For All The Wounds That Are Ever Gonna Scar Me

"Look Aimi, I'm telling you this because I know things you don't." I said to her while we walked home. There was a certain reason she wasn't walking with Matt today.... No, there was a reason he wasn't walking with her.

She stopped walking and stood silently on the sidewalk for a second pondering. I stared at her, barely realizing what she was weraing that day. Just noticing how attractive she was. For the first time I saw that she was really very beautiful. Her black hair barely falling over her shoulders. Those side swept bangs covering her left eye as the rest of her face was filled with frustration.

She opened her mouth to say something and I looked into her green eyes again. "I guess I belive you."

"You do?" I asked surprized. Usually people don't beleive someone they rarely talk to when they tell them that their boyfriend or girlfriend has cheated on them.

"Mm hmm. Now I have to find a way to break up with him. Do you know who he cheated with?" she asked politely.

I was again surprized at how well she took it. I frowned and whispered, "Niki,"

Her eyes widened and then were filled with sympathy, "Your Niki?" shed asked.

I nodded. She moved in to hug me. "Well we were definetly dating the wrong people. And I thought things were going swell." We walked along until we atopped at her house. I had just realized that I was walking her home. Well, thanks for telling me this, Bobert." she said kissing my cheek. "We should hang out. Call me."

The frontdoor shut and I turned around to walk the rest of the way home by myself. I sighed and walked another block down. My house was only a fewcrosses away. I crossed the first street. This was where all the traffic and stores and fast food resturants were. I walked along minding my business and saw a short, familiar, blond-greasy haired woman. I couldn't put my finger on it but I knew I'd seen her somewhere. Maybe someone I'd seen on TV.She looked worried or lost?

I kept walking getting closer and closer to her. She stopped two kids also walking home and asked them something I couldn't hear. They shook their heads and walked away. Stranger danger!

I scrunched up my face, frusturated that I couldn't remember whose face this was. She searched for something in her purse then took out what she was looking for; cigarettes.

So she smoked? Who did I know that smoked? Dad smoked. Did Mom smoke? No-- Suddenly it hit me! Mom. My mom. My real mom. The one who I left years before. She was here in New Jersey. Was she looking for me?

My body became tense and shaky. I tripped on my own feet a few times as I neared her. I lifeted my hood over my head, using it as a disguise.

She already had her cigarette lit and in her mouth. I was about to walk just past her but she stopped me.

"Excuse me, do you know a boy named Robert Pellisier?" she asked, taking the cigarette out of her mouth. She didn't know that my last name wasn't changed after I was adopted. She was also unaware that most people called me Bob. My eyes went from the ground up to her blue eyes. My eyes.

"I d-don't." I whispered. I felt my body shiver from fear of speaking to her again. I didn't want her to recongnize me.

I took another step foward butshe stopped me again, putting her hand on my shoulder. A chill ran down my spine. I turned around to look at her again. She looked almost exactly the same as she did when I last saw her; at the police station when I was ten.Her hair was a bit healthier now, though.

I swallowed hard, "What do you want, lady?" I asked in the bravest voice I could.

She sighed, "Well maybe his name is still Robert Bryar. Perhaps he still has my last name."

Tears filled my eyes. I wanted so badly to escape. I backed up two paces.

"What's wrong, boy?" she asked with a confused look on her face.

I stood there for a second longer... But that was all that it took. One more second for her to realize who I was. She'd recongnized me.

Her eyes widened, "Robert?!"

I turned around and dashed home, crossing the streets, not watching for cars as fast as possible. She couldn't catch me.

I turned aroun when I thought I'd lost her. I tried to catch my breath but then she appeared out of nowhere. She was racing down the street in her car. Chasing after me.

I continued running away. I felt a tear escape me. Couldn't people see that I was an innocent boy running away from a crazy child abuser?! Why wouldn't someone help me?