the runaway

○shane○

Shane.

Over the past few years of middle and high school, he rose up to the status of a jock.

Well, at least that's what Talia heard this week. Everyone loved him. All the girls that were in her classes would squeal about how cute he was and how sweet he was. Talia would sit there silently, digesting new information about him.

She learned over the past week that he was a "nerd" in middle school. He moved to some private school for an unknown reason. And then, this year, he moved to her school.

Every time she walked into a group of girls, they were either talking about how cute he was or talking about how sweet he was.

She wasn't planning on seeing him, so when she bumped into him to sign up for the track team on Friday, she was speechless.

Literally.

○memory○

"Oof!" Shane's hazel eyes capture Talia's brown ones. "Are you okay?" His eyes shone with concern.

Talia nodded. She didn't feel the need to talk. Talia's eyes wandered away from Shane's and landed on the piece of paper that she had been looking for.

The sign-up sheet for the track team.

Talia sprinted towards it, wanting to be the first to sign up for it.

Someone else's name was there already.

"Oh, so you're signing up for the track team too?"

Talia jumped. She turned around to face Shane and nodded.

Shane smiles. "Cool. Maybe we could carpool to practices?"

Talia looks at him wide-eyed.

Did she just hear what he said, or was she imagining things?

Shane repeats, "Is it okay if we carpool? I mean, I could show you around town, you must be new."

Talia shook her head.

She obviously didn't need to be shown around town-she's lived there her whole life, why would she need that?

But then, Shane probably didn't know she was homeschooled for awhile.

In fact, the whole school probably didn't know that, so she lowered her eyes and nodded, not even thinking twice about her decision.

Shane grinned. "Great! You have a phone number I can text you with?"

Talia's eyes widen.

"You do have a phone, right?"

Talia shrugs.

She turns back to the sign-up sheet, writes her name, and sprints away from the scene, trying to process everything that just happened.

○reality○

Talia still hadn't gathered up enough courage to tell Shane her phone number.

Tomorrow was Monday, and she was scared to go to school.

To see Shane humilate her.

In front of everyone.

What should she do?

She didn't know.

But she really needed to ask about the schedule for the track team.

Might as well go, right?

Just try to avoid....him.

Hopefully they don't bump into each other again.

○ ○ ○

"Hey! Wait!" Talia mentally shuddered at the voice calling for her. She walked faster, trying to escape from the voice.

"Wait! We need to talk!" Talia started to jog, looking for the nearest bathroom.

For some reason, she kept on passing them. Probably because she was crying and running at the same time.

So she looked for the nearest exit.

"Oh my goodness! Stop!" The voice comes closer.

Talia starts sprinting.

She doesn't want to talk to this person.

Well, obviously.

"Why are you running? Stop!"

Talia runs out of the building.

So does the person behind her.

"Talia!"

Talia finally turns around.

She looks down.

"Talia, you can't always keep running away from me."

Talia looks up into the person's eyes, then looks away.

She sighs.

"Talia, you know how much it hurts when you ignore me?"

Talia looks up.

She hated the way this person was humilating her, but technically, he wasn't.

He was only telling the truth.

Talia's eyes start to water. She looks at the ground again.

"Talia! Look at me!"

Talia looks up, wiping away a stray tear.

"Wait...are you crying?"

Talia shook her head.

"Talia, talk to me. I've asked you so many times."

Talia shook her head. The person then surprised her.

"I'm sorry for hurting you."

Talia suddenly looks up, her eyes wide with shock.

"Talia, I'm sorry. I really am." His hazel eyes are filled with sympathy and sadness.

Talia couldn't stand looking into his eyes anymore.

Her heart fills with hatred as she is reminded of memories that she doesn't want to remember.

She looks up into his eyes, this time with anger instead of sadness.

"Oh, are you really sorry?"

He nods.

"Then why did you do it in the first place? First, you 'make love' to me and then go 'make love' to another? No! That's not right!"

He looks at her in shock. "But..."

"NO! I can't stand it. I tried so hard to forget it. Besides, do YOU know how much it hurts when you replace me? With that bitch?"

"I...." He seemed at a loss of words.

"No! Of course you don't! Go to hell."

With that said, Talia left the scene, heartbroken.

a/n: sorry for the super super super super long wait!! I hope you like this chapter! :) oh yeah, btw, go visit @glamourouslygood! she's really really good at writing!!