The Number Three

Part One

They say that we get three great loves in our entire lifetime. That contradicts fate and soulmates. I'm not sure that I believe any of those things. All I'm sure of is that there are certain people that break pieces of you beyond repair and who knows, maybe three was the number we all get; or maybe I fell into an unlucky streak.

Chapter One

"The first kind of love is a young one. Idealistic and like a fairytale live we read about as kids. It looks right."

When my eyes finally focus it's bright and loud.
I'm on a bus and I see him.
"Jason?" My voice is like I'm speaking through water. I blink but he's still there. Smiling and precious. Where is he? I look around. Our school bus. But how?
"Jason what are you doing here? You left months ago and why are we on a bus? It's summer." Everything fades out and I'm hearing chaos.
"Chloe? Are you okay? Must have been some dream."
"Mom? What-ugh." My mother only laughs and shakes her head.
"Want to talk about it?" She asks finally.
"Breakfast." I groan getting up. Truth is I didn't want to talk about it.
When we get downstairs I smell it. Bacon, eggs, toast and waffles. I smile because it's a Saturday tradition we'd almost completely abandoned.
"What's the occasion?"
"I'm off work and I wanted to do it. You're my last little bird in the nest and soon you'll be gone too." I sigh and wrap my arms around my mother. Of the three of us we are the closets.
"I'll always come home mom."
"You'll tell me if things get to be too hard? I know I'm not home enough-"
"It's fine mom. Promise."
"Eat. Shower. Busy day."
At the mention of today I'm no longer hungry but I force myself to eat. No use stressing my mom out. After shopping, lunch and dessert I find myself sitting in a too familiar chair picking at my nails.
"Chloe?"
"Hmm?"
"I asked how the week was."
"Fine."
"That's all I get? In the three months we have been seeing each other you've yet to be anything but vague. This is a safe space." I purse my lips and nod once. "What did you do last week?"
"Painted. Read some books. Music." This time Dr. Trish purses her lips.
"What? Do you want me to tell you that I cut? Pills? Alcohol? What do you want from me?"
"You are just shy of fourteen years old Chloe."
"I know."
"Something is making you want to do all of those things."
"I know." I said quieter.
"Let's talk about your father."
"Why?"
"What do you remember?"
"Uh, you're joking right? I remember he beat the hell out of us. He was mean. A liar. A cheater. I remember his leaving was like Christmas morning for all of us. I remember all of it."
"You're angry?"
"Not anymore." Was I? Who knew.
"How about sam and Jess?"
"What about them?"
"Do you speak?"
"I guess. They're busy."
"Hmmm."
"School. Friends. Lives."
"And your mom?"
"She's tired."
"And?"
"Sad. Stressed. Angry. Trying."
"I know. You keep her going."
After my session I'm exhausted. We pick up my prescription and head to grab dinner.
"How was it?"
"Fine." I never tell her anything different. We can't afford it so I ought to stop being stubborn but the truth is if whatever was wrong was so easy to fix, why wasn't it right by now?
"Okay."
"I love you mom."
"I love you sweetheart."
When we've eaten I go to bed. My step father works nights and I didn't want to be questioned again. I open my sketch book and stare at the blank page. Finally at two a.m I will myself to get some sleep.

Chapter Two

I'm on the beach. It's hot. And he's here.
"I've been waiting for you." He laughs. I'm sweating. "Chloe. Come here. I need you." He looks different. Smells off. I blink and the beach is gone. I hear sirens. Smell smoke. I'm choking. No. Not again. I whimper.
"Chloe!" Shawns voice. It's muffled. I open my mouth but I can't speak. I'm crying. Then it's dark. I wake up to my phone pinging.
"Shit." I groan. I'm drenched in sweat and my eyes sting from crying. My clock reads eight a.m. I clear my throat before answering my phone.
"Aspen."
"Geez bout time. Let's go!"
"Go?"
"It's Sunday! Running day? Are you alright? Do I need to come inside?"
"No! Give me five. I'm coming." I hang up and get up and around. Running was the doctors idea and it helps sometimes.
"Ready?" I ask pulling the door closed gently behind me.
"You good Chlo?"
"Yeah." I say taking off. Ridgeview is a small town. We run from one end to the other within a few hours. When we get back to my house Aspens sweating bullets. I giggle at my red haired friend.
"Shut up. This id for you not me."
"Mmm." I say sitting on my swing in the yard.
"I hate you."
"I know." I sigh.
"You look exhausted Chlo. You sleeping okay?"
I shrug. "Have you told the doctor?" I shake my head.
"Don't tell her much."
"Chloe!"
"I know. It's like I try and then my mouth has other ideas."
"You do it or I will."
"Yeah."
"Alright. I gotta go but call me later and tell mom I said hi. Love you."
"Love you."
I head to the bathroom and snag my stitches sending pain up my arm.
"Dammit."
I sigh carefully removing my clothes. Moms on a double so I lie down early to get rested. I wake at midnight and toss and turn. Finally I grab my sketchbook and flip through it. Page after page of gruesome, disturbing drawings look at me. I shut the book and head back to bed.