Break Away

Chapter 1

I had to get out of the house, the fact that I have nowhere to go didn't exactly occur to me when I snuck out my window. I've never been one to think ahead when I panic... It's always been fight or flight. Right now I prefer not to fight someone I care about.

My little sister was lucky enough to be staying with a friend for the weekend so I didn't have to stick around to watch out for her 16 year old butt. She started spending her weekends with friends ever since our mother moved out, not that I blame Kennedy, if I chose to associate with the morons at my school I might try to escape too. I only have a month left until I'm done with high school then I'll be able to start working, save up enough money and move out. When Kennedy turns eighteen I want her to move in with me too, big plans right?

Back to the present I found myself wandering along random streets near the pier, a part of our town where gangs have more power than the police and it's not uncommon to be offered drugs by a shady teen or pick-pocketed by a naughty kid. I'm not as scared of this area as I probably should be but it does help that I almost fit in here. I've been called all the names; emo, goth, attention whore, cutter.

None of which are true.

I frowned pulling my baggy grey sweater closer to my body noting the soft footsteps behind me, they'd been there for a while but it didn't really bother me until now. Is someone following me? I turned to see a skinny guy in a dark hood a few feet behind me, he was thin but still larger than my 5'2. Don't panic, he's not following you, you're just being paranoid like usual.

I took a sharp turn left and turned to see the man had taken the same turn... maybe he's just going this way. I sped up my pace trying to hurry and lose him but the footsteps sped up as well, crap. He's only about five feet behind me and all I have to look to for help are the tall, cold brick buildings. I can feel a lump forming in my throat as I notice a small group of men standing at the end of the road, there's nowhere for me to veer off and escape.

They turn to look down the road towards me, one smoking as he stuffed something into another boy's backpack, they began to head towards me making me want to run but there's nowhere to go. How do I get myself into these situations? The one in front has pitch black hair just like mine but short and shaggy, he has a frightening smirk plastered across his face.

"What do we have here?" The question isn't directed at me, instead he looks to the man following me.

I backed towards a wall getting out of the group's way, I could see all five of them now and the confidence that radiated off them was tangible. The man following me now looked nervous, like he wanted to slink away into the darkness making me realize he wasn't part of the group of teenage boys.

"Look, I'll just go. I didn't know she was yours... no harm right?" He stumbled, hands raised in surrender.

"You know we don't support what you do, especially not in our area. You're not sorry you did it, just sorry you got caught." One of the boys said.

On a command that was either not there or I simply missed four of them suddenly charged forward taking him by surprise, he wasn't fast enough to get away and before I know it he's on the ground. A blonde boy throws the first kick straight to his stomach and then they're all hitting him mercilessly. I hear his pleas for them to stop, his cries of pain but they don't even pause.

A strong hand grasps my wrist tugging on it and forcing me to turn quickly letting out a surprised squeak. The leader with his pitch black hair looked at me with concern, "You alright?"

I shook my head and pulled my wrist free from his hand glad he released me, without thinking I turned quickly and ran away from him as quickly as my scruffy sneakers could take me.

"Hey, wait!"

But I didn't stop.

I couldn't bring myself to even turn around as I sprinted towards the brightly lit streets of my comfortable middle class neighborhood with its identical two story houses and pretty green gardens.

It's just another hell.