there's nothing left *A Short Story* | HEMMINGS

04 - i ran

i ran and ran, until all i saw was darkness. luke's house was in the middle of the city, there were lights, buildings, cars, anything and everything, everywhere.

i loved the city, i grew up in worcester, a city in massachusetts where i usually fell asleep to the sound of horns and sirens. i woke up to the sound of yelling, sometimes laughter in the summer. i walked around the streets alone most of time, where there would be older, creepy men watching my every move. although i had taken self defense classes when i was younger, and i knew how to defend myself, i never usually used my knowledge of fighting and i never thought i would have to use it against someone.

i carried pepper spray in my purse with me everywhere, and a pocket knife in my jeans though, but i never had a reason to use either of them. don't get me wrong, there definitely were times throughout highschool where i wanted to use them on a kid, but i had always gotten good grades and never got a detention so i wanted it to stay like that. i'm not saying i was a perfect student, i got drunk or high here and there, i've done some things that i should've gotten in trouble for but i got away and always did them carefully so no one would know.

now that i'm in college, i can now legally drink and or get high, but i don't do it often. it's kinda like, when you're not allowed to do something, you just want to do it more, then when you are finally eligible to do something, you suddenly don't want to do it anymore. you feel me? i don't remember most of the things i learned in my self defense, but i still do carry what i need.

i could've stopped luke, i mean, my pepper spray was in my bag on the ground, and yes, my knife was in my pocket but i didn't want to hurt luke. if it was anyone else, i would've stabbed them in the hand, hard enough so it would hurt, but light enough so it wouldn't severely hurt them. or I would spray them in the face and push them back, then kick them in the stomach and run.

i couldn't have punched him, he's too strong and he was holding my wrists against the wall.

my wrists.

i stopped running, i was far enough. i was exhausted and out of breath. i looked at my wrists, they were throbbing, dark blue and purple, swollen too. i looked up, there were millions of stars, the sky was dark, off in the distance behind me i saw lights from the horizon, the city. back in that city, my boyfriend still lay unconscious most likey, his best friend standing over him in shame and disgust. possibly ashton had called the police. oh, the things i would do to see that horrible person behind bars.

i just called my boyfriend a horrible person. but he isn't, he's... he's... i can't think of anything at the moment but he has his good moments for sure.

i looked around me, there was absolutely nothing. just big forests on each side of the small road leading out of boston.

should i go back? maybe i should.

---

"he what?" april screeched as she threw her cup of water across the room. she's always so dramatic. "amber! you need to break up with him!"

"i know, i know, i will. it's just-"

"no. amber, he hurt you! look at you!" she walked back and forth, gripping her hair in one hand, her other hand on her hip. she reached for her phone, and started dialing a number into it. "i'm calling the police."

i stood up quickly, running over to her despite the pain in my lower back. we can't call the police! if anyone else finds out luke will go to jail, he's going on tour soon, he can't be in any kind of trouble, especially something like this. this will ruin him, his career, his band. ashton.

i grabbed the phone from her hand as quickly as possible and threw it. to my surprise, it landed in the trash.

"wow, impressive."

"thanks. i guess dad being a basketball coach and giving us lessons wasn't so bad after all," i laughed slightly. "no! you can't call the police on him!"

"i have to! amber, he hurt you! look at your wrists," i looked at my wrists again, the swelling was worse by now, as it was 4am. "they look like, i don't even know, am, like huge ass grapes!"

what he did was horrible, i know, but like i said, he can't have this. it'll ruin the bands reputation.

i had no idea what to do. this was horrible. i walked away and went into my room to lay down. as i lay there, i thought about all that happened tonight. i kissed ashton, i got physically abused by my boyfriend. my life is going so down hill, why, i don't know. i don't know why i deserve this.

i lazily reached into my bedside drawer and took out a small orange tube of ibuprofen and a mini water bottle. i sat up and took the ibuprofen then fell back down onto my bed to attempt sleeping.

i'm just about done. done with everything. school, work, luke. but i guess it's kind of my fault, my whole life i've ran from my problems. like i did twice tonight.

i'm doing it again, i'm running away from the problem, if i should call the police or not. if i should break up with luke or not. if i should talk to ashton, or not.

if i should run or not.

but that question is always easily answered i run.

and that's what i did.

i ran.

___________

wow.
i'm kinda sad cos this is almost done :(
like it says in the description, it's based off of a song, so i'm writing this based off of each verse, the chorus, bridge, whatever. so this chapter is kind of the beginning of the chorus so all i need is the chorus, second verse & bridge so that's probably only a couple more chapters.

aw :'(

also i'm listening to 5sos' debut album and getting major feels *sigh*