It Runs In the Family (sequel to A Painful Love)

Chapter 14

Okay, this is a SHORT chapter becase it's more of a bridge. It's just going to explain a few things about what's going on, which will lead into the next chapters and why Max acts a certain way.

BTW this is unedited because I have to go somewhere, but I'll edit it when I get back. :)

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            I stared at Max in disbelief and horror. “W-What are you talking about?” I stuttered, curious about his answer but also completely terrified.

            “I won’t let you leave me, Hollie, so I have to make sure you don’t.” He said, coldness residing in his voice.

            The change in his personality was frightening. Through all of the months we had been together, I would have never suspected him to be like that. It was as if he was a whole different person. I tried to take in his words as calmly as I could, but it wasn’t working. I was freaking out and had no idea what to do. Maybe if I was nice to him, he’d let me go? Or I could escape somehow? I decided it was my best bet.

            “Max, you know I’d never leave you. I love you so much, how could I? I can’t imagine life without you.” I said shakily.

            I was silently praying he would believe it. Hoping with all my might that he would turn the car around and start heading home, but his facial expression didn’t change. He still looked determined and angry.

            “I can’t take the chance, Hollie. I’ll show you. I’ll show you how much of a good boyfriend I can be, you’ll see.” He started. “You have no idea how much I love you. I’ve been abandoned by so many people I love, Hollie, you don’t understand. I can’t let you be next.”

            I took a deep breath and sat back in my seat. If I freaked out, he would hit me, so I had to stay calm. I turned to look towards the door and realized the car was locked. If I wanted to get out, I’d have to take off my seatbelt, unlock it, then jump, but before I could he would have stopped me. It was too risky, and I didn’t want to put my life in any more danger than it already was.

            It was as if I was living a horror movie. I tried thinking to myself about all the stupid things I could do that people in the audience would shout at. I needed to think about my actions instead of impulsively acting on them, it would be the only way I could get away from him.

            “Do you at least have some pain killers? My head is killing me.” I said softly, not even looking at him.

            Max reached to the glove compartment and opened it, revealing a few medicine bottles. “There should be some ibuprofen in there.” He said.

            I reached in and searched the labels, finding one that surprised me. The orange bottle read ‘Olanzapine,’ also known as Zyprexa, which was an Antipsychotic for Bipolar Disorder. The only reason I knew that was because of Intro to Psychology, a class that was just added to the senior class list last year. I had taken it and we spent a whole day talking about Bipolar Disorder and the medication that went along with it.

            But why did Max have it in his glove department, and why was it prescribed to him? I wave of confusion tore through me as I tried to comprehend what it meant. Max was Bipolar, but he never told me. The realization hit me like a brick, and it made my nerves freak out even more. Not only was I dealing with an abusive boyfriend, but also a Bipolar one who needed to take Antipsychotic drugs.

            I could feel my whole body tense up. I was afraid that if I made one wrong move, he would snap and hurt me. I needed to find the painkillers though, or else he would know something was up. After I pushed a couple bottles aside, I found the Ibuprofen and took two out, then swallowed them both. I then put the bottle back and closed the glove department back up.

            I started thinking about how it got this far. How could I have possibly missed the signs and not left him sooner? My thoughts wandered back to the day he told me to wear my hair down when I had put it up in a bun. He said I looked prettier with it down. And then how he called me fat and told me that I couldn’t get anyone else besides him. He was controlling from the beginning and I hadn’t seen it.

            What confused me though was that I couldn’t figure out any times he had, had a manic episode. Bipolar consisted of mania and depression, and I’ve only seen the depression part. It could have happened when he bought me the clearly expensive necklace, but that wasn’t a for sure. Maybe when we had spent time apart he had the episodes? I couldn’t figure it out. Why did he only have Antipsychotic medication with him and not another mood stabilizer like lithium? Was he not taking all of his medicine? When I had seen the medication bottle, I noticed it was pretty full, which led me to believe that he stopped taking them.

            I tried calming my nerves but nothing was working. I had no idea where my cell phone was, which probably meant he had taken it after I fell asleep. I also had no idea where we were going, and that terrified me even more. Just the day before Max had freaked out about the hotel we booked, and now he was fine with being charged for a last minute cancellation? I had so many questions running through my head, but I didn’t dare ask any of them.

            How would my parents react if I didn’t come home within a week? Or if I didn’t contact them at all? They would be so worried, but would know that it was Max. They had suspicions about him, and this would prove it. They would send a search party for me right away, but wouldn’t know where to look because we weren’t even near the path I told them we were taking. And my friends, what would they think? Would they think I abandoned them, or would they side with my parents? And Elise, she knew the second day we knew each other, yet I lied to her. I should have told her the truth instead of protecting Max. I felt so stupid.

            I felt like a lost kitten in a field filled with giant German Shepherds. I was terrified beyond belief, feeling like I was either going to die by the hands of the boyfriend who I thought I knew, or be trapped forever with him and never see my family and friends ever again. Both thoughts made my stomach turn and tears begin to well in my eyes. I couldn’t believe that this was happening to me out of all people. I should have been more careful, but I couldn’t take it back now. I was on my own, and I had to figure out a plan to escape, even if it led me to my death. I was a strong woman, and no one could take that away from me.