Hidden Girl

11- Pancakes

Maybe there's a reason no one cares for me.

There.

I said it.

What's been bothering me forever. There must be a reason my dad hates me, my mom left, and nobody has ever been my friend.

I wipe a tear away and run out of the school. I can't go to school today, not after that event.

Why does he have to be so inconsiderate sometimes? He can be super caring sometimes; letting me sleep in his bed and giving me rides everywhere, but the next day he's be a complete jerk to me.

 He really knows where to hit me, and when we're in an argument, he hits that spot hard.

I run down the street and immediately start shivering. Why does it have to be so cold? Maybe it's cold because it's snowing like crazy now. Stupid weather.

I don't know where I'm running to though.

I run aimlessly and find myself back at the Rock in Central Park. I stand at the edge looking into the water as tears stream down my face, not bothering to wipe them away.

It's really not the argument I'm crying over now. You know that one time you cry, and you just end up crying over everything that has ever been wrong?

I cry over the dad that I would never have and the mom I'll never know. I cry over the friendships that I've never had. I cry over the days I couldn't eat. I cry over the fact that I've never heard the words "I love you". I cry over the beatings I took from my dad and from the kids at school last year. I cry over all the wrong that's been done to me.

Some people believe that there was a life before this, right? Maybe I got all of this pain in this life because in my last life I did something terrible. It makes sense, I guess.

"I can hear you thinking."

The exact words Alex said to me on the motorcycle that one day.

I turn to see Alex standing there in his leather jacket and skinny jeans. His nose is already red from running after me.

He ran after me?

"It's okay," he says as he approaches calmly. I turn back to the water. I'm just so mad at life, I don't know what to think of this. Did I deserve to be treated like this?

I feel strong arms wrap around me. Alex hugs me from behind, setting his chin on top of my head because he's so tall compared to me.

I immediately start wiping my eyes. I'm such a sissy for crying anyway.

"It's okay to cry," Alex reassures me as he leads my hands away from my face.

I finally decide to accept his presence, especially since he ran all this way to get me. I lean back against his chest and I can hear him sigh at my acceptance, instead of me screaming at him.

"When was the last time you ate then?" he finally asks.

"That burger you bought me yesterday..."

He sighs heavily. "Have you ever gone out for breakfast?"

I shake my head.

"I know where we're going," he says. He releases me and I turn around to face him. He offers me his hand and I put mine in his. He leads me out of Central Park, hand in hand, and we begin walking down one of the many streets in New York City.

"Your hand is so tiny, sweetheart," he says with a smile since he never released my hand, and it doesn't look like he is going to any time soon.

"Well yours is huge, sweetie," I say with a smile. It's amazing how he can be so kind only minutes after he was yelling at you, but at least for now he is nice.