Cherry: New Beginnings.

My Skin.

THEO'S POV:

    I wake up feeling incredibly disoriented, and I notice how dark it is outside still. I question what woke me up, why I woke up, and then I feel the vibrations of my phone. I pick it up, and notice the time. One in the morning, which isn't that late, but it is late to be getting called by a number I don't recognize not once but twice. I answer the call, throwing myself back onto the bed, my eyes closed, and heavy.

    "Hello?" I speak, and barely recognize my own voice. It's coated in sleep.

    "Theo?" I sit up the second I hear Eloise's voice on the other end.

    "What's wrong?" I ask instantly, knowing there's got to be a problem if she's calling me out of the blue. I'm supposed to be seeing her tomorrow. We have studio time then, but she's calling me now. She's calling me for the first time. It takes everything in me not to feel giddy over the fact that she actually kept my number. I focus on worrying about her.

    "Can you... God I hate to ask you, but could you come and get me? I'm... I'm in some trouble. I just need you to get me, I need somewhere to go." She explains. Before she even finishes her sentence I'm out of bed, and reaching for clothes.

    "Send me your location." I tell her, holding the phone between my ear, and my shoulder. I pull on sweatpants, and reach for a tshirt. I pull it over my head, and get her location. I gps it, and it says ten minutes from me. I'm not sure what she's doing so close, but I'm not complaining. I'm happy I'll be there so soon.

    "I'll be there in less than ten minutes. Are you okay? Are you hurt?" I ask quickly, the tiredness gone from my body all together.

    "I'm okay..." Her voice is timid, and shaky.

    "I'll be there soon, do you need me to stay on the phone with you? Are you going to be okay?" I ask, and I can tell that she's been crying. She sniffles on the other end.

    "I'll be fine until you get here. I'm not inside anymore, I'll be fine." She explains, and I nod.

    "Text me if anything changes. I'll be there soon okay?" I ask, and walk out of my bedroom, heading for the stairs, and stopping the second my mom's face flashes in my eyes.

    "Okay, hurry Theo..." She pleads with her weak voice, and then hangs up. I hurry to my moms bedroom, and knock on the door softly, before opening the door, and peering in. She's not sleeping. She's awake, her lamp on, and her glasses perched on her face. She has a guitar in her lap. Headphones on, and journals open. Her laptop is also open in front of her, and she's doing what she does best. Creating. She pulls her headphones off, and pushes her guitar to the side.

    "What's wrong buddy? Where are you going?" She asks, and I can tell she's trying to hide her fear.

    "I don't know... Eloise just called me, she's crying, and scared, and she needs me to come get her. She has a bike but I don't think she can ride it here this late, and I'm scared for her, and I'm worried, mom. I just think maybe she's in trouble? But she's scared to meet you so... So I'll let her stay in my room for the night, and I know it's all sudden but-"

    "Theo, calm down. Take a deep breath, and then go. Focus on driving to her, make sure she's safe, bring her here. Take her home, do whatever you need. Just calm down." Her voice makes me feel at ease. I do need to calm down before I drive because I don't need to scare El at all.

    "I'm... I'm calm. I just have to go." I nod my head, and she does the same.

    "Go... go, just let me know when you get back, and tell me if she's okay." She instructs, and I nod. I run into the room, and hug my mom quickly, then press the slightest kiss to the side of her face before running out the door, and down to the front of the house. I slip my feet into slides, and grab my keys and wallet then I book it to my car. I put my phone in the holder the second I'm in the car, and go where the GPS tells me.