Brielle's Bitch

Caught up

Lauren POV

I yawned, my mind both tired and boggled by the events that had transpired earlier today. My mom was dead, I had escaped a near death experience and her murderer was probably now out there looking for us. I looked out of the window and watched the cars zoom by as a tear for my mom escaped my eye. I wiped it away, as I stared straight ahead in a trance like state. It had been 3 hours since we had jumped in the car. And clearly it had been 3 draining hours of aimless driving. We still had not reached our destination. I had whined an hour ago about where the hell we were going, but Elijah had assured me we had to throw off anyone who may have been following us.

I turned in my seat and studied his chiselled profile. I admired his bronzed complexion and strong jaw line adorned by a dark and full beard. I still couldn't believe that my tormentor responsible for my tears of self pity at night, was in fact my admirer. Animosity was what inhabited my heart, even though there was a small part of me that wanted to see where 'we' could go... I was hesitant. He quickly glanced my way, and I smiled a little.

"You ok?" He asked returning his icy glare back to the road before him. "Yeah..." I really didn't know what to do or say. "Don't you ever smile?" I blurted out of know where. I quickly regretted the words as quick as I had said them. He smirked, lowering his hat over his emotionless orbs. "Of course. What kind of question is that?" I gulped air, feeling a little stupid. This had to be the most he had said to me since we jumped in his car. The entire car ride had been silent, except for the roar of the engine and the radio murmuring background noise.

"I-I dunno" I stuttered. "It just seems that you've always got this cold, hard look... like you're always in deep thought." He chuckled in response.

"Trust me, if I forget to smile,  I'm smiling on the inside. Thanking god for seeing another day, that I'm healthy and strong. Thanking him you've come to..." He looked over at me for a split second. I didn't turn to meet his weary gaze.

"It shoulda been you... Not Brielle. " he scowled "-But allowing pride to make my decisions is my downfall. Always has been.. "

"Mmm... I mean why would a good looking guy like you wanna be with an out of shape, quirky introvert like me? I don't meet societies definition of beauty. Brielle was a much better choice." I said, feeling shitty about myself. It was crazy that the person who used to make me feel so low, now wanted me. Whilst in the past few months I had managed to lose 2 stone, and my mild acne had started to clear up; I still felt ugly.

He sighed, swiftly changing gears. "Fuck societies standards. Thats always been my fuckin' problem. I cared too much. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and its only skin deep. What's on the inside matters most. Brielle's beauty is undeniable, but what's good looks when your heart is as black as coal?!"

I nodded. He had a point.

"So what did you see in her?"

He paused, looking straight ahead.

"To be honest I don't even know-" He shrugged. "She's a pretty girl but thats it. Her interior is messed up. As I said, she was somebody who my peers would approve of. I should of followed my heart though, I guarantee things would've turned out much differently." He said running his large hand down his GQ worthy face. "I gotta say this though... I'm sorry Lauren. I should've never berated and belittled you. I know I made you feel like shit.. but I promise you, if you give me the chance to show you how sorry I am. Im gonna show you how deserving you are of real love."

I smiled, but remained quiet. He took that as a cue to continue focusing on the road ahead. Turning back to the road, I saw that we were pulling into a small cobble driveway that belonged to a Small but comfortable looking bed and breakfast. "We're gonna get a room for the night, and then I'll figure out our next move tomorrow." Switching off the ignition, he got out and opened my door. "Thank-you." With ease he took my bag from the back and flung it over his shoulder, leading the way to the entrance of the B&B.