I'm Yours

Chapter Four

Anna's P.O.V.

I feel like I just made the worst mistake in the world. I don't really know why I ran, he just seemed so content. But he doesn't know me. He doesn't know I'm the toy that's thrown away because it's broken. I just couldn't bear to watch his eyes change from happiness to disgust when he realized it. But I can't help but miss the sparks that accompanied his touch. The ones that made me feel like I was home. A foreign feeling to my routine ways.

"Ane, come on hun, tell me what's wrong." Poppy coos to me.

After I grabbed her I blindly ran down the first corridor I could find. I had ducked into a dark room, backing myself against the dusty corner. Boxes were stacked around me, haphazardly piled one on top of the other with no regard for the size of the previous one. They reminded me of the glass towers. If one fell, the others would follow by example. A ripple effect of smashed cds and wrinkled shirts. The thought made me cry harder. I wipe furiously at the rain-like tears falling from my eyes.

Pull yourself together. You don't know him. He doesn't know you.

"I-I don't know," I stutter out between sobs, "but it feels like my heart is being ripped out."

Poppy gives me a knowing smile that quickly fades. Her eyes remind me of my mothers. They hold the same look that hers did when I would fall on my skates or prick myself with the sewing needle. She would laugh and shake her head, saying 'oh Anna, don't do that you silly girl' and pull me from the ground, kissing the wound better. But she's different now. Closed off since the incident.

"I get it Anna," she states, "more than you'd think..."

She trails her sentence off and I don't bother questioning it. I just trust her. I think back to the first time I met Poppy. Fourth grade math class. I stole her pencil. It was inscribed with her name in brilliant green script. For some reason I wanted it. She saw it in my hand and asked why I had it. I said that it was mine, that the store had run out of my name so I picked that one instead. That was probably the most horribly thought up lie I had ever told. She pushed me and I shoved her back. We bonded in detention. Now we're best friends. It's funny how these things work out.

Who knows how long we sit there. The sobs haven't ended yet. If anything they've gotten worse. Something is missing again. My anxiety has never been this bad, even after everything. I don't know how to stop it. Stop my world from tearing in two. I rest my head on my arms and push myself farther into the corner. I take a deep breath and smell it. Chocolate and lemons.

I look up and see him there, just standing silently, slightly panting. A few tears are falling down his face. They give his eyes a glassy sheen. He looks relieved. He takes a step forward then looks me in the eyes asking, begging, for permission. I don't know if that means permission to comfort me or to never let me leave again but it feels like an obvious answer.

I nod my head as I sob with my arms around my knees. He easily picks me up and holds me to his chest, slightly rocking me and murmuring sweet nothings in my ear. I put my head in the crook of his neck. I wouldn't be able to tell you why but his scent calms me. It puts the bees to rest and the makes butterflies slow.

He starts walking, carrying me effortlessly, to who knows where. All I do know is that the sparks humming between us and the kisses to my forehead are very slowly but surely quieting the cries coming out of my mouth.

We come into a room and he sits against a wall with me in his lap, huddled against his chest.

"Shhhhh... It's alright baby girl, I've got you and i'll never let you go again." He whispers in my ear and presses his head into my neck.

I press my face into his chest and inhale chocolate. I finally stop crying and whisper apologies. I'm a mess and he does not need to be here right now. The thought kills me but he's probably regretting coming after me. I would be.