Promise I Will

20

*one week later*

They're going to come back. They aren't gone forever. They never are. They never were.

Thoughts swirl in my head of evil things. They are going to rip me to pieces and serve me for dinner. They would find out, if they haven't already, that I went to the principal. Carson can't save me now. My brain lists on and on about things they could do to me.

Olivia's bony hand wrapped around my wrists, nails digging deep into my skin, holding a portion of my body as she let the rest of my body hang from the staircase railing. Her eyes filled with enjoyment and laughter. Her cruel words hitting my head while I hang in the air, or worse.

Aiden's dark eyes narrowing in on me, making me break and fall the ground below. His smooth skin glistening in the light, his slick tongue darting out of his mouth wetting luscious his lips. He was so perfect, it was intimidating.

"Whore."

"Worthless."

"Pull that little stunt again, and I might have to finish what I started."

Each word came from his mouth. My mind made up each scene, making it so surreal. My eyes water knowing it was bound to happen the next day at school, but instead of being an image in my head, it would be a reality.

It's been two weeks and I haven't seen Carson. He sent me a lot of text messages and I have gotten a few calls, but I let them ring. I saw him in the halls in school, but I always ran away, and in the class moved seats away from him. I feel bad for doing it, but it's for the best. I was an infection, a disease. Maybe Olivia and Aiden have been gone for 3 weeks, but that doesn't mean they won't be back. I don't want Carson to be brought down with me.

My hand runs along the hard-brown wood, of the cafe chair. My hand follows the curves and indents. A man standing in front of me startles me, and I bring my hand to my lap.

"Is this seat taken?" The man asks. I would hardly call him a man, more a boy. His hair was thick and full, and curls filled it with shape. I recognized him. He was...

"Remember me?" He says while taking the set I hadn't yet tell him whether or not was taken.

"You're the boy... From... From the..."

"From the..." He edged on. My mouth held its place in a round oval. My words were a tangled series of breaths and grunts. The sounds didn't even seem human.

He helps me with my words, "Washroom incident."

My head bobbed up and down in a quick motion.

"I'm Carson's friend." My body froze and I become rigid.

Did he send him here?

"Yeah. He told me all about you." My face became hot and my mouth contorted bringing the right side of my bottom lip into my mouth and my jaw to still in its place.

"So. You're some kind of expert? Tell me, who is Anna Mills." I throw at him, my confidence growing. My mood changed drastically. I wasn't in the mood. I was trying to stay away from anything Carson related. That meant keeping to myself. It was for his sake after all.

"C'mon..." He sighs. I don't move an inch. My body is still, and my face is flat. He takes my silence as a sign to get on with it. "Well, I know that Carson promised to help you. I know that you have been bullied for a long time and I know it's not right. I know you need people there for you."

My eye fell to the floor. Suddenly I could make out every feature. The square tiles held together by a thick white substance just like glue. They had a checkered pattern to match the 80's theme of the small cafe

"So, you feel bad for me?" I spit, eyes still focused on the hint floor.

"No," he says. I wait for him to say something else, but I nothing comes.

With a sigh, I say, "So, what can I do for you Bailey?"

"Like I said, I'm Carson's friend."

"And?"

"And... He told me that you haven't been talking to him. Did he do something wrong?"

"Why do you care?" I said not answering his question.

"He's my friend."

I look away and out the window as he finally sits down on the chair beside me. "He's done so much already. I don't want him to come to my level. I appreciate to help but..."

"That doesn't make any sense, and you know it." He chuckles as if he heard a good joke.

"Yeah, well, being my friend doesn't make sense."

"At least text him and give him an excuse for not wanting him around. I mean he deserves an excuse."

"Fine. If I give him an excuse will you leave?" I groan, finally meeting his eyes.

He sucks in his cheek in thought and finally breaths out. "Sure."

"Okay, I'll call him at home when in come up with something."

He gives me a look, but soon gets up and stands up. "Have a good day I guess." He sighs and turns on his heels and leaves. The bell above the door rings as he pulls the door open. It's a soft yet loud sound.

I sit for a while at the table alone in thought. What could I tell Carson? That my parents don't like him? They don't know him. That I don't want him around? No. The truth? That he makes me nervous. That I always fear that he is just like everyone else. He will get me to tell him everything and then turn on me. What will I tell him?

Finishing my latte, I pick up my garbage and throw it out. I gathered my jacket into my arms, ready to leave. As I did so, the bell rang, signalling the someone's arrival.

As I turned towards the door, Carson stood in my path. My breath hitched as his eyes made contact with mine. I now know the meaning of 'eye contact'.

"Hi." My eyes were wide in surprise like a dear caught in headlights.

"Hi." He looks just as surprised as I did but more disappointed. Maybe because I haven't spoken to him in a while.

"I was just leaving." I lift my arm showing my gathered jacket and let my eyes wander away from his heated gaze.

I decide to just move towards the door without another word, but as I'm passing the blonde boy, my jacket was ripped from my grip.

"What the...?" I start. My mouth falls open as I look at Carson in possession of the warm red material.

"You need this to leave am I right?" He smiled like nothing happened. "So, I guess you're staying."

He turns around and sits in the seat I previously had been sitting in while I stood in place. I looked around at the people sitting without a clue of the exchange we had just had. I let out a breath and make my way over to the table, preparing myself for the conversation that awaited.