Not My Type

22-Run

"So... Why are you going to get Adam again?" My mother questioned me with worry in her voice. my sister stood near by, watching... aka eavesdropping. "Well... today is his birthday and Jonas and Dean need my help getting him..." I paused, noticing the look she was giving me. "What?" I rolled my eyes. I already knew exactly what she was thinking. "Peni, this is the boy you came home crying your eyes out because of. He hurt you, and now you're going right back to help him. Why?" My mother was right, even if he didn't know that he had hurt me, he did. Yet, I was going right back and doing something great for him. But, never mind that. It wasn't even me that had planned it, so it was different. I was just delivering him to the surprise and then it'd be over. I was just helping Jonas and Dean out. Not him.

"Mom, I'm not helping him out per say. I'm helping Jonas and Dean!" I repeated my own thoughts out loud, trying to convince my mother that it'd be fine. But I couldn't help but think, why was I really doing it?  "They need me to help them with this surprise. It's just one thing for some friends mom. Really." I was now just babbling randomly so that she would let me out of the house. I was supposed to leave about thirty minutes ago. "I really have to go though. It's six. Their expecting me to pick him up at any time." I picked up my denim jacket and through it on over my green tank top, pleading with my mother to let me go. She rolled her eyes, "Fine. I'll drive you." She plucked her keys up from the counter and opened the front door.

"I'm coming too!" Sarah exclaimed and jumped and grinned. I simply shook my head, "No, guys. I can walk. I'll be fine. It's really not that far, plus I still kind of have to come up with a plan." I smiled sheepishly and took my mother's place at the door. "Oh lord, Peni... You," I wouldn't allow her to finish her sentence, "Love you mom! Love you Sarah! I'll see you guys soon, don't worry about me!" My mother was walking towards me, "Okay! Love you! Be safe! I may not be home when you get back! I'm taking Sarah to Kimmy's! Just call me!" She was still talking as I walked outside and slammed the door behind me, not really listening to what she was saying. I hadn't even thought of what I was going to say once I got to his house. As I walked to his house, I couldn't help but think about the last time I'd been on my way to Adam's house. I had been pondering what to say to him then as well, but it was in a completely different way.

The walk seemed a lot longer than I thought it would, making beads of sweat fall off of my forehead and into my eyes. I had removed my jacket and hung it over my arm. When Adam's house had finally come into view, I smiled, only to let my smile fall right back away. Adam slung his door open, he looked so angry and he held something in his hand. I could hear him yelling as he slammed the door behind him. I raised an eyebrow and continued to move towards him as he raised the thing he had in his hand to his lips. A beer. I cringed. He still hadn't seen me, but I was going to change that very quickly. "Adam?" I had gotten close enough now so that he could hear me.

He looked up abruptly, but soon let a soft look fall upon his face as he saw me. He put the beer in his hand down, almost as if he'd known I was cringing just a few moments ago. "Hey, Peni... uh, Hey." He stepped down from his front porch and smiled at me. I looked at him, with a scowl on his face. I could see now that there was a cut on his lip and there was dried blood on his left temple. I rushed towards him, my hands levitating towards his face. I shut off the part of my mind that told me to stay far, far away from him and let myself go. I grabbed his face in my hands. "Adam, are you alright?" He kept glancing behind him as if someone was going to come hurdling out of the door after him at any moment. His hands came up to my arms, pushing me lightly backwards, still watching the door. "Peni, I'm fine. Just, umm, I'm just, uh, I'm clumsy. You know me." I furrowed my eyebrows and took his arms off of me making him stop in his tracks. Adam Clifton was plenty of things but he certainly was not clumsy.

"Adam, stop. What happened?" I let my hands go back up to his face and he shut his eyes. "Peni, it's really nothing. Let's just get out of here okay? Before..." He was cut off by the sound of the door swinging open and his eyes went wide. "Adam!" It was his father, looking pissed with one hand over his eye. I don't think I had ever seen Adam scared before, but in this moment, he certainly was.And that made me petrified. His breathing became heavy and he started stumbling forward. "Adam, get your ass back here right now!" His father screeched again. "Run." Adam whispered and I felt his large, clammy hand grasp mine hastily before he started pulling me along the sidewalk. I just followed him, not knowing what else to do.