I ran away...

Chapter 1: Tick Tock

- Dedicated to @HeartStillBeating for all the comments and support! <3-

-Last night-

My eyes found its vision again. The clock on the wall said 7:10. Not a soul was to be seen. I stood up, decided to leave. I haven't done anything productive, at all. It wasn't my fault. I miss the time when libraries only meant reading fiction.

I walked alone down the empty school hallway, I could see my reflection on the cabinets and photo frames along the wall. The light olive skinned South Asian girl was staring back at me. She is awkward and never speaks unless spoken to. She has a 'peculiar' taste of fashion they say. 

I lowered the gaze on to the reflection of my red pinafore dress. One of my usual vintage outfits. The girl is "always seen with  her converse and a backpack". I averted my gaze to the floor as I walked, thinking of how weird it felt today, alone, without Fiona. She had a family dinner, she had to leave early. Which reminded me, I didn't text her back!

I walked out through the entrance, reaching for my phone. "your friend isn't here today?" the guard said smiling. "No" , I smiled back and shook my head. I walked on to the steps. Cold night breeze reached my knees, thank god for my tube socks I thought. I replied Fiona saying "I just left, Don't you dare leave me again! I'm starving!"

I heard laughter. I knew exactly where to look. I Instinctively turned. I wished I hadn't. The "towns junkies", that's what they call them. Jordan and Dylan. They always end up on that rooftop to smoke, drink and whatever else it is they do. Dylan is Fiona's older brother. It still shocks me they even know eachother, let alone are related..

I wondered if they were still laughing about me. Whether ruffian Jordan brought it up. I took my bike and rode off as it flashed before my eyes.

It was like two months ago. 

My cousin, Travis usually goes to the record store at the end of the town to buy me the 70s tracks I want. He insists on me not going to that particular street, as it is "common knowledge" that the towns rowdies hang around there. The liquor shop, the pub, drug smuggling, this street was basically the towns hotspot for everything illegal. 

He was out of town and I had to buy the album 'Innervisions' by Stevie Wonder. I just had to. I did not tell Fiona I was going for she would have talked me out of it. I couldn't obviously show up there in one of my delicate looking vintage dresses. I wore a denim and blue and yellow striped turtleneck and my converse and went on my mission. Somehow it felt like I was a special agent on some daunting mission.

I was swiftly going through the albums. Jordan was in his signature tank, busy with his signature act of smoking while seated on a stool near the cashier, leaning his back onto the wall with his legs stretched out like he owns the place. He looked up. I turned back to the albums, anxiously. He looked away, I just know he did. It was all calm for the next few seconds, my reputation was still intact. I walked up to the cashier. I avoided looking at him. I ignored his existence. He stood up. I kept looking down at my converse. He walked towards me, he then passes me, so close our arms almost touched. He stood right behind me, I could hear his breathing. My heart raised. I felt him lowering his face, I could now feel his breath on the nape of my neck. He then whispered to my ear. "Your fly is open!"

***

-Today-

That was what I was worried about last night. Plus I was mortified about something  stupid that happened two months ago! I kept replaying yesterday in my head. Again and again. My thoughts. Before I knew. How I had no clue. Maybe reliving last night made me feel like I could somehow pretend it still did not happen. Like Fiona is still alive. Like my best friend isn't dead, yet.

I was about to leave home, for school, this morning. Our landline rang, not so unusual. Everything was normal. Till my mom answered. She hung up with tears in her eyes.  

"Kiara..." She said it. That was it. I ran into my room. 

I shut the door behind me. I pulled out my memory box, my albums, Fiona's clothes in my closet, all her stuff she had left at my place. Everything from last the 12 years of my life that somehow gave me a physical connection to her.

 I think it's been nearly eight hours now.  It felt like days had gone by. I'm still lying here in the fetal position.  I can hear the voices of children who come out to play every evening, even today. Like nothing has changed. Except my whole world. 

My eyes are sore. My tongue is dry. My room is a complete disaster, but it still did not resemble what was happening inside of me. I was still hugging her Jurassic park t shirt she left at my place because I had been nagging her about how much I wanted it. 

I had been breathing it in for the last few hours, as if I relied on it for air, to keep on breathing. It was soaked in my tears I was worried that I had ruined her scent, but I couldn't let it go. There is an infinite hollow in my heart. I am in physical pain. 

"Darling?"

I opened my eyes to the sound of my mother's voice that followed a double knock on my door. I had fallen asleep. Nothing was different. 

"Is there anything I can do?" my mom whispered as though to herself. 

The room had grown darker, dim street light falls into the room through the windowpane, making  the outlines of all the things scattered on the floor visible. My room and I were still a mess, but I guess she can fix one of us. 

I heard the door creak open "I brought you dinner" she said. I heard her footsteps come closer. I haven't moved an inch since I had woken up.

 "Im not hungry " I said, hesitant to turn. Still blankly staring at the things on the floor. 

"You haven't had anything to eat all day." I could hear the pity in her voice. There was a pause. "Ill leave it here ". 

She ran her fingers through my fringe sweeping it to one side and gently kissed my forehead as if I was a fragile baby once again. She sat down beside me and hugged me.

 "Please let me know if you need anything." my mom said in a whisper.

 Still refusing to turn, I reached for her palm and squeezed it in mine. Neither of us said another word. 

***

Author's notes

Hey guys... 

Thank you for reading! 

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