268 Letters

Chapter V

Chapter V

When I woke up, I was lying on the ground, still in the corner of my room. Tears had blurred my vision, and my legs and hands throbbed. My heart beat was somewhat steady, and while my head still hurt, the pain had definitely decreased. I forced myself to get up, wiping all the petty tears away from my eyes. My blood had stained my floor, giving it an eerie red colour. The smell of it was strong enough to remind me of the previous night. I shuddered at the thought of it and forced myself to think of something else. I managed to walk till my bed but then collapsed on it immediately, my legs still bleeding slightly. And I just lay on my bed for a few moments, trying to catch up with everything that had happen. Dad had whipped me. I slept on the floor. Dad had whipped me. Whipped me. A random thought occurred in my head. The dream..I didn't have the dream about darkness. I didn't have any dreams in fact. Thought that didn't improve my sleep much. My thoughts somehow wavered to Landon, and his eyes. According to all our records, it was impossible for someone to have such eyes, such a mixture of eyes. Such breath-taking eyes. But he broke all the rules and made his own. He had his own world. I remembered we were supposed to meet at four, and I immediately jerked up, thoughts speeding in my head faster than anything. I forced myself to get up and check the time. Three thirty. Oh my god. My head spun as I made my way to my closet, taking out my longest pants and shirts I owned. He could not see these scars. Not some random stranger I meant who claims to be my lover. Oh no no no. I quickly took my bottle of tablets and popped three in my mouth. They would help my wounds heal. The scars stung when I walked, but I would have to live with it. I scrambled to put on a plaid grey pants and black shirt, hoping they didn't smell at all. He was supposed to meet me at the same spot. Same spot where we met yesterday. I headed down quietly, just to find Dad sleeping on the couch again, snoring loudly and obnoxiously. Beer bottles were-yet again- lined up on the floor. I ignored them. I couldn't risk getting him mad again. I creeped out of the house successfully, thankfully.

I practically ran to the spot, hoping I wouldn't be late for his arrival. Landon seemed very timely. And I certainly didn't want to disappoint him. Thoughts of him accompanied me as I turned around the corner of the street where we were supposed to meet. He wasn't there. There was no sign or trace of him or any indicator that he was here. The worst case scenarios started playing in my head. What if the guards caught him? What if he had to sleep on the streets and now he's fighting someone? What if he was..injured? My mind was racing as fast as thunder. Ideas appeared in my mind, each one more devastating than the previous one. I took in deep breaths, trying to keep myself calm but I couldn't. I was so worried, I didn't even notice a man jogging towards me. But my mind registered it and immediately alerted my entire body. I looked closer, wondering if it was Landon, but it was Houston. He smiled and waved at me, but I didn't wave back. Out of all the faces I wanted to see, I didn't really want to see Houston. I only wanted to see Landon. Desperately.

"Zara! What are you doing so early in the morning?" he asked, jogging right next to me and smiling.

I tried to smile back, but Landon was overtaking my mind. His voice kept playing in my head repeatedly and I didn't want it to stop. It was so..soothing and calming. I felt so relaxed when I heard his voice. I was so caught up in my thoughts about Landon, I didn't even hear when Houston asked me again what I was doing out so early.

When he asked me for the third time, he seemed more concerned than annoyed. I looked up at him, and immediately snapped out of my day-dreams. "I was..having a morning walk. " I say, forcing a sweet smile as he looked at me, a little suspicious.

But he shook his head and smiled back at me. A few moments of strange silence passed between us. It was sudden awkwardness I had never felt with Houston. I just nodded at nothing at all, and I wanted to crawl in a hole and not see him for a few days. And I had no idea why. He cleared his throat before smiling at me again.