Handcuffed To An Idiot

One

1 YEAR AGO

        I step out of the plane with nothing but a wallet full of euros. Finally, my past is behind me and I can start over. I can get a new place and start on a new life. Many people walk past, around me, and some even shove me, but all I can do is smile at them.

        I plug in my earphones and listen to new music by new artists that I've never heard of before. It's amazing to feel like this. Like a new person. I feel like I could fly from so much happiness! My life can finally be normal!

***

PRESENT TIME

        "Marty! Can you grab my coffee?" I shout down the stairs of my apartment.

        "You got twenty bucks?!" He shouts back at me.

        "Very funny! But, seriously, I'm gonna be late!" I straighten the last strand of hair and begin with a light layer of natural-looking concealer, then run down the stairs, grabbing the coffee from his hand and kissing him on the cheek before running toward the door.

        "Wait! Vanity!" He shouts, beginning to laugh at my hurried state. I groan and look at him.

        "What?" I turn and sigh as he dangles my purse in the air.

        "Forgetting  something?" He asks me with a large smirk.

        "Oh! You're a lifesaver!" I grab it from him, giving him a quick hug and finally running out the door, attempting to run to work in my heels without dropping my purse or spilling my coffee. It's a long walk to the cafe I work at, and usually Marty would drive me there, but he hasn't been able to for the last three weeks since his car broke down.

        Before you go and draw conclusions, no Marty is not my boyfriend. He is simply my gay room mate, whom I have befriended since I moved to London. It started when I saw him playing a familiar tune on the side of the street and he had nowhere to go. I decided that he could share my apartment with me as long as he helped with rent and we ended up being best friends.

        "Hey, watch out!" A girl shouts as I bump her shoulder when I pass her. I yell out my apologies and quickly look back to see if she heard but it was a mistake. Just as fast as I turned, I crash into someone, knocking both of us onto the pavement. I groan, grabbing my throbbing forehead, sighing in relief that it isn't bleeding. I don't even get off of the person I am laying on because it hurts so bad.

        "Um... Are you okay, love?" I hear a familiar rough voice and accent whispering in my ear, making me stiffen immediately. I gently lay my head over his shoulder, back onto the ground, feeling extremely dizzy. "Hello?" He gently shakes me. I don't want to look at him. I know that voice too well. I don't want those memories back. I quit listening to them for a reason. I shake my head and roll off of him, laying my arm over my eyes, as if to hide the sunlight shining down, when it's actually just me trying to avoid looking at him. "Hey! Are you okay, love?" He grabs my shoulder and I can feel him leaning down, his curls tickling parts of my face that aren't covered.

        "I'm okay. I'm sorry I ran into you, but please go away." I say, quietly.

       "Go away? You don't need to be ashamed. Let me see your forehead..." I feel him lifting up my nametag necklace. "Vanity." I shake my head. I refuse to look at this boy.

        "No. I'll be fine. Just go away and I'll be fine." I try to hide the way my voice quivers.

     He ponders this. "I'm not mad at you or anything..." He mumbles, rubbing his hand across my arm, giving me goosebumps, making my skin tingle.