☆The Battle of You and Me ☆

17. Talking Hurts

Once I open my window, I go to my closet and grab a warm jacket. I grab my phone, headphones and walk downstairs and make sure dad is still in the kitchen before I grab his wallet and steal 20 dollars. I might need it if I get hungry...

I sneak back upstairs to my room and don't even try to make it look like I'm sleeping. I don't care if I get in trouble anymore. Nothing would change. I already don't do music much and barley get on my phone.

I take a deep breath and turn off all the lights in my room, even the dim ones since the moons so bright and full tonight. I climb through my window and onto the roof and surprisingly I only sprained my ankle. I had the boys the last time I snuck out. They couldn't catch me but they could give me tips on how to get down from the second story. I don't have time to remember what they said though so I lowered myself down as low as I could but I still landed on my feet, I just landed on one the wrong way and sprained it.

I dust my hands off as I look to the pillars I could have used and wave it off as unnecessary. This is way more worth it than getting caught trying to shimmy down a poll that hasn't been dusted ever.

It takes me about ten minutes to get to Luke's house and I get anxious when I see their lights are off in their house. But Luke's room is lit up but I don't see any movement.

I sneak closer to their house and try to see in his window from the ground but that seems a little creepy...I just decide to knock on their door. Maybe he'll come down and open the door to tell me to be quiet since his parents might be sleeping.

But Luke doesn't open the door, His mother, Emily does. And I grow anxious when she doesn't smile, "Hello Julie. What can I help you with?" I give a small smile and realize she can probably see the puffiness and redness around my eyes since she turned on the porch light. "Um, I'd really like to speak to Luke if he's here. I yelled at him today and I really want to apologize and make things right with him once and for all...I feel horrible."

She looks over and points and I follow her gaze as she speaks, "You should. He broke his hand punching that pillar repeatedly until blood was dripping off his arm, Julie. I couldn't be here to comfort him right away...I wasn't here to stop him. Sweetheart, if you can't be nice to my son, then you shouldn't be friends...I'm sorry but I think it would be better if you stayed away from him until you figure things out. I'll still let you play music with him but that should be it. Please don't cause him to hurt himself again. I still can't get all the blood off this pillar. I'm just trying to protect my son, you understand that right?" I nod, "Yes Ma'am. I'm sorry for yelling at him. I should have saw his side of perspective. He was just trying to figure out why I won't go see my mom. He was worried...I didn't see that before. I just thought he was crossing my boundaries. Am I still allowed to apologize to him? Is he here?"

She looks down, "No, hon. I'll tell him you apologized though and hopefully that will be enough...I'm sorry for this but I need to protect him." I nod and turn slowly, "I understand...Bye, Mrs. Patterson..."

"Good-bye Sweetheart." I hear her close their front door and the porch light turns off and I start sobbing as I walk down their concrete sidewalk and I turn halfway down it to see if Luke's light is still on. It is but it turns off and I cry harder.

I walk back to my house as cars pass me on the road and I shiver as I feel the wind off them, I start running to my house. I don't feel safe on this road at night. I should have never snuck out. Every choice I make doesn't feel like the right one. No matter what I do, nothing feels right.

I make it back to my house and climb up to the roof using the tree by my window and I climb back through my window and shut and lock it. I change into some pajamas and thank God it's a Friday night. I turn on my dim lights in my room and grab my laptop. I open it and try and do my homework. I get it all done within an hour and I stuff my homework in my folders and stuff it all back in my bag so I can turn it all in tomorrow. I keep my laptop open and think. Carlos probably has homework too that he needs help with.