Broken Minds

Chapter 7: A Friend in Need

She heard him creep closer. His figure became clearer through the shadows. She saw him wearing a long brown jacket and a pair of tattered jeans. A large hat created a shade over the guys face. She saw a glimpse as he looked up at her. She saw him smirk softly with an evil looking grin. He pursed his lips readying to speak. 

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Lost and alone in a large dark forest. What's a girl like you doing out here?" The man said with a creepy smile plastered on his face.

"I...I just went for a stroll in my local meadow to relax and get things off my mind." Rebecca replied in a small voice, her tone quivering in fright. The man walked closer but she started to calm down sensing something familiar about him. 

 "Hmm, what sort of things are on your mind?" He said quietly, his voice becoming more soothing as he drew closer. 

"Well, my parents have been fighting a lot. My boyfriend has cheated on me... Again and everyone I love around me are dying." She replied sniffling softly with tears welling in her eyes. She would rather tell a complete strange man what was getting her down rather than her parents or a physiatrist. What was wrong with her? She thought to herself 

"I see, well maybe we should have a chat about everything tomorrow." The man said removing his hat to uncover the friendly looking face of her next door neighbour. He winked at her before swiftly fleeing. 

"Wait.. Mark stop!" She shouted after him. She held out her hand to the direction he had ran, in despair she sighed softly as she dusted herself off and started walking in what she thought was the right direction.

She found herself back at the entrance of the forest. As the sky around her started to get darker. She had been looking around for the entrance for the past hour, wandering around without a sense of direction. She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw houses around. Her phone bleeped signifying low battery. She got out of the meadow and started walking back to her house, through misty streetlights and damp pavements she followed her feet to her doorstep. Unlocking the door she walked in to hear her parents muffled voices. Rebecca sighed softly as she closed the door behind her and stomping up to her room. Running upstairs she briskly walked into the room as the muffled voices of her parents stopped. She stretched out her arms and flung herself onto her bed. Exhaling loudly into her pillow she curled up into a ball, hiding her face deep into the comfort of her pillow. Blocking the world out around her via the fluffy protection of her cushion, hoping that all around her out to hurt her would back off for now. She yawned softly before slowly drifting off into a tormented slumber.

The minutes whizzed past her till she awoke abruptly. Her neck hurting from the position she had slept in all night, she groaned slowly turning herself over. She opened her eyes softly, the bright light of the sun shone, blinding her momentarily. Getting off her bed she hoisted herself up and into the bathroom. Looking in the mirror she saw the complete opposite person than yesterday. She looked in tip-top shape, her hair was all frizzy and her eyes shone. Finally someone had talked to her, someone willing to help her. She splashed water over her face and threw some clothes on and ran downstairs. She ran out of the house and walked over to her neighbour's house and knocked on the door. She waited patiently, hearing footsteps from inside the house. The door opened shortly after revealing a scruffy looking boy around her age with a tattered shirt on. 

"Oh hello, I thought you wouldn't come, what with creeping you out yesterday" the boy replied brushing his clothes down to make himself look more presentable. 

"I just need someone to talk to really, everything has just been piling up and I thought someone was there to fix it so..." Rebecca said, tears forming in her eyes. 

"Ok, ok come in.. We'll talk things over." The boy said holding out his hand to her. She smiled a little reaching out and grabbing his hand. He smiled back at her and walked her into his house.

"That's all that's dragging me down Mark, I don't know what to do anymore!" Rebecca sobbed resting her head in her lap and crying softly. Mark put his hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

"It's ok, let it all out. I'm here for you." He said in a soft tone, keeping his hand on her shoulder. 

"Ha, I've been told that before." She replied wiping the tears out of her eyes and looking up at Mark. Her eyes a mixture of red and black from smudged mascara and constant crying. A jumble of emotions flying inside her head. She was angry at life and what Harry had done to her. But at the same time she still loved him, and she had mixed emotions for Mark as he was trying to help her. She just sat there looking blankly at Mark. She heard a quiet noise as Mark's lips moved, the mixture of emotions blocking out everything. The sound got louder as she snapped back to reality. 

"Rebecca!" Mark shouted with a concerned look on his face. 

"Yes what? Sorry I just blanked out." Rebecca replied looking back at Mark and shaking her head. 

"I asked if you would like to go to the park, maybe every Wednesday and Saturday? Just to take your mind off things?" He smiled softly at her taking her hand in his own. 

"Um.. Sure." She smiled back nodding at him as she let go of his hand awkwardly. He smiled back at her softly before nodding. 

"So, would you like a drink or something?" Mark said as he looked away blushing slightly. 

"Um sure, a cup of tea. Would cheer me up." She responded smiling. He smiled back and got up to go downstairs just when she grabbed his hand, startling him. He looked her with a shocked expression on his face as she lean in. She whispered 

"Thank you Mark, it means a lot." As she let go of his hand and pulled away. He smiled back at her, his cheeks glowing bright red. He nodded before turning and walking downstairs. Rebecca laughed softly to herself before sitting back and relaxing.

"Rebecca! Rebecca! Wake up!" Mark shouted, shaking Rebecca gently. 

"Mhmm, noo five more minutes." Rebecca mumbled rolling over and onto the floor. She stood up quickly shaking herself off. 

"Yeah what?" She said scouring at him. "Um... Here's your tea." Mark said stifling a giggle. He held out his hand offering her a mug of tea. She took it with a grunt. 

"You seem tired? You not been getting enough sleep recently?" Mark said sitting down on his bed. 

"Yeah, I can't sleep properly with all that's going on." Rebecca said sipping on her tea before looking back at him. 

"We'll stay here, sleep the night.. My parents won't mind." Mark replied smiling softly at her. 

"Hmm, yeah ok then, only if it's ok with them though." Rebecca replied nonchalantly.