Run Away With Me

I lay on my bed, feeling a bit sorry for myself. I hadn't meant to upset Tessa. She was wonderful, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. She was like an Aunt, as I'd thought before, and it wasn't fair on her.

I wondered if I should just pack up and leave, but decided not to. There was no way I was leaving Frank, he needed me. I knew he did.

"Oh Frank," I whispered into my pillow, hugging it close to me.

I knew I was a shit person. Of course I was. I wasn't funny or smart or cute. I'd never be pretty, not like Kalli. That was why he'd chosen her over me. She was great and I was not. She may have been a bitch to me, but she was nice to everyone else. I was a bad person, that's why she hated me. I wasn't seeking compliments, I wasn't being over dramatic. I was telling myself the truth, and I knew it was the truth from the ache that settled in the pit of my stomach.

I let go of the pillow, and grabbed my blanket, pulling it over my head so I was cut off from the world. I closed my eyes and fell asleep gratefully.

***

I awoke early, still curled up under my bed covers. The air felt thick and muggy, and I crawled out of the blankets for some air. My bedroom window was open, so I made a mental note to thank Tessa for that later.

I slithered off my bed, my limbs still feeling weak and wobbly from sleep. I grinned as I realized I was still dressed in yesterday's clothes. I peeled off the rumpled jeans and t-shirt, and pulled on a pair of black tights, a knee-length gray skirt and a Squirrel Girl band t-shirt. After putting on some make-up and dragging a brush through my hair, I looked okay.

"Tess, I'm going out, thanks for opening the window. Bye bye bye!" I said, rushing down the stairs, hoping my adoptive guardian would still be in bed.

No such luck.

"Rosie, come get some breakfast, it's only 10 in the morning, visiting hours won't have started yet," she called from the kitchen.

I slouched through, dejected, resisting the urge to argue with her.

"Good girl," she smiled at me, pushing a bowl of Cheerios toward me.

I splashed some milk from the carton on to the tiny loops, and dipped my spoon in, scooping up a mouthful, and stuffing it in. Tessa smiled in approval and I repeated the stupid-feeling ritual until the bowl was empty. I dropped it into the sink and turned to Tess.

"Can I go now?" The words came out sharper than I meant them too.

"Fine," Tessa said curtly, looking annoyed.

I didn't stop to apologize, just ran upstairs to get some things to keep me occupied while Frank was, well, being his new self. The new book by James Underground was still in the plastic bag. Jake hadn't taken it back, I remembered, and felt guilty for not talking to him since Frank's accident. I vowed to message him when I got home.

I grabbed my sketchpad, which was half-empty, or half-full, depending on how you looked at it, and some drawing pencils. I stuffed them in my rucksack, along with an empty notebook I decided to use as a Frank journal. So when he came out his coma, he could read about what it was like from my point of view.

I was ready to go.