Out of the shadows

Chapter 2: Breaking free

Bailey

Only a couple of days.
That's all I have left here, I remind myself as I step out of Hollow High. The late afternoon sun is still too bright, making the cracked pavement and faded school walls look even worse, than they already are. I pull my hood up, hands shoved into my pockets and walk with my head down. The walk home is always the worst part of the day, because I never know what I'm going home to, that's the scariest part I guess, the unknown. You can never be prepared to something that you don't even know it's coming.
The walk home is short, too short. Every step I take fills me with dread. When I finally made it to my street, I can already hear their voices, their screams and I can practically fell his freaking eyes on me, following me whenever I'm around, even though he can't see me right now, this feeling can't go away, it will not go away for as long as I am stuck in this hell of a place.
5 days, I reminded myself, then Stanford. Freedom. And most importantly him.
I cut across the neighbors lawns, slipping around the side of my house and heading straight to the drainpipe by my bedroom window. No way in hell am I using the front door, haven't done that in over a year now, sad but true. As I climb up, I wonder if my mom even notices anymore, or if she's too busy with Kevin and whatever it is they do.
When I finally land on my bedroom floor, I quickly slid the window closed and flick the lock, then I let out a breath I didn't know I was saving. I'm safe, at least for now. I toss my backpack, and sink onto my bed, just letting myself breathe.
There's shouting downstairs, my mom's voice slurring a little. Probably fighting with Kevin again. My fingers hover over my music app. I put on my headphones, and turn it up loud, blocking the sounds, pretending I'm not even here again.
I do that a lot these days, pretend that I'm not here anymore, right know I'm at the beach, sunbathing, and breathing the salty smell of the ocean. Yeah far more greater than what's happening right now.
Hours later, when I am fast asleep, I hear it, it happens more often than not. That knock. My body goes rigid and my heart starts pounding fast, so fast that I hear it ringing in my ears.
It's him. Kevin.
"Hey, Bailey" he says, his voice thick and slow. "Open up, I know you want me as bad as I want you".
I squeeze my eyes shut, staying silent, not even breathing. The doorknob rattles, and my pulse races. Thank god I locked it. "Don't be rude Bailey, come on", he mutters, "come on Bailey, I know you're in there, and you know what I want, so I suggest you open the door right fucking now, you bitche !". After a lot of banging on the door, I hear him shuffle away, and I let a long breath. My hands are shaking, my stomach twisted in knots.
I reach for my phone, needing something to steady me, something to make me feel... anything else that fear.
I tap on Instagram, going to his profile without even thinking. It's my escape, a routine I can't seem to stop. there he is, just like always, pictures of him and his friends filling my screen, and just then I can feel my breathing turning normal again.
I click on one of the photos, he's laughing in this one, a wide, open smile that reaches his eyes. It makes my chest ache, even though he doesn't even know I exist. But that's okay. Soon, I'll be at Stanford too. Maybe one day I'll get a real smile like that from him.
I scroll through a few more photos of him with his friends. They're all from Hollow Creek, but ever since they've graduated they've never stepped foot in here, and I kind of envy them for that. They're always together, the four of them. They're like family, closer than any group I've ever seen. Three of them, him included, are on basketball scholarship at Stanford, my main reason of why I chosen to go there. Then there's the girl, his best friend's sister, his best friend's sister, who's always there with them, a permanent part of their lives.
They're untouchable, in that kind of way that's a little scary, like they don't care what anyone thinks. They're the kind of group your parents would warn you to stay away from because they are trouble, but lucky for me I lack in that department.
I let myself imagine it for a moment, running into him on campus, maybe even talking to him. He'd see me then, the new Bailey, the one who's not invisible anymore.
With that image in my head, I can finally breathe. I put my phone down and close my eyes, a faint smile creeping onto my lips. Just a few more days Bay, you can do it.

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Hi guys,
This is the second chapter Bailey's story. I hope you guys enjoyed it.
I really love to have your feedbacks. It would mean so much to me.
This is the first time that I write something, and I never realized how hard it is.
Stay tuned to Bailey's new life in Cali ;)))