Hide (Sequel to RUN)

Chapter 9

"No, no!" Carly's face changed slightly, looking forced, as she came towards me. "It's just... Have you ever done this before?"

"We did this just a couple months ago," I responded, darting around Carly to the pants section.

"No, I meant before we met," Carly explained herself as she followed.

"Do you count a good browse through Salvation Army?"

"No, sweetie, I don't."

"Then no."

"Haven't you ever needed to look nice for something? Like a formal event?"

"Well, yeah," I scoffed, looking at a nice pair of skinny jeans. "Dad took me to some of his military events and I was in cotillion for a year. The latter was for etiquette training."

"So you have gone shopping." I scoffed again, "No. Dad took care of all that stuff."

"What about your Mom? She's had to have taken you out shopping before."

"I was always with my dad. No time to shop." I gasped as Carly tackled me from behind. I caught myself before I could fall, but Carly held on tight.

She was hugging me.

"Carly?" She didn't answer, just turned me around silently so my head was by her shoulder. I patted her back awkwardly.

"Umm, it's okay?"

"It is most certainly not okay," Carly mumbled into my hair. "Your childhood was spent training to be and becoming an adult."

"I turned out alright." She pushed out of the hug to hold me at arm's length.

"But you could have been so much happier," she sighed. "A childhood is what inspires dreams. Take that away and your heart can grow as hard as a rock."

"You think I don't know that?" I asked, not meeting her eyes. "I'm one of the lucky ones. I escaped with my humanity intact. There are so many others that don't." I had divulged from the topic of childhood, and Carly knew it. She looked at me sadly, trying to discern how to fix me, no doubt.

I disconnected quickly.

"Let's not get into this here." I pulled away from her arms and started walking towards the cash register. I heard the breath release from her lungs and then the footsteps as she followed.

She just didn't understand that it wasn't ready to come out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I tugged at the bikini top that Carly had made me get from under my clothes. I was still wearing my long sleeve plaid shirt over my tank top and my long cargo pants. I really didn't care that I was on the beach.

"Come on, Lekia," Carly pleaded, slipping her own shirt off over her head.

"It's not really that secure. How am I supposed to surf in it?"

"You put the swim shirt we got over it," she replied, pulling her own swim shirt over her bikini. "See? Perfectly secure." I fingered my plaid shirt, not wanting to leave the comfort it provided. Swim practice was one thing. Everyone on the team already knew about my scars and my past. In public though...

"Lekia, it'll be fine." I sighed softly, finally pulling off my plaid shirt.

"Oh my goodness! The world didn't explode!" Carly dramatized. I scowled at her, quickly taking off my cargo pants and tank top.

"Good girl," Carly smiled. "Now, we'll practice on land first to get you used to it again." I followed Carly the few feet to the boards, pulling on my swim shirt to cover the scars on my back at the very least. My eyes darted everywhere, checking to make sure no one was staring at me.