Don't Let Me Go

Walk

The girl I just met, Jameson, and I start to walk towards the park with the old oak tree I loved to play in as a kid. In fact, all the kids I knew loved that tree as much as I did. It had a tire swing that's still there but not in as good of shape, and even some couple's initials on it. Kids like to use the tree in their make believe "acting shows". I used to participate in those and particularly liked to play as a knight. Those were the days when you didn't think too much about anything and it wouldn't come with any consequences, just naps and snacks and play time.

"So would you mind telling me why that guy was hurting you?" Even though the obvious answer was that he was a complete and utter undeserving ass.

"I was being ridiculous and talking back to him, I deserved it, don't worry about it,"

"Deserved it? Are you kidding? That's not healthy, you could've said anything in the world but still that abuse is not something you deserve," I couldn't flip out, she had to feel safe with me.

"No really, it's fine," she actually looks at me now.

"No really, it's not," I say.

She doesn't reply but I know she's on the verge of tears. I couldn't stop myself from hugging this girl I had only just met. She becomes stiff when I hug her and stays that way and then she starts to cry. I wrap my arms around her and I wanted my heart to tell hers that I was there to help her.

"You can cry all you need, I don't mind at all," I whisper.

She cries for a couple more minutes and soon her cries just turn into sniffles and I sit her down on one of the park benches and hugged her still.

Eventually she is completely cried out and I tell her to take deep breaths.

"Can I ask you something? How long have you been with him?" I look at her.

"2 years," she sniffles.

All I could think is that she's most likely been abused the last 2 years. A person can only bare so much.

"Why do you let him do that to you, and then accept it?"

"It's not like I can fight back even if I wanted to, and I deserve it anyways, Harry,"

"Why is it that you think you deserve this treatment?" It was getting dark now.

"Because I talk back sometimes when I should just do what he says and not question it," Jameson takes a tissue out of her pocket and blows her nose.

"But that doesn't matter, he shouldn't be giving you orders like he's some kind of dictator of your life and then if you refuse, abuse you. That's not right at all, Jameson," I put my arm around her and rub her back, trying to give her comfort.

She just sniffles and looks ahead, her nose and eyes are red.

"Where do you live?" I ask.

"Northern part of town," she says.

"I live in the eastern part," I say.
"You want to get ice cream at Scoop's?" I suggest.

"I don't have any money, and I should be getting home now,"

"You think I'd make you pay?" I laugh.

"Well free ice cream is good ice cream," she laughs. It felt so good to make someone who's hurting actually laugh.

"Isn't ANY ice cream good ice cream?" I tease and put my hand out to help her stand up off the bench. She takes it and smiles.

I take my jacket off and offer it to her as I see her shiver.

"Oh no it's fine, I'm good," she smiles but I still see her shiver.

"You think I was offering it to you? I was just trying to find someone to hold the weight of my jacket so I didn't have to," I teased and laughed, and she laughed too. I put the jacket around her shoulders anyways and she thanked me while I held it in a way to let her put her arms into the sleeves.

We reached the ice cream parlor where a few middle school kids stood in line. A bike leaned against the side of the building and a few teenage girls sat at an outdoor picnic bench giggling and eating their ice cream. They stared at me and whispered. One winked, and I turned away, hearing laughs erupt from the table behind me.

"What are you gonna get?" I smile, ignoring the girls.

"A chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream cone," she said staring at the menu.

"Next," the cashier yells.

"Ladies first," I chuckle, "aka I don't know what I want yet," she pokes me in the stomach and smiles at my teasing.

"I'll have an extra small chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream cone please,"

"Woah woah woah, the lady will have a large chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream cone, none of this extra small stuff here," I butt in.

"Harry, I don't want you to pay for a large ice cream, I feel bad,"

"You shouldn't feel bad if I want to give you as much ice cream as you desire,"

"You're such a nice stranger," she chuckles.

I hope we won't always be strangers, I think inside.

"And you, sir?" The cashier turns to me.

"A large mint chocolate chip ice cream cone with hot fudge, please,"

We pay and sit at a bench near the ice cream place. I watch Jameson take her first bite and she looks content, almost as if it's something she's wanted for a while and has finally tasted again.

I texted my mum and let her know I'm fine and am just with a friend and asked her if I could bring this friend over for a late dinner. Mum replies quickly.

"Sure, Harry! :)"

"Thanks mum, see you," I text back.

"Would you like to come to my house and have a late dinner with me to get to know each other a bit more?" I ask.

"My mom might be worried, maybe another time?" she looks nervous again.

"You can call her from my phone and ask if you'd like," I hand her my phone.

She walks a bit of a distance away from me and dials a number.

"Hello?" She starts.
"Hi mom, can I have dinner at a friend's house?"
"Yes it's a boy,"
"Mom?"
"Why does you voice sound like that?" She sounds concerned and almost upset.
Then faintly I hear her say "have you been drinking again, mom?" And her voice trembles. She hangs up the phone.

"I don't think I can tonight, I'm sorry," she looks at the ground.

"It's alright, but can I at least have your phone number so we can figure out another time that we could have dinner?" I ask, quite disappointed but also worried for her life at home.

"Yeah," she takes out paper and a pen and writes down her cell number.

"I'll call you and we can set up a day to have dinner," I say.

"Alright," she forces a smile, obviously worried ever since her call home.

"I'll give you a ride home, okay? We just gotta walk to my house and I can drive you," I say.

She doesn't refuse, seeing that it's dark and her house is on the other side of town. We walk to my house, I grab my keys and drive her to a house she directed me to.

"Thanks, Harry," she smiles and gets out.

"Anytime, Jameson," I smile and she shuts the car door.