ISOLATION

8.

David's pov

We were so close. Summer had just shown me a silver lining, but the cycle repeats itself. As I hurry home to the 'crime scene': as my girlfriend describes it, I stay on the phone with her until she calms down. "The police are walking back to me- David I'm so nervous-" The phone rattles in my cup holder as I accelerate faster. My eyes clouding with the worst possible case scenarios. What will I be if I can not save her? This girl, who has become a part of my world, is miserable in her own. I can't lose her.

I turn onto our avenue. Low orange street lights line the extending cement road. At the end of the temperate tunnel, are bright flashing red and blue lights. The sight almost feels like deja vu. My eyes stare in horror and ignore all of the neighbors standing along the road. I rush to park my car. Just as I flung out of the door, I see her. Between the red and blue fluorescents, is the silhouette of the woman I love, but nothing more. As I approach her, she hides her face and wipes away any leftover tears. There is not a single scratch or bruise on her, but she's beat. Neither of us say anything to each other.

"Are you the boyfriend?" One of the officers step in between us. I nod and she calls her partner over. They proceed to inform me that there is evidence of a break in, but no signs of the one who broke in. My heart sinks knowing Summer was truly in danger. They agree to leave a patrol vehicle in front of our property overnight. Summer doesn't seem pleased with anything right now, but she keeps her mouth shut. I refuse to spend an entire night at the police station, so I call a close friend. He welcomes us to stay over at his place for as long as we need to.

As soon as we arrive at his apartment, Summer shows some signs of life again. She lifts her head: that must be hurting by now from how long she has held it down. She unfolds her arms: that must have gone numb because of how long they have been crossed. We wait for our friend to answer the door. "Hey Johnny-" She speaks.

Johnny and I have been working together for a while now. I can be comfortable with him and so can Summer. Johnny, being over six feet tall, looks down at the two of us standing in his doorway. "Hey Summer-" A somber frown appears on his face. "You guys can come on in." The gentle giant steps back and lets us inside. The apartment is decorated accordingly: neutral toned walls covered in an array of scattered framed photographs and below, stiff beige carpet laid stainless and uncluttered. It is not normally this clean. "I cleared this area for you two so you can pull out the sleeper couch-" Johnny hurries into the living room space and begins removing the pillows from the couch. "This is really nice dude, really, thank you so much, we really appreciate it." I say. My hand reaches for Summers, but her arms are already crossed again.

"It's no problem at all, I'm just glad you two are safe. Still shook'n up there Summer?" Johnny asks her. I decide to go help set up our sleeping area, while the two of them talk. The mattress I pull out from the couch, is nothing but five inches of wired springs and thin fabric covering it. But even if it was a thick luxurious bed draped in silk sheets, it wouldn't help the fact that this is one of the worst nights Summer and I have ever gone through together. "Ha-yeah, that's an understatement." Summer shakes her head. "So, David told me about this crazy woman that scared you in the woods the other day, was it really the same lady who broke in?" I don't bother commenting; I've heard the story from her several times on our way over here. "Yeah, it was. I knew she must have followed me from the woods-"

"But how? How did she even know where you two lived?"

"I-I don't know, maybe she looked at my id while I was passed out or maybe she saw my license plate- I honestly have no clue. I don't know who she is, what she wants, why she broke in- I don't know." It's audible in her voice that she's stressed. "And they still don't know where she is...she's still somewhere out there..."

That realization struck both Johnny and I. Neither of us were sure of how to act. The thought is unsettling, but I don't want to further frighten Summer. I can't imagine how paranoid she must be. When sympathy spurs my senses, I physically feel my heart melt. If my friend were not here with us, I would take Summer in my arms and never let go. The further she slips through my fingers the stronger my grasps becomes. A fist bumping my shoulder brings me back down from an escalating desire to love the girl in the room. "Bro?" Johnny says. "I have never seen you like this, are you two sure you'll be okay? I can stay out here with you guys- we can cook something up and watch TV-"

"No-no we'll be fine, it's already really late anyways and we've both been working all day- You've done more than enough for us. We'll be fine." I conjure normality. "The cops are staking out in front of our house for the next day, I'm sure if she's still there they'll find her-"

"And if they don't?" Summer interrupts. Overly exhausted, my only reply to her is a long sigh. If I even bothered making a remark on that, it would just lead to another fight and we've already had plenty of that on the way here. "We will figure it out after getting some rest. Thanks again dude-" I reapply that artificial tone of normality into the conversation. "Go get some rest."

"You get some rest, you two have had a shitty couple of days, but just know that she's only one person, whoever this creepy girl is, she won't hurt you- not when you two have so many people helping you. You guys will be okay, I'll see you in the morning alright." Johnny hesitates before closing himself off in his bedroom. "Oh! Also- this might not be the best time to ask but-uh, you're still performing at the big theme park show tomorrow night right?" He adds. This really is not a good time to ask, but I respond with a simple, "yeah I am."

"Summer, you still wanna go with me? It'll get your mind off things n' keep you away from the house for another night." He smirks. If I didn't already know that Johnny is a natural flirt then I would think something is up. And If I wasn't emotionally exhausted, I would laugh at that thought. I see and appreciate his generous intentions, but Summer is incoherent. "Mhm, yeah." She mumbles as she slides out onto the bed. Johnny gives me a questionable look. I shrug my shoulders and move on. I separate myself from summer for a brief moment to get myself cleaned up. When I make it back into the living room I hear someone sniffling underneath the blanket. Only a large chunk of her long black hair flows out from the comforter. The rest of the room is quiet, but she starts sobbing. It becomes louder. She weeps into the pillow. Her face burrowed in the depths of the sheets. Her petite hand clutches the edges of the blanket and lifts it up even higher in a slow, delayed way. Summer is trying to hide herself.

With no more words to be said between us, I sit next to her on the bed. She quickly emerges from the covers. Her eyes are wide and she looks at me frightened. The trails of tears highlight the tops of her cheeks. Her hair naturally falls down into place. "Sorry-" I mutter awkwardly. "Didn't mean to scare you." Looking at her now, I witness how her natural beauty can withstand any hardship. Carefully, I slide my hand on top of one of hers. She instantly recoils and goes back to her dark place. My body scoots closer into her back side and my arm caresses her curves over the blanket. She reacts to my affection as if I came on with hostile intentions. She pushes me away and moves her self further.

I've lost her.