Eat Your Heart Out

Sighing, I set my phone down on my desk. I didn’t want to talk, I was working through everything that had just happened on my own. Damon had done this to me – and somehow, my subconscious knew that. That was why when I thought about going on a date, I must have panicked.

Paralyzer began to play from my phone – signaling someone trying to call me. Grabbing it, I powered it off and put it back on the desk before flopping over on my bed with a humph. My head hurt from all this new information and I felt that there was no one that I could relieve my stress to.

Elena and Stefan would be suspicious, I’m sure, but they would side with Damon in a heart-beat. I was pretty sure that everyone else I knew in this small town had absolutely no idea of the friendly neighborhood vampires they lived with. But I needed someone I could talk it out with – anyone who would believe me would do at this point.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I rubbed my temples, trying my hardest to hold back the tears that threatened to pour at any given time. Everything had happened so fast – one weekend had destroyed everything. It had destroyed my hate for Damon, and then brought a fear of him. It destroyed trust I had for my brothers, replacing it with high suspicion of everything I had been previously told. It destroyed the safety I had felt when first moving to this small town, and replaced it with fear of the shadows.

I was no longer safe.

Opening my eyes, my breathing calmed as I repeated the last thought in my head. I was no longer safe. I needed out – somewhere quiet where I could hide until everything at least calmed down to a simmer.

A face from the past floated into my memory – a great friend of mine, who had housed me the times my brothers were away, who was the first to help protect me from Jeremiah, who knew me probably better than I knew myself.

Travis Stevens – my best friend…since high school anyway. Maybe he could hide me and I could tell him everything, get it all out of my head. Of course, I’d probably get chewed out for even being interested in Damon, but at this point – I didn’t care.

The only question was how the hell was I going to get back to New York?

A tapping from my window pulled me quickly from my trance. Nerves raced down my spine, but I stayed still on my bed.

The tapping happened again and right afterward I heard a muffled, “Kris, I know you’re there.”

Damon?

I walked to the window and moved the curtain to the side so I could see out clearly. Sure enough, there he was, sitting on the ledge of my second story window.

“Let me in.”

I shook my head.

“Let me in, we need to talk.”

I shook my head again.

“Kris –“

I dropped the curtain back in place, picking up my phone and turning it on, ignoring Damon’s orders coming from the window.

The feeling of being trapped was overwhelming, and I was just about ready to break down and cry. Grabbing my phone, I turned it back on, long enough to send Travis a text.

To Travis: Fastest way to New York from here?

I hit send as a text appeared.

Damon: Open the damn window and let me in.

“No,” I replied, sitting on my bed, facing away from my window. Hopefully Travis would answer fast.

Damon: Kris, please.

“No,” I said again.

Travis: Plane? Why the hell are you trying to escape?

Kris: Long story, I’ll explain. Need an escape now.

Damon: Who are you talking to? Let me in.

“No! And it’s none of your business!”

Travis: Bit last minute, but I know a couple guys. Be at the bus station by midnight, or he’ll be gone.

Kris: Thanks. I instantly shut off my phone, not wanting to be bothered by Damon anymore.

I set my alarm for 11:30pm and laid down on my bed, covering myself up with blankets trying to hide. After a while Damon went away and I fell into an uncomfortable sleep. I was vaguly aware of one of the Twins coming up and trying to get me to eat, but he gave up after a while. I just wanted to be alone.

When my alarm went off, I was up instantly, praying my brothers ignored it, like usual. Quietly, I grabbed a duffle bag, stuffing in the basics – clothes, toiletries, chargers, laptop. After making sure I wasn’t regretting leaving anything, I grabbed my wallet and stuffed it in my bag as well and opened my window.

The fresh air blew against my face, a slight scent of pine incased my nose, relaxing me slightly. Quickly, I put my duffle bag on the roof and followed after it – shutting the window behind me. Shimming to the edge, I lowered the bag as far as I could before dropping it to the ground. The jump was quite a ways up, and nothing in me said it was okay to jump. Carefully, I edged to the corner, where the gutter was. Grabbing the tip, I flipped over and slid down the metal, landing at the bottom.

Freedom was so close! Grabbing my duffle and swinging it over my shoulders I headed down the street toward the town. Tonight, deadlines were important. School wouldn’t be a problem, Aiden would probably call and say that I was sick every day that I was gone. He may call David, but, just in case, I would do that in the morning – when I was states away and nothing could happen.

It took about twenty minutes to get to town before I saw the neon ‘Bus’ sign glowing brightly against it’s dark surroundings. A black Mercedes purred quietly in one of the bus parking areas and I headed straight to it. Grabbing the slick passenger door handle, I pulled – only for another hand to cover mine and slam it back shut.

My eyes met a pair of familiar blue eyes, burning with pain. “Where do you think you’re going?”