Somewhere in Neverland

Friday November 7th

The past two weeks of school have been better than they used to. I’d become better friends with Alex and Jack since we spent every minute of our free time together. Jack had questioned me a few times about the bruise on my wrist, but he also understood I wasnt ready to talk yet. It hadn’t healed yet, because people were still grabbing it, especially Jared. I was still with him, but my feelings towards him were slowly vanishing. I realized he wasn’t going to stop drinking, and therefore wouldn’t stop abusing me. There was no easy way out of the relationship though, if I even so much as attempted to break up with him, he would probably beat the shit out of me so I stayed with him out of fear.

I was in the cafeteria with the guys and Taylor, listening to them talk about some band stuff. I had to go to the bathroom, so I got up, leaving my phone and salad on the table. Taylor came with me to ask if I was still with Jared - for the hundredth time. We were only gone for about five minutes but when we came back, Alex was on my phone with someone and he was scowling.

“This is Alex, who’s this?...Stop yelling, I’m just a friend of hers. Geez you’re rude. She went to the bathroom... Fine I’ll tell her, asshole.”

I sat down and grabbed the phone out of his hands.

“Who called and why did you answer my phone?”

“It wouldn’t stop ringing. It was some guy named Jared, he seemed pretty pissed that I answered your phone. Who is he?”

Mine and Taylor’s eyes went wide so I scanned through the call log, and sure enough there were two missed calls from him, plus the one that Alex answered. I could feel it vibrate and a message popped up, from him. I grabbed my water bottle and took a sip, opening the message. Taylor leaned over to look at it.

[WHO THE FUCK IS ALEX AND WHY DID HE ANSWER YOUR PHONE? AND DON’T LIE.]

I choked on my water, spitting some out, spraying it in Jack’s face. He stopped eating and looked up at me in horror, while Alex was next to me, laughing his ass off.

“Aw come on, really? That’s so gross Wendy.”

I softly apologized and shut my phone, not answering Jared. There was no way I can get out of this, so I didn’t even bother trying. Taylor looked at me, questioningly.

“What are you going to do?” Shrugging, I gave Jack the rest of my salad, no longer having an appetite.

“I’m kind of past caring. Whatever happens, happens.”

“Here’s what’s gonna happen. You’re gonna go home, he’s gonna come over and he’ll be -”

“Taylor not here.” Alex and Jack were trying to listen in, curious.

“Who’s Jared?” Alex asked again.

“Her good for nothing jealous asshole boyfriend.” I shot her a death glare but she just huffed and pulled out her phone, so I turned mine on again, knowing she was going to message me instead. And as if on cue, my phone buzzed.

[He’s gonna come over and beat the living shit out of you. We both know he’s a jealous asshole and Alex answering your phone doesn’t help any. If you go home, he won’t hold back.]

After I read the message, I sighed, knowing she was right. My ribs were still hurting so I pulled out two painkillers and washed it down with water, then decided to answer her.

[What am I supposed to do then?] It wasn’t long before she answered me.

[Avoid going home this weekend. Give your parents a heads up and crash somewhere else.]

She wanted me to avoid him for the whole weekend. Did she think this would make it better? It would only make things worse. My phone vibrated again, but this time it was Jared.

[You have 2 minutes to answer me. Who is Alex?]

Suddenly, my phone was no longer in my hands, but in Alex’s and he was typing away. I tried to grab the phone away from him, but he held it out of my reach, still typing, and gave it back when he was finished. When I looked to see what he had sent to Jared, my jaw dropped and I was on the verge of tears. He probably just scored me another beating later.

[Alex is the friend who thinks you need to be dumped because you’re a jealous asshole.]

I looked up at him with glassy eyes and bit my lip. He was laughing slightly, I know he had meant it as a joke, but he really didn’t know how much damage he just caused. There was truth to what he told Jared, things that I would never admit aloud to anyone, but he still should not have done it. When he saw my expression, his laughter faded and he looked worried.

“Shit, are you okay?”

“Alex..you have no idea what the fuck you just did.” And then I ran.

I kept running, right out of the school, and made it halfway to the parking lot before someone grabbed my arm. I thought it was Alex trying to apologize, but when I spun around, it was Jack.

“Wendy! What happened?”

So I told him. He walked me to his car and we drove to the park down the street, skipping the rest of the day to just talk. It was nice, something I needed to do. I spilled my life story to Jack, everything from how Jared was abusing me, how my parents refuse to believe it and how Taylor only found out recently, right up to what Alex had just done. When I was finished, he wrapped me into a hug and told me about how his dad abused him once, and was no longer in the picture. After we had the talk, I told Jack he was like a brother to me.

“And you’re like a sister to me. I’ve been so curious ever since I saw your arm that first day we met. But you know, Alex would never have sent that to Jared if he knew the truth.”

“I know, it’s just...Jared’s going to kill me. I can’t go home. What am I supposed to do?” Suddenly, Jack’s eyes lit up.

“We’re playing a show tomorrow, a few towns over. We’re staying in a hotel with Alex’s mom, since we’re minors. You and Taylor could come with us. We’re leaving tomorrow morning and staying at Alex’s tonight.”

I smiled and hugged Jack. It would give me some time away from Jared and time to think about what I’m going to do when I get back. Since school was over now, Jack agreed to come home with me to pack of bag stuff and convince my parents to let me go. I called Taylor and let her know. She said she would get us the time off from work. Bags packed, phone turned off, and permission to go, we were in Jack’s car with Taylor and heading to Alex’s house.

“So what happened? Where did you guys go?” Taylor was always so curious.

“Um, I told Jack, everything. He knows everything.”

Jack pulled into Alex’s driveway and I could see Rian outside with Zack skateboarding. Jack and Taylor went to join them, while I just stood on the steps with my bag on my shoulder.

“Guys where’s Alex?”

“In his room sulking. He thinks you’re mad at him.”

I sighed and went inside his house, greeted by the smell of pizza and his mother’s embrace. She told me I could go upstairs to see if I can convince Alex to socialize. I made my way upstairs and to the door of his room, which was closed. Music was playing softly on the other side, but it was from his guitar. I took a deep breath and knocked twice. The music stopped and I heard some shuffling, and then the door opened to reveal Alex, with red eyes and messy hair.

“Alex?”

“Wendy, what are you doing here?”

“Me and Taylor are going to your show this weekend.” He opened the door wider to let me into his room.

“I mean in my room.” I sat on his bed against the wall.

“I wanted to apologize for earlier, that was out of line.” He sat down next to me.

“It’s alright, what did I do though? I thought you were mad at me.”

“No, I was just..stressed out. I’m sorry I took it out on you. There’s things you don’t know about me.”

“So tell me.” His voice was soft, not demanding, just..relaxing and calm.

“Why do you care so much?”

“Because...I hate to see you hurting over some asshole guy.”

“Don’t worry so much about me.”

“I can’t help it.” He grinned sheepishly at me, tilting his head to the side.

We went back downstairs to find everyone playing video games and eating pizzas. I joined Taylor on the couch, Alex plopping down next to me, and we started watched movies instead. Everyone went to bed around midnight, since we were leaving at 6am for an 8 hour drive. Jack, Rian and Zack slept in the living room, taking up the couches, while Alex said Taylor and I could use the guest bedrooms; mine happened to be right next to his room.

Halfway through the night, I woke up screaming from a nightmare of Jared beating me in his apartment a few months ago. It took me a minute to realize where I was. A few seconds later, there was a soft knock on the door, and Alex shuffled inside, concerned.

“Hey are you okay? I heard screaming.”

“I - uh - bad dream.”

I was hyperventilating, my mind still replaying the nightmare. He came over to me, and started rubbing my back to try and get me to calm down. Once I did, he gave me a small hug and turned to go back to his room. I grabbed his wrist.

“Wait. Don’t go. I’m scared.”

“It was just a dream Wendy. You’re safe here.”

“Please?”

He crawled into the bed next to me and I felt safer instantly, just having him next to me. We both fell asleep, this time without dreaming.