Caleb's POV
After I give Lena guidance on how to successfully stop the car, she kills the engine and gets out.
Before she closes the door, she leans through and says, "I'll be back as quickly as I can."
And then she's gone. I glance through the side mirror to see her rushing into the store. The fluorescent lights inside illuminate the puddles outside, doing a better job at brightening the parking lot than the moon.
The pain isn't subsiding, if anything it is getting worse. I grit my teeth and bite back the sobs that are pleading escape.
One thing I hate more than Michael is the way he makes me feel. Like I'm nothing. And the pain that he causes every time he brings out that belt is enough to make me feel powerless.
I started to work out in sophomore year so that I'd be strong enough to fight him. But I can't do it. Because despite everything he does to me, I can't stand the thought of hurting another person, not after...
I lean forward to turn up the car heater, as the cold night air leaks through the windows and loops around my bare arms.
The slash marks on my back are throbbing now, but it isn't enough to clear away the feeling of my skin being on fire.
It burns.
Finally, I see Lena rushing out of the store while carrying a brown paper bag rather precariously.
She stumbles into the car, and dumps the bag into the back seat.
"Okay, let's get away from here, and then I'm gonna fix you up, alright?" she says, and I nod.
She starts the car just how I taught her. Since she parked in a spot in the middle of the lot, she doesn't need to reverse, and instead drives forward and loops around.
Once we leave the lot, I notice how hard she's gripping the wheel. Her knuckles are whiter than white.
Lena is glaring straight ahead, her dark hair falling into her eyes every so often. I don't take my eyes off her, because seeing her is the only thing that lessens the burning.
"Where are we going now?" I manage to release.
She deliberates it, biting on her lip. "My house, Michael doesn't know me or my address. We'll be safe there."
I nod, and she presses the accelerator, forcing the car to speed up.
When she sees my pained expression, she grabs my hand in hers, occasionally flicking concerned glances at me. "You'll be okay."
"What if he finds you, too? What if tracks my cell and sees that you're hiding me at your house, and he hurts you, too?" The paranoia begins to flood my mind, stopping me from breathing normally.
"As long as you're safe, Caleb, I don't care what he does to me," she replies.
Before I can respond, I realise we're at her house. She slams the car to a speedy halt and jumps out, running round to my door and opening it.
She slides me into standing position, and the pain becomes unbearable, like someone has just clawed at my back with razor-sharp claws.
Or a chain-saw.
Either way, it feels like my skin has been massacred.
I look into Lena's eyes, her eyebrows furrowed, and sigh as the agony seems to dwindle slightly.
Lena's POV
YOU ARE READING
Finding Lena | ✔️
Teen Fiction"I think there's more to you than you're letting on, Caleb Myers." He chuckles, but a knowing look flashes across his eyes. "What do you mean by that?" "I think you're hiding a lot." "Aren't we all."
