There's No Turning Back

A week later, tour ended and I was finally back home in the safety of my apartment complex. Cheyenne and Annie were back in school since winter break was over a few days after we got home. Everyone kept in touch with each other. The night of the accident still haunted and scared me so but things were better; it was one of those life experiences that teaches you a lesson in some way even if you don't know what the lesson was.

After a day of sleeping in and laying around the house, ignoring the fact that I had work to do on publishing those photos from tour, I decided to finally get out of the house and do something active.

I drove to the mall - it seemed like the only place that's warm enough to go to with all the winter snow and not having to stand outside, walking around and shopping at outdoor boutiques. I arrived at the mall and walked around aimlessly, occasionally turning into a store and looking around if I saw anything interesting that was displayed in the windows that would attract me to actually go in the store and look around.

It was inside a music store when it all happened. I was looking through the cd rack when I ran into David there. David and I have gotten pretty close over the past two weeks - especially since the midnight incident. But ever since we got closer, Ashleigh seemed to be acting stranger around me - to all of us actually.

"Lianne; hey." he greeted, coming over to stand next to me. He started flipping and searching through the section of cds next to me.

"Hey David." I looked up at him, smiling warmly, "Where's Ashleigh?"

"Oh she's in some store," he shrugged with a look that clearly told me that it was some woman's store that he didn't want to go into. I nodded in understanding and continued on my search for who-knows-what cd I was going to buy.

"What are you getting?" he asked, peeking over my shoulder at what I was looking at.

I shrugged, "I really don't know. I just decided to finally get my lazy ass out of the house and do something." I looked up and laughed, "Apparently, this is the best that I can do."

"Because you're a woman and you guys shop." he rolled his eyes and I swatted at his arm.

"No; that's not it --" I looked up and froze; the smile on my face instantly washed off. I was completely frozen - I didn't blink, I didn't move, I wasn't replying to what David was saying, and I was sure that for a moment in time, I wasn't breathing either.

"Lianne?" I heard David call as he began to shake me - gently at first but soon it became rough to where you would think that he was trying to harass me.

I shook my head to bring me back into reality, "What?"

"Is everything alright?" David asked, concerned.

"Y-uh-erm-y-yeah," I stuttered, frantically looking around for any hint on what to do. "Here - get down." I ducked down onto the floor with my hand attached to David's forearm to pull him down along with me.

"What's goi --" I placed a finger on my lips to quiet him down, "What's going on?" he whispered, seeming quite confused with my actions.

"Just follow me." I ordered him and got back on my feet, still crouching down out of eye view. I quickly ran out of the store, my hand still on his arm to make sure he was following me and not making a mistake that could get me caught.

We made it out of the store and I ran on my tiptoes down a few store - just to not make it so obvious that I was running and get in trouble with the guards.

"What was that all about?" David hissed - but still not yet angry.

"Nothing," I smiled largely,trying hoping to get past him with my lie, "I just felt like we should be ninjas and secret agents for a moment there." I continued to smile, innocently gazing up at him as he looked at me suspiciously.

"Sure," he shifted his eyes, "Whatever you say."

I bobbed my head up and down rapidly, a fake smile still on my face, "Mhmm; whatever I say. So I say that there's Ashleigh," I waved behind him like a broken doll to his girlfriend who was indeed, standing there and looking around for him, "Go." I shooed him away, "Go on ahead with your girlfriend."

He shot me a look, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah - definitely. Oh," I pulled him back, "Can you go to the food court and get me a bottle of water?" I asked him nicely and he nodded before walking away to Ashleigh who was beginning to head our way.

Once I was sure that they were far away and heading towards the food court direction, I let out a sigh and sat down on a bench that was placed conveniently behind me. I placed my head in my hands and took a deep breath.

I got up and decided to walk around some more. Although I told David to go get me something, I wouldn't be wise to wait for him in the same area - if he can't find me, he can always give a call.

I took a look at one of the stands where they sold stuff in the open - where everyone else was walking. It was in an empty area though; near an entrance of the mall that people rarely thought of using. They sold bracelets, jewelry, accessories, and all sorts of tote bags; I went and took a look at them.

Not even five minutes later and it started to get lonely; I started to wonder where David was at the moment - either somewhere with Ashleigh in line getting her her water bottle or if he had simply forgotten about her and left to continue his day out together with his dear Ashleigh.

In a matter of seconds, I felt a hand snake around my waist and a pair of lips getting dangerously close to my ear. It didn't take long for me to realize that the touch wasn't that of David's (we had gotten so close in the past two weeks that it has become as though we've known each other since childhood - like brother and sister) and I instantly got a feeling in the pit of my stomach that this was going to turn out badly.

"Long time, no see." the person whispered in my ear and I gasped in surprised by the sudden movement, quickly turning around and froze - slightly leaning back to get as far away from the person as I possibly could. It didn't work well considering how I was practically against the cart's counter.

My mouth hung open and I was speechless.

"Why don't we get away from here and take a walk - go to somewhere where there's more place to talk?" he whispered again, a smirk played on his lips.

He took a hold of my hand and I didn't pull back. My mind still wasn't working and all I could do was stare at him with my mouth hung open, back slightly bent backwards, and my eyebrows going into a frown; it was as though I was frozen in an ice machine.

"Shall we?" He whispered courteously, his words sounded like it came out of the devil's mouth. He roughly pulled me away and through the mall. Where were the people in charge of the carts in all of this? Someone could easily rob them. I avoided bumping into people but I didn't bother to resist his pull - not wanting to cause a scene.

Who is this person? Well, I know him well enough to know that he wouldn't do anything to me in front of the public eye. If I see him getting dangerously close to a door exit, I'll just simply start squirming and cause a commotion then.

We came into another empty area - one near a restroom that no one rarely even uses. There were a few stores and restaurants around but they were all closed down. Only a few people roamed this area; I'd be surprised if anyone even witnesses what would happen here.

"So," he stood in front of me, his arms crossed across his chest, "Did you really think that you could run away from me? Did you think you were invisible in the music store with that guy?"

I rolled my eyes, "Why do you have to do this Bud?" I questioned him, "Why can't you just get over it and just be a normal friend?"

He chuckled - a devilish chuckle, "Do you really think it's that easy? I can't forget the past --"

"Yeah and I've got evidence to remind me of the past everyday." I interrupted him rudely.

"Lianne, I still love you; but I can clearly see that you don't feel the same for me," he paused and I rolled my eyes. I placed a hand on one of my hips and laid all my weight onto one foot, "So I'll make you regret ever leaving me. I'll make you feel my pain." Every one of his words dripped with venom.

I let out a dry laugh and sent him a glare, "Make me regret ever leaving you? Make me feel your pain?" I laughed sarcastically, "You've got a wife, and got me pregnant - which may I remind you, one was rape - with two kids and then you abandoned me with them. What more could you possibly want?"

He let out a dry laugh - a laugh of pity, "You're such a naive little girl; can't you figure it out on your own? I want you." he treated me like a little child. He came closer and placed his hands on me as I tried to get him off.

"N-no; Bud not again." his hands started roaming, "Bud stop; get you-get your hands off me!" I began to raise my voice and fight back, succeeding a few times but it never lasts.

"Oh come on," he said, trying to sound seductive, "Your little boyfriend will never know --" I pushed him away.

"Boyfriend?" I nearly laughed, "He is not my boyfriend --"

"That's not what I see," he came close again.

"Dude - get away from me!"

"Hey!" I heard a voice call and Bud smirked.

"Oh look; here he comes." he said and I turned around. In view, was David running over with a bag in his hands and anger was written all over his face.

I have never been so glad to see him before in my life.