Heart Key (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 4: Photograph

Song: Photograph

By: Ed Sheeran

"I can't believe you convinced me to do this." He grunts as I step onto his interlocked fingers. He boosts me up and I fly towards the window. I let out a grunt of pain as my head comes into contact with the glass before sending me falling back down to the floor.

I groan and the boy begins to laugh once more. "Hey, idiot!" I shout at him and he immediately stops laughing to glare at me. I smile at his anger before continuing, "We don't have time for this. I've got to get through this window before anyone comes in and catches me."

He lets out a huff before standing back up and jumping up. He shoves the window open with one push and I stare at him in amazement. He smirks at me and I slowly narrow my eyes at him. "You're a wizard Harry!" I shout and he rolls his eyes.

"That's not even my name." He says softly as he kneels back down and interlocks his fingers. "Well what is it then?" I ask as I go to step up for our second attempt. "It's Blake." He grunts as he flings me upwards and I dive through the window and out onto the grassy hill below it.

I let out a victorious cheer before turning back and calling through the window, "Well thanks Blake it was nice meeting you!" I see his head pop up on the other side as he grins at me before asking, "Well are you going to tell me your name?"

I tap my chin as if pondering it, before replying, "I'm Marcy. See ya!" I walk away at that. Not even bothering to look back as I walk back around the building and to a bench to wait for Chloe to come pick me up.

Okay Marcy, under no circumstances are we to tell your best friend about the adventure in the boys bathroom. She'll already laugh about the battle wound. I rub my head and sigh at this thought. My poor, poor head. Why does everything have to happen to me? I wonder just as my friend's truck pulls into the parking lot.

Much to my dismay I see her boyfriend sitting up front with her. Then I let out another sigh when I see one of Logan's friends, Nick, in the back. Why me? I stand to my feet, quickly brushing my bangs over the wound before walking towards the truck.

I climb into the back and shoot Chloe a glare through the rear view mirror. She smiles at me innocently before quickly parking the truck and pulling out her iPhone. "Are you stopping to text or something? Can't it wait?" I ask with a sigh as I slump against the back of my seat.

"No, it can't. I have to make sure you did what I said. Nick and Logan are here to kick you out of the truck if you didn't." She explains and I look at the two boys wearily. Nick shoots me a wink while Logan sticks his tongue out at me through the mirror.

"You're cruel sometimes." I mumble as I watch her pull up a tracking system on her phone. How much did that key cost? I ask myself while leaning forward to watch as a little red heart moves on the screen.

"How is it moving in the terminal?" She asks as she shoots me a suspicious look. I hold up my hands in defense as I explain how I gave it to the guy who knocked me over before showing them my wound.

They fall silent after I show them my boo boo before they all burst into laughter. "Only you Marce! Only you!" Nick laughs and I roll my eyes at them all. Before feeling my cheeks turn red as I lean back in my seat and stare out at the crowded parking lot.

Chloe's the first to sober up as she looks down at her phone and her smile widens. "Well, what do you know. It looks like your heart is boarding the plane to Italy." I roll my eyes at her enthusiasm before pleading, "Please, just take me home. I've already missed about two hours of precious sleep."

Logan rolls his eyes at me as Chloe starts up the truck, smiling cheerfully as she does before pulling out of her parking space and out onto the road.

I sink onto my bed as I rub my head tiredly. I stare up at the ceiling with a small sigh. I look over at my nightstand and reach out to grab my study abroad letter. I hold it over my head and smile. A school, far, far away. One where I can study around the world and never have to see my dad and his divorced wives again.

Of course I'd miss Chloe, but she'd understand. As easy as it'd be to go to a school nearby that has all the same classes, I can't stay here any longer. I can't keep seeing my dad, but not seeing the dad I once knew, the one I loved and the one who loved me back.

I can't keep seeing people who knew my brother and getting sympathetic looks as they remember the video of his death. I can't stand seeing the boys who urged him to jump to his death on the street.

The pain is overwhelming sometimes and I just can't stand it. I appreciate everything Chloe has tried to do in order to make me happy, but it's not working. There's no one out there to love or be loved by and now, I just need a place to go where I can be truly alone.

It's not a life that most want to live, it's human nature to want to receive love and love others. It was my nature until the pain pushed it out of me. I gently set the letter back on my nightstand before rolling over on my side.

I reach up and feel the wetness of tears before rolling my eyes at myself. There's no point in that Marcy, no one's here to take them away. I laugh at my thought bitterly before standing up and walking into my bathroom.

At least in this bathroom, I know it's not for boys.