A few hours later I found myself on the other side of LA in a small coffee shop.
It was a quaint little place that I frequented often, the walls were decorated with memorabilia. Things like certificates and photos and little ornaments that held a lot of memories painted the place with a certain warmth that you couldn't really find anywhere else. Its patrons were just as much a part of that feeling.
I'd stumbled across it when I had had a particularly hard day in one of the homes I'd been placed in. I was 12 and everything had sort of dawned on me at once, I was a parentless kid forced to avoid human connection because I never actually knew how permanent a place was going to be. I hadn't had anyone really truly love me in years and the only two people I could count on had been torn away from me because nobody would take in three kids together.
I was in an abusive home, yet again, and belittled and beaten for the way I was and who I loved, making me forever afraid to accept that part of myself. I was at a stalemate.
I wanted to die. Quite frankly.
But then I found this place and the people there and I found a little bit of light in the darkness and I wanted to die a little less.
The owners of the shop had seen me sitting on the curb outside, an oversized hoodie the only thing keeping me warm in a downpour, and offered me a place to sit while they opened up.
Since then they'd become my safe space, somewhere I could escape from a world so suffocating and brutal.
“Marley! Welcome in dear, how've you been?!” One of the co-owners, Danni, asked. She and her partner Margaret owned the shop, they were both queer and honestly, the sweetest old ladies one could meet. They could change the mind of even the ageist of people I bet.
“Dan, it's been a while! I've been surviving, you know how it is.” I gave her a tight hug and smiled down at her, given her height.
“No Cooper today?”
“No, no just me. Coops not feeling very well.” I smiled tightly, giving the woman's shoulder a squeeze before entering further into the shop and taking my usual seat.
I felt a gentle buzz coming from my phone but decided to ignore it. It's probably those assholes trying to contact me again, I don't know why I hadn't blocked either of their numbers yet. Somehow I still felt indebted to them, like I owed them something despite telling Cooper I owed them nothing. It was a weird duality, owing nothing but feeling like you owed everything.
They put a roof over my head, they fed me most days, they didn't turn me away when things got tough. They were nothing but loving in the begining. I'd been with them for 8 years, arguably the longest I'd ever been with a family, and the first 2 years were perfect.
I don't know what changed. Why they changed, they virtually knew nothing about who I really was because I'd had enough experience to know how well coming out goes with most families. Internalised homophobia was pretty much ingrained in me.
I had so many questions. Most I answered myself.
What changed? You. You got too difficult. Too depressed. Too needy.
Why did they switch up? You're too hard to love, you aren't theirs to love in the first place. Not blood. You forced your way in to their family and they only accepted you because they felt bad.
Why me? Because Cooper needed protecting.
I blamed myself. There's no question about that, their family was perfectly fine before they more or less adopted me and the only reason they got abusive was because I'm easy to abuse. And if it wasn't me it would have been him.
Another buzz from my phone broke me out of my pity party, and a few seconds after Danni placed a steaming mug of hot chocolate in front of me.
“Enjoy sweetheart.” I smiled up at the old woman and thanked her, to which she just gave my cheek a pat and wandered off to another customer, greeting them with enough light and joy to brighten the room.
The little display of happiness kept the smile on my face as I finally, if a little reluctantly, pulled my phone out from my pocket and checked my messages.
I had two new messages from a number I'd never seen before.
Unkown Number
(+1) 34458766523
Hey, it's the girl from the hospital. I got your number from the desk lady, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.. You dashed out of there pretty quickly????
Oh. So much for avoiding every blonde-hair, blue-eyed woman I guess.
So they're just giving out numbers to everyone there huh.
Blondie
I had to put on my best acting skills, they didn't give it as willingly as you'd thinkSure
I'm fine. Had something urgent I needed to do.Blondie
For some reason I dont believe youI sighed quietly, debating on whether it was worth the torture to continue this conversation.
Then don't
Doesn't do me any harm
Or you for that matterBlondie
You being in the hospital for a panic attack and the big bruise on my face says otherwise 🥰Oh so you're funny too? Got it.
I still dont even know your name blondie
Thought we'd never talk again?Blondie
I said that before you ran out of the hospital like your ass was on fireBite me.
Blondie
I'm alright, baby.
Thanks for the offer thoughYou're insufferable
I'm putting my phone down nowBlondie
We're not done here!To me, we are.
Blondie
Wait
PleaseWhat do you want?
Blondie
To tell you my name…An elipsis… how mysterious
Blondie
ffsYou gonna tell me your name or what?
Blondie
Reneé. AssholeNice name
Suits you
My phone's going away nowBlondie
You suck. Enjoy whatevers more important then me 😫Please dont tell me you use imojis ironically
Blondie
okay i wont :)
Read 14:23Blondie
seriously?
Read 14:25Blondie
ugh fine
Delivered 14:26--------
A/N
idk how to feel abt this chapter :/
have a lovely day/night
YOU ARE READING
I Dare You || Reneé Rapp
RomanceA stanger who seemed to notice more about Marley than anyone else every did. A girl too afraid of the world to experience it's wonders. A story between two wounded hearts, fighting for a chance to heal.