Forgive and Forget: A Billie Joe Story

After a block of running, someone had caught up with me and tackled me to the ground. Luckily, there was grass and the someone was Tysen.

"Get off of me," I demand.

"No, don't ever do that again," he yells, clearly angry. "You ran off from the fucker that raped you, the one you wanted to see again. Do you have any idea what could have happened if I hadn't found you?!" I stay silent as he tries to calm himself down. He continues in a murmur. "What you were running from is one hundred times better than what could have happened to you, Ellie. If some sick bastard found you, he would've raped you, done everything to you imaginable, then killed you so he wouldn't get arrested. Do you want that?" I slowly shake my head. He watches me for a few seconds before rolling on to the grass and standing up. He takes my hand and pulls me up beside him. I cross my arms over my chest, not sure what to say. Tysen instantly looks regretful and wraps his arms around me.

"I'm sorry, baby, I shouldn't have said any of that," he says softly.

"But it's all true," I whisper into his shirt. He rubs my back as I lay my head on his shoulder. After a couple seconds, he pulls back and tilts my head up so I'm looking straight at him.

"I promise I won't leave your side while he's there, okay? I won't let him hurt you in any way." I nod so we start walking back as he keeps his arm around my shoulders. He pulls me as close to him as possible while I stare straight ahead. We don't talk until we're standing at the front door.

"Just walk in," Tysen tells me. I take a deep breath and turn the knob. We walk in and my heart speeds up. It is looking at me.

"Ellie, could you sit down," Linda says, trying not to sound nervous. I walk over to the table and sit down across from him. Tysen sits right next to me and keeps my hand in his.

"Where's Robbie," Tysen inquires.

"After Ellie ran, he couldn't sit here and watch her struggle to stay calm," It explains, carefully watching me. I look down until he clears his voice. "So, Ellie... Happy birthday."

"She doesn't want any of to say that," Tysen snaps at him. I squeeze his hand.

"Ty," I say as a warning. I look back at Him. "Thanks," I murmur, barely above a whisper.

"How have you been?" I shrug, noticing I'm shaking slightly.

"Okay. You?"

"I've been fine." Linda stands and kisses the top of my head.

"I'm going to go check on Robbie," she says and then walks upstairs. I look at It.

"Would you rather talk... alone," I ask. He seems to be shocked by my question. He nods anyway.

"No way," Tysen says. "I'm not leaving you alone with him." I stand up and pull him along to the door. I turn to face him.

"We need to talk about everything alone, Ty," I whisper. "I'll call you later, okay?" He stares at me for a second, and then kisses me. He walks out so I walk slowly back to my seat.

"So really, how are you," It asks.

"Better than I was two years ago," I mumble. He glances down for a second. Linda walks back downstairs and looks around.

"Where did Tysen go," she asks.

"I told him to leave," I say. "I think it'd be best if..."I swallow back the bile that forms in my throat at the thought of saying his name. "I think Billie and I should talk alone." He looks incredulous that I call him by his first name. Linda nods.

"Okay, dear," she says wearily. "I'll be with Robbie." She walks back up the stairs before disappearing in the room. I look at Billie.

"I'm not gonna call you 'Dad' anymore. You know that, right," I tell him with more acid in my tone than I want.

"I suspected that," he says. "But I was hoping that wouldn't be the case." I relax a little in my chair, waiting for him to say something.

"So Tysen is your boyfriend," he asks quietly, looking down.

"Yeah, my loving, caring, wonderful boyfriend," I say, smiling at the thought of him.

"How were you," he murmurs, looking back up. "What happened in the two years we were apart?"