New and Improved (Jason McCann love story)

Chapter nine

Tori's point of view:

By the time I knew it was her, I started running.

"Tori! Wait, It's me!" she yells again. I ignore her and ran faster. I knew she was running after me. I push pass a bunch of people trying find so Chloe wouldn't find me or point me out. How did she find me? I run down and ally for a breather. I hope and pray that she doesn't find me.

"Tori!" Her voice echoes. She stops in the front of the opening of the ally and looks around. People walk pass her and gave her a look like she was crazy. She turns her head and saw me.

Shit. I'm busted.

I look around, trying to find an escape.

"Tori Santiago, don't you dare move," she walks towards me. I froze, my limps want to move but they are froze in shock. When she got in front of me, she stares at me from head to toe. "New look?" She say, gesturing me with her hands.

When I didn't answer, she adds, "what the hell happen to you? You left without a trace and-" she couldn't finish, she just pulled me into a tight, bear hug. Her arms were tight around my neck like she was scared I would leave again. She has a right to be scared, because I would leave again. I didn't hug her back, I just kept my hands at my sides. The old Tori missed her, the new one doesn't even know this girl.

She finally let me go. "Tori, please, say something."

"H-how did you-" I couldn't finish either.

"I'll explain on the way," she says, grabbing my hand and pulling me away. She better think twice cause I'm not going with her.

I pull my hand away and back away. "No! Now explain to me how you found me."

She signs. "I didn't mean to find you. Everyone back home thinks your dead. But I'm glad we are wrong."

"What the hell do you mean, 'you didn't mean to find me?'" I say, getting very angry now. It's not supposed to be this way. She is not supposed to know where I am. Everyone back home thinks I'm dead? Good, that is how it should be. I'm not going to prove them wrong by going back. There's nothing there for me.

"Remember the day me and you talked about coming to California?" She asked.

"Yeah," I remember that day for the rest of my life. I told her everything wrong in my life and how I was feeling deep down inside. She is the only one on earth who I would tell how I actually felt.

"Well, I meant what I said. I thought you would want me to come here and move on. Mom and dad were-"

"Wait!" I interrupt her. "Your parent don't give a shit about you. Why are you talking about them?" I do remember well that her parent didn't care about her. She would always come crying to my house from a fight she would have with her parents.

"When the detective stop the search for you. I moved in with your parent, her mom said it was what you would want."

I let the words she just said sink in. My mother said that? The one the person I felt that I could tell everything to, said that? Hearing that, I felt my heart slowly and painful, breaking in two. What it possible to hear your own heart breaking? And with this hurt, came anger. My mother, the one person that was there for me, turned her back on me. Was this payback? I decided to stay with Jason before she made her own decision. Was this her own way of saying 'Two can play at that game?'

"Tori?" Chloe's voice broke my thoughts. Hearing her voice brought me back to where I was. I was standing in an ally with Chloe, the girl who was my best friend back home.

I didn't know what to say. Words would come out of my mouth. I know Chloe wants an answer but I don't think she is getting one. I started to get more angry at the fact that I was never loved then. My own fucking mother loved my friend more that me.