See Through

19 - Scott Knows

The darkness surrounded me and the walls began to close in. This is it, I thought. Dying at the age of twenty-one due to the most ridiculous thing: raped and beaten and left to die by my ex-boyfriend. Travis was borderline psychotic. I wouldn't put it past him to continue this so-called endeavor once we got to Texas. You may as well die where you were born. I'll have come full circle. All of my dreams have been fulfilled... all but one. Scott would never get to hear those eight little letters that I'd been dying (ha ha) to say. Except, maybe I'd get that chance. It took some adjustment, but I realize that Travis had thrown me in his trunk. I've read on the internet somewhere that if you were to end up being kidnapped and thrown in a trunk that you could punch the taillight out and start waving. I thought that was a total joke, until I was actually put in the position where I could try to do it. Travis's old car didn't have one of those trunk release levers, so that was my only choice. I could only hope and pray that Travis would see me do this, but my chances of getting rescued seemed higher in Los Angeles rather than on the road or in Arlington. I may as well be dead by then. I fought to rip the brake lights off and, thank God I'm small, managed to turn myself around so I could jam my foot through the hole to kick the light cover off. This was my only chance. The last thing I can remember is breathing heavily because I was so excited that I had managed to get my hand outside to start waving. I didn't care that my hand had gotten stuck on something sharp and was starting to bleed. All I cared about was waving... and then I stopped.

—-

"Can he have visitors?" Scott asked quietly. It had been a full day since Mitch was admitted into the hospital. Scott was wringing his hands as if they were sopping wet.

"He can, but he's sleeping. He needs his rest. Just be mindful."

Scott had alerted Mitch's parents, and they told him they'd be catching the next flight out to come visit. Mitch's mom was a barrel of tears when she found out what had happened.

The whole PTX gang was at the hospital, waiting to hear something. Scott came back to the group and took a big breath. "She said we can go in, but he's sleeping."

"Why don't you go in alone for now until he's awake and alert?" Kirstie reached her hand out to touch Scott's. "He'll be so happy to see you."

"I sure hope so. I don't even know anymore." Scott frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Go on. We'll still be here when you get out." Avi smiled, putting his arm around Kirstie.

"Okay. Thanks, guys... for everything." Scott went up to all of them and gave them hugs, especially to Avi and Kevin for coming when he needed it. They had talked the police out of taking Scott to jail. Everything had been just as he'd said, and his overreactions did justice whenever they opened the trunk, revealing a small, weak, and bruised Mitch. He had passed out when they got to him, so Scott thought the worst and broke down in a pile of tears in Kevin and Avi's arms. When they got Mitch to the hospital, they'd revealed that he was dehydrated and delusional since he hadn't eaten or drank for two days, and his body was weak and bruised due to the beating.

Scott walked slowly into Mitch's room and saw him asleep, looking smaller than he had before. Scott fought back tears as he came over to Mitch's bedside. He longed to touch his hand and let him know he was there, so he did.

Mitch stirred and his eyes fluttered open and shut immediately. His voice was raspy. "S-scott?"

"God, Mitch." Scott lost it. "I'm so glad you're alive."

Mitch didn't speak. He was confused. This was the first time he'd officially realized he was in the hospital. The last time he was in the hospital was to get his tonsils removed, and that felt like forever ago. Mitch had always hated hospitals.