Burnout

"Don't be stupid," Katie taunted as Hallie zipped up the last of her room in her suitcase.

"I won't," Hallie said trying to stifle her growing grin. "This is it, Katie. I'm gonna make it. And when I do, I'll come back for you." Hallie promised as she pulled Katie in for one last hug.

"This is it," Hallie thought. "I'm finally going to chase my dreams."

Hallie. Not like Hay-lee. Like Hal-lee.
College graduate who wants nothing more but to escape the town that's been haunting her since she was 12.

****

"Get out," Liam's lips trembled as the words came out of his brother's mouth.

"Trent, let's talk about this.." Liam begged, doing everything in his power to hold himself upright as his knees almost gave out.

Trent turned away and walked back towards the house, leaving Liam standing on the front lawn. "Get out," Trent repeated. "This place isn't big enough for a killer."

Liam bit his lip and tried to stifle the lump in his throat, tears filling his eyes like rain and the word killer coursing through ever fiber of his being. He bent down and picked up the rest of his bags from the lawn, stumbling over to the car and leaving the only place he'd ever known.

Liam.
Brainiac turned bad boy who never looked back when he left home after being torn to pieces by his hometown for something he allegedly never did. Allegedly.

She holds the power to change lives.
He craves the change that he can't find in himself.
She holds herself together by paper and pen.
He pulls himself along with whiskey and weed.
She thinks growing up means moving on.
He knows growing up means becoming stagnant.

Living in a big city never felt so lonely, and being with one other person never felt so right. That is, until something so horrible happens, you're not sure you'll ever be the same.