***ing site. Do you hear me? I’m not f***ing around.” he says, as he disappeared into the crowd towards the double doors that were closed for the performance. She was sure it was nothing, just another crazed fan with fake tickets trying to get a glimpse of Abel. Caroline would’ve let them in, she would’ve found a way to give them a pass, because he was worth it. And because she’d been known to bribe fans to lessen the blow that she’d married the man they all had dreams of, and sometimes the twitter hate got to her.
She started looking for her bottle of water, with how hard she went for every song, she often lost her own voice from scream singing, she needed to rehydrate. “Here, Caroline.” The security member said she couldn’t exactly remember his name, but she knew that anyone who worked with them were identified by Jordan since the whole security member switcheroo that almost ended in her death with her stalker's hands around her neck. “Thank you.” she replied, bringing the bottle to her lips and immediately chugging it.
It tasted funny, but she figured it was due to the massive hit of the equally massive blunt that had been passed around. She pushed the thoughts out of her mind that it was happening again. She focused on watching him move across the stage, some lovey dovey version of grounding. It didn’t take long for her not to feel well, “I don’t feel so good. Too much.” she said gesturing to the blunt that had found its way back to the start of the half smoke circle to La Mar. “I’m gonna go backstage.” she told him, feeling a little dizzy and figuring that it was just the heat, the stress, and she’d certainly be making a joke later that Abel was so f***ing hot she passed out. Though in her gut, she knew something was wrong.
The member of security that Jordan had trusted with Caroline tried to help her as she made her way towards the doors and backstage. It was getting hazy, and harder to walk, but she hadn’t lost consciousness yet, something she was sure was going to happen. She felt trapped in her own mind, her mind racing with trying to figure out the amount of time she had before everything went black. The security guard had one arm around her and the other holding a phone, “It’s done.” he said, but she wasn’t sure what he meant, though she had a sickening feeling that she might die tonight. If she lost her life, at least she could go serenaded by the sound of the love of her life’s voice.
She didn’t know where she ended up, but she was sure that it was on a couch somewhere. Maybe his dressing room? She didn’t know, she did know that she couldn’t move her body, but she could still hear, she couldn’t open her eyes. They felt too heavy, like she was too tired. She heard the door open, she heard the sound of shoes against the hard floor. They weren’t women’s shoes, but she heard the tap of what she’d assumed to be leather, dress shoes, the slight squeak sounded like they were new, the polish slipping over the smooth floor…..and they said being obsessed with shoes would never come in handy.
“Hi, Caroline. Don’t worry, don’t be scared. I’m here.” the voice said and if she wasn’t already paralyzed, she would be by fear. She knew this voice. This voice haunted every nightmare, this voice made her want to throw up, it made her want to run, it was his.
“It’s not time yet, I’m having too much fun playing. I have to keep punishing him for trying to take you, Caroline. Doesn’t he know you’ve always belonged to me?” he said softly, fingertips brushing against her cheek as she tried everything to get her body to move. “I have to go now, will you give this to your husband for me?” he said, sticking a note under her limp hand, “Next time she won’t wake up.” was all it said, it was the last thing she saw before her eyes closed and she slipped under the blanket of unconsciousness.
