Band-Aids On Bruises

Fearful

By the time I finally stumbled to the passenger's seat of the truck, Chase had turned the engine on and was sitting in the seat patiently waiting for me. She gave me a small smile as I clambered in.

"So, where you live Fish?"

I mumbled my address to her "And please don't call me Fish."

"Oh, sorry mate." she awkwardly scratched her head "I guess I'll start driving now?"

"That would be nice." I was being a dick now, she's done nothing wrong.

Chase just brushed it off though, and started chatting about random things. She didn't seem to care that I was not responding or even listening, and kept on telling me something. Probably her life story or something.

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I shifted my gaze to the window. I tuned out Chase's loud voice and let my mind wander. I started to think about Dustin.

I felt tears prick my eyes as I thought about what I had done. I hope he's alright, that he got a cab like his text said, and didn't catch a ride with somebody high or drunk.

I kept telling myself that Dustin would be, that he is fine. I repeated the words over and over in my head 'Dustin is fine. He's fine. I know he's fine...' yet my mind always wandered back to terrible thoughts. What if Dustin had sent that text before he saw me? What if he was still at the party?!

I swallowed, then wiped my now sweaty forehead. Chase didn't notice though, and continued to ramble on. I wrapped my arms around myself until my hands were touching them and squeezed myself tightly. As if the harder I gripped, the safer Dustin would be. No, is. He is safe.

I felt a hand grip my shoulder, and noticed Chase had stopped talking. I looked over at her and saw dark green eyes looking back at me.

"Hey, are you alright?" she asked, concern filling her voice.

"M'fine..."

"Don't lie to me."

"What?"

"I can read people very easily. You're lying. Now tell me, are you alright?"

I felt more tears prick my eyes "How I feel is not important. Just focus on the road. Don't kill us."

She sighed and I felt the truck pick up speed slightly "Fisher. Whatever happened, don't blame yourself."

"You don't know what I've done!" I screamed at her, tears began pouring out of my eyes, soaking my red face.

I lost it then, and everything left my mouth. I told her the entire story, crying for the whole time as she drove.

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I was shaking, my sweater was now soaked, and red marks had formed on my arms where my hands had been holding on to them so hard.

"I'm just so scared. Scared that he's not okay. Scared that I've ruined our friendship. Scared that I hurt him." I choked out through my sobs.

I felt two arms wrap around me, and Chase pulled me closer to her. She let me cry into her shirt, and silently patted my back and petted my hair.

I had an older brother, but I've never told him anything, never been able to have someone to hold me while I cried. Chase felt like the older sister I never had, someone I could tell everything. I only knew this girl for a hour, and she already felt like a friend I had known my whole life.

I don't know how many times I had needed someone like this. I had wanted to be able to cry around Dustin, but I was just so afraid he'd be annoyed with me, or that I had to keep up my tough guy image around him.

We just sat there. Me crying, and Chase comforting me.

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 After a while, I realised that we were at my house. Sniffling, I finally pulled away from Chase. I wiped the tears off my face, and pulled a tissue out from somewhere in the truck, then blew my nose.

"How long we've been parked here?"

"We got here when you were finishing off your story."

I chuckled lightly. I hadn't even noticed that we weren't moving. I opened the door and stepped outside, embracing the cool wind that blew at my face. Chase did the same after a few seconds.

She walked over to me, and pulled me in for another hug. When she stepped back she handed me the truck keys and a piece of paper with an email address on it.

"Here, text me tomorrow. Okay?" she laughed "Get some sleep first though."

I took them and stuffed them into my pocket. Then thought of something "How are you going to get home?" I took the keys out again "You can take the truck, and return it tomorrow or something."

Chase laughed "Nah, I live real close."

"Oh, okay then..."

She patted my shoulder "Just get some sleep, okay?"

I nodded and she turned to walk away.

"Wait!" I called out to her "I just wanted to say, I'm sorry for being a dick to you."

She smiled "It's fine. I understand."

"And, thank you. For everything."

Her eyes softened "You're welcome mate. Now get some sleep."

And with that she turned away from me and started a brisk pace down the street. I watched her into she disappeared into the darkness.

Then I turned to my door and entered my house.

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The moment I entered my room, I threw off my shoes, sweater, shocks and shirt. I then entered Chase's email into my phone, and tossed it to the side.

I staggered over to my bed and collapsed on to it. I didn't even get into the covers, I just buried my face into my pillow.

I felt my exhaustion take over, and slipped into a deep slumber. Letting the escape that was sleep engulf me.

My final thought before I drifted off into a dreamless slumber was : 

'Dustin I will make this better. I promise.'

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So. Yeah. Very short chapter this time, just thought I needed to put Fisher's point of view into the mix before we go back to Dustin's. Also! If you didn't know (for some reason) the amazing artwork/fanart was done by TheArtShark.