The Ones That Got Away

Memories

"Once upon a time I was a naive little girl. I wanted friends, I wanted to be liked. One day when I was thirteen I got the chance to have a friend and be liked. I was approached by a boy named Logan Argent. I thought he was cute and that maybe he could think I'm cute, too. I mean, why else would anyone approach me? I wasn't cool. I wasn't pretty. I wasn't smart. I wasn't athletic. I wasn't talented. I'm still not any of those things. Logan asked me why I seemed so lonely, to which I answered, 'what's wrong with being lonely'. He said that being lonely means I don't have the chance to be happy. Well, I believed him."  

  We've been at Laura's house for an hour. Laura and Henry won't let me see Sam until I tell them everything that's happened between me and Argent. (I refuse to refer to him as "Logan". To many nasty memories.) Henry blinks. "Continue." He nods. I take a deep breath and keep going.

  "A few weeks went by. Logan became my first best friend and my first crush that's not a celebrity. I was reading so much into every word he said and every move he made to see if I can tell if he feels the same way. He must've known I liked him like that because he soon started to use me. In public he would take advantage of how I feel about him to make other girls notice him. Of course, I didn't notice. One day he kissed me on the cheek in front of a bunch of girls. I had told him about how the popular girls said that no guy would like me that way the day before. I thought he was proving them wrong. I was the one who was wrong."

  This time it's Laura who blinks at me. "You didn't have a friend until you were thirteen?" She asks, actually showing emotion for me for once. "Yes, I didn't have a friend until I was thirteen." Henry chimes in, "Keep going."

   "After a few months of kisses on the cheek and hugs and being whatever we were, he tricked me into stealing. I was too distracted by how much I wanted to be liked I didn't notice anything I was doing. By the time I realized what I was doing for him was illegal, it was too late. I had taken cars, pick pocketed, stole, hijacked computers and phones, and broken in and entered three homes. Bad decisions are like drugs. It only takes a little bit to get addicted. It was almost like I couldn't live without making bad decisions. Every time I saw someone who looked well put together, who looked like they had something to offer, I would pick pocket them. I'm not proud of it but it's something I have to own up to."

   They're both staring at me with their mouths ajar. "Close your mouths, you'll catch flies." I say flatly. Immediately, I'm hit by a storm of questions. I'm surrounded by did you ever get caught or what's the worst thing you did for him or do your parents know. It takes me a few tries but I finally get them to be quiet. "One question at a time please." I say quietly. Henry's hand shoots up in the air, and almost immediately after, Laura's hand shoots in the air. "Henry." I look at him at let him ask his question. Henry clears his throat and lowers his arm. "Did you ever get caught?" he asks. "Dammit! You took my question!" Laura exclaims. I smile at Laura and Henry. I'm actually proud of my answer. "No." I say. "I got away with all of it. I was never caught." 

  Laura's hand shoots up. "Yes, Laura?" I feel like a teacher. "Do your parents know?" She asks. I take a deep breath. "No. And I don't plan on telling them any time soon." I look at what's around me for what has to be the millionth time in the last hour. When I look back at Henry and Laura they're looking at each other, speaking through facial expressions. "Umm..." I start. "Do you want me to continue my past with Argent?" Laura looks at me and tilts her head. "Why don't you call him Logan?" She asks innocently. I roll my eyes. "I'll get to that if you let me continue." Laura and Henry exchange another glance. Henry looks at me and speaks up. "Okay, let's hear more."

  "One day, when Argent and I were fourteen, he took me to a movie for a date. If you could even call it that. The whole time we were at the movie theater he didn't look at me. At all. He made promise he would walk me home when we made plans for the date, and he kept it. About half way back to my house he pulled me into a dark alley. He pushed me against a wall and tried to 'get with me'. I kept saying 'No, Logan stop. I don't want to do this. Please stop. Please get away from me.' When I came the conclusion he wouldn't stop, I punched him in the stomach and kneed him in the groin then started sprinting home. When I got home I locked the door then cried in the bathroom."

  Laura and Henry stare at me again with their jaws dropped. "Wha- why didn't you leave him before that? H- he obviously didn't want you." Henry stumbles, obviously in shock from the memory I just told him. I look down at my hands. "I don't know why I didn't leave." I pause to look back at the memories. "I knew that I should've left him, knew that he would just hurt me worse than he already had. But I didn't leave. I guess I didn't want to leave the memories of him being my best and only friend." Laura takes my hand. "We're your friends now. We'll support you and keep you safe. We'll be real friends." She reassures me. I look up at her and smile, she smiles back. "Yeah, we're here for you." Henry says hugging me. Laura joins in and we stand in a group hug for a little bit. "I'm here for you guys too." I say quietly. "I'm your guys' real friend too."

  "Wow, you guys are group hugging and didn't invite me?" I hear a weak voice say. Sam. It has to be Sam, I can hear the goofy smile in his voice. Laura and I separate to let Sam in. Sam walks over to us and kisses both of us on the forehead. "Welcome back, bud." Henry laughs. "What'd I miss?" Sam asks looking around curiously. "I thought I saw Laura and Rome hugging. I think I might be seeing things." He whispers to Henry. We all laugh. Despite being beat up, Sam doesn't look too bad. He just has a few scratches and a few bruises. "I'll tell ya what you missed after I bring Rome home." Henry says. "Her parents are probably wondering where she is, since I picked her up at McDonald's two hours ago and she was there for an hour before I got there." My parents. I forgot I told them I was going to McDonald's. "Yeah, I better go." I sigh. I turn to Sam. "I'm sorry I didn't get to talk to you more. I'm happy you're okay." Sam pulls me in for a hug. "That's okay, Ro. Me too." He whispers into my hair. Ro. Only my family calls me that. I call me that. It's nice to hear him say it. 

Soon enough I'm in Henry's car again.