Love Hate (on the run)

Chapter 1 - Emma

It’s 3 o’clock in the morning. I think wearily. Whoever’s at the door better have a darn good explaination to why they’re waking me up from my unicorn infested dreams. Pepper is scratching at my door with her tiny paws, trying to be let out to bark her head off at the intrusion. The rain pitter-patter's against the window

“Calm yourself dog.” I say as I sluggishly propel myself towards the front door. When I get there I look through the peep hole. It’s Jessie and it doesn’t look good.

“Jess it’s 3 in the morning. What do you want?” I ask, more tired than annoyed. Jess looks horrified.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry.”

“What’s wrong?” I ask, waking up a touch. She’s soaking wet… she must have walked. Stupid kid. Her hair’s a rat’s nest, she’s wearing two different shoes and her eyes… they’re red and puffy. Jess never cries. “Come in, come in.” She walks in and I grab the towel I use to dry off the dog. Thankfully I’ve cleaned it but I don’t think Jess would notice. 

“I-I-I’m sorry.” Jess says again, her teeth chattering. 

“No no no. You go take a shower, get dry. After your gonna tell me why your sad, we’ll eat some ice-cream then you can tell me that your sorry.” I order, handing her a pile of towels and shoving her towards the bathroom. While she showers, I rummage around my stuff for something she could wear. I find the pile of clothes people leave over at my house and assemble an outfit. My old PJ pants with kittens all over them, my brother’s One Direction: Take Me Home shirt (I forced him to buy it, telling him it would help him with the ladies.), two random holiday socks; one Halloween one Christmas, some of Lisa’s granny panties and Taylor’s old monkey bra. I put them on the bathroom counter then leave. I grab some Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream out of the freezer and scoop it into a bowl, knowing Jess won’t eat until she’s told her story and by then she’ll just wanna crash. She comes out with the towel wrapped around her head. 

“Your clothes are in the dryer.” I tell her, grabbing my ice-cream and walking towards the couch. “Come come.” I instruct, setting the bowl on a tray. “Sit sit.” Jess sits down wearily and Pepper jumps up onto her lap. I start to tell her to get off but Jess pets her contently. 

“Hey listen, I’m sorry for---” She starts to apologize but I mentally roll my eyes, cutting her off.

“No no. Tell me what happened, and then apologize for coming over so early.” I say, curling up next to her on the sofa. She shifts to face me and Pepper jumps off and curls up in between us. Jess tucks her knees up to her chest, struggling to find the words. 

“James and I got in a fight.” She says simply. I’m NOT gonna take that for an answer. I nod, encouraging her to continue. “So I came here. I’m really sorry.”

“Stop being sorry. What did you guys fight about? What did he do this time?” I reply, taking a bite of my ice-cream before it melts into a cookie dough soup.

Jess takes a hesitant breath, “I knew he had been cheating on me but he would never confess and he was always…. Ugh! I don’t know—we were just always fighting! Everytime I would do something he was always having to undo and redo it because it,” she makes air quotes with her fingers, “wasn’t done right, and I mean I would have been okay if it was just that but then he would go through and make me fell like a little kid ‘cause he would go over every little detail!!” she pauses to take a breath, her eyes starting to water.

“Go on.” I prompt. Normally I wouldn’t but I can feel that this is something she needs to let out and I mean, better now than never.

“We were just constantly fighting and I was constantly being lied to, making me lie to him. And I mean, I moved out of my parent’s place to get away from all that. I just don’t want more lies and more hurt because… I always feel like it makes me lie more and hurt more people and I can’t be that person…” Jess starts crying, “I-I don’t want to be that person who has no emotions or never shows them but that’s who I am and it makes me really mad because I lie to people because I don’t want to hurt them but I hurt them even more because I like to them. And it makes me a hypocrite and I hate being a hypocrite because its unfair for me to judge others because I’m not judging myself the same way. But…. But in a way I am because I’m so hard on myself and I know I’m bagging on other people and being really rude and you have your own problems but… I fell like I can talk to you. And now I’m rambling on and on but I need to do this and I-I hate this feeling because I’m hurt by everyone, and most of the time they don’t even mean to do it!!! But tonight… when he slapped me and called me Amy, I just broke down. He really hurt me but I just don’t know what to do about it.” I hug her tightly, rocking her slightly.

“Sh…. Sh… I know it hurts and you are such a strong girl for trying to work it all out. I am so proud of you for telling me. This is what you do about it. You cry to your best friend.” Jess sits up and looks at me hopelessly, lip quivering. I put my hands on her shoulders and look in her eyes. “Listen to me, ok? You are NOT a hypocrite. You have been hurt and you don’t know how else to respond. You were raised with lies and judging so you’ve never been taught how to show people how you are really feeling. You are way too harsh on yourself and you need to STOP IT. Yea, I do have my own problems but that’s not what’s important right now. You listen to me talk about myself and my problems and that’s what I do for you. You can tell me anything and everything. You are sweet and wonderful and loyal and I am sooo proud that you got yourself out of there. You deserve to be treated sooo much better and you deserve to find your prince. I know you don’t believe in fairytales and all that stuff, but you WILL find your prince, yea? You are a wonderful girl and I hate to see you hurt but I will always be here for you.” I hug her tightly and we sit there for a moment. “You know what they say?” I ask quietly. 

“What?” Jess whispers, sniffling.

“Someday your prince will come. Mine? He took a detour, got lost and is too stubborn to ask directions.” I say, smiling. Jess gwaffs out an awkward laugh, a snot bubble bursting from her nose.

“Eww!”  I giggle. After a while, we stop hugging and Jess rubs her eyes.

“Thanks Em.” 

“No problem, anytime.” I smile

“It’s almost 5, we should go to bed, don’tcha’ think?” She asks

“Yea I think so.” I say shaking my head in disbelief. “You want anything before we go to sleep?”

“Maybe some water, please?” 

“Coming right up.” I stand up, groaning when I do. I pick up my bowl of cookie-dough soup. I fill up a glass of water and hand it to her, “Here ya go.”

“Thanks.” She says, taking the glass. We head to my room. Jess goes pee while I add extra pillows and blankets to the bed. Normally, I pull out the couch-bed, but Pepper’s fast asleep on the couch, so we figured we’d just sleep in my bed.