brenton's girl

forty two

Brenton's pov
I drove around checking all of Leah's favorite places, the Steak N Shake, the movie theatre, I even checked her old tree house. I couldn't find her. My phone rang and I quickly answered it. "Leah?"

"It's Brian."

"Is Leah at the Cold Croc?" I snapped.

"She's here." He sounded Sorrow.

"How bad is she?" I asked taking a quick U-turn.

"I don't know. She won't talk to me." I sighed and felt my chest ache. She's lost right now.

"Don't try to force her to talk. I'll be there in five." I hung up the phone and sped faster, hoping like hell there were no cops out. I drove fast until I saw the wooden building, I quickly parked the car, left all of my belonging in the car and snatched my keys. I jogged in the building and up the stairs to Brian's office.

"Where is she?" I asked when I didn't see her.

"In one of the rooms." I nodded and began checking every room. I didn't see her in any of them. There was only one door left and that was mine. I twisted the knob but it was locked. I knocked on the door.

"Leah?" I said softly. "Baby can I come in?" I heard her sob, but I focused on the fact I heard the bed move. She was getting up. The doorknob turned and she pulled the door open. I looked down at her, her face red and puffy, tears streaming down her cheeks, and her chest heaving. She changed into one of the shirts that I kept here.

"Can I come in?" I asked her.

"Please." She wouldn't look at me but she stepped back, begging me to come in. I walked to the edge of the bed, sitting down, and held my arms open. She walked to me after shutting the door, stood in front of me and then she kneeled down. I watched dumbfounded as she rested her head on my thigh and wiped her tears. She picked up one of my hands and put it in her hair. "Please."

"Leah," I cooed. "Let me pick you up."

"I want to stay here." I nodded and continued petting her hair softly. She stayed like that for nearly five minutes, kneeling with her head on my leg, tears falling down her cheeks. Then, I decided I needed to snap her out of her submission.

"Baby, get up please." Don't demand, ask. Give her a choice. She shook her head. "Please." Again she shook her head, not looking up at me. Clearly that's not working. "Leah get up, now." She didn't move but she did look up at me.

"What?"

"Now." She nodded and sighed, standing to her feet, I pulled her on my lap and let her straddle my legs, she laid her head on my shoulder. "What're you thinking?"

"I want to run away. Away from all of my friends. All of the bullshit at home. All of it. I don't want to deal with it."

"That's why you submitted?" She nodded softly.

"I don't want to have a choice. I don't want it to be up to me. I want someone else to do it for me." I sighed and kissed her shoulder. She gathered my shirt in her fist and pulled closer to me.

"Where do you want to go?" She perked up at that. Her eyes such a soft blue it broke my heart to see.

"Anywhere?"

"Anywhere."

"I want to go home." She said softly. Tears threatening to spill again. I put my thumbs under her eyes and blew, causing her to giggle.

"And wheres that?" I asked her.

"I don't know anymore." She said softly. I sighed and kissed her cheek, but she used her tiny hands to move my lips to hers. "You're home."