Pure Wander {PUBLISHED}

Chapter V

Chapter 5

EMBER

Deigo and I dug right away into our food as soon as it reached our tables. We were having breakfast at a small restaurant along the street. I wasn't fond of the fact that Deigo was paying for breakfast but he solely insisted.
I, of course, was grateful. So was my growling stomach.

Deigo and I had ordered our meals.

"What would you like to drink?" the waitress politely asked.

"Ember, do you still remember my favourite drink which I always ordered whenever we went out?" he asked me.

"Uh, of course! How could I forget? It's my fave too. Two cans of creme soda please." I proudly told the waitress who she smiled and walked away.

I grinned at Deigo and he oh, so, dramatically clapped his hands for me. I waved him away and he chuckled.

In a short amount of time, breakfast was served. Our hot meals had been placed on our table and we dug right in.

We both needed the energy. He had been running - for his health and exercise. I had been running - for my life.

You'd think it would be awkward digging into our food right in front of each other after not seeing each other for two years, but to be honest, it felt like we were never separated and so, we felt very much at ease.

"Em, where are you staying?" Deigo asked as he chewed on his bit of ham and cheese sandwich that he bit off.

His hazel eyes stared right into my brown ones and I suddenly felt very uncomfortable, thinking he might be able to see that I don't have an answer for his question. I'm not staying here, or anywhere for that matter.

"Well?" Deigo pressed on the matter. I hadn't thought someone might ask me such a question or else I would've prepared an answer.

Well, I could always tell him the truth...

I wasn't entirely sure about that.

"Em?" Deigo asked worriedly as he put his utensils down and focused all his energy and attention on me. He frowned a bit at my sudden loss of words.

I looked down to my lap, feeling embarrassed.

"What is it, Ember?" Deigo leaned forward. Confusion and worry was etched all over his face. He only called me by full name when he was serious, which he was at the moment.

I felt my pulse quicken, so did my breathing. I couldn't have a panic attack right now. All eyes would be on me and I didn't want to be noticed any further. I took a few deep breaths, trying to pull myself together, then looked up to a worried yet confused Deigo.

"I ran away from home." I answered in monotone. "I don't have anywhere to stay, actually." I slowly admitted.

"Oh, Em, why didn't you tell me?" surprise and hurt laced his tone. I understood his reasoning for being hurt. I felt utterly bad at the moment. Two of my confessions have hurt him already. I used to tell him everything. I even recall telling him when I was on my period and whenever I was about to fart.

Yes, I was that comfortable with him. But not anymore, it seems. It's not in anyway his fault, though. I just started keeping a lot of things to myself ever since he left.

Who was there to listen, anyways.

"It isn't your responsibility, Deigo. Things are going great for you and I didn't want to stress you with my life." I rolled my eyes at the thought of how things weren't going so great in my life, but I've become accustomed to it.

Story of my life.

"I don't care if it is my responsibility or not. If it concerns you, then it concerns me, too. I don't care what the matter is, Em." Deigo told me truthfully and I suddenly felt a huge lump in my throat. Yes, that very same lump you always get when you're about to cry. Great.

I was feeling very hot and it seemed as if the walls were caving in on me.

Panic attack, why here and now?

"I have to go." I excused myself and immediately got up, with my bag and darted for the doors.

I'm a very sensitive person. I don't particularly enjoy crying in front of anyone. It makes me feel weak and vulnerable. And that's why I decided to leave the restaurant. I didn't want Deigo to see me cry, even though he has before. But as usual, things didn't go my way as Deigo was hot on my heels and I felt his firm hand on my arm. I tried to shrug him off and walk a little faster but no luck. He managed to stand right in front of me and block my way, with both of his hands on my shoulders.

DEIGO

Ember's breathing picked up which only made me worry more. I was hungry for her to say something, anything. But instead, she excused herself from the table and darted for the doors. I couldn't let her get away, not in her state anyways. She looked as if she were starting to cry. Fear resided in me as the thought of her having a panic attack set in my mind.

Does she still get panic attacks?

Was she having one right now? If so, has she got her pills? If she doesn't, what can I do to help her?

Ember used to get panic attacks after her father passed away. Some occurred out of the blue, others were triggered by something someone said or a question someone had asked.

She once had a panic attack in Art class when the Mrs Engelbrecht offered the class to use some free periods to make special drawings, cards or sculptures for their fathers, for Fathers Day. I knew what was wrong and immediately took out her pills in her school bag for her and excused ourselves from the classroom, accompanying her to the girls room.

"Em, please. Tell me what's wrong. I hate seeing you upset and now you're very upset. Please, Ember. Tell me what's wrong so I can fix it or help you fix it." I begged her while looking down at her face.

It absolutely pained me to see her like this. Seeing her cry always triggered the moisture to roll down out of my eyes, as well. I try to not cry, for her sake, and be strong for her. But now I realised it was incredibly hard as two tear drops rolled down my cheeks.

This girl is my weakness. Always has been. She is the only one that is able to make me feel so desperate, and right now, I was desperate for her to stop crying. I would do anything to shed those tears staining her face. I would walk a mile or more, just to see her smile. We have only been reunited together for the past 3 hours and I can honestly say that she has made me smile and laugh way more than anyone ever has for the past month, at least. Her personality brings out the best in me. I could only hope that mine did the same for her. She doesn't deserve this. She deserves to genuinely show off her beautiful, radiant smile, as if her teeth were on fire.

Ember finally broke down and cried into my chest. I wrapped my arms around her small frame and let her let it all out. I hope she would tell me what's going on after she calmed down and is ready to talk to me. It did hurt a little that she didn't tell me earlier on. She used to trust me enough with everything. But maybe this is not about her trusting me. Maybe something happened that made her keep certain things to herself. Who knows, anything could have happened during the 2 years that we were apart.

Everybody goes through something in their life that changes them forever, either for the good or for the bad.

I wonder why she could have possibly ran away from home. Must have been that evil step dad of hers, or as she liked to call him, Step Mitch, which meant Step Male Bitch.

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