Run to You

12

In the middle of the night, I wake up in Scott's arms, tears streaming down my face. I feel like I can't breathe. I roll out of bed and dash to the bathroom, shutting the door and sitting down with my back against it. I try to muffle my sobs with my hoodie, but it's nearly impossible. I hate that I sometimes just feel like shit for no good reason. I'm such a crybaby.

I sit there for another few minutes before I hear a knock at the front door. I narrow my eyes and check the time on my phone. It's nearly 4 am. With shaky legs, I quietly creep out of the bathroom to the front door and peek out the window. I nearly scream when I see the face that haunts my nightmares. The flow of tears gets heavier, and I test the doorknob to make sure that it's locked. It is.

"Mitchell, I know you're in there." Travis's voice makes me shudder. "Just come out so we can talk."

"No," I whimper, so quietly that for a moment I don't even think he heard me. But he did.

"You're nothing without me, Mitch. You have no job, no friends... all you are is a stupid, ugly bitch who Scott will leave at the side of the road as soon as he's done with you. Even if he doesn't realize how worthless you are now, he will soon." I fall to my knees in front of the door, burying my face in my hands. "It's only a matter of time. You'd be better off just coming back to me now."

"No," I say, this time even quieter.

---

I've been sitting by the front door for what feels like hours, still crying. Travis left ages ago, so now I'm just alone with my thoughts. Was there some truth to his words? Will Scott really abandon me as soon as he realizes how worthless I am?

"Mitchy?" I hear Scott's voice from his room, but I don't answer. I can't answer. My voice is too rough from crying. Soft footsteps come toward me until Scott appears, concern in his eyes. When he sees me, he crouches down beside me. "Baby, what happened?" I just shake my head, squeezing my eyes shut. "Let me take you back to bed so you can be more comfortable." I nod, sniffling, and he gently picks me up and carries me back to his room, carefully setting me down on his bed and then laying down beside me.

I press myself against him, grateful for his presence. He presses a kiss to my cheek.

"I love you so much. I just want you to be happy," he says brokenly. "Please tell me what's bothering you, Baby." I press my face against Scott's chest.

"I can't," I choke out, my voice muffled by Scott's t-shirt. He rubs soothing circles on my back, doing his best to calm me.

"It's okay, Sweetheart. You don't have to. But whatever upset you is gone. You're safe. I'm here for you, Mitchy, and I won't let anything hurt you." But how long will that last, I can't help but think. "I'll never leave you," he adds, as if he can read my thoughts. "Do you want to postpone going out tonight? We can just stay in and watch movies or something."

The offer is tempting, but I can't just back out of our plans like that. I'm trying to reconnect with my old friends, and that won't happen if I keep ruining our plans. I shake my head.

"No, I wanna go out with our... with your friends."

"Are you sure?" I nod, refusing to look up at his face. "Okay. But let me know if you change your mind."