Helpless

Chapter 3

Julia and I walked around the mall in Atlanta, for the first time in months, I felt like laughing.

I had my arms full of bags, for the first time in a while, I was able to focus on me, I didn't have to worry about looking over my shoulder, afraid of what beating would come next.

"Are you hungry?" Julia asks

"I'm starving,"

"Let's go to the food court before we leave,"

We walked to the center of the mall where the food court was located. I looked around at the different restaurants and tried to decide what sounded good.

Julia had walked to get into one of the lines while I stood there, trying to decide what I wanted.

"Thought you could run away huh?"

Hearing his voice was soul crushing. "W..what are you doing here?"

"Coming to end your fun,"

He drags me by my hair,pulling me toward the exit of the mall

"Lexi" I hear Julia yell, running toward him

She manages to free me from his  grasp, just as the mall security shows up, and puts him in handcuffs

"You won't get away that easily, you little slut," he yells as he's being dragged away

Julia hugs me tightly, "I'm going to call Lee and see if he'll escort us home, I'm scared"

"I'm sorry, I never should have dragged you into this,"

"Lex, it's okay. He won't get you, I promise,"

When Lee shows up, she runs to his arms and hugs him. I only wish I had someone like that, someone who i could cling to when I was afraid.

"Come on Lex, I'll drive us back, he's going to follow behind us and spend the night, I'm too afraid to be alone,"

I nod, "sounds good to me,"

It was a quiet drive to the apartment, both of us still shaken up from what had happened. When we arrived, I locked myself in my room. There was no way I could forgive myself for endangering my best friend

"Lex, are you okay?"

"I'm fine,"

She comes in and sits on the bed beside me, "it's going to be okay,"

"He won't stop until he has me back,"

"He'll never get you back, you deserve better,"

"Nobody is going to want to date me, nobody wants damaged goods,"

"You're not damaged goods, one day you're going to meet someone who makes all of this pain worth it,"

I pulled my knees to my chest and began to cry. I wanted to believe her, but I couldn't