Hide (Sequel to RUN)

Chapter 17

The ringing in my ears increased as Maki and I continued down the beach, hand in hand. If I ignored the ringing, I actually felt normal. After a while, I got more comfortable and clung onto Maki's arm like it was a life raft.

I'd flooded my brain with different songs, drowning out the thoughts that told me I wasn't worthy of this moment.

"Why are you still so nice to me?" I asked him, snuggling in deeper. It was the first I'd spoken since the 'Yeah'. He'd talked a lot since then. Filling me in on his family life, what his favorite color was, his favorite dog breed, stuff like that. I'd interrupted him mid-spiel.

"What do you mean?"

"Lansing has been nothing less than a father to me, and I just bit his head off. How could you possibly want to be in a relationship with someone like that? Someone like me?" I breathed, looking out into the ocean some more. He stopped moving and turned to face me, grabbing my other hand.

"You're human," he shrugged. "You're not going to be perfect." He smiled a bit, thinking to himself, before saying, "And besides, it's in the teen handbook to be rebellious every once in awhile. I could tell you stories..." After a moment's pause, I whispered, "I would like to hear those stories."

Maki's smile broadened, crinkling his eyes in a way that made my heart flutter.

"Well," he emphasized, turning back to the way we'd been walking before and slinging his arm over my shoulder, "they are nothing compared to your stories, but I'm sure they'll entertain you enough."

Maki told me story after story as we created our footprints in the wet sand, talking for at least an hour. Some were hysterical, some made me scared, and others made me want to hit him. But they were what made him the person who was standing next to me.

"Wanna know a story of mine?" I asked softly, staring a few inches in front of my moving feet. Maki went silent next to me.

"I don't want to push you to do something you don't want to do." I thought back to my time in the bar.

"They would drug the beer," I whispered. "If they felt like paying for the beer, anyway." Maki stopped suddenly, making me jerk to a halt a few steps ahead of him.

"I think we should sit down for this one," he pulled me down onto the sand next to him. I breathed deeply, getting up the courage to tell him.

"First time I was rented, it was by this guy named Frank," I sighed, wrapping my arms around my knees. "Complete...complete sleazebag. Umm..." I closed my eyes, remembering how I had struggled against the handcuffs.

"They would handcuff us under the bar counter so we couldn't get away...Frank ordered a spiked beer for me, but I wouldn't drink it. He got frustrated and plugged my nose so I couldn't breath unless I opened my mouth. When I finally tried to breath, he poured the beer down my throat. I managed to convince him I'd swallowed and then spit it out in his face after he finally let go of my mouth. That's when he grabbed a wooden rod...and forced...and forced it into my mouth. Then he poured the beer down my throat, successfully drugging me. He stuck his tongue down my throat after that..." My fingers fluttered at the base of my neck, remembering the choking feeling.

"I'm sorry," I half chuckled. "I didn't mean to burden you with that."

"Stop apologizing for things you can't control," he sighed, sounding frustrated. "Tell me more. You know...if you want to." I smiled a bit at this. All the stories bubbled to my lips, waiting to be told. I'd never told anyone any story about that place. Not even the girls.

"That's all for today, Maki," I patted his leg and stood up, still a little shaken from the memories.

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