Dark and Dirty Like You've Never Seen

Do You Trust Me?

I ran as fast as I could. I could hear Frank’s footsteps getting closer behind me. What just happened back there? I couldn’t believe it. Someone actually stood up to my dad, so why am I running? I’m not really sure. I mean, Frank only did what I had fantasized about doing, but realization settled in and I knew that my life was about to enter a whole new level of hell that I had never experienced. I was confused. I wanted to jump into Franks arms and tell him how much that meant to me and yet at the same time I wanted to scream in his face and tell him that he probably just ruined my life. I didn’t know at this point, I just knew that I was running and I couldn’t stop. My vision was blurred. Partly from crying and partly from the drugs they gave me to numb the pain.

I was sure I knew where I was going. I had so much swirling around in my mind that I couldn’t hear Frank calling after me. I felt my foot catch on a raised part of the sidewalk sending me falling forward. That’s when I heard the horns and the angry cursing. I was so dizzy I just felt myself waiting for the impact of the ground. After a few seconds I opened my eyes to see that I was hanging halfway into traffic on the main road down from the hospital. That’s when I registered that there was an arm wrapped around my midsection and that I was holding my breath. I saw a sports car swerving back into the lane that I had chased him out of out of the corner of my eye. It felt like everything was moving in slow motion and at the same time it was happening all at once.

I gasped as I felt Frank pulling me back onto the sidewalk. I snapped my eyes shut, waiting for something to happen. After a few seconds I slowly opened my eyes, and found myself wrapped in Frank’s arms; his back was to the building on the corner of the street, his breathing was heavy and shaking. His eyes were shut tight. The look on his face made my heart sink. He looked like a scared little boy waiting to be told that the monsters were gone. He was waiting on me.

“Frank…” I looked up at him, my face just inches from his.

He slowly opened his eyes and stared down at me, worry painted all over his face. That only lasted for a second when anger took over. He let go of me and put his hands on either of my shoulder, holding me at arm’s length.

“What were you thinking? Why did you run from me? Angela? Answer me!”

“I don’t …” I shook my head feeling dizzy again.

“Why, Angela? Please.”

“I don’t know! I’m really confused… I don’t even know what just happened. Let me think for a minute.” I snapped at him. Tears began to prick the corners of my eyes again. His hands fell to his sides. I turned around and started walking back to the hospital to Frank’s car. I assumed that he was right behind me. By the time we made it back to the car, I had managed to compose myself. He walked up beside me and unlocked my door, letting me slide into the passenger seat. He climbed into the driver’s seat but didn’t turn the car on. I sighed and turned to look at him. He was sitting there staring at his hands in his lap. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to ask him so I just started with the one question plaguing me.

“Why did you do it?” I saw Frank look over at me with a facial expression I couldn’t read.

“Why did you lie?” He continued to stare at me with that hard to read expression. I swallowed hard but didn’t break eye contact.

“I didn’t.”

“So you really hit Aaron?”

“Yes.”

“Angela, please don’t lie to me. What happened at your house?”

“I’m not lying. That really did happen.”

“So what about your dad? I know something happened Angela. Why didn’t you say something? You could have done something about it.”

“You don’t understand. I can’t stop him. You don’t know anything about my life or why I am the way I am, so don’t just think you can waltz into my life and know how it works because you don’t know shit about me!” I turned and yelled at him. I couldn’t stop the anger that had boiled up inside of me. I didn’t want to be mad at him, but my life was already screwed up enough without the help of anyone else. I saw the pained expression that crossed his face, his cheeks turning red and his beautiful hazel orbs pierced my green ones, but I managed to hold my composure.