Sang's Freedom (Original And Rewritten)

6

-Chapter 6-

Sang Sorenson's POV:

I couldn't fall asleep.

In the darkness of my bedroom I held my forty remaining dollars towards the ceiling. I should have given my father back his change, but I had been in such a hurry to hide my clothes, and now it was a good thing I hadn't.

I just had to allocate ten dollars.

Just ten.

I glanced at my alarm clock.

11:58 P.M.

My heart was thundering. It was deafening. Marie's words had struck fear in me.

I had to pay up or she would tell Mother about the boys. And what's more, Marie had said the boys were trying to take advantage of me.

Her sisterly warning had kept me from visiting Kota tonight. He had wanted to help me set up my schedule, but I wasn't sure I could look at him without the ugly question popping out of my mouth.

Were they trying to take advantage of me?

I threw my pillow over my head and screamed. I hate this! I thought I might possibly have friends, but Marie's theory seemed a whole hell of a lot more likely. Especially since Kota, Luke, and Gabriel kind of kidnapped me that one time. I winced. What was wrong with me? I was trying to befriend the enemy. Mother was always telling me what men are really like. This was my fault! I ignored her because I liked...

I shook my head, but it did nothing for me.

I liked the way Luke took my hand and winked at me. Hell, if I had more courage, I would have let him give me a piggyback ride, but I was afraid...

I wasn't ready to be flush against his body like that. Girls weren't supposed to press themselves up on boys. Only sluts did that.

Touch was bad, in all senses.

Anytime Mother touched me it was unpleasant.

...But when Victor put a finger beneath my chin at the mall...it wasn't unpleasant. He didn't jerk my face up. He was soft and kind.

And I liked how Kota always looked at me like he was really listening when I spoke.

And Gabriel was my hero. He always caught me when I fell, and today at the mall I noticed he would catch my hair between his fingers every chance he got. I...wished he would pet me.

It was weird to think, but it was true.

I wanted Gabriel to just draw me into a hug and hold me tightly. He could pet my hair and call me Trouble all he wanted.

But I was too skittish for something like that. It was wrong to even think.

I couldn't keep calm if the boys got too much closer anyway. They would figure out something was wrong with me. We would have to move.

It was better if this friendship ended now.

That realization calmed my racing heart. This was good. New beginnings. No friends.

All I had to do was lose myself in my books for two years and then this nightmare was over.

Ten dollars to find,

Two years to go,

And then I was free.

***

I woke up to pounding on my bedroom door. "Wake up or you'll miss the bus!" came Marie's muffled voice.

I jumped out of bed and threw on my clothes, grabbing a handful of notebooks before racing out of the house after Marie.