Somehow, I managed to get through my entire shift without running into the twins. After pulling myself together, I emerged from the bathroom, relieved to find they had already left. My pitiful joy was short-lived when Jenny handed me a note.
“They wanted me to give this to you,” Jenny said, frowning. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”
“No,” I shook my head, offering no further explanation.
“Good,” Jenny nodded. “Men who hit women are scum.”
“Agreed,” I replied.
“Here,” Jenny grunted, “take my phone number in case you need anything.”
After getting over the initial shock of Jenny being nice, I looked down at the note in my hands, waiting until she walked away to read the messy scrawl.
‘Quit avoiding us, Sophia. We need to talk. Ethan & Kieran’
The simple note made my heart race. There was no chance I would risk talking to them. I took Jessy’s threat seriously, and come Friday, I would be out of town for good. No more confusing twins, no more psychotic threats. While my life hadn’t been pleasant, I’d never been assaulted like that before. Darren couldn’t keep his hands to himself, but a well-placed kick to the balls usually kept him at bay.
Jessy’s vicious attack had left a lasting impression. Every time I glimpsed my swollen face, I remembered her words: stay away from the twins. My heart ached to go to them, but I wasn’t that stupid. After the damage Jessy did, I couldn’t imagine what else she’d do. I fully believed she would have no problem ending my life. She’d probably even get away with it. I’d just rot in the ground, and soon enough, the twins would forget about me.
That’s what I repeated in my head, the one thought that kept me from seeking them out. I was just the new girl, something fun and shiny to play with. They wanted me because they already had every other girl in town. I was a challenge, plain and simple. Their infatuation would wear off, and I’d finally be free.
Kat drove me home that afternoon. The car ride was awkwardly silent, but I didn’t mind. As always, the silence couldn’t last forever.
“The twins were asking for you today,” Kat mumbled, noticing my discomfort.
“I don’t want to talk to them anymore,” I replied, shaking my head.
“I can tell,” Kat grimaced. “Did something happen with them?”
“No,” I shook my head again. “I’m just not interested in them anymore.”
“Doesn’t seem that way,” Kat pointed out.
“Doesn’t matter,” I shrugged. “I’m just something shiny and new to them. The sooner they leave me alone, the better.”
The minute I walked through the door, Lauren approached me.
“Are we really doing this again?” I huffed. I was not in the mood for another attempt at a heart-to-heart.
“I think we need to,” Lauren frowned, her eyes lingering distastefully on my face.
“Oh, you think we need to?” I scoffed. “You had three years to try and do this. You’re too late.”
“Sophia, don’t be like this,” Lauren snapped, letting out a tired sigh. “I know I’ve fucked up, okay?”
“Really?” I pursed my lips. “That’s good you came to that conclusion all on your own. Congrats.”
I retreated up the stairs and into my bedroom before she could say another word. It pissed me off to no end that she magically decided to give a shit about me. Three whole years she had practically ignored me, and now she wanted to play the concerned mother card. I was determined to get back into my normal routine. It would be easier to leave in the middle of the night if she continued to pretend I didn’t exist.
I hopped in the shower, letting the warm water run down my swollen face. The water stung my busted lip and made my bruised eye throb, but it released a lot of the tension I had been feeling. Sleep had quickly become my best friend, protecting me from my intrusive thoughts. It was easier to forget the world around you existed when you simply went to sleep-a peaceful break from the turmoil and drama that life brought.
I woke sometime in the middle of the day, the sunlight streaming through my curtains casting hues of gold around the room. There was something peaceful about staying home from school. Everyone was either working or in class, making me feel blissfully alone.
Deciding to do something new today, I pulled myself from bed and got dressed. I had yet to simply explore, and taking a walk through the woods seemed like a good idea. Our town in California didn’t really have a forest. The town was close to the desert, making it dry and overflowing with dirt. There wasn’t much green in our old town.
Everything was so open in California. All the trees made Georgia feel much more crowded. While it felt crowded, it also made me feel as though I could hide easier. This thought was comforting, as I really didn’t want to be seen anymore. Not by the twins, and not by Jessy. I simply wanted to remain invisible to everyone, possibly even Kat. Having no friends would make it easier to leave, to know no one was angry at me for my decision.
I walked from my bedroom and out the back door, not once stopping to look for Darren. It was almost funny how having your life threatened seemed to take away other fears. I was no longer afraid of Darren, just afraid of getting stuck in this town. I was afraid of having my plans foiled. Darren couldn’t hurt me more than Jessy had, as I could easily defend myself against him.
I walked down the steps and directly into the woods that surrounded most of the houses in the neighborhood. I was far from that little town in the middle of the woods, making me feel calm and secure. The last thing I wanted was to stumble into the little town Kat, and the twins lived in.
My fingers grazed the back pocket of my jeans, itching to touch the note the twins had left me at the restaurant. I stuck it in my back pocket, intending to throw it away as soon as I committed the hastily scrawled words to memory. I walked in a straight line through the woods, committing each tree and bush to memory. I contemplated where I would go this Friday. Should I go to a city? Somewhere with lots of trees? Or maybe the mountains.
It would be much harder to find me if I ran to a city, but I didn’t enjoy living in cities. I had never lived in the mountains before; the thought sounded tempting. Unfortunately, my sense of survival won out. I decided my best bet would be a crowded city, but now I would have to figure out which city. New York was too expensive and overrated. Plus, New York was simply too close to Georgia. Denver, Colorado, popped into my head. Mountains and a city.
I sat against a huge oak tree in a small clearing, a bottle of water lying on my lap. A withered book sat in my hands. I wasn’t sure what the title was, nor did I really care. I read the words greedily, a desperate attempt to escape the world I lived in.
The sound of snapping branches ripped me from my thoughts.