It Started With A Run

~23~ Anna, Tyson, and Tarah

"It seems you have someone now, though I'm surprised he doesn't have scars or anything on him," Tarah said referring to me. "You stuck around? Even after Tony?"

I went to say something, but Anna beat me to it. "We're not... together... like that. Tony doesn't know he exists, I made sure of that."

"He's actually here for another reason," Tyson said, finally making a move to tell her about what we did.

"Well what's the reason then?" She asked curiously.

We all looked at each other nervously. 

"You might want to sit down for this Tarah."

She did as she was told, still eyeing everyone suspiciously.

Tyson knelt at his sister's bed. "Well Tar, you remember that night when Mom and Dad died?"

Her eyes went wide and she scrambled to the far side of the bed, as far away from him as possible. She curled up into a fetal position and put her hands over her head. 

"No, no, no, no, no. I told you guys hundreds of times that I don't want to talk about it and you think he's going to get me to talk? They've had so many doctors in here and you think he can convince me to talk? Why? Because he's closer to my age? Please, please, please just leave it alone. Just leave me alone. You're making them come back Ty, the images. Please just stop."

Tyson winced and went to say something, but I cut him off. "I'm not a doctor Tarah."

"I don't care what new name you guys have started to call yourselves. I don't care if you're a therapist, or a psychologist or whatever, just leave me alone."

This time Anna went to say something, but I cut her off as well.

"No Tarah you don't get it. My name is Cameron and... we already know what happened that night. We know you watched your parents die in the living room of Elizabeth Kings' house. We know you passed out outside her window after she took your parents home to make it look like they overdosed. We know you tried to kill yourself because you keep seeing the image of them dying over and over in your head and you couldn't take it anymore. We know everything."

She slowly lowered her hands from the top of her head and looked at me with the most bewildered expression. "How... how do you know all that?"

"He and I found Elizabeth Kings and the other girl, Eliana Aldridge. They told us everything. Well, not exactly told, but tomato tomahto."

"Where are they now?"

"Jail, and their parents too, well-"

"They put Ellie in jail? Oh no she didn't do anything wrong! She was the only one there for me through everything!" Tarah interrupted me.

"No actually, I was just about to say that Ellie was the only one they let free, it was obvious that she didn't do anything wrong."

She sighed in relief. "Oh thank god! Ellie was forced into the whole thing you know! She never wanted to bring my parents back home. She wanted to forget about the drug and tell the proper authorities, she thought it wouldn't be as bad if they had just told them. When I finally came back to school, she was the only one who approached me. At first I was pissed at her, 'how could she do that to me', I thought. After she calmed me down and everything she told me what I just told you. She was always my friend, but I understood why she couldn't tell the police, they were threatening her life every time she refused to do something they wanted," Tarah shook her head disappointedly.

"She was the only one I told about the images I was seeing. I'm sorry you guys, but saying it meant reliving it and I couldn't do that. Whenever it was brought up or something happened that made me see the images I just became mute. Ellie was the only one that would understand without me having to explain it to her. I don't think I'll ever fully be ok, but now that everyone knows and I know that the people that did it are behind bars, I can finally get better."

We all smiled at her little speech. I was so relieved that we got her to open up and that she was okay. Tyson and Anna looked so much happier because of it and I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

"Hey can... can you get Ellie to visit me here? It would make me so happy to see her again. I haven't even gotten the chance to, seeing as she didn't know where I disappeared to."

"Of course little sis, anything you want." She got up and gave Tyson a big hug.

"I love you, Anna. So much." She said as she let go of Tyson and moved on the Anna. 

"Not as much as I love you Tar." They both smiled and Tarah eyed me as she pulled away from Anna.

"Don't think you don't get one too. You did so much for me and we don't even know each other." Tarah pulled me into one of the tightest hugs I've ever been in. 

"I mean... Anna and Tyson didn't really give me a choice so..." She pulled away and glared at me and I started laughing.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. What those people did to you and your family was wrong and I would've helped you either way." 

Before we left, we decided I would take a picture of them to remember this day by. They wanted me in the picture, but I told them that this is their little family, maybe I'll join one day, but for now, it's theirs.

Anna, Tyson, and Tarah looked so happy in the photo and I'm sure they'll all remember this day forever. 

Everyone else filed out of the room after that but Tarah said she wanted to have a "Private chat" with me. I wasn't sure what that meant but I was kind of nervous.

"So you and Anna probably spent a lot of time together while you were sneaking around trying to get information and stuff."

"Yeah... I guess you could say that..."

"And you guys definitely aren't dating?"

"Pretty sure I would know if we were dating..."

"Just making sure Cameron, just making sure."

"If you really need to know, I'm planning on asking her out."

Tarah squealed. "I knew it! I knew it! Okay, okay... when."

"Not sure yet... all I know is that I need to do it soon because I'm not sure how much longer I can hang around her without randomly blurting out the fact that I like her."

Seriously, I need to do this like, tomorrow.

And maybe I will...

A/N
Hey Guys!

Sorry that I've been M.I.A. for a while, I know I said I would update on Saturday, but I got my phone and stuff taken, so I wasn't really allowed to. 

It's looking like this will be a little over 30 chapters, maybe around 35. If that's true we have a little over 10 chapters left and It Started With A Run is over :( 

On a lighter note though, what do you think Cam is planning on doing? 

Did you like this introduction to Tarah? Do you guys like her? 

Thank you SO SO SO much for 250 views. Woah. That's a lot. I can't thank you guys enough :)

Bye loves~
Syd.