Hearts That Are Meant to Be Together

My heart was pounding furiously and my breathing came ragged but I had finally managed to push the memories to the back of my mind.

Just focus on what’s around you. Don’t think just watch and register. I told myself over and over again.

Right, I’m outside. It’s dark, there’s trees. The concrete is cold on my feet.

I sighed and scanned my surroundings better.

It looked like I was on Fermont street. The dark old houses were all deserted. Most of the windows were shut with wood or looked like threatening gaping holes. The trees rustled but it sounded a lot like whispering. The street lights didn’t work so It was completely dark out and I was sure no one would hear it if I screamed at the top of my lungs.

There was a thin layer of snow dusting the ground and when I looked back I could see my own footprints. They were spread apart because of my running.

I wrapped my arms around me and shifted from foot to foot. It was really cold and I wasn’t wearing a coat and shoes.

I should just give up on helping Slater. He didn’t know one bit about me and kept acting like he did! He could just get lost with his blindly insulting and… and… he was just like me. I couldn’t just let him be! I just had to help him. I needed that boy. I needed him!

I growled in frustration and kicked a stone across the street.

It echoed loudly.

Then I heard something else that send shivers down my spine.

Laughter.

It came from right behind me. The low laughs of boys and the higher pitched one of a girl. The voices sounded familiar.

I quickly spun on my heels and looked around to see Slater’s gang approaching. Daniela in the lead. Slater wasn’t with them however.

I hoped they hadn’t seen me yet because I wouldn’t get away without at least some bullying if they saw me. Quickly I started jogging in the opposite direction of them.

‘Hey! Isn’t that that slut from the orphanage?’ I heard a boy shout.

Shit…

I started running but slipped on the slippery concrete and snow. My butt painfully connected to the hard cold ground. I quickly scrambled to my feet however and continued my mad dash.

A hand seized my arm and jerked me back hard. My back connected with someone’s chest.

Involuntarily a scream escaped my throat.

This caused a second hand to cover my mouth and pull me back even harder. My teeth scraped the inside of my lip and the metallic taste of blood slowly got stronger.

Daniela appeared in front of me, a sneer on her face.

‘We will make you regret being born!’ She spat venomously.

The boy holding me had wrapped the arm formerly holding my wrist around my waist and was slowly crushing me against his chest. I could smell cigarettes on him and I caught a faint wisp of alcohol on his breath.

Just like he always smelled but fainter… I closed my eyes as his face with the mad eyes, crooked teeth and foul breath danced before them. Fear had already quickened my pulse but still it shot up. I was sure the boy holding me could hear my heartbeat and feel it pounding madly in my chest.

A whimper escaped my throat.

‘I think she once already regretted being born Daniela,’ said Slater’s voice coldly.

It called me back from my dark and painful memories as they were replaced with a more immediate fear: my torture was complete he will not shrink back from hurting me in front of his so called friends!

Daniela laughed, the sound send shivers done my spine. I let out another whimper and shrunk back from her mad form in front of me as far as it was possible. Her eyes had the same mad look about them as HE used to have…

Tears escaped my eyes and trickled down my cold cheeks.

‘Apparently not enough! She’s still here…’ Daniela sneered.

The boy behind me laughed loudly and so did two others I couldn’t see at the moment. I wondered what they were doing.

A cold hand seemed to have taken hold of my insides and was squishing them slowly and painfully when Slater stepped into my line of view.

He stood still right beside Daniela, his fists clenched and his face so dark and unreadable it made my knees buckle.

The boy behind me growled loudly and released me by slamming me hard against the ground and sitting on my back. Pain exploded everywhere in my body. My knees, elbows, chest and hips crushed against the concrete. My cheek scraping the rough stone. But the pain was subdued quickly as the cold took over. My thin clothes already drenched by the snow.

At the same moment that happened I heard Daniela scream and a solid thud. Then the roaring of the two other boys and loud curses from the one on top of me.

I closed my eyes and tried to shut everything out. I couldn’t even begin to guess what was going on! It sounded so much like they were fighting! But… that made no sense!

I was shoved hard into the ground multiple times before the weight was lifted of me and the boy that had been restraining me threw himself into the fight as well.

There was screaming and cursing but I could only distinguish the voices of my three suppressors. What happened to Slater or Daniela I didn’t know.