*Old Version* Running From Them, Running To You

Chapter 11-Running From Them, Running To You

A hand, filthy with past sins, rested upon my shoulder, shaking me. I grit my teeth and wretched myself from his grasp, my anger ignited by his touch.

"Get off of me," I growled, spinning to face him. Wade's face wrinkled in bewilderment, his brows furrowing together. Will, who I had not known was present, mirrored the expression. Taken off guard by his presence, I allowed his gilded eyes to carry me in. Lighter strands from his hair glowed gold in the sun, disrupting the many shades of brown.

A sigh from Courtney brought me spinning back, and I barely witnessed Wade's head snapping toward her, then back to me, his eyes now alight with understanding.

"You told her," he stated. Our transaction could be explained no other way.

"Damn right she did," I assured him, my tone biting.

Courtney chewed her lip. "This probably wasn't the best timing."

Wade nodded, "I can tell." He looked at me. "You know I didn't mean to," he told me, as if that would acquit him. It was unbelievable. I let my acid incredibility carry over into my next words.

"As if that makes it better. As if it changes anything!" My voice was rising, attracting the attention of other pedestrians. They began giving us a large berth, venturing no closer than the other side of the fountain.

"Auden, it's alright," Courtney tried to reason. "Let it go." Her eyes were big, pleading with me.

I couldn't believe it. She was insane; that was the only explanation. "How?"

Everybody's eyes were on Courtney. "Wade didn't mean to hurt me. He's my friend," she explained. "I was mad at him too, but I got over it. Just try to let it go. Please? For me?" She let her desperation show through. She expected me to forgive him.

It was only me causing the problem; everyone else had accepted it long ago. I groaned, and covered my face with both hands. Slowly walking around, I tried to clear my mind, needing to find that grain of forgiveness within.

He didn't mean to, he didn't mean to, he didn't mean to. The mantra chanted inside my head, over and over again. How was I supposed to come back from something as large as that and go on as if it didn't happen?

I threw my head back and uttered a muted screech. The group gave me an odd look.

"Are you okay?" Morgan asked skeptically.

"No," I muttered between my fingers, which were still covering my mouth.

A few more moments passed, silent but my internal debating. Finally, I lowered my hands and let out a resigned breath.

An inaudible mumble escaped my mouth.

"What was that?" Wade was already beginning to sound cocky again. I shot him a glare. He broke eye contact first, fixing his gaze then to the ground.

The others still awaited my reply.

I'm going to regret this, was the last thing I thought before spitting out, "Fine."

Courtney's skinny arms engulfed me.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She jumped up and down in ecstasy and I rolled my eyes before cracking a small grin.

When released, I looked around, making a point to avoid Wade's eyes. Vowing to try to forget did not guarantee success and I wasn't taking any unnecessary risks.

"So what are we going to do today?" I asked, attempting a nonchalant attitude. Will held up his hand entwined with Honor's. Internally, I sighed, then instantly scolded myself. Even disregarding that him and Honor were dating, I barely knew Will.

"I think we're going to go do our own thing for a while," he told us. "We'll meet up with you guys later."

"Works with me. You guys want to catch a movie tonight?" Courtney turned to the rest of us, and we gave our consent.

"Can we get food?" Ashley demanded as the couple walked away. "I'm starving!"

"Ashley, we just ate," Morgan said. Ashley made a face.

"But I didn't have any because somebody didn't wake me up," Ashley accused.

"I'm with Ashley," Wade butt in. "I didn't have anything either. Can we head over to the Shoreline?"

Shoreline? Courtney noticed my confusion. "It's an old platform they made into a snack, restaurant place thing."

I raised an eyebrow. A restaurant place thing? Glad she cleared it up.

"It's cool, you'll like it," Courtney reassured me.

I shrugged, "Lead the way."

*****

"I'll have a strawberry banana smoothie," I ordered.

"Size?" A bored-looking employee said from behind the counter, snapping his gum.

"Uh . . . that one?" I said hesitantly, pointing to one of the plastic cups on display.

A pink bubble popped in my face. "Whatever," he said.

I handed him a few dollars, and received my change and smoothie in return.

"Thanks," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes. Customer service: 0 stars.

Turning to find the rest of the group, I had to admit the place had a certain charm to it. Resting on a large dock above the river, wooden tables dotted the surface, bright colored umbrellas sprouting from their center. The small bar set off to the side served not only the tourists of the town, but sailors from the numerous boats fastened to the pier as well. Finding the girls and Wade, I joined them under the large yellow parasol.

While Ashley and Wade ate, Courtney, Morgan and I sipped our smoothies and chatted. The week I'd been going to Morris had given me a little understanding of the gossip the two were sharing, but I did better at taking the information in than contributing to it. After a bit, I began to zone out of the conversation and focus on the scenery surrounding me. A large sailboat was making its way past us, gliding down the river. Groups of seagulls sat on the railings, grooming themselves, then launching into the sky to perform challenging maneuvers for the onlookers. Lazily, I began to imagine being above all this, being free in the sky; no ties, no rules. Just to glide on feathered wings wherever I wished. I could leave this all behind, set off again on my own. Just me; me against the world.

That's what I wanted when Social Services dropped me off here. To leave. To get my car back and just go. Somehow, though, over the past week, my goal had altered. I was becoming attached to the normal, easy life of everyone here; taking the days as they come; not having to worry about fending for yourself. I liked going back to school, being able to see people, just to hold conversations with them without stressing where your next paycheck was coming from. Then there were the girls. Having the constant presence of one of them, whether it was Courtney at home or Honor in French, was addicting. I didn't want to leave them, they'd become a too big part in my life. Forgetting them was out of the question.

"What?" Courtney asked, looking at me. I was confused a moment, until I realized that my thoughts had lifted the corner of my mouth into a giddy smile.

I gave her a shrug, more bouncy than usual.

"Nothing really," I said, grinning wider. "Just happy."

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