New Game New Rules

4 - The Ride

"No you, asshole! She won't come back because of what you did to her!"

It was all silent, the only sound that I could hear is my heart pumping against my chest; my hands clenched on to the steering wheel until they turned white and my jaw ticked when I clenched my teeth. It stung, it really did. I can't take back what I did and I defiantly can't be mad because it is the truth. I gulp back the anger and skid the car to park on the side of the road; the other cars sounded their horns and shouted a curse. "What the fuck Drew?!" Jarred shouted. I didn't answer, I open the car door and jumped out and slammed the door with a giant slam.

It wasn't the first time that Andre had mentioned this but every time he did I would just swallow my retort and just move on, but today I just snapped. Andre always finds a way to provoke me to manipulate me with his words, making me feel guilty to the point where I cry myself to sleep, every word stung only adding fuel to the fire which  burned inside me, and the mention of Tia's name is as if gasoline was only added to explode.

I cross the street with my hand behind my head feeling my head throb with anger. All the rage came out faster than magma and I erupted, a ping hit the metal post which instantly scraped and bruised my knuckles. I take deep breaths of the spring as I feel the cool wind hit my face, my breathing was shakeing and my mind drifted to her. To Tia.

"Nemoj da mi se lutis (Please don't be mad at me). I just can't see you like this anymore" I sit on the big reading chair and sigh as I clean my knuckles with a wet towel. How can I be mad to the sound of your voice Babe, I will do anything for you in this world.

I hear her tsk and stand from the floor; her persistence is close and I see the figure of her shadow near mine. "Andrew, are you really mad?" She asks gently but hesitantly. I snap my head up. Oh God, she thinks I'm going to hurt her. I quick shack my head. Before I can react she takes my hands in hers making me drop the bloody towel on the carpet floor. Looking up I only see Tia's big brown eyes screaming with fear. The last thing I want is my girl is to be afraid of me.

Tia strokes my bruised, cut knuckles with her thumbs making the pain instantly evaporate. 
"I just don't want you to be fighting anymore. That's all I ask. I can fight my own battles" Tia whispers her voice cracking, I take her hands in mine and tug her close in my lap pulling her close as possible. 

"Okay Babe" I say, but really I can't promise anything; not to something like this. I sigh in delight as her fingers play with my hair, my head falls on the crock of her neck and I hold her close.

"Veti mi Andrew" (Promise me Andrew) the only time she would ever speak in Macedonian is when she truly wanted me to listen, when she truly wanted me to stay. I can't do that, not today.

"I can't let him keep hurting you Princess, I can't promise you that I will stop fighting for you-" I look into her eyes and see that she is tearing up, I cup her cheeks and stroke them softly "-But I can promise you that as long as you are with me I will keep you safe. Jas ke ti zastitam"
(I'll keep you safe)

I made a promise that I cannot keep, I can't keep my promise because she is not here
I need her home in my arms where I know she will be safe and protected,
she needs to come home, I need her home.

Someone grabs my shoulder and I turn around to see Andre with regret, he looks down to the gravel and kicks the dirt like a four-year-old. I roll my eyes, he could never apologies unless Tia told him to, and being Andre he knew to listen to his sister. "I'm sorry okay, It's been hard on all of us. We treat this whole situation as if Tia isn't ever coming back and I blame you and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I said" he said looking up at me.

"Whatever man" I say not bothering to look at him, instead I look at the horizon and watch the sun set behind the clouds. Instant memories flood my brain when Tia and I went across town; no one had known where we have gone or even bothered to look for us because they knew we were out of reach riding down the open rode. Just Tia and I. A smile tugged on my lips as I remember her adrenaline when we were escaping the school grounds it's not like we haven't done it before but God it was always worth seeing her happiness.

Fuck I miss her smile.

"Drew." Andre says snapping me out of my thought, I face him and cross my arms over my chest and raise my eyebrow. He rolls his eyes "I'm sorry okay!" I nod my head and then his phone rang, he sighs and answers it. Concerned but most of all curious, I turned towards him where he is nodding then suddenly a wide happy smile forms on his face. A very happy smile.

"Are you serious?" He asked. I heard a muffled sigh and small chatter but I could not quite figure out who it was, Andre nodded and sighed in relief then chuckled.

"Okay We'll see you in six weeks – okay – bye" my hart skipped a beat and my breath hitched the last thing that I ever expected is Andre pulling me into a hug. "She's coming home"

Oh no.