Hidden Close (Jr. Year)

Chapter 22

Part 22 Of The First Draft

No matter where we looked we couldn't find her. There was so many people here, and none of them could possibly be Becky. The place was so drab and miserable that it made me feel bad. It sucks that so many parents would ever dump their kids off in this horrid teen shelter. We had nearly given up on trying to find Becky when we heard a loud laugh outside of the shelter's glass door entrance. It has to be her.

Renee, Lana, and I quickly made our way out of the shelter and looked around. We heard the laugh again and realized it did not belong to Becky at all. The young teenage girl it did belong to stared at us and shivered beneath her thick coat. The girl had similar hair in length to Becky, but not the same color. She possessed no backpack and I took a gambit and I pulled up a picture of Becky on my phone and showed it to the girl. I asked her in a soft tone,

"Have you seen this girl? She kind of looks like and sounds like you..."

All of us realized what was going on when the girl bolted. Renee and Lana chased the disguised Becky down the street until they had her cornered. Becky cried out in desperation,

"Please, leave me alone! If I stay with you she will kill me!"

Lana asked Becky, calmly,

"Do you really believe all of us can't protect you?"

Becky dropped to one knee and revealed a large scar in her arm. She told us,

"This is what she did to me before I escaped her. I'm lucky I'm not dead. I had to run from the hospital to avoid questioning. If you can protect me, I beg that you don't let me ever be alone again. Please. I'm hungry and cold and quite honestly, afraid."

She agreed to us taking her to the Eisens' and she slept next to me in the car all the way to their house. We helped carry her in and set her down in the large living room of the Eisens' home. Becky rose out of her slumber and began to clutch her bandaged wound. I called Grace over,

"Grace? Becky is injured. Can you look at it?"

Grace examined it closely, and touched it gently. She then announced in a solemn tone,

"Yep. This wound was definitely inflicted by a vampire."

Grace grabbed out some herbs that resembled nothing more than what would be found in the spice rack of a kitchen. She coaxed Becky gently,

"Please, eat these."

Becky looked at Grace with caution and then submitted, eating all of the green herbs at once. Becky's wound did not vanish, but she reported,

"Wow....it doesn't hurt anymore...."

Becky then turned her focus to me, asking,

"Will you please be my bodyguard? I...I don't want to die. Besides, I trust you the most...."

I smiled, and cheerfully agreed,

"You got it."

After the smoke had settled, I slipped away from everyone, and escaped into the bathroom with my small black purse. This is the only place I can go to relieve my stress. I wanted to rest....but I can't. I took something for my pain, and then simply exited, for fear of raising suspicion. I don't want people to know I'm taking narcotics. I don't feel I have a problem, but that may just be my own ignorance at play. Becky was already asleep when I found her, and I fell almost instantly to sleep on a chair next to her, too. What a strange day it has been. I suppose it's normality in my life.

When I arose, I was surrounded by the blinding light of the morning. Perry helped me up, and I kissed him softly on the lips, him ignoring my unkempt morning self. I quickly showered and threw on a skirt and black top, ones that I can barely get away with at our school. The skirt was below my knees and the shirt was short, but I don't care. They make me feel pretty and I badly need that right now. I went downstairs after brushing my thick brown hair, and ate an orange. I then kissed my mom and dad goodbye and dragged Becky with me out the door and into Perry's car. She seemed better, but I knew she couldn't make first period. She had a big note from what appeared to be Grace, it signed dubiously with her sister Veronica's name. Figures. Becky is in no shape to be participating in gym class. She more or less has been clutching her gash since she had returned home from the runaway shelter.

When we did make it to the school, I stayed close to Becky, guarding her fiercely. We changed into our gym clothes together, and Becky shamefully handed in her note to our instructor. The gym teacher scoffed, and commented, gruffly,

"It's a shame. You're one of my strongest girls in the class. Becky, you've earned the opportunity to sit today out. I mean, after everything that's been happening in your life. As for you, Miss Jacobson, I expect you to try harder than you have been in this class. I know you have it in you."

Becky seemed happy, but I knew that her smile was hiding her pain inside. When we started class, I ran as hard as I possibly could, finishing close to the top of the pack for all of the girls. Even though I was completely winded, I felt good, and went to join Becky on the sideline. She was still depressed, and I asked her, with much abandon,

"Becky, I promise you things will get better."

Becky's response was instant and depressed,

"Yes....but I just feel so useless. I wish I was like you."

I threw my hands up in partial disgust,

"Trust me, you don't want to be like me."

The day went on with near silence between the two of us. Becky was unstable and I know it. I urged her when we got home to stay positive, assuring her that I would never leave her side until this is all over. She still expressed both rage and fear towards Carlita. When the day ended once more, I told Becky, as I was completely worried about her,

"Please don't do anything stupid like I always do. You'll live through this all, I promise you. If you need a pill, don't be afraid to ask. I hate them, but gosh, at times I need them. They help me sleep and forget that I am here. Isn't that what we all want in the end?"