Run Baby Run

Surviving the last week of school, I made a new friend, named Nathan. He was in one of my classes and he seemed to come out when school was ending and he was a bit talkative. Everything and anything is what we talk about and the more I mentioned Nathan around Matt, he would become annoyed and mad, for what, I don't know.It was the day before graduation and we were, again, hanging out at Brian's house.

"You cheated!" Johnny screamed as he threw the game controller to his deceiver, Jimmy.

"Did not," he stated with a smirk. "I won the game fair and square."

"Nuh-uh, you cheated!" Johnny retaliated.

"Explain to us how he cheated," Zack said mocking a detective. Johnny raised an eyebrow at him and pouted.

"He probably changed the settings when I went to take a piss."

"Do you have any witnesses to confirm that?" Zack asked holding in his laughter.

Johnny rolled his eyes, "I don't know, no."

"And how does that make you feel?" Brian asked mocking the famous Dr. Phil. He pressed his lips together, trying to hide the laughter that wanted to escape.

"Wow." Kristey stated randomly.

"What?" We all chorused at the same time.

She turned over the magazine she was looking at and tapped the picture with her index finger. "Johnny Depp is mad sexy," she answered with a smile.

"You are so right!" I laughed as we high fived each other.

"Hells yes," Kim smirked.

"Are you saying that I'm not sexy?" Brian said as he stuck out his bottom lip.

She shook her head and smiled. "Oh no, you're way past sexy."

"Really?"

"Uh huh," she said drifting back to her magazine.

Feeling my phone vibrate, I fished it out of my pocket and opened it. I received a text message from Nathan.

Hey girly

I was about to reply but was stopped when Matt spoke to me.

"Who's that?"

"Nathan," I replied slowly.

"What does he want?"

"I don't know, he just started talking to me."

"Didn't he text you two hours ago?" He questioned showing clearly that he was annoyed and angry. I rolled my eyes and threw my phone on the coffee table and replied him childishly.

"Fine, I won't text him, happy?"

"Jesus, Belz, what the hell is wrong with you?" He asked with frustration dripping off every word.

I stood feeling quite frustrated myself and laughed without humor. "What's wrong with me? I should be asking you that question."

He stood up and walked two steps closer to me. My eyes fell on Kim, who was clearing the room. She smiled weakly and left the room after everyone else. It was just me and Matt and the room was filled with so much tension.

"Why are you always finding new guys to like, hm?"

Feeling completely pissed, I replied. "Finding new guys to like? What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Like you don't know," he huffed.

"I really don't know, Matt. Why do you act like this when I talk to Nathan? Jimmy doesn't like him either but he doesn't act like you. I think he has more trust in me than you do, which I find to be sad."

"Please, Belz, I have my reasons. You never told your dad the truth and I really don't know all the shit that happened between you and Tony-"

"Why are you always bring up Tony? Why can't you just leave that shit alone? The more I try to fucking forget you always bring it up!" I shouted as I felt my blood boiling with anger.

"Because," he began and then stopped. "I don't know," he said forcing calamity.

"You're an asshole you know that?"

"Tony was but you stayed with him, right?" He whispered loud enough for me to hear.

"I stayed with him so I wouldn't have to get beaten or raped-"

"But that happened anyway, right?" He sneered. His head turned to the side when I slapped him harshly on his face. My hand stung and his left cheek was tinted red. His angry features softened. "Belz, I'm-"

"Don't," I whispered as I held out my hand out to stop him from speaking any further. I closed my eyes for a brief moment before I look him in the eye. "I'm glad everything is out in the open. I think you have said all that you wanted to say." I could feel everyones' eyes boring into my skin. Feeling the need to cry, I walked out of the house and started walking back home. Brian's house to mine was quite a distance but I wanted to be alone and clear my head. It was windy outside but I didn't feel cold, instead I felt heat surge through my body causing me to break out into a cold sweat. Tears found their way through my eyes and cascaded down my face. Feeling my stomach churn, making me become sick, I threw up everything my stomach held onto the side walk. I cursed myself, regretting vomiting such a tasteful meal I had earlier. I fell to the floor, unable to hold my body, and wiped my tear stained face and then my mouth with the sleeve of my sweater. I sniffled in attempt to calm myself down and looked up as a car stopped next to me. Zack's head peered out with a saddened expression and then exited the car. He came towards me and without saying anything, he hugged me. I felt his warmth and care, triggering more tears to fall. He gently stroked my back and repeated how much he hated to see me cry.

"What was I doing that was so wrong?" I sniffled.

"You weren't doing anything wrong. Matt's just an asshole, trust me, you didn't do anything." Silence crept on us for a short while before he began to speak again. "I'm sorry he said those things to you, that he was like that."

"You don't have to be sorry, Zacky."

He stood up, helping me on my feet and motioned towards the car. "Let me bring you home, yeah?"

I nodded and walked my way over to the passenger side of the car. Closing the car door, he began to drive to my house. It was silent until I felt it was too much.

"Who sent you to check up on me?"

He glanced at me, taking his attention off the road for a second and answered. "I wanted to check you myself and...Kim threatened my life."

I laughed lightly. "I'm sorry to be such a hassle."

"That's nonsense, you are not a hassle, Belinda Warner."

"Glad to know," I said looking out the window. "Glad to know."

I walked into the house and it was empty. Entering the kitchen, I glanced at the stove top clock and realized my dad would be home soon. I went upstairs to clean up and try to look decent.

I was on the deck, sitting on the bench swing, looking at the scenery around me. The wind blew my hair and I felt comforted but the thoughts that manifested my mind wouldn't leave me in peace. The words that escaped the lips of Matthew Sanders repeated in my mind with every facial expression. I looked up at the sliding doors and saw my father walking onto the deck. He smiled at me as he sat down and then spoke.

"What's wrong, baby?"

I shook my head. "Nothing."

"Your mother wants to know if she buys the plane tickets for tomorrow. She wants to know if she can bring her boyfriend."

I sighed and looked at him. "What do you want me to say?"

"It's not what I want you to say, it's what you want to say. Now tell me, do you want your mother there with her boyfriend? Oh, in case you were wondering, she dismissed the custody battle and you are in my custody now." I smiled and hugged him.

"That's a relief. And what would you do or say if I don't want her there tomorrow?"

His expression exposed that he was now thinking and then he smiled. "Ah, you have a bad case of the stomach flu and you will not be attending your graduation, so there would be no point in her coming and you wouldn't want her to get sick either."

I laughed. "You are truly a genius."

"That I know, my dear."

He patted my leg and kissed my forehead before standing up and walking back into the house. Quickly wanting an answer, I stopped him wanting to ask a question. "Dad."

"Yes."

"How do you know that you love someone or they love you?"

He sighed and then smiled. "You know when you love someone when you are willing to sacrifice everything for them." I nodded at his answer and then he proceeded to walk back into the house. Being left alone again, I closed my eyes as tears began to fall once again.

"Night, dad!" I shouted from my room before I closed the door. I wanted to sleep but I couldn't. Sitting on the floor next to me bed, I looked up at my phone and took it into both my hands. I opened it and saw that Nathan had texted me 3 times and Matt texted me 15 times. I wanted to talk to him but I felt that I couldn't. At the thought of Matt, my phone began vibrating and the caller ID read Matt. I yearned to pick it up but there was something in me that just couldn't bear it. I sighed and then flipped the phone open. "Hello?" I whispered.

"Hello? Belz?"

"Yes?"

"I'm so sorry, baby. I didn't mean to say those things, I didn't mean any of it. Please know that I love you so fucking much." He whispered in the phone and then sounded as he wanted to say more but choked on his words. The line fell silent and then I answered.

"I don't know what to say, Matt. I just..."

"What? You just what?"

"I don't know."

I heard him sniffle over the receiver, hinting me that he was crying, and then spoke. "I'm so sorry Belz. Will you ever forgive me? I don't know what I was thinking. I-I-" He cut himself off not knowing what to say any further. I bit my lip and allowed tears to slip once more onto my face. "Don't cry, baby, please."

"How do you-"

"I just know." He simply answered.

"Matt?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think you could forget whatever happened between me and Tony and just move on with what's happening now, between us?"

"Yeah. I want you to know that I love you so much. It's just that I have this guilt that I let him do things to you."

"It's not your fault but I just want to not think about him anymore."

"We can do that."

I smiled and nodded. "Okay."

"Can you look out your window?" I stood up and walked over to my window. I squinted to find something in the darkness that was around the house and then I found him. He was standing where my room was and he whispered into the phone, "Mind if I come in?"

I laughed and opened the window for him to get in and replied before hanging up the phone. "Not at all."