My Messy Life

Chapter 26

It was months later that I finally pulled myself out of my funk. I can't take credit for one single part of it though. It was Trevor who'd finally waken me up.

Two months after I was shot, I was sitting in my room at my window seat, looking out the window. It was a sunny, warm day and all I wanted to do was go outside and lay in it. I wasn't comfortable being outside unless Brian was with me and he was out shopping with Susan today.

I decided opening my window was as good as I was going to get, so I slid the window open, loving the smell of the fresh air. I could hear the birds chirping, the leaves rustling on their branches and... a boy yelling?

My eyes flashed open to see a little boy walking in front of the house. He was running a stick along the fence, making it clang on every wooden post. He was singing very loud, ruining my day.

"Hey, kid?" I yelled down to him but he didn't respond, he just kept hitting the fence, singing louder. I tried to yell down to him again but he didn't respond. He was just walking back and forth in front of the house. I groaned to myself and stood up from the window seat, flying down the stairs. I pulled the door open and froze, looking around.

It was the middle of the day and as I scanned the area around me, I didn't see anyone or anything out of place, except the annoying boy. Deciding my sanity was worth more than my life, I stepped off the porch, into the yard.

"Hey, can you stop that please?" I walked towards him and he just looked at me. He smiled and then started again.

"I can't talk to strangers, so leave me alone." His words were loud and I literally stomped my foot in frustration. There was no way a little boy could outsmart me. Maybe I needed to try a different tactic?

"Hey, how about ice cream? I have ice cream inside and I'll give you a whole container of it if you'll stop?" He stopped yelling but didn't stop banging that damn stick on the fence. He looked back at me, seeing me smile and then started yelling again like something clicked in his head, telling him to keep going.

"I don't talk to strangers. Strangers talk to me." He was expanding his song, making me smile. Maybe if I just ignored him he would go away.

"Alright, well I'm going to go back inside and eat my ice cream. See you around, Kid." I turned away from him and he instantly stopped.

"Hey, wait wait." I didn't stop walking but I heard the front gate open and that caused me to stop and look at him. I spun around and he was barreling towards me. "What kind of ice cream is it?"

"Doesn't matter. You didn't stop when I asked and come to think of it, I like the song your singing. See you around." His face dropped and I knew I was being mean, but he'd been bothering me on purpose. I took two steps from him and I felt a small hand on my back.

"Please? I didn't want to bother you but he made me." I spun around, eyes wide and full of fear. I pulled him to me and scanned the yard.

"Who asked you to bother me? Who sent you?" I let go of the boy and realized I didn't care. I shouldn't be out here in the open. I ran for the front door, not caring that I probably scarred this poor kid for life by acting like a freak.

I reached for the door knob and before I could turn it, hands wrapped around my waist, picking me up to stop me. This was the moment I'd dreaded these last two months. I was stupid enough to let my guard down once and look what happened. I was instantly more mad than I'd ever been. How had Brandon found me? How was all of this happening to me again?

"Let me go. Stop!" I screamed and thrashed around. I reached for the thumb of one of the hands around me and pulled it away from me. I heard a man yell and he dropped me. I had to see who it was so as I stabled myself from him dropping me, I turned to see who it was. Stunned, I stopped instantly.