Good Kids, Bad Things

Chapter 2: Run

     The sun was peeking in through the windows when Blaire opened her eyes. She rolled over to see Connor still laying next to her, sleeping soundly. She watched his chest move up in down. Seeing him so calm, breathing so steadily was calming to her. She noticed his lips parting as he exhaled, and closing when he inhaled. His eyelids were fluttering, telling her that he was dreaming. Blaire smiled. She loved knowing that she was safe with him. Suddenly, Connor began to roll. His back was now to Blaire, so she got out of bed and went into the bathroom.

    She walked over to the mirror that was hanging on the wall and looked at herself. Her long, brown hair had frizzed from sleeping on it. It was sticking out in about every direction possible. She grabbed her hairbrush to try to detangle it. As she reached to the back of her head she noticed the purple bruises on her arms, and she began to relive it.

    It was a cold night. Blaire was walking home from the local bookstore where she worked. She had to close the store that night, and an older lady was searching for books until way passed closing time, so she was stuck waiting for her to leave. When she was finally able to head home, it was about one in the morning. She was walking down the quiet streets in the small town of Plano, Texas, where she lived. Blaire was lost in thought about a book that she had been reading earlier that day, and she almost didn’t hear the footsteps coming up behind her. She was right in the middle of a thought when she had felt a presence beside her. She jumped a little, but then spotted who the mystery person was-her ex boyfriend, Jeremy. Jeremy and Blaire had a bit of a rocky relationship, especially at the end. Blaire knew that she had to get out, but when she did, all hell broke loose. Jeremy started to threaten her and her family, saying that Blaire would feel sorry that she left him. Blaire was trying to avoid Jeremy as much as she could, but he snuck up on her.

    “Blaire please, just hear me out. I’m sorry that everything that happened between us. I miss you, baby. I just want you back.” Jeremy said in a whisper.

    “Leave me alone, Jeremy. I told you I didn’t want to see you again. Please just leave.” She snapped back.

    Blaire began to walk faster. She knew that he was bad news. She had to get away. Blaire felt a hand on her wrist, and she was pulled to a stop.

    “Let me go!” She shouted, trying to pull away. She felt the grip on her wrist give up, and with one last pull, he released her, causing Blaire to fall to the ground. She tried to make it back to her feet, but a kick to the back of her head sent her back to the ground. Dizzy. She began to make out Jeremy’s familiar face hovering above her.

    “Why won’t you just leave me alone!” Blaire shouted at Jeremy.

    “You’re unforgettable. I could never leave you alone.” His chilling voice said. Those were the words that would haunt Blaire forever. She felt hands wrap around her torso, pulling her off the sidewalk and onto the grass, into a field off the side of the road. She was released, laying in the field, unable to move. Jeremy began to pull at her shirt, trying to get it over her head. Blaire couldn’t even start to make up words, barely able to see anything more than a blur. She tried to get up-to move at all-but the pain in her head stopped her in her tracks. She began to feel someone fumbling around the button on her pants. Button undone, zipper halfway down, when a sudden wave of adrenaline pulsed through her.

    Blaire did the only thing she knew that could potentially immobilize Jeremy long enough for her to escape. She used all her strength to pull her foot up swiftly. She made contact between Jeremy’s legs, heard his groan, and felt him topple over on top of her. It took almost all of her strength to get him off, and when she did, she gave him one more kick-just for good measure.

    All she could do now was run, as fast as she could, until she found something that would help her. She sought out shelter in the nearest house she could find, and the next time she woke up she was in the hospital.

    Blaire’s eyes began to focus again. She was still in her house, looking at herself in the mirror. When she looked closer, she say her blue eyes start to brim with tears. She was crying, one tear after another, falling into the sink. They wouldn’t stop, no matter how many times she wiped them away. Blaire was so caught up in trying to stop herself from crying that she didn’t hear the knock on the door.

    “Blaire? Are you okay in there? I think I heard you drop something just after I woke up.” Blaire looked down. Her hairbrush was laying on the ground. She must have dropped it while she was reliving her nightmare night.

    “Yeah Connor, I’m fine. Just dropped my hairbrush while I was trying to clean up the mess of hair I have.” She said, trying to mask the cracks in her voice.

    “Blaire, please let me help you. I know how your voice sounds when you’re crying. Plus, you were screaming out for help. Can I please come in?” Connor asked sweetly. Blaire walked to the door and unlocked it, stepping aside to let him in. Suddenly, she was being pulled into Connor’s warm embrace again. She felt herself collapse into him, not being able to hold it in anymore. She cried into Connor’s chest as he ran his fingers through her hair.

    “I’m sorry you’re having to go through this, love. You’re so strong. Please stop crying. I hate seeing you like this.” Connor whispered into her hair. “Can we take your mind off it? Let’s maybe watch a movie? Play a game? Anything you want, I’m there.”

    Connor and Blaire were best friends. They grew up together, and the were there for each other through everything, good or bad. When Blaire’s parents died in the car crash, Connor was there. When Connor’s father left, Blaire was there. They were the most important part of each other’s lives. They shaped and influenced each other. They needed each other.