You took my heart, could I please have it back?

[21] You took my heart, could I please have it back?

OK guys, I haven't given you nearly enough credit. I thank you all a gazillion times for reading my humble story. You've given me so much support and help that I can't thank you enough :) and if you are just a reader who hasn't become a fan, thank you too, for liking my story.

Ok.....why did that sound lame? :/

Breakthrough for Liz in this chapter, hope you like it :)

.:Recap:.

The girls laughed at me unpleasantly and I got to my feet, dusting myself down before striding off to god knows where. I honestly didn't care at this moment in time, I just had to get away from those Nicola clones that thought they had it all.

To my complete surprise, thirty seconds later I burst out of the front doors, and didn't think twice about skipping. Teachers, Baker's, Collins'...sod all, I thought as I vaulted the wall surrounding the entrance bit. I just wanted a reprieve from the hell hole I called my life.

.:Story Start:.

I didn't care how far I went, where I went, what I was going to do when I got there, or what I would say to Mrs Baker when I got back 'home'. All I cared about was getting away from that wretched school.

After I vaulted the wall, I ran down three roads, then slowed to a walk as I continued moving, not stopping until I was far enough away not to be found easily. My breathing was coming out ragged after my run, and also because of the tears that were welling up behind the dam of my emotions. I let them out.

I staggered through a gate and stumbled across a surface covered in wood chippings, which I vaguely noticed was the park. Then I collapsed onto a swing, tears streaming down my face, my body racking in uncontrollable sobs. I was weak. I was weaker than weak.

My body continued to shake uncontrollably, sending me to the floor. I dragged myself across the wood-chippings and sat by the side of the park, my mind numb, blank, unable to form a coherent thought.

My knees were curled up tightly to my chest, my arms wrapped strongly around them. My face was buried in my knees, hiding my face from the cruel world around me. I couldn't bear to look at it anymore.

It had beaten me, crushed me, lured me into false senses of security and hope, and then thrown me away. I deserved to be called a loser, because I sure as hell was one. Those girls in the corridor....they didn't realize that they were just eating away at my insides.

As I sobbed, my body slowly tilted over and fell, so I was lying on my side, my legs free of my arms, my face now hidden by my hands. What did I do to deserve this? Why could some evil terrorist who had killed thousands and deserved to suffer be let off, but an innocent, teenage girl living in some small, unrecognized town in England couldn't? Life wasn't fair.

My sobs took a while to subside. I had no idea how long I had been sitting, laying there for, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered. I didn't matter. No one cared. No one wanted to know what was wrong with me.

No one except the Collins'.

The revelation shocked me. I wasn't completely alone. How could I forget about them? The family that had done so much for me, that was helping me rebuild my life? God, I was such a moron.

I sniffed loudly and sat up again, still feeling awful, but for a different reason. I forgot about Alex, about Neil...how could I? Neil had died trying to put my family back together. I swallowed hard and stood up firmly, not letting myself get like that again. I had to think about Neil, and what he had done for me. For us. And so I started walking back to school.

I had no second thoughts, no plan B. I didn't care what people thought about me anymore, I would stay strong, for Neil. As I strode through the deserted, fountain-spattered front entrance, I gritted my teeth, looked at my map, and headed off to fifth lesson.