Shameless

Faded

My parents screamed back and forth as I shoved different colored shirts into my backpack. I crawled under my bed and got the snacks that I've been hiding since yesterday, and packed them in my bag.

Tears threatened to leave my eyes but I didn't feel like crying. I just wanted to leave. I grabbed some essential things like, soap, a toothbrush and my hairbrush while my parents continued to scream in each other's faces. They didn't notice me as I ran up and down the small staircase to get things.

My bag was filled and now I just needed to get out of this shitty house and away from my abusive parents. There was a secret back door, in my parents closet that led straight to the path behind my house.

I quietly opened the closet door and sprinted down the path, never looking back. Silent sob's escaped my lips as I ran but I didn't care.

The tears streamed down my face and I let them move freely over my cheeks. I escaped. I finally escaped. If grandma saw me now she would be so proud.

After running for a while I stopped and sat on a log that wasn't occupied. My legs were sore and my sweat mixed with my tears. Eventually I stopped crying and got up to continue the long journey ahead.

Being 13 and escaping from the people that gave me life was hard. I could never tell stories about my parents to my future kids, and they would unfortunately never have grandparents.

That hurt my heart to think so far ahead but it was only the truth. If and when I do get married some day and have kids, I only hope their life will be so much better than mine.

I took deep breath and calmed myself as the sun started to rise. I was in the middle of the woods, but luckily, I remember how to get to the city fast. My grandma always took me on this trail whenever she wanted to get away from my mother.

The last time I went through here, all of the trees were steady with brightly colored leaves that fell off of them. Now the trees are dull with no color, as the sun shines through them.

I was exhausted once I finally got to the city, but I needed to get shelter so that I could rest peacefully.

I knew an old friend that lived around here but I couldn't remember where. She had a huge mansion and we always played together, but I've completely forgotten where she lived.

I sat on the side of the road, practically begging for money and any other type of food I could get. I was desperate for anything at the moment. I prayed and prayed and prayed, continuously until someone finally stopped.

She was an old women with a very fragile face. I took in her sent as she bent down and placed a 20 dollar bill in my hands. She smelt of vanilla and hazelnut, and her eyes reminded me of my grandmother's. Her emerald green eyes, looked at me with so much care and love and I ached at the sight, wishing she was still here.

"Take care dear" she said, grabbing my hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. I smiled up at her and I hope my eyes showed how great full I was. "T-thank you" I stammered.

*****
I jerked awake, checking my surroundings. I was in a bed but it wasn't mine and I was covered in sweat. I tried my best to remember everything that happened in the last 24 hours.

As I tried to lift myself out of the bed, I was held down by a pair of arms that draped over my stomach.

I looked to my side and saw the peacefully sleeping man that was wrapped around me. I had no clue why and how I got here but I needed to figure it out. I softly shook him awake and he shifted but didn't get up.

I groaned and shook him hard until he woke up. "Hmm what?" He said, looking around. When his eyes landed on me, his gaze immediately softened.

"Oh you're awake" he said. His voice was rough and tired but I loved the sound of it. "Yeah...care to explain what happened?"

"You blacked out after training with Jeremy and I figured you wouldn't want to wake up in a hospital bed so, I brought you here" he looked up at me and glanced at his arms and quickly pulled them away.

The warmth that had covered my torso and stomach were gone. "Why didn't you just bring me to my room?" I asked looking down at him.

"I tried to... but every time I set you down on your bed you would start thrashing around"my mind played back the memory dream.

"Okay" I said, getting up. The moment I stood up I got dizzy and my head started to pound. I sat back down and put my hand over my forehead.

"You okay?" Vince shot up and put his arm around my waist, from behind. He pulled me back on the bed and felt my head, checking for a fever.

"I'm not sick Vincent" I said and attempted to get up again. My head was still hurting and I fell right back on the bed. "It's probably best if you stay here Delilah"

Vince looked at me with worry clouding his eyes and I laid on his chest with a sigh. His hand found my hair, reminding me of the night in the hotel, when the storm hit.

He brushed strands out of my face and stroked my hair softly. I could hear his heartbeat beginning to steady as I traced the tattoo's on his chest.

Soon I fell asleep to the sound of his steady breathing and calming heartbeat.