The hot sun blazed on the timeworn black leather car seats, burning up under me as I stirred in my sleep. Visions of nightmares filled my head like a black void, as I slipped deeper in the darkness. A scene played out in my head, the same as every night, visions of my screwed up life back with my so-called "parents".
"Move your lazy ass, Ivan!" My drunken mother slurred and stumbled in place.
My druggie father laid still unmoving on our tattered couch. I hoped this time he had taken too much and was finally on the verge of letting go. I stood in the corner frozen watching my mothers every move until she spotted me.
"Whatta ya lookin at you little mistake? Why don't you make yerr self useful and get me sum more booooze."
I looked at her in pure disgust and muttered a "No."
I immediately knew that was a mistake when she threw her glass Henny bottle straight at my legs. The glass exploded on my foot and tore a nasty cut straight through my leg. Blood spurted out from my leg, painting the dirty white floor bright red. I screamed still in shock of what happened.
My head jerked up from the hot sweaty car seat and I found myself actually screaming. I quieted myself and tried to calm down my heavy breathing. I left "home" a year ago and the memories won't stop tormenting me. I will never go back to that place, and to my abusive disoriented parents. I stared into space thinking of the times I've witnessed my parents overdosing, or drinking themselves to near death. I was brought out of my thoughts by a loud knock on my car window. I rubbed my blurry eyes and peered out of the tinted windows. I saw a guy with dark, mysterious, empty eyes staring into my car. He looked to be around my age, 17 or 18. I cautiously rolled down my window and I heard him speak.
"Can you move your goddamn car, you're blocking me in." His annoyance and irritation filled the air around me and my mood immediately changed.
"Yeah, sorry I'll get out of your way," I responded.
I climbed into the front seat of my car and put it into drive and moved out from the side of the road. I glanced at the time on my dash and the blinking lights read 6:56 am. I decided to start to drive to school now that I was awake. I knew there was no way I could possibly go back to sleep now. I turned up my radio and let the wind fly through my messy hair. On my way to Marco Island High, I noticed a familiar face in the rearview mirror. It was the same attitude driven guy from earlier. Thoughts of paranoia filled my head and I thought he was following me. My recklessness led my body instead of my mind and I found myself in front of his car.
I banged on his window and asked: "Are you following me?"
A smirk played out on his face and he snickered, "Don't kid yourself, sweetheart, I'm going to school."
He cut me off rolling up his window and speeding away, leaving me standing in the middle of the road in embarrassment.
As soon as the third-period bell rang I sprung out of my chair and checked my phone. I had one text message from my friend Cara.
It read "Meet me at building 4 downstairs bathroom."
I responded with a quick "ok." and headed to building four.
As soon as I arrived at the bathroom filled with nicotine addicted kids Cara greeted me.
"Where have you been Blair!? I have been so worried social services found you again."
I laughed and replied, "No definitely not, I've been feeling kind of off lately so I took a week off."
She breathed a heavy sigh of relief before embracing me with a strong hug. As soon as I hugged her a coldness filled my body that I have never felt before. An image of a baby filled my head and I pulled away from the hug in shock.
"Are you okay? You're acting weird," she asked
"Yeah I'm fine, I have to go," I muttered.
I ran past her and heard her words as I left.
"Wait! We didn't even get to talk about your birthday plans!"
I ran past administration who gave me concerning and strange looks as I headed to the parking lot. My head felt foggy and I felt blackness creeping over my eyes fast. My body wad weak and strained as I gave in to the darkness.
I heard Voices all around me getting closer and closer.
"Is she okay?"
"What happened?"
"Did you call 911?"
The voices were cut off by a deep raspy voice,
"Everyone move out of the way now. Give her space and get to class. And put your damn phones away! You don't record someone who passed out."
My consciousness slowly crept back in and I opened my eyes to a chiseled face, with concerned green eyes. I tried fighting my way up when strong hands held me down.
"Don't move the ambulance is on the way. You're fine." The same deep voice spoke again and I recognized it. His voice was the last thing I remembered before slipping away again.
A strong smell of disinfectant and alcohol filled my nose. I felt coldness around me and confusingly peeked around at my surroundings. The room around me was unfamiliar with organized furniture, cords, and machines. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a tall guy holding some sort of red bag. When I realized where I was I spoke.
"Hello?"
"Hey, you're awake now." said the guy from this morning.
"What are you doing here? What happened?" I asked.
"You passed out in the parking lot. You're lucky I went to skip class to get lunch or I wouldn't have found you." he laughed.
"Thanks. You just keep showing up everywhere don't you?" I snickered.
"I'm convinced you're stalking me. The proof is there." He teased.
A nurse dressed in blue scrubs interrupted us.
"Well, I see you're doing just fine! You can be discharged in an hour or so. Is there any family member I can contact to come to get you?"
"That's funny, Ill just discharge myself." My words came out more abruptly than I meant, but she brought up a touchy subject.
The guy who found me spoke up,
"I can give her a ride home, its fine."
"Okay! I'll just get her papers." the nurse cheerfully spoke and went off to do her job.
"You don't have to do that. You obviously already know I live in a car considering what happened this morning." I said.
"I'll just take you to your car. I'm Derek by the way," he muttered and held out his hand for me to shake.
"I'm Blair," I said and took his hand in mine.
A shiver made the hair on my neck stand up as my hand touched his. Something about him was different and I wanted to find out. As we walked to his car a strange sense of deja vu filled the air, making me feel like this has happened already.
