How to Save A Life (Anthony Rizzo)

18- The Package

Clara

I stay inside for a few days and stay away from my phone. Anthony goes out to St. Louis for a series against the Cardinals and I stay in my little corner in my room where I can at least feel safe. Farrah comes over a few times and keep me company and I play with the boys. It does help for a while but then I remember why I'm stuck in here in the first place and I get this bad feeling all over again.

I look over to the window that shared its brightness with me and let out a long sigh. In the window sill was a bouquet of flowers from Anthony he had sent me yesterday, just because he knew I loved them. They were really beautiful, really lit up the room. A bunch of yellow daisies because they were my favorite. There was a little card in it with my name written in cursive. There was a little smudge so I know it was him because he's left handed and the ink never drys quick enough before his heavy hand drags across the paper.

I look back to the canvas I was working on and see that I had just about finished it. It was the flowers in the window with the skyline of the city in the background. So bright and so sunny even though inside of here I was feeling so dark and grim.

I decide to wait to finish it off and get some lunch first. I make myself a sandwich and grab some fresh veggies and find somewhere to relax. I watch tv and curl up in a ball on my side of the couch. I sit there for a while before I hear the buzzer to the apartment go off.

"That's weird. I wasn't expecting anyone today" I mumble to myself. I get up and press the buzzer back.

"Hello" I ask.

"Hello. There's a package here for a Ms. Clara Simpson" the person says.

"This is her" I say.

"Okay. We had specific directions to deliver this to you" the person explains.

"Oh, alrighty then. I'll buzz you up" I say.

I let them up and they hand me a package. I sign for it and thank the man before going our separate ways. I bring the box inside and set it on the counter. I study it and try to figure out what is happening. There was no return address or name or anything on this box. Finally I decide to open it but do not like what I found.

Inside the box was some of my old clothes that could only come from my ex. Some of my paint stuff and other things. In the very bottom was the shirt I was wearing when he broke my collar bone. There was still blood on it too. On top of it was the engament ring he tried to put on my hand the day I ran out on him. Right before he tried to put a brick through my head.

I wasn't sure how he found out I was here or what message he was trying to send, except this chill down my spine. Maybe Ricky saw the name on my back at the game the other day or maybe he followed Farrah here one of the times she visited, I'm not sure. I just stare at that ring as it stares back at me. I feel all the feelings I have worked so hard to suppress come up and the world starts to get dark. I knew this, whatever I was doing, it was over. He found me and only time could tell what happens next. I was terrified to try and figure out what was going to happen, I wanted to know so bad, but I knew I wouldn't like the answer. I just wanted it to be over.

I decide to do the one thing I knew would help and call Anthony. The phone rings for a while before he finally picks up.

"Hey Clara, what's up" he asks and I don't reply at first. I sit there for a while trying to figure out if I really wanted to worry him or not. But I wasn't sure who else to talk to. "Hello... Claire" he asks.

"Hey" I whisper.

"What's wrong" he asks in a lot more serious tone than the first time he spoke.

"I um... I miss you" I say.

"I don't want you to lie to me Clara. If something is wrong I have the right to know. You promised you were going to help me help you. I can only do that if you tell me what's wrong" he tells me.

"He found me" I finally whisper and the line goes silent.

"How do you know" he asks.

"He sent a package to the apartment. It had my old stuff in it, only things he would have access to. Including the shirt I wore when he broke my collar bone and..." I trail off.

"And what" he asks.

"And a engagement ring" I say softly.

"What? Are you guys engaged" he asks.

"Not technically. He purposed and I said no. He wouldn't take no for a answer so I tried to run away. That's where you came in" I explain.

"When were you going to tell me that you were supposed to be engaged to this man" he asks.

"The things I've told you, none of that was easy for me to tell you. To look you in the eyes and to tell you what I've been through. To tell you that I can't look myself in the mirror anymore because of what I've been through. There isn't a single thing that was easy for me to tell you that I've told to you. That terrible day plays over and over in my head like a broken record. I don't want to think about that day let alone talk about it" I defend.

"I know. But you were about to marry this guy, don't you think that's important information I need to know" he questions.

"I was never going to marry him. It's one thing to stay because he was a part of my past I wasn't ready to let go of, but I would never marry him" I defend.

"Then why stay if you were never going to marry him" he asks.

"Why does it matter" I challenge.

"Because I don't want that to happen to me" he claims and the line goes silent.

"Do you think about marrying me" I ask.

"I think about you being a part of my life forever" he admits.

"Listen. I stayed because if I left I would get a brick to the head. And as soon as he tried to tie me down with a ring I darted. But if you were to show me a ring I wouldn't run away" I promise.

"Don't tempt me" he warns.

"Don't even try it" I tease and he laughs.

"I get why you did what you did. I get that this guy is dead set on having you. But I don't like that he knows where you are. Is there anywhere you can go until I get back that he can't find you" he asks.

"Definitely not Farrah's" I insist. I really didn't want her getting caught up in all of this.

"How about Jess and Kris's place? I can talk to him to make sure that's okay until I get back later on this week" he says.

"I can ask her" I admit.

"Alright. Do that. I want hourly updates and if anything happens, no matter how big or small, you tell me. Got it" he asks.

"I got it" I assure him.

"Hey Clara" he asks.

"Yeah tony" I reply.

"Be safe."