Her Saving Grace

Chapter Eight: Don't Blink

**TO CLARIFY, THIS IS DIFFERENT "TIME ZONES" THERE IS NO CHRONOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GIRLS RIGHT NOW...WILL BE IN THE UPCOMING CHAPTERS.

Iri POV

"Jacob! JACOB!!" I was chasing after the truck. I could see Jacob banging against the back window and shouting at his mom to stop. The truck finally came to a halt and Jacob jumped out with his arms open. I ran into Jacob full force but he stood strong and held me as tight as he could.

"I don’t want you to leave," I sniffled into his shoulder.

"I don’t want to leave you," he whispered into my ear.

 "Jacob! We have to go!" his mom shouted out the truck window. Jacob took no notice, he just held me tighter.

 I pulled away and looked into his beautiful deep brown eyes one last time, "You’re the only good thing in my life...and even now you’re taken away from me."

 I guess that really got to him. He took in a sharp, shallow, breath and looked into my eyes.  

"We have to go!" his mom insisted through the window.

 "I-I have to go Iri. I promise we will see each other again," he vowed, taking my hand in his.

I pulled away, "Don't make promises you can't keep," I whispered.

He didn’t budge, "I will see you again. I swear it."

I just looked at his fixed eyes one last time, "Ok Jake. I’ll wait." Jacob walked backwards, holding my gaze. I looked away and began walking home. I looked back when I heard the engine start and saw Jacob waving goodbye. He fogged the window and drew a heart with his finger. I muffled a sob and gave him the best smilee I could muster.

Craig POV

“Here’s the deal,” Mariah started confidently, crossing her arms. “You drop that loser or things get much worse for her.”

I scoffed, “Whould could you possibly do?”

She smirked back at me, “What can’t I do?”

My jaw tightened, “Leave her alone.”

“Glad to!” she smiled, “You just have to stop hanging out with her.”

I opened my mouth to say something but was stuck. When I really thought about it, it was for the best. Who knows how many times she’s been beat up. If I had the power to lessen her burden and pain, why wouldn’t I?

I looked Mariah in her eyes, giving her the most intimidating glare I could muster, “If I agree to this stipid deal, you swear you’ll leave her alone?”

She smirked and shrugged, “Yup.”

I grimanced, “fine.”

She smiled, “Great!”

I rolled my eyes and headed up the alley. I saw Adrianna sitting against the wall. She looked up when she saw me and smiled. She rose to her feet, “Now that that’s done, want to finish our walk?”

“Uh…no,” I sighed.

Her smiled faltered, “W-Why?”

“I can’t be your friend, that’s why.”

“Why can’t you be my friend?” she asked.

“You…You…We…” I stumbled for the right thing to say, for a way to explain without explaining. Impossible right? Right when I had mentally declared myself stuck, Mariah came around the corner of the alley and walked up to us.

“Ready to go Craig?” she asked me, snuggling herself up to me.

“What?” I asked her.

Millions of emotions twinkled in Adrianna’s eyes. Confusion, hurt, loss, betrayal, denial and anger were portrayed and hidden away in less than five seconds. Her face hardened and her eyes darkened.

“Wow…” she breathed.

“Sorry! Craig and I are going to the movies!- But you’re not invited,” Mariah squeaked in her annoyingly high voice.

Adrianna looked to me but addressed Mariah.

 “I wouldn’t go even if I was invited,” she spat. I looked down, dissapointed I broke her heart in the worse way possible.

“Well…bye!” Mariah giggled, dragging me in the opposite direction. I turned around to see Adrianna swing her bag around her shoulder and slowly march in the direction of her house. Not a single tear was shed, or even a stutter in her step. She was determined to lock away her emotions and be as strong as she could for herself. I admired her for that.

Adrianna POV

Just like that, my only friend was gone with little to no explanation. I walked back home. I felt nothing. I numbed myself. I didn’t want to feel anything. I wanted to just be an emotionless zombie. I rubbed my charm and continued back in the direction Craig and I came; In the direction that we’d never walk together up again.

A/N: Shortest chapter I've had in a while! But now that it's over with the story begins! All the girls' story lines have